doomsday_disco

The apple peel note is the first note that leaps out at me (it's definitely the peel, and a pinkish red one to my nose), followed by the oak. Then the linen joins in and ends up cozying up to the apple. It smells really clean with those two notes at the forefront, but there's a whiff of leather and tea in the background. After a while, it ends up being a predominantly apple scent backed by a slightly smoky leather (or perhaps the tea is helping to lend that slight smokiness in this case?). Before I went to bed last night, I noticed this morphed back to apple and linen with some oak again. This is definitely more of an apple scent than a bookish one. I'm glad I got to try this, but I know I wouldn't reach for it over other apple scents in my collection.

The rose, pink pepper (the same one found in High-Strung Daisies), and sweet opium are what I smell at first, backed by some orchid. The cream part of the rose cream emerges after a bit, but the opium and pink pepper end up being the main players on me, with the orchid becoming more noticeable over time, but never overtaking the powerhouse that is the opium note. I also get some clove after a while, lurking behind the opium. Fans of the Lab's opium accord should love this one. I like this one more than I thought I would based on the notes!

This one is much less foresty than I expected. It is very wintery, though. The ozone, white mint, juniper, and verbena combine in a way that make me think of the Lab's slushy snow note. There's some pine in there as well, but not enough to make me think of a forest. Mostly just snow and ice. After a while, the brown musk note emerges and sits beneath the icy notes, giving the scent a somewhat cleaner feel as opposed to an animalic one to my nose. Later in the day, I can smell the cola-like labdanum beneath the ozone, with just a memory of the coolness from before. I'm glad I got to try this one, but this ending up as mostly ozone and labdanum at the end of the day was unexpected. I appreciate the cold notes, but I really wanted more forest from this!

This is one I've tested several times, but had neglected to review. It starts off strong on the dirt and crushed grass, with a smattering of wildflowers that become more noticeable once the dirt and grass finally calm down. It is evocative of warm days in the sun with a dog that was just digging up a flowerbed or a hole in a meadow. Not something I need a bottle of, but I'll be holding on to my decant.

Note: I'm testing this on my skin as opposed to in the bath. FloridaFledgling kindly gifted me a decant of this from her bottle , and it smells nicer than I would have expected with two berry notes in the mix! The iced blackberries are the star here, backed by the blackcurrant honey, which is more blackcurrant than honey at first but becomes more honey-like over time. The white peach isn't distinct to my nose, and the vanilla cream only shows up after several hours of wear, by which point, the scent is pretty light. The honey is a perfume-y kind of honey, which takes this blend in that direction instead of it being a fruity gourmand type of scent. I keep smelling this and thinking that it reminds me of something, and I think what it reminds me of is a bottle of Winter Maiden Atmosphere Spray that I once had. (That was a bath oil scent that Puddin had accidentally poured as an atmo and offered as a prize in a little competition he posted many years ago... and I was the one who had won that atmo. I think a few others may have been released on Etsy afterwards?) I no longer have that atmo to verify that scent comparison (it's long since used up), but I think it's accurate since they both feature iced blackberry notes. This is pretty nice for someone who typically avoids berry-centric scents.

I would not have thought I would like this, but I can add it to one of the few strawberry scents that works for me. I get juicy strawberry backed by the peach nectar, which adds some freshness to the strawberry and prevents it from becoming too candy-like. I wish I could drink it. (Actually, it is making me want the Mixed Fruit Green Tea I get from my favorite tea spot that contains passionfruit, strawberry, peach, lemon, and orange, with real pieces of fruit in it... and I always add mango stars.) Thank you to the lovely forumite that sent me some of this to try.

O the Joy of My Spirit! starts off with a jarring, sharp combo of hazelnut and pine, with some cacao (the kind that separates, like in Wulric, the Wolfman) thrown in the mix. The hazelnut and pine end up calming down with wear and become smoothed over by the warm, sweet tonka once it emerges after a few hours. I get starbrow's comparison to Judgmental Longhorn. It ends up being mostly hazelnut and tonka backed by touches of pine and cacao after a day of wear. I like the end result of this, but it's a little too sharp for me at the beginning, as if the notes are clashing together in a perfume-y sort of way. So I'm currently undecided on how I feel about this and will have to retest it to be sure. But it will probably end up being a destash for me since I'm trying to be more strict about what gets to stay in my collection and I'm not sure I want to go through the early phase of the scent to get to the end result.

When I first got into BPAL, I passed on French Tobacco single note, and then Ambergris, because my noob self didn't think I'd like to smell like tobacco or like something that's supposed to be reminiscent of something from a whale's digestive system. Then I discovered that I appreciate those notes and regretted passing up those single notes. A friend kindly sent me a decant of Ambergris this year, which I loved and thought I would have to use sparingly, but I lucked out and was able to get a bottle of this recently. It's kind of like an aquatic (but not in a soapy or dryer sheets sort of way), musky, slightly salty, ambery scent. It's wonderful and would be great on its own, for layering with those fragrances that you wish had a little more ambergris, and for other layering experiments (I want to try it layered with some french lavender absolute as a bedtime scent.) So happy to have a bottle of this one after I passed it up years ago.

