portalkat

My first impression was strawberry incense, but there is so much more to Pink Phoenix. The pear, honeycomb and the sweet pea combine to give it a depth and a richness. I keep smelling incense notes and I think that it is the vanilla combined with the honeycomb and the sugared pear. I was prepared for a very sweet, perhaps too sweet blend, but think that Pink Phoenix has a mellowness and earthiness that I didn't expect to find. I'm glad that I was able to locate a bottle of this. Throw is average and I expect that my skin will hold on to this for hours since it never likes to let go of BPAL scents.

"Heavy incense notes waft lazily through a mix of carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver." When I first put this on it reminded me of a very old fashioned perfume, somewhat musty jasmine and carnation. After about half an hour, I start to really smell the bergamot and the mosses and the floral notes have all but disappeared - this little caterpillar is on the move. Three hours later the florals are back again (although very faint) amid the bergamot and the mosses. Those smoky incense notes waft in and out of this blend, but then I remember that the caterpillar was smoking a hookah. This is a very intriguing blend that I've thought a lot about ever since I tried it about a week ago. ETA: Lab description

In Imperial China, the Dragon was the symbol of the Emperor’s power, and to this day, the concept and the image of the Dragon is considered sacrosanct. The Dragon is a symbol of power, the Lord of weather and water. The Dragon Moon celebrates the glory and vigor of Springtime: dragon’s blood resin, tea leaf, bamboo reed, sandalwood and cherry blossom. I put this on and the floral notes came out very strong. Behind it I could smell the bamboo and the astringent tea leaf. It's very green which helps because the cherry blossoms are so sweet with the Dragon's Blood resin. After about half an hour, the floral scent is not quite as sharp and the sandalwood starts to get stronger. After about an hour and a half it becomes a soft floral with the resins and wood and the green from the tea and bamboo still evident. The throw was pretty strong and it lasted about 16 hours on my skin. It seems like my chemistry loves everything which is wonderful - and really bad for my pocketbook! eta: lab description added

When I first put this on, I can immediately smell the musk, the fir and balsam with some light floral. Then the tobacco starts winding in and out. I don't start to smell the mint and the cumin for about 45 minutes. This morphs around a bit, but the one note that stays constant is the tobacco which wafts around. The tobacco smells very interesting with the orange blossom. After a couple of hours, I smell the musk and the flowers spiced with the cumin and the bitter clove. The tobacco now smells like sweet pipe tobacco. It stays like this for the duration. It never smelled very masculine on me, but slightly sweet, spicy and smoky. This does not have exceptional throw, but it lasts 14 hours plus on me. I really like all of the different stages of this and it's another scent that needs to go on my list.

Lucy's Kiss began as a straight rose scent and not the type of rose that I particularly like. I tend to like richer, fuller rose scents and this was of the lighter variety. After about 10 minutes, it deepened and the spices started to develop. It also has some green notes now and has become more interesting to me. Oooh, there is another note developing now, almost like some other floral that I can't really pinpoint. It's really starting to intrigue me. I don't know that I would buy a bottle right now, but every couple of years or so I do get on a rose kick and this would definitely go on my list.

This is sooo beautiful that it makes me want to cry. It opens up on my skin with the scent of ripe figs, coconut and lush green leaves. About an hour later, the honey almond milk and the sandalwood come forward. The fruit peaks through every once in awhile. After a few hours, there is only a hint of the sandalwood and it smells more fruity with the fig and the coconut jockeying for position. The combination of the fig and fig leaves give a depth to Eden and keep it from being too bright This has a fairly good throw and is still strong after 6 hours. My heart is still with Manila, but now I am guilty of a wandering nose.

OH GOOD GOSH ALMIGHTY!!! One swipe of the magic wand and I swooned! When I first put it on it was strong, vanilla and rum. After about an hour, the saffron appeared. After a few hours the sandalwood came forward to mingle with the rest. All of the notes are now present and the vanilla is no longer as foody as it was in the beginning, but more of a vanilla orchid. On me it has a pretty strong throw. I was walking through the market and I could smell this heavenly fragrance wafting around me. I found myself being led to the bakery section

I tried this on before I went to bed, but wasn't able to follow it for very long so I reapplied it again this morning. WET - This is a very intense floral. There are notes that seem familiar, but I can't really tell what everything is. It's quite strong initially and I'm waiting for it to mellow a bit. DRYDOWN - It has mellowed and now I can smell some greenery like ferns or leaves along with the flowers and it's getting more interesting. Three hours later this has really softened up. The greenery is still there with the florals, but now there is a musky odor that is not unpleasant at all. I like the development better than the initial stage which was a bit overwhelming. Midnight is a very gorgeous scent that I wouldn't mind wearing more often.

This is so unlike what I had been expecting. I was thinking that it would be darker, more medicinal, slightly bitter, but instead it opened up on my skin as green clover and morning grasses, light fresh florals and green tea. I can smell hints of the ginger, but it isn't particularly spicey on me. I'm also starting to smell the fig and it is a fresh fig, slightly green and still on the tree. This is such a pretty scent that I am contemplating a bottle.

I have absolutely no idea what I'm smelling, but I love it! On me this is mostly a floral, although I can't even tell what flowers are in it, there is a tiny hint of fruit and the amber. After a few hours it mellows a bit and the amber comes to the forefront. The florals are receding slightly and there is a bit more fruit coming forward now. It drove me crazy that I could never determine the notes in this except for the amber. The throw is fair, but I wish that it lasted longer and was not so light. Whatever is in this little imp, I'm ordering a larger bottle.

