Miseraya

In the imp: Boozy! Something like alcohol and tobacco, with... something sweet in there as well.... Wait... now it's almonds and cherry cough medicine. On the wrist: Very almonds and cherries. This smells like marzipan and cherries drowning in booze sitting in a room with a cigar. Dry: It stays pretty much the same dry, it's a very consistent scent on me. After a while, however, it gets very sharp. Same scent, just...sharp. I may keep an imp of this around for money help, but I don't see myself wearing it frequently.

In the imp: Yuck. Lavender. Sharp, medicinal and astringent herbs. Heavy lavender and rosemary in this, with a bite of neroli. On the wrist: About the same as in the imp, but with a hint of the frankincense as well now. My body loves to amp frankincense, so I am not at all surprised that it's swimming up through everything else only after being put on. Dry: Softened quite a bit from it's in the imp first impression. The frankincense and my body chemistry have conspired to turn this into a powdery lavender incense, with only the faintest hint of rosemary and nothing of the other notes. I can occasionally catch a lemon note in this, but only if I'm smelling it unintentionally, if I bring my wrist up close it gets lost entirely. This one is quite a changeling, and it may be great for someone with a love of lavender and frankincense, but it's just not for me.

This is a very powerful combination of spearmint and juniper to my nose, with berries hidden in there somewhere. All in all, this scent is very evocative of an evergreen forest. Minty, piney and fruity, what an interesting combination. It would work as a wonderful room scent, and probably works wonderfully as a meditation oil as well. Maybe not so great for wearing, I think it would be too strong for me.

In the imp: Musk... and something powdery, probably the Osmanthus, that always comes out as a powdery scent to me. I can almost guarantee that my body chemistry and this scent will not get along... On the wrist: Getting a bit of cedar now, and something... sharp? Slightly spicy... like carnation almost. A tiny hint of lemon. So far this is working out much better than I had expected, but the musk is still lurking, waiting to ruin everything. Not getting any lilac thus far... nor wisteria, unless that is the spice I smell? This is a blurry scent to my nose, nothing really stands out above the rest. Dry: There is something in this that is reminding me of Alecto, which of course, makes no bloody sense. Alas, this scent is not me at all and my chemistry has indeed perverted it and turned it into a powdery disaster. *sigh* To the swaps.

I received this as a frimp in a forum swap and although jasmine (and florals in general) never work on me, I have made a vow to try every imp I get my hands on. I offer the following caveat to this review; my skin amps jasmine like crazy. In the imp: Sweet, heavy florals. Getting a lot of the jasmine. On the skin, wet: Jasmine, heavy, sweet overwhelming jasmine. On the skin, dry: Still very heavy jasmine. Final Analysis: Alas, my body chemistry strikes again. No notes aside from jasmine came through in this. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Musk and oranges. On the wrist, wet: Getting the sandalwood & the musk, primarily, but the orange is definitely there. Not getting any of the mango yet. After a few minutes it softens and I start to get the mango note as well as more orange. On the wrist, dry: Juicy and fruity. The sandalwood and musk have mellowed out enough to allow the fruit notes to shine through. At this point it is primarily a juicy orange with mango sweetening it ever so slightly. After about 20 minutes however, the musk is making this heavier than I would like and the sandalwood is turning everything powdery. Final Analysis: This is nice, but not me. I just cannot do musk and sandalwood, I'm not sure why I keep trying. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Exactly as the description says, but with one difference, the ginger doesn't seem "biting" to me, rather it seems very mellow, the tea is what really stands out. Oh lovely, lovely tea. Before I discovered BPAL my signature scent was B&BW's "White Tea and Ginger", which, true to form, they discontinued. (I bought three of the last bottles!) This is similar to that, but more complex, precisely as I had hoped. On the wrist, wet: This is a very crisp, light and refreshing scent. A must for warm weather. On the wrist, dry: Gorgeous, very clean and fresh. Sexy. Final Analysis: I love this! It completely replaces (and exceeds) my love of the discontinued B&BW "White Tea & Ginger". Definite big bottle.

Received this as a generous frimp from the lab. I did this review without having read the description, so it's a bit vague. In the imp: A heavy, musky 80's perfume. It's slightly spicy and pungent. On the wrist, wet: My skin seems to immediately amp the spicy notes. I'm really getting musk from this, and possibly... cinnamon? Something spicy sharp. On the wrist, dry: This continues to be very musky and very spicy on me. It's a very heavy scent. After it sits for about 45 minutes it starts to get powdery and sweet, which makes me think either roses or sandalwood. Final Analysis: I think someone who is a fan of the heavy, spicy musks would love this, but it just doesn't work on me. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Effervescent, clean. Makes me think of Mr. Bubble. Plumeria is very prominent. On the wrist, wet: Champagne comes through beautifully immediately upon application. Also the beginnings of pear. This is very joyful, innocent and playful. On the wrist, dry: Becomes a bit more grown up, while maintaining all the same qualities it has when wet. Final Analysis- A definite keeper and most likely a big bottle. This is a great scent when you need something upliftinng and cheery, it also has wonderful staying power and throw for a light scent.

