blackfelicula

In the bottle: I smell wetness and flowers. It is not as loud as some first sniffs can be. I can see how the description of damp and dark is fitting. Wet: This is still a sodden scent. I get an edge of something sharp that reminds me of neroli, but as if it is submerged. It’s a quiet, dark, wet floral so far. Drying down: Like a sun-heated wind rippling a bog, this one warmed up a touch when I rubbed it in. It is a muddied aquatic floral. It calls to mind a number of Swamp cards from Magic: The Gathering. Dry: Oddly, I am still getting a warm note in the mix, like a ray of sunlight piercing the gloom or a furry animal curled up and sleeping there. The florals in it are almost too much for me. I can do some florals, but I am primarily into spices, resins, vanilla, and honey. Later: This one morphed, gaining an almost salty note and a muted citrus. The undertone is sweetening rather than going soapy on me. The early stages really aren’t my style, but what it has become intrigues me.

In the bottle: At the outset I smell dragon’s blood and cinnamon: very spicy. Yet, the dragon’s blood seems to underscore the cinnamon more than it proclaims its own scent. Wet: Definitely spicy and angry. This is a perfect scent for wrath. It reminds me of the red ranting smiley and the smite one . Drying down: This is warming up on my skin, though thankfully not enough to burn. After the reaction I got the first time I tried on Voodoo, I thought this one might be a candidate for ouch. Then again, I got used to Voodoo, so that might’ve helped matters. Dry: The cinnamon has brightened up, like red hots. Perhaps more like atomic fireballs with their hint of creamy sugar underneath the spicy coating. The clove and the black pepper aren’t coming out as much from afar, but if I stick my nose up close to my wrist, there’s a sharpness and an anger to it that helps keep its wrathful character. Later: Drat it all… The dragon’s blood went soapy on me. The yummy spices simmered down into an undertone. It’s still interesting, but I don’t think my skin can make this shine. I’m beginning to think that it’s a rare blend that has dragon’s blood in it that I can wear well. It’s a shame, since I was born in the year of the dragon and happen to be fond of them…

In the bottle: I smell dragon’s blood, sweet flowers, and a faint whiff of resin (likely amber.) Wet: Oooo. It is floral, yes, but it has the feel of a spiced resin even though it has a sweet floral scent. Drying down: This blend is warm, not to the touch, but in impression. It feels slightly drugged. The name is apropos. It reminds me of vivid, lifelike, complex, full-color dreams like the kind that capture my imagination. Dry: The ylang ylang is a little sharp up close, but further from my wrist Dragon’s Reverie is sweet and swooning. These dreams are rich and seething with power in repose. In several of the Ars Draconis blends, the dragon’s blood goes soapy on me. So far this one is not. Later: Up close I now catch a whiff resembling a vanilla musk, but the main scent is still holding on from farther away. I like it. ETA: This is becoming my favorite of the Ars Draconis blends. It also was sublime in combination with Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo. I want a bottle!

In the bottle: Bright and clean, I’m immediately worried that this will go soapy on me. To my nose it is a sweet white floral. The musk and tonka might swing this, but I won’t know for sure until later. Wet: It is still sweet and floral, but it is much richer now. If it makes sense, this is a level-headed scent. The sage sharpens the blend, which is what might go soapy on me. Drying down: The sage has warmed up slightly, smoothing out some of its bite. Dry: Aeval has sweetened up a bit. The combination is like what one would get if they took Leanan Sidhe and added an air of regal authority. It’s still a very clean scent, though I believe it’s one I’ve smelled as a public restroom cleanser. My son says it smells like lotion. Later: It fades into a blend of sweet pea, musk, and tonka. The end result is rather pretty. It retains its kinship with Leanan Sidhe to my nose. It still has good throw, though the scent is quieter.

In the bottle: Oooooo, this is very musky in the bottle. I’m swooning just sniffing it. Wet: This is mostly musk with a touch of resin-y goodness. It is warm and dark, as if the tail end of a gorgeous sunset was personified as an equally beautiful woman. Drying down: Delicious: the poppy comes out almost as a floral. The musks are still singing. I don’t smell the patchouli, but I can almost feel it there, supporting the other notes. Dry: To me, this is a swoon-worthy blend. I picture a sultry woman in black velvet, whose dress flashes purple in the setting sun. Later: This has settled into a heady, mature, feminine perfume on me. The musk really carries it for, though the poppy turns it into a definite, yet not soapy, floral. It’s sophisticated. I like it.

Lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk. In the bottle: Oddly, this smells primarily salty to me, with an undertone of wine and spices. I think the clove and vetiver are the whiff I am catching. Wet: I’m still getting a salty, earthy combination on this one, as if I’m licking the salt of my husbands sweat before making love to him in the summer. Drying down: This is sensual, yes, but I do not smell sweetness as much as I smell down and dirty ravishing. The cherry barely peeks through the mix. Husky is a good word to describe it, as is drunk. Scenes from Anne Rice novels come to mind. Dry: The lush side of Blood Kiss comes out more when dry. The mix sweetens, and the notes take turns wafting up. This is one that smells better from afar than with my nose glued to my wrist. My son agrees. Later: The saltiness has subsided somewhat. Sweetness and spice can now shine through, even close up. The result is luxuriant and sensual, intoxicating. Is it possible to get drunk on BPAL? It’s worth the wait to get to this stage.

In the bottle: This is almost foody: I smell the nutmeg and sassafras primarily. It almost reminds me of a “pumpkin pie” spiced candle. Wet: It thrums, amping the spiced candle feel. Drying down: Now it is deepening and darkening. Experiencing it drying down is like watching the tail end of a sunset: rich red-oranges fade into purples and blues. It’s still on the foody side, but it’s rich, languorous, and drugged. Dry: It is as if the sassafras is what gives this scent its definition, its outline. The rest rounds it out. I hope it doesn’t go soapy on me. It looses a lot of its strength as it dries, at least as far as my nose can tell. Later: It’s fainter, but it’s still sweet and pleasantly druggy. It hasn’t gone soapy. I like it overall.

In the bottle: Bright, warm, and gentle, Zephyr is not smelling as citrus-y as I thought it would. It smells clean. It resembles the wind it is named after. Wet: The vanilla softens it beautifully for me. The notes are so well blended, I can barely pick them out. Drying down: The citrus notes are perking up a bit, though the overall effect is still an expert mix of bright and soft. Dry: This is another white scent that seems to be getting along well with my skin. It does not set off my “too floral” alarm. It’s lovely, whether it is worn for summer or for the feeling it elicits. Years before discovering BPAL, I named one of my cats Zephyr. This is as soft and warm as he is. This is a fitting scent for a Mediterranean summer wind. Later: Zephyr faded rather quickly into a vague, candle-y sweetness. I liked the start, but I don’t think I’ll be buying a big bottle.

I'd been itching to try this one, since I'm part Slavic and curious about Slavic mythology. In the bottle: This smells delightfully earthy and resinous, like Scherezade but much, much darker. I can smell the myrrh, which is a favorite of mine. Wet: Rich and earthy, the vetiver and mullein bring out the depths of the forest in this blend. Drying down: The myrrh supports this blend, but from beneath. It has a medicinal bite to it that highlights it like mischief. Dry: This is like hearing low, deep chanting from a distance in a midnight wood. It is sacred, feral, and potentially hostile. It seems like it would compliment a mood of being utterly pissed off. It has an aura of “don’t #&(% with me.” I wonder if I can convince my husband to let me put some on him too… Later: The myrrh comes out more after it’s been on an hour or so. The musks make it throb with energy. I would wear this if I want to seem especially badass. I can see why this one is a hit-or-miss for folks, but it’s a hit with me. (edited for language, sorry about that!)

I accidentally got some of this on my fingers yesterday, letting friends sniff the imp. I could not stop smelling my fingers, despite their dislike of the in-the-bottle smell. In the bottle: Smells like sweet resins to me. Some friends thought it smelled like cough syrup. Resinous smells remind me of my all-time favourite, Myrrh from Triloka Essentials. Snake Oil is definitely sweeter and smoother than that. Wet: Humming resins blend with sweetness for a lovely combination. Drying down: This is almost a foody scent. The sugary sweetness makes me go yum on a regular basis. Dry: It’s like some spicy exotic dessert, like sprinkling vanilla ice cream with curry powder. (I know it sounds gross, but it was delicious when I tried it out.) Lovely. Later: If possible, this has only gotten tastier. It’s richer yet still spicy and sweet. This is going on my list of bottles I want.