This smells to me just like the name. I can envision an old trunk being opened and an antique bed jacket being pulled out. The lace around the cuffs and collar have traces of old perfume. WET - I could really smell the vanilla with a hint of musky rose in the background. DRY - It still pretty much smells the same, but there is a bit more of an underlying fabric smell. The whole effect is very soft and pretty. The florals smell very old-fashioned to me, but the vanilla gives it a bit of a contemporary twist. This lasts forever on me. I put it on about an hour before I went to bed and I've already taken a shower this morning and I can still smell it on my wrist. The throw is incredible and I can still smell it wafting around me. It was so strong that it pretty much covered up the Machu Picchu which I had on my other wrist. This is not really my type of scent at all, but I find it so intriguing and pretty that I'm thinking about buying a bottle. I must add that it smells just like my favorite yo-yo that I had as a kid and I really liked the smell of that toy!

IN THE VIAL - I could smell the greenery of the bouquets and wreaths, but mainly the strong floral notes. WET ON THE SKIN - This was so beautiful that I was overwhelmed. I could still smell the greenery mixed with the the florals, but something like violet stood out and the whole effect was bright and gorgeous. DRYDOWN - It softens up quite a bit on me and the floral tones head to the forefront. I can no longer smell so much of the violet as the other florals have come forward. It starts to smell very musty and sad and I'm left feeling rather depressed. Maybe I would wear this to a funeral, but if I wore it any other time, I would have to layer it with something brighter. This scent was so gorgeous, but for me it evoked a sense of loss and despair.

I found this scent so confusing. When I first put it on it smelled so strongly of wintergreen that my head snapped back. I could still smell it after about 5 minutes, then everything began to settle down. Everything had a soft, hollow quality to it. I could smell soft woods, the lichen and the florals. The mint became much less noticeable, however something in the floral notes had a bit of spiciness to it, maybe like carnation. The whole effect (after the wintergreen lightens up) is very soft and quiet. Maybe this will be a good sleep scent.

I tried this because I was looking for something that I might like as much as Manila which has been my true love. In the bottle - Fruity and slightly floral with sweet woods. On skin - I can smell the Frankincense in the background and it reminds me of high mass in the Catholic church. I like the combination of the fruits and sweet resins with the bit of spiciness. I will definitely be buying a bigger bottle - or two even though I am still faithful to Manila. This a really gorgeous scent.

I tried this on before I went to bed. I usually like to try on new things without looking at the description to see whether I am even close in picking out the different scents. Wet - Very citrusy, some floral and another fruit, berry or cherry or something red. Something reminds me of Verbena. Dry - It's starting to mellow out and I'm thinking orange with some white flower and berry. After about a half hour, I could smell the orange with blossoms in the background and light raspberry over everything. The neroli gave it that slightly smoky floral note so that it didn't read so bright on me. When I woke up, it pretty much smelled the same, fruity and slightly floral, and there was good lasting power. It's pretty and light and something that I would wear in the spring and summer. I don't know whether I would get a 5ml, but I would definitely use up the imp and perhaps get another here and there.

Okay, I am totally obsessed with Manila and have worn it every day since I got the imp over a week ago. I read the reviews on Eden and thought that I might like that too. Does anyone have any suggestions about what I might like if I love Manila?

Actually, I am pretty sure that the fees that BPAL incurrs are fees that the Lab cannot really directly pass on to its customers - it's just that if you are going to pay via PayPal *anyway* then it is best for the Lab to go through PayPal directly, rather than through CC Now, because the fees are higher that way. Since this week is still sort of nuts for the Labbies what with settling into the new place and all, if I were you, I would sit tight until your server trouble is settled, anyway, then go ahead and email the answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com addy to explain what happened and ask if there is anything you can do - but I'm about 97% sure that Sara's answer will be not to worry about it and just go through Paypal next time. Thank you - I think that I'll log onto my Fastmail account and send them another message. I want to support BPAL as much as I can and hate for any of their profit to be eaten up by fees. It was an impulsive newbie blunder

I made a stupid newbie blunder. I paid with Paypal using CCNow, then remembered the notice about not doing that. I emailed bpal and asked what to do, but my mail server is having problems and I can't access the reply if there was one. What can I do about the mistake that I made or do I just leave it? What exactly does happen if I use paypal on CCNow. Are there add'l charges incurred and if so, should I send money via paypal to bpal to cover these add'l charges. Okay, I think that through another thread, I found my answer. So, I guess, rather then cancelling the order and starting over, I need to send more money to bpal. How much more and to what email address if I am sending via Paypal? Now I am a nervous newbie!

When I first saw this scent name, I knew that I had to try it since my parents were both from the Philippines. It had such mixed reviews that I tried to stay optimistic, thinking that I would just keep it for the name alone. Well I have been wearing nothing but this scent for 3 days, ever since I bought an imp and I have been wearing unfragranced body creams just so that I don't mix anything with the scent of Manila. Out of the bottle and onto my skin - I get what most of the reviewers got, banana candy. I like banana so this is fine with me, but............hey, where did it go!?!? It was so fleeting that less than a minute (literally) the banana candy disappeared. Wet, after 45 seconds - Sampaguita blossoms, tropical fruits and incense. These notes are so balanced and combine into one very strong and beautiful smell. There is a bit of menthol, but that lasts only a couple of minutes. This stays this way for about 2 - 3 hours. 3 hrs + - It is no longer so strong and smelling of incense. It mellows out and gets fruitier and the strong wood, maybe the Narra, gets softer and the whole thing is just so beautiful. The banana is now more of green banana plant, along with soft blossoms, palm and soft wood. This lasted on me for about 14 hours. It probably would have stayed longer, but I had to jump in the shower! After day 2, I ordered a large bottle and I'm searching for another imp just to hold me over until I receive it. I absolutely love this scent and don't know how I can ever live without it!.