At first, I get the tobacco, clary sage, and chamomile, sweetened by the raisins and a bit of caramel. But the cologne-y tobacco is quick to take over, accompanied by the chamomile and clary sage, and backed by some sandalwood. It loses any sweetness it had in the beginning. At the end of the day, the tobacco continues to reign, with the chamomile not far behind (it's much stronger than before) on a bed of some powdery, dry sandalwood. I'm not a big fan of raisins or caramel in perfume, but it would have been nice if those sweeter notes would have stuck around to take this out of cologne-territory.

This starts off strong on the lavender, and I don't know if it is the herbs combining with it or what, but it has a similar feel to it as Fuck This Heat for most of its wear, before the lavender calms down and the herbs and powdery honey come out more, reminding me somewhat of Ganeida from the Hellboy movie line. I don't think I need to hunt down a bottle of this (phew! at least, not yet), but the decant is a keeper for sure.

Frog Moon starts off so wonderfully green, bright, juicy and fresh -- it's hard to pick out some of the notes, but I think the green tea, green musk, tulsi, grass, and bamboo are what I got during the wet phase of the scent, with just a bit of a kick from the wasabi. Unfortunately, it ends up turning somewhat soapy on me once dry (I think it may be due to the green musk mixing with the moss), and then it becomes much drier over time as the patchouli leaf comes out more and eventually becomes one of the dominant notes on me, along with the moss. But it doesn't really smell like the green musk and patchouli from The Laughter of Loki, as that one features a different patchouli note and the mistletoe and basil in that make it a different sort of green scent. I really liked the wet phase of this, but sadly, I didn't enjoy the other phases of this scent nearly as much.

This is so lovely. It's a melange of floral notes that are very well blended, but among them, I can pick out dandelion, honeysuckle, and freesia. The wildflowers from Venus Verticordia are here, but there are also other floral notes that make me think of Muse of Fire minus the sugar. I believe the musk and freesia in this are the same from Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending, and the one from Ava minus the vanilla. If you like any of the above fragrances, I definitely recommend checking this one out. It starts off like realistic velvety petals in a florist's fridge mixed with some from a meadow and ends up morphing into commercial perfume territory as the musk and freesia come out more with wear. I think the decant will be enough for me, because this isn't a scent that should be slathered -- but I wish I had bought a bottle for my mom! She would love this.

Pumpkin Smash features the light, sweet, fleshy pumpkin from White Pumpkin Extrait. It's made sweeter by the beeswax, and then there's a wisp of smoke, like someone just blew out a candle. The beer note joins in after some time, and it is a pale variety. But mostly, it's about that pumpkin note! I never got any asphalt, but maybe it would become apparent with a good slather. And slather I shall, once October hits! 🎃

Interlude, is that you? This smells like the molasses-type of cookie from the Lilith scent Interlude overlaid with a light cherry note that comes out more once the spicy cookie finally settles down after a few hours. It is not like Sugar Cookie from the Yules plus cherry. It doesn't remind me of a sugar cookie at all. I don't think it is bad, and I enjoy the cherry, but I was really hoping it would be accompanied by a true sugar cookie type of note. Alas.

This one starts off strong on the white tea and creamy rice milk. The bright white tea note doesn't disappear on me, but it is softened by the rice milk over time, and the bit of coconut husk with the rice milk makes it seem more lotion-like to me. It isn't too coconut-y, but it does stay close to the skin. I'm glad I got to try this one, but it is a little too soft for me.

This is mostly about the violet on me, accompanied by the coniferous juniper and cypress and eucalyptus-like cajeput. Over time, I get some of the myrrh, and the lily combines with the violet and makes it seem almost bubblegum-y on me. So it's like a sweet floral and myrrh blend in the end. The cypress hasn't disappeared, but it has been relegated to a background role. I'm glad I got to try this in my quest to try as much of the GC as possible, but the floral notes make this not for me.

Ahhhh how did I never review this!? This is the scent that made me realize that I could love leather scents, and it remains one of my favorite leather scents ever. Prior to sniffing this at Denver Comic Con, I thought I disliked leather notes. (Sidenote: It was also at Denver Comic Con that I discovered another leather love: Jareth!) It's mostly well-worn leather smoothed oven even further by the vanilla and the dark musk (darker musks generally aren't my thing, but I don't mind the one in this at all). The ambergris isn't distinct to my nose, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were lingering in the background, adding to the sexy feel of this hair gloss. I love this, and I love pairing it with other sweet leathery scents (like Jareth, Perversion, The Bow and Crown of Conquest, Snake Skin, and The Mountebank).

WHAT?! HOW DID I NEVER REVIEW THIS ONE!? This hair gloss wins the award of most bottles of one hair gloss in my collection. It's my go-to lavender hair gloss (although I also love A Sweet Sleep and The Serpentine HGs). It's a bold lavender and vanilla. I think the hops and white musk may add a bit of a fuzzy quality to it. It reminds me more of LUSH's Twilight than the Lab's TKO, but the BPAL scent it is actually most reminiscent of is the 2017 Lilith Daybreak (only, without the coconut). If you love Lilith's lavender, and you love hair gloss, you need to try this. I absolutely adore it and never want to be without it.