In the bottle: This smells sweet with a touch of floral. The dominant note I get is the vanilla tea. Wet: Lavender overlays the tea. This is a gentle scent, yet subtly masculine. Thankfully I can often pull off wearing masculine scents. Drying down: The musks are coming out more now. I am fond of musks. Dry: Wow, yeah. The surface of Dorian is so sweet, but it allows a flash of corruption. So far I’m enjoying it heartily. I also want to ambush my husband and put some on him. Later: I did put some on my husband. It’s yummy on him too. It fades after a couple of hours. My skin amps the vanilla, which makes for a tasty finish.

In the bottle: This smells like fruity, juicy bubble gum! It’s got more to it than that, but that’s what it reminds me of. Wet: I smell a hint of something citrus-y. I might be smelling something resinous in there too, but that’s less certain. It’s very sweet: bright and bouncy. Drying down: It still reminds me of bubblegum, but (like Van Van’s resemblance to powder) there’s a lot bubbling below the surface. It’s like someone who looks like a very young girl turning out to be a 35-year-old high priestess. Dry: More of the thrumming under-notes are coming out now. I find it a unique, compelling scent. Later: It sweetened up even more. I’m leaning toward thinking that it smelled too sweet for wear as a perfume. On the other hand, my morning was more lighthearted. I may layer something with this one to experiment further. ETA: I put some of this on yesterday as a retest. My husband thought it smelled like cherry chapstick. Then today, though I'd put on Dragon's Reverie, my jacket still held the Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo. Funny thing is, it worked much better for me in combination with Dragon's Reverie than it had on its own. I was more joyous and spontaneous today than I'd been in days.

In the bottle: This is definitely golden and sunny. It’s not showing up as either a floral or a resin, though it’s got both in there. Wet: Bright and beautiful. It is a glorious blend of citrus, sweet, resinous, and floral scents. Drying down: Once in a while the honey peeks through and makes me grin wider. The blend is almost a promise of good things to come. I tend to be watchful for impending soapiness on blends with flowers in them, but so far, so good. Dry: My skin amps the sweetness, which is just fine to me. It’s still a great blend, with different notes piping up at different times. Later: I keep on sniffing – nose-to-wrist, and further away. Mmmm. Nothing like a bright perfume on a grey day! After a while longer my skin amps up the vanilla and honey. It’s still a gorgeous scent. I’m glad I bought a bottle.

In the bottle: I smell sweet resin and wood. It smells a lot sweeter than I thought it would. Wet: These are lovely woods, and the sweetness tones down somewhat when it is wet on my skin. Drying down: A sharper resinous scent is coming out now. It is really quite lovely in the mix. It’s still rich with fragrant woods and sweetness, but the scent is fuller, more complex. Dry: I smell some of the frankincense now. I am not quite sure what high john essence and galangal smell like. I will have to look them up sometime. I would describe Magus as profound and powerful. Later: This faded rather quickly, but once in a while a waft of it will hit my nose. It is a lovely scent. I wish it would stick around longer!

In the bottle: I can barely catch a whiff of a soft musky floral, lightly spiced. Wet: A quiet floral reminiscent of a mother humming to herself as she prepares for bed after banking the fire for the night. Drying down: This flares brighter for a moment as I rub it in a little, then darkens further. She may be watching over, but Zorya is not about to wake anyone up if she doesn’t have to. Dry: This is an interesting blend. The musk is really carrying the florals for me. For such a quiet scent, it has decent throw. It makes me want a nicely-tailored, long, full, flowing, black skirt to wear with it. Later: This fades to a sweet, musky floral. Some might say it’s powdery, but I like it. The musk has the most staying power, which on me is a positive. This scent is like eveningwear for my skin: serious, adult, gorgeous. This goes to prove that florals can sometimes work on me.