In the imp: Coconut! Definitely a foody coconut and coffee? Maybe? Something dark and damping down the sweetness of the coconut. Maybe booze? That would make sense... On the wrist, wet: Before I even put my nose to my wrist I get a big waft of boozy coconut. This is a different coconut from Black Pearl, there is no suntan lotion overtones to this coconut. On the wrist, dry: This is precisely what the description says, coconut, tobacco and sugared rum. Gorgeous. Final Analysis: Despite the fact that this scent really isn't me, I still love it. It is dark, sweet and sexy and definitely puts me in mind of voodoo. Lovely. A very magnetic and alluring blend.

In the imp: Warm, dry and dusty. Puts me in mind of empty fields of grain in autumn and plains stretching off into the distance as far as the eye can see. Very evocative scent. This is also a clean smelling scent, which I wouldn't have expected, with amber in it (amber always smells very heavy to my nose). So far I really like Coyote! On the wrist, wet: There is a clean, almost astringent note in this that reminds me of living in Scottsdale, AZ... Creosote! That's what it makes me think of. The amber is very prominent at this stage. There's also something sweet and fruity floral (florally fruit?) poking through. This is a very warm scent. On the wrist, dry: As soon as this dries the amber becomes overwhelming on me. Final Analysis: There are some great notes in this, but my body chemistry does not play nice with amber, alas. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Citrus? Vaguely... After a few sniffs I can identify the lemon balm and the myrrh. Hooray for the former and boo for the latter. Myrrh never works on me, but the promise of lemon balm and honeysuckle was too tempting to ignore. Here's hoping the myrrh gets lost in translation. Fruity, sweet, innocent. On the wrist, wet: Getting the lemon balm and honeysuckle, this blend is fruity and floral all at once. Alas the myrrh is still very much present and threatening to turn this entire thing into a powdery mess. On the wrist, dry: The myrrh has completely taken over and turned this into powder. *sigh* Final Analysis: Alas, the lemon balm and honeysuckle were not tough enough to win the battle against myrrh, sandalwood and my body chemistry. Off to the swaps. ETA: Grammar error. ETA2: I didn't add the grammar error, I subtracted it.

In the imp: Light, sweet, slightly fruity. Citrus? I'm leaning towards yuzu and white tea at the moment, but with something to blunt the yuzu, something floral. On the wrist, wet: Clean, reminiscent of Dirty, which makes me think plumeria. The smell is very faint and the oil dries quickly. On the wrist, dry: Again getting the scent of plumeria. This is very similar to Dirty, but subtly different. It's also making me think of something I used to use in the shower, but I can't quite place it. Probably something I can't afford anymore. Final Analysis: I like this, it's definitely a keeper. I'll use up the imp and possibly buy a bottle. It's similar to Dirty, but more complex, definitely different enough that you couldn't substitute one for the other. Would make a great warm weather scent.

Bandersnatch musk, redolent of spicy carnations, wild plums and chrysanthemum. In the imp: Spicy! I'm getting a lot of carnation and hints of the other notes, this is primarily a spicy scent to me, but there is something light and sweet (plums?) lurking in the background. It vaguely reminds me of an autumn leaves candle I used to have... On the wrist, wet: Much like the in imp scent, but the plum is much more pronounced now, blending perfectly with the spicy scent of carnation. This is wonderfully blended (as are all the lab oils I have tried ). This is an appetizing and visceral scent. On the wrist, dry: Lovely blend of spicy and sweet. Not too much of either. A deep and rich scent, there is nothing childlike about this. Final Analysis: They say that scent is the closest linked sense to memory and this definitely argues in favor of that statement. I'm not sure what the memory is, but there is a memory associated with a scent very much like this. I will be keeping the imp, and possibly purchasing a bottle in the future. A lovely scent for all plum lovers and carnation lovers! I think this will be a wonderful cool/cold weather scent. ETA: Lab description.

In the imp: Green and grapefruit. This smells like broken stems left in the wake of tromping through an open field, full of wild grasses and flowers. The milky white sap that oozes from some of their broken stems. I really like this scent thus far... On the wrist, wet: Green, fresh and crisp. Very clean and refreshing. Prominent grapefruit note. This smells very similar to a White Tea & Verbena gift set that my mother purchased for me a couple years ago. I've been metering it out because I know I could never afford to replace it. Since I first tried it, it has been my guilty decadance, and now I have a scent that complements it perfectly! On the wrist, dry: The scent stays pretty much the same on me, crisp and sweet, but not too much of either. Final Analysis: This is definitely a big bottle! This is lovely!

In the imp: Sasparilla, Root beer. On the wrist, wet: There is most definitely sassafras in this blend. I like sassafras. Hmm... but there is also something sort of incensey, and I don't like incense. On the wrist, dry: Powdery and heavy. Something very sweet and thick, overwhelming the sassafras. Final Analysis: Some sort of resin or incense in this is not agreeing with my nose. Off to the swaps.