Ah, yet another hair gloss I've neglected to review. Implacable Beautiful Tyrant is the ultimate resinous hair gloss. It's mostly about the frankincense and the golden amber. The oudh here is not the stanky variety, so if you're scared of oudh, don't let it stop you from trying this hair gloss, because it is amazing. The ginger here is really light, and the resins here are really smooth. I love pairing it with scents like Hesiod's Phoenix, Hope and Fear Set Free, and The Magician's Wand. If you enjoy resinous blends, do not overlook this LE-turned-GC gem.

Hmm. Guess I never reviewed this even though I've had a bottle since 2013 or 2014? Hair Loosened and Soiled in Mid-Orgies is mostly a bold, warm, musky honey. If I had to compare it to another BPAL, I'd probably compare it with O. It's definitely a sexy honey. I once wore it to a Thai restaurant and had a guy ask me if I was wearing something with (I think?) black vanilla. It reminded him of something his wife loved but could no longer find. I told him it was honey, but I think I refrained from mentioning the name of the scent. It's definitely a powerhouse of a hair gloss, so if you're looking for a subtle honey hair gloss, this is not the one for you. I don't wear this as often as I used to, as my hair gloss collection is now out of control, but when I do reach for it, I love pairing it with O and Womb Furie (and sometimes I layer it with Snake Oil HG for that Womb Furie effect in my hair). I think I have between 1/3 - 1/4 of a bottle left, though? So it's definitely gotten some love over the years.

Oh look, another hair gloss I forgot to review. Green Apple, Bergamot, Vanilla Orchid, and Tiare hair gloss is primarily about the crisp green apple note, with touches of the bergamot and floral notes. If you're averse to the other notes, but love the idea of a green apple hair gloss, this is still worth a try, as there's never a point when it stops being mostly about the green apple. I love pairing it with scents like Rapunzel in Ballpoint, Snow Glass Apples v4, Emerald Lace (because it is so green), and Bestiaire du Moyen Âge (with its apple blossom and greenery). Oh, and it doesn't smell like an apple Jolly Rancher, like some green apple scents tend to do. I don't reach for it as often as my red apple hair glosses, but it definitely has its place in my collection, and I love reaching for it during the spring and summer months.

Pfffffft I never reviewed this hair gloss either?! Elf HG, like the perfume oil, is a beauty. It smells like an evergreen forest near a meadow of wildflowers and is the only scent that happens to feature a violet note that I love (because the violet is somehow not declaring dominion over all). It's a great foresty hair gloss to wear during the spring and summer. Aside from Elf, I like pairing it with scents like Colemanite Phoenix and Venus Verticordia. Whenever it appears on Etsy, I'm always surprised that it doesn't get scooped up faster, because it's such a lovely sunshine-y forest scent. The only reason I don't have a back-up bottle is because I have so many bottles of hair gloss in my collection. But I hope I never run out.

How did I never review this? It's one of my most reached for hair glosses during the warmer months. The Geisha and the Samurai is mostly about that lovely blood orange, but there's an unexpected slight creaminess to the scent that I think must be due to the wood amber. It's not a type of amber that I have come across much in the BPALverse, although I think this year's Adventuresome Encounters may feature the same amber note. The white tea is not a main player in my hair, which is odd, because it's typically a loud note on me. This is my second favorite citrusy hair gloss from the Lab. I love pairing it with scents like Gobo, La Joconde, and Kubla Khan (Kubla Khan is mostly mandarin, amber, and vanilla on me). If you're looking for an orange-y hair gloss, this is the one to try. I love it and hope I never run out.

Apparently I never reviewed this? So I will try to kill some time at the office by reviewing some BPTP products I've neglected to review. Antique Lace HG is a warm, floofy vanilla. It's not really a floral vanilla or a foodie one to my nose, and I don't really get the other notes from it, but that's also the case with the 2017 perfume oil. The most readily available non-BPAL vanilla perfume oil I could compare this to is Nocturne Alchemy's Moonstone. This is really versatile and can be worn with almost anything, but aside from Antique Lace 2017, I mostly pair it with scents in the Lace family. I think it's wonderful, but among the vanilla hair glosses, Boo is still my favorite.

The positive reviews about Miss Lupescu being gourmand-adjacent with its almond blossom and spices made me want to try this one, but alas, on me, the fur-like animalic musk dominates throughout wear, backed by the woods. There's a very light touch of sweetness from the almond blossom, but it isn't as strong as it is in other scents like Almond Blossom, Comparison of Celebrated Beauties, or Fracas with Eleven Kabuki Actors. The patchouli is also very light. Sadly, I was not able to detect any cypress, and I am surprised that I'm not getting much in the way of spices, either! (I have to inhale really deeply in order to smell them.) This kind of reminds me of a far more musky (but a fur-like musk instead of the Egyptian variety) version of Bastet without the myrrh and the stronger almond note. I'm glad I got to try this, but it is too musk-heavy for me.