In the bottle: It has a sharp, almost astringent quality to it, though there’s sweetness too. It’s on the floral side, but I’m not always fond of florals. Perhaps the sandalwood can balance that out for me. Wet: It is still a combination of sharp and sweet that’s on the intriguing side on my skin. I am still unsure about it, since floral notes have a propensity to go soapy on me. Drying down: The sharpness and the sandalwood seem to be keeping the florals in check for now. Dry: The sharpness has taken on some bitterness as well. It’s fitting for the description. It’s a pretty, feminine, yet sinister scent. Later: Loralei went powdery rather than soapy, which for me is a good thing. It’s pleasant, but I don’t think it’s one of my favorites.

In the bottle: First off, I catch a whiff of patchouli, lime, and vanilla. It’s spicy and resinous, but with a smoothness that ties it together. I think that I can smell pine, just beneath the blend of patchouli and lime. It smells dark and earthy, but sensual as well. Drat, the lid of my imp is cracked somewhat. It seems to be holding up for now, but I’ll have to be careful with it. Wet: This blend thrums. It’s interesting how it manages to carry an undertone that reminds me of Van Van, even though it isn’t likely to share many if any of the same notes. Down side is that, while this is fine where I put it on my wrists, I’m getting a burning sensation where I put it on my neck. Ah well. Considering what’s in there, that’s likely the clove. Funny, it burns more on the right side than the left, and that’s where a red mark is when I look in the mirror. Drying down: I spread the oil out by rubbing it in more, and that lessened the burning. I’m definitely smelling the clove more now. The myrrh would likely blend in with the rest so as to disappear itself. I’m not catching any of the almond, unless it’s working with the vanilla to soften things up in the background. Dry: Voodoo is definitely dark. It’s a strong scent, vibrating. The notes work together to paint a picture of a midnight woodland alive with ritual energy. I envision fire and candles, an altar stained with honey and blood, and dancers in the throes of possession. It’s alive with prayers and chanting, stories and drums. The patchouli steps back and the myrrh steps forward when it is dry, so that the blend works together well. Later: It has mellowed a bit, but is still delightfully spicy. The burning is gone and so is the red mark on my neck. I love this scent!

In the bottle: At first sniff, this reminds me of Muse, perhaps a little sweeter. It is floral to my nose, but not one that will put me off from trying the imp. Wet: This blend hums. I’d call it a green scent. I can detect something dusty and dry on the undertone. It’s still registering as a floral to me, though herbal notes are in there as well. Drying down: There’s a pungent sharpness to this blend that’s still reminding me of Muse. This is a mixed blessing. I have a bottle of Muse on the way. On the other hand, if I already love one of them, I’m less likely to buy another so similar to me. The differences are subtle to me. Perhaps I should try them side by side on another day. Dry: The sharpness is less citrus-y than Muse’s lime, I think. The floral notes have taken a back seat. It’s still humming with a sense of power. If I had to make a comparison, I’d say that the floral/herbal part of this is reminiscent of Leanan Sidhe. As usual for me, the character of the scent varies with distance. With my nose glued to my wrist the sharper notes take over. Sitting up straight while typing, the floral/herbal notes round it out more. Later: I took an in-the-bottle whiff of Muse for the sake of comparison. Muse is definitely brighter; Crossroads is much darker. Crossroads got much dustier after an hour or so. The down side is that the florals went soapy for a time before the dry earthiness took over. Once it goes dusty, it heartily invokes the image of sunset over a dirt or gravel crossroads in the middle of nowhere, marked only by a desiccated corpse dangling from a makeshift gallows and the distant call of crows.

In the bottle: There is peach and patchouli wafting right up at me. I daresay the peach is the dominant note in there. The patchouli is lovingly blended in. It smells rich, fruity, and almost creamy. Wet: The amber pops right out to sing with the peach while the patchouli takes more of a back seat. Drying down: This is definitely playful. The blend settles in almost immediately, the notes blending beautifully. I’m having some trouble smelling it, but that might be some morning congestion. My seven-year-old son came in from the other room and asked, “Is that Imp your wearing? Did you put it on? That smells so wonderful!” He grabbed my wrist and sniffed deeply. Dry: This is fruity with a resinous undertone to ground it. The musk isn’t readily apparent in the mix so far. It’s putting a smile on my face, and my son’s approval helps too. I love how well-blended this is. On my skin, the notes harmonize like a well-trained choral ensemble. My husband says Imp smells like candy and my son says it smells like SweetTarts, and it kinda does. It is a yummy smell. Later: This is staying pretty true to the drydown. It has a good throw. Yay!