In the imp: Slightly sweet, with a hint of something that makes me think "chamomile". Which, of course, makes no sense. On the wrist, wet: Orange blossom, that's what was making me think chamomile. Sweet and delicate to my nose. On the wrist, dry: Getting what must be the red patchouli now. Final Analysis: A nice blend but I don't know if I'd ever wear it. It was less than 50% full, so it's off to the frimp pile.

In the imp: Heavy, sharp and musky. Patchouli and ginger. On the wrist, wet: Musky. Very heavy 80's scent to me. On the wrist, dry: Not getting much in the way of orange blossom. Getting a lot of a musk sort of scent, I suppose it's an effect of the ginger and patchouli blending. It's earthy, thick and heavy, while at the same time seeming sort of powdery. Final Analysis: Not at all a me sort of scent. Since there is less than 50% of the imp left, it's going to the frimp pile.

In the imp: This reminds me a lot of Tommy cologne. When I was much younger a boyfriend gave me an empty bottle of his Tommy cologne, I loved that smell. I used to sniff that bottle constantly. Then I lost the bottle and haven't smelled it for years. Now I have something like it, but better! On the wrist, wet: This doesn't morph on me, it just gets a little bolder, but the scent stays the same. On the wrist, dry: Quite the lasting power on me and still a steady scent that reminds me of Tommy cologne. Final Analysis: Big bottle! Definitely a big bottle!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who got the olives thing. From the imp, to drydown to the time it faded away, this smelled like green olives to me. Pimento included.

In the imp: Foody. Sweet. Boozy. On the forearm, wet: Honeymead and carnation. Sweetening into something fruity. Sweet in a citrusy sort of way. Getting honeysuckle. On the forearm, dry: Copal trying to take over. Now starting to go floral. Losing the fruit, mead is gone. Getting the heavy powdery incense scent of frankincense now. Fruit trying to make a comeback, fighting with frankincense. This morphs alot. Getting spicier, mead is coming back. Final Analysis: This never settled on me, everytime I smelled it, it was something different. The majority of the time this makes me think it is an autumn scent. This sweet, citrusy notes make me think spring though and the frankincense and copal make me think of summer with drought conditions. I am as indecisive about this scent as it is about what it wants to smell like. It may go up for swap, but for now it goes in the second chance drawer.

In the imp: Smoky, husky vanilla. Hints of sassafras. On the wrist, wet: Smells like an old fashioned candy that I can't quite identify. Something spicy peeks out as it begins to dry. On the wrist, dry: Getting the root beer-esque scent of sassafras (technically that's sasparilla that we're smelling, not root beer ). Getting something slightly reminiscent of anise as well, maybe a sharper aspect of the sassafras, or the cedar. Final Analysis: I smell like an incredibly sexy cedar chest that possibly had a root beer float spilled inside it. I also get whiffs of cotton candy and other carnival treats. This lasts for a very long time (over twelve hours now and still smellable, though faint now) and it has a good bit of waft. It's also strong, a dab will do ya. All in all, I like this and I'm going to hang on to it for a fall scent.

In the imp: Sweet and sticky. Very sweet. Sunflowers, very faintly? On the elbow, wet: This is sickly sweet to me, it smells vaguely of decay. I can see this being the scent of a carnivorous plant. At the same time that it repels me I find myself glued to it, attracted to it, wanting to smell it some more. On the elbow, dry: Despite being so sickly sweet and smelling vaguely reminiscent of overripe fruit at the verge of beginning to rot, it is not an overpowering scent, nor is it entirely unpleasant. Final Analysis: This scent is quite a challenge, it morphs alot and is wonderfully blended. Despite it being far too sweet for my usual tastes I want to keep it, maybe there will be a day when it suits my mood. I wanted to note also, that I kept being put in mind of honeyed apples. This was a very sweet, sticky and yellow scent, but at the same time evoked images of fresh flowers and fruit, while smelling vaguely like decay. Very complex, I like it!

In the imp: Leather. Straight leather, just like the description. On the forearm, wet: This is sexy. This truly does smell like leather, pure and simple. In my mind it conjures images of Anubis in his leather jacket on stage at his last show, chunky boots, black leather jacket, leather pants, fishnet shirt.... On the forearm, dry: Very sexy. Very...very... sexy. Yeah. Final Analysis: I love this scent, I'm going to go smother Anubis in it and hang around smelling him while he plays guitar. Until I can't take it anymore and he has no choice but to put the guitar down...

In the imp: Clean, crisp, fresh, berries. On the wrist, wet: Clean and fresh, leafy smelling. Vaguely similar to Alecto, because of the berries I am sure... I've never smelled heather before (to my knowledge) but it's pleasantly apparent in this blend. On the wrist, dry: This fades into a soft but pronounced scent. Final Analysis: This is a beautiful blend, and I will be keeping the imp, possibly getting a bottle.