Iceblink

I almost bought Bathsheba with my very first BPAL order but she dropped off the list for some reason and since I've had rather iffy experiences with carnation since then, I've neglected her--but this is a pleasant surprise! The plum and musk really take over this blend and the carnation is just a faint floral background. A fruity BPAL that's also sexy, and I'm sorry I waited this long to try it.

Sometimes the name and description say it all. PAIN. SHARP. CRUEL. Strongly herbal. I will give it credit for drying down into something much softer but by then I've already got a headache, so it's a bit too little too late, Pain!

Total man's cologne in a good way. I sniff the sea spray and woods, and when wet there's a huge blast of ozone. It sweetens as it dries and the rum comes into play. Manly, manly, MANLY! Mmmm.

Strong ozone and an oddly heavy aquatic/water note. Very fresh, very clean, almost astringent and a little too sharp.

Danube immediately makes me think of sitting on a riverbank surrounded by flowers. It's so delicate! The aquatic part of it is balanced by the florals so nicely. Reminds me a bit of a more watery Prague--it's got that fresh, springlike quality about it like Prague does. Very nice.

This a beautifully straightforward orchid. It's sweet but not too sweet and makes me think of Regan without the vanilla. Good staying power and good throw, too...very pretty!

This is a really tangy, sharp lily on me, and it's a bit overwhelming, like walking into a greenhouse full of them. Way too much lily.

So sweet! A womanly, powdery, almost candylike floral. It's got an old-fashioned perfume quality to it that I love. Stays pretty much the same from the wet stage to the drydown. Gorgeous.

Dirt and vetiver blending together earthily, and I love it--but after about an hour this becomes much more herbal. I'd almost swear there was some anise in here? And finally a hint of patchouli. Dark and gritty! Not a keeper but fun to sniff.

I love Ravenous--it's pretty simple, just orangey patchouli, but it's so warm and sexy. It has great throw and lasting power, too.

Morgause is one of the few BPALs with "night-blooming" in the description that I can actually pull off. It's wonderfully purple--the violet, the fruits--very feminine and very sensual. It's a fruity floral for a woman, not a little girl.

I got the grapey version of High John--very sweet grapes, ripe and close to fermentation. Really a bit too cloying; it would be interesting to smell the more herbal/vetiver version!

Way too hot. I love the cinnamony smell but this will not fly on my skin! It certainly is spicy hot though and I can imagine that if you can wear cinnamon it'll be quite...effective!

This didn't last long on me but the coconut note is nice--it's not an overly foody coconut but more like coconut husks. Tropical and sweet.

Sweet citrusy candy that really does perk you up a bit. It's a little *too* sweet for regular wear, though, and I say this as a lover of Pink Phoenix and Sugar Skull! Wear in moderation.

Oooh! Yummy! I wasn't expecting this to be such sweet floral but it's absolutely beautiful. There's a rush of vetiver at first but that vanishes quickly. This reminds me of a more robust Tiki Queen or a Manila without the banana. I can't believe this isn't more popular! It's delicious.

Odd. I get a lovely fresh, sweet citrus/orange blossom when this is wet but the drydown is almost pure herbs. Smells like oregano and thyme! Great for cooking but I don't want to smell of them.

Cherry almond with spices coming forward after a while. I like this a lot but something in it doesn't like my skin.

A very sweet orchid/floral. Honestly it's a little too sweet--it smells a bit of bug spray on me! This would make a great room spray, though.

Oh god. The myrrh in this is gorgeous! So sexy. The jasmine is very powdery and feminine and isn't amping like crazy like it usually does on me. The rose is very sweet too. Very pretty and very VERY girly.

Another rum-and-almond failure on me. Smells absolutely delicious in the imp but on my skin turns bitter and dirty.

I had to try this because the idea of white musk + violet + vetiver was just too weird. I found this nearly repulsive when I first put it on--the vetiver in it reminded me of Saturnalia and...well, we won't go there...but as time passes the sweet white musk and violet soften the vetiver and this becomes almost powdery. It's weird. But it's not bad.

There are a million notes in here and hell if I can pick them all out. Vicomte is sharp and manly when freshly applied, but the drydown is softer, sweeter, and only slightly herbal. The orange blossom and white musk dominate with a whiff of rosemary blended in. This is almost making me think of a more masculine Midnight on The Midway, of all things! It's really pretty and could be worn by a woman too. Beautiful!

I wanted to try this because Margaret Cho mentioned it once. I can't always wear grapefruit but so far this is behaving on my skin. It smells wonderfully like the old Citrus Fantasy body spray from Parfums de Coeur that I was absolutely addicted to in the late 90s--citrusy but sweet and deep. I'm surprised at how much I like this! The latter drydown stage brings out a little mintiness. This is refreshing and light and lovely!

Wet: a really astringent lavender. Makes me think of vinegar, almost. Something salad-y. It sweetens as it dries, thanks to the violet, but narcissus rarely works on me and is doing its soapy thing already. This would be nice if you like really fresh florals and if these notes all work on you.