In the bottle: A burst of citrus greets my nose – likely the yuzu and kaki. The cherry blossom is taking a back seat. I don’t think I smell the black tea, unless the sense of grounding I’m getting is from that. Wet: More citrus! The cherry blossom sweetens it up a bit. Drying down: Ooo, there’s the black tea. (Consults her Japanese cook book.) Ah, so mikan are Satsuma oranges. I’m not getting the smell of those, distinctly, so they’re likely helping the cherry blossom sweeten the mix. The citrus I’m smelling is sharper than orange, more like grapefruit or lime, which is why I’m associating it with the yuzu and kaki. Dry: With a surface sniff, this reads as a conventional citrus-based perfume, but there’s a lot more complexity to it. Different elements waft up to me at different times, but it’s well-blended overall. There’s a chance that the fruits may go soapy on my skin as I wear it. This is one I ordered an imp of to get some more variety under my nose. So far, I like it. Later: The citrus softened, but stayed. In came a scent that resembled vanilla to lead the way to creamy citrus sweetness. Thankfully the vanilla-like scent came in lieu of going soapy. Yum! Bright, playful, and tasty.

In the bottle: I smell patchouli first off, but not just any patchouli. There’s a lot of patchoulis out there, my favorite of which is from Spiritual Sky, which this closely resembles. I get a whiff of something sweeter as well, honey maybe? Something woody is in there too; it reminds me of my cedarwood single note. Wet: The woody note is on top for the moment, followed by something brighter: perhaps amber? This is reminding me of the result I get when I layer some of the other perfume oils I have. Drying down: It is getting fainter when I stick my nose up next to it. But from higher up, I’m getting an ironically stronger smell. It’s sweeter now, beautifully so. Dry: I love resinous / woody / sweet scents, so this one is delightful. It’s just a guess, but I think I smell cedar, patchouli, and amber. There might be some honey or vanilla in there too. This isn’t the blinding light of staring into the sun. Rather, this is the warm gold of firelight from a large bonfire. Later: It softened a bit, losing a lot of the patchouli and cedar, but stayed bright and yummy. The vestiges are still hanging around 12 hours later! I like it.

I purchased this imp second hand, so it is likely aged. I’ve been wanting to do this review for several days, ever since I accidentally got a little on my fingers during a brief sniff of the imp. At that time I found Van Van entrancing. Yes, a general whiff of it smells exactly like the Johnson & Johnson baby powder I grew up familiar with, but there’s so much more to it than that. I could not stop smelling my fingers the rest of the day, despite the scent I had on my wrists at the time. If it tells you anything, I don’t even remember which scent was on my wrists! This is the first I’ve tried of the Voodoo Blends. In the bottle: I smell something medicinal and resin-y. There’s a smoothness to it, though also something lemony. I would believe that lemongrass is in there. The descriptions some have made likening Van Van to lemon bars come to mind. There’s also a complexity to it that make me want to smell it over and over again. Wet: I’m getting a whiff of lemon and citronella. There’s something softer and sweeter in there too. It reminds me of an herbalist shop, only less of a mix. Drying down: Some of the complexity of Van Van makes me wonder if there’s galangal in there. It’s too bad that I don’t have any on hand to compare with. Another candidate was copal, but when I smelled mine it wasn’t a match. It’s a bright scent, but also an earthy one. Dry: This is a complex lemon sweetness with a resemblance to baby powder that’s only on the surface. Just below the surface is a surge of power and focus. I can’t stop sniffing this. I love it! I wanted a bottle just from getting it on my fingers. Putting it on has only solidified my opinion. This is not the blend for people who cannot abide resembling baby powder. Later: This is long lasting stuff. It fades some, but not far. There is so much more to this than just the surface impression of baby powder. The notes hum, they sing, they chant, and they dance. It’s as if the powder scent is a façade with a door. Behind that door is an occult shop where people are engaging in ritual. I’m feeling less fatigued than I’ve felt in weeks. I can certainly feel the amplification of personal energy! Cleansing and purifying too. I still want more of this, for certain. I wish I didn’t already have a number of pending orders, or I’d go order some right now. I still might…

I purchased this imp second hand, so it's likely aged. In the bottle: I'm getting mostly lavender and lime, which is coming off rather like smelling the bottle of my dad's Old Spice. (Or was it the Brut? I'm having trouble remember which, but I used to use them in my childhood "potions".) There is an almost powdery scent to it as well. Wet: There's definitely more dimension to the citrus now. It definitely registers as masculine to my nose. I don't mind that. I'm likely high-testosterone for a girl, so my chemistry will likely work well with it. Drying down: I'm definitely fond of lime scents. I'm starting to catch a bit of the citrus musk. This is softening a bit on me. It's definitely more lively than my dad's aftershave, more complex. Dry: Close up, I get the citrus musk and the lavender mixed. Further away, The florals take an upper hand, kept in check by the lime and keeping some resemblance to whichever aftershave it was. Now, it's softening up more. The aftershave quality is almost gone except in the odd whiff here or there. Later: Up close it's an almost powdery citrus musk. Much fainter from further off. I can see how folks would say it's cleaner and lighter than the typical cologne-like aftershave. It's nice. Once it dries completely, it's androgynous enough not to smell butch to my nose. It's a scent to keep in mind. One of the things I love about BPAL scents: I need to try them a billion different ways to get to know them. Up close, far away, on my neck, on my wrists, in the crook of my elbows, different times of the month, fresh, aged... I could go on but I realize that I'm preaching to the choir here. Now I can only wish my husband would let me try this on him... (He has allergies and is very adverse to sneezing, so I am hard pressed to get him to smell any of these. He usually duck-and-covers if I ask him to try one on.)

Tempest – A crisp ozone-tinged breeze. The scent of the first gentle rain before the storm. I purchased this imp second hand so it’s likely aged. In the bottle: This smells a lot like commercial “rain” scents I have encountered. It has a sharpness to it as well. Wet: There’s something of a wind to it, too. It’s still mostly commercial rain-scented candle to me. Crap. I had my first “impcident” while putting this on. I fumbled, it tumbled, and now it’s all over my feet and floor. Granted, I’m not that fond of rain-scented things. I’m not in tears over it. It will be a pain in the butt to clean out of the carpet though. Drying down: On my skin, this scent is going quickly subtle, except where my feet got doused. I’m almost getting some saltiness from it, but that could be my skin chemistry piping up. Dry: It’s a very clean scent without turning into a dryer sheet. As my skin soaks it up, it loses some of its commercial candle smell. Still not one of my favorite scents, but it is one that I can live with for awhile if I can’t get it out of the carpet.

I bought an imp of this second hand, so it's likely aged. In the bottle: I get mostly dragon's blood from this. The salty notes are registering as almost citrus-y to my nose. There's an aquatic undertone, though. Wet: The cloying sweetness of dragon's blood, but tempered somewhat. I'm praying this doesn't go soapy on me. I think it's the combination of the salty and the dragon's blood that's mimicking citrus. Drying down: Ack! The soapiness that gets me out of some of the Ars Draconis blends is in there. Then again, that's mostly when I have my nose glued to my wrist. From head-height it's sweeter: a beautifully melancholy sweetness - tears shed into water beneath a blazing sunset. Dry: Weird. Left wrist = not soapy, right wrist = soapy. And when I detatch my nose from my wrist the scent is staying true to the melancholy sweetness I described above. Resiny, yes, and distinctly dragon's blood, but tempered. The looming threat of soapiness isn't bearing too much fruit, provided I can resist the urge to take closer sniffs. It's pretty, though not so earthy, spicy, or incense-y as many of the scents I love most. ETA: I really ought to wait until a few hours in before I post... The dragon's blood quieted down and the salty aquatic notes came out to sing. It was really a beautiful. I got to a point where I kept wrist-sniffing compulsively. It made it difficult to read, I was so distracted by the lovely scent. Mmmmmm. I may just seek out a big bottle of this.