porcelain72

In the imp: sweet, creamy melon. I'm not usually a fan of melon scents, as they tend to be cloying to me, but after reading the reviews here I'm willing to give it a try. Initial application: the sweet melon remains, tempered with a white floral scent. Very pretty. Drydown: the vanilla comes out, toning down the sweetness and amping the floral and tea scent. It's not my favorite of the fruit-based scents, but it's very nice all the same, a delicate, cheerful scent, good for spring. Smiley rating:

I'm not even going to attempt to guess the notes, even when they're listed I have a hard time picking out anything more specific than "floral" or "spicy." In the imp: soft flowers, edged with what might be sandalwood. Initial application: same, though it starts fading almost immediately. Drydown: just before its amazingly quick fadeout (second only to Sudha Segara on my skin), it develops this odd...green scent, not floral green, but a smooth, almost spearmint-like green. I like mint, I like flowers, I'm not so crazy about them together. Then again, it could just be my weird skin chemistry. My initial verdict was to send it to the swap pile, not just because of the quick fade but because of that unexpected minty edge, but I may hang onto it a bit longer. The scent in the imp and upon first application might be enough to make it a keeper, I'll try it again another time. Smiley rating:

And now I know what all the fuss is about. In the imp: I agree with many of the other posts, that's cream cheese frosting alright. I don't know how they did it, but it's like a tiny bottle of liquid Betty Crocker cake frosting. Initial application: oh please oh please oh please don't let it go to sour, musty nuts like some of the other cakey scents...and it doesn't! Yay! Not quite as sweet and creamy as the initial sniff, but it still smells distinctly like a delicious treat. Drydown: from out of nowhere comes an interesting touch of cinnamon Red Hots. That was unexpected, and though cinnamon usually doesn't like me, there's a sweetness there that keeps it from going bad. Eventually the Red Hots scent fades away, and the cake smell remains. This is pretty much how I hoped Beaver Moon would turn out, the only complaint I have is that it fades quickly on my skin. Smiley rating:

It's been a couple weeks since I've posted a review, might as well start again with this one. In the imp: if grapefruit isn't a listed note, then I don't know what's producing the distinct scent of grapefruit in the imp. The blackberry, perhaps? I really have no idea. I was initially put off by it, and waited a couple days to give it a try. Initial application: yep, still grapefruit, with a faint herbal edge to it. I'm not a fan of sharp citrus, normally. Drydown: now here's where it gets interesting. The grapefruit fades to a lighter fruity scent, still edged with herbs. Behind it is just a little bit of poppy and lavender. Not bitter so much as tart, not too sweet but not too sour either. I'm glad I gave this a try after all, it's a unique, feminine but reserved scent. It's really growing on me. Smiley rating:

In the imp: gentle green flowers. I can definitely smell the daffodils. Initial application: this doesn't initially strike me as a "winter" scent. It's more evocative of flowers blooming after a cool spring rain. Drydown: ah, there we go. Now I'm picturing those same flowers attempting to remain standing under the weight of snow falling around them. The ylang ylang keeps the daffodils from getting too cloying. It's all floral, no pine, mint or berries to speak of. It's what I had hoped Snow White would be, if Snow White hadn't turned to Play-Doh on my skin. Very lovely, with a distinct but not overpowering throw, and a surprising amount of staying power. Smiley rating:

My first time trying any of the 13 blends, huzzah! In the imp: a dusty chocolatey scent, similar to Lush's Sonic Death Monkey. Initial application: a hint of orange comes out, sweetening it a bit. Drydown: the orange scent fades after a while, leaving the chocolate behind with that touch of dustiness I get from Misk U and Monsterbait: Underbed. I'm guessing that's due to the sandalwood and/or tobacco. I was hoping it'd be a bit more complex, but this is a warm, pleasant scent. The SO liked it too, which is always a plus. Smiley rating:

In the imp: a surprisingly gentle, almost aquatic floral. Roses seem to be the predominant note, though they're not in the description. Initial application: the flowers amp a bit, though there's a nice creaminess to it now, probably from the honey. Drydown: just a slight touch of spiciness creeps in. There is a definite Victorian feel to this, though given the description I would have expected it to be more exotic, perhaps similar to Morocco. Nevertheless, it's very pretty. Smiley rating:

2006 blend... In the imp: I'm not getting fruit at all from this, but rather a thick, sweet but dark scent. I agree, it's reminiscent of maple syrup. Initial application: it gets a little lighter but not much, and still no fruit. Drydown: the brown sugar sweetness now has an interesting smoky edge to it. Typical of my weird body chemistry, it smells sweeter on my right wrist than on my left. This is a good autumn scent. On the down side, it has almost no throw on me. Smiley rating:

In the imp: whoo, butterscotch! Thick and sticky, I don't know whether to wear it or drink it. Initial application: the butterscotch eases down a bit, and becomes a general non-specific creamy-foody scent. Quite nice, it's warm and doesn't go musty on my skin, like the similar Drink Me and Gluttony did. Drydown: a surprising touch of musky floral comes out, and behind it, just a tiny bit of spice. This is a really lovely, intricate blend, with a good throw and decent staying power. Smiley rating:

In the bottle: a light, minty tea scent. Initial application: the mint amps somewhat, and the tea scent behind it is reminiscent for a moment of Dorian. But that fades quickly and becomes its own. Drydown: mostly mint now, but it's not at all an overpowering mint. It is indeed like something you'd get from a cup of herbal tea. Very, very nice. Smiley rating:

In the imp: light floral with tea, pretty much as the Lab description reads. Initial application: the peonies overtake the tea, leaving this a gentle, clean feminine scent. Drydown: not much as changed so far, very pretty with a surprisingly strong throw. Not quite as lovely as Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, but up there amongst the best of the Tea Party scents I've tried so far. Smiley rating:

In the imp: spicy pumpkin goodness Initial application: the spiciness takes over the pumpkin, a really delicious blend perfect for the season. Drydown: alas, the pumpkin doesn't last nearly as long as I would have liked it to, and after a while the cloves turn it musty. Still, the smell of it in the imp and just after application more than makes up for it. Smiley rating:

In the imp: musky fruit, sweet but not cloying. Initial application: more of the same. Given that it has pomegranate in it I thought it would be more of a juicy, almost candy-like fruit scent, but it isn't. This is dark and sophisticated. Drydown: a wonderfully interesting blend. The pomegranate is tempered with a surprisingly masculine cologne scent, I'm guessing that's the amber. The combination works surprisingly well on my skin, though it's fading quickly. I really like this. Smiley rating:

In the imp: beautifully gentle flowers. I was a little nervous that gardenia was going to charge forward and stomp all the other flowers in its path, but it blends in nicely with the other notes. Initial application: mmm, so pretty. I'm not getting any vanilla, but I'm not missing the creamy edge it usually gives to blends like this. This is just a light, feminine scent. Drydown: not much of a throw, alas, but at my wrist, it's...well, how many different words can I use to mean "lovely"? This is a floral blend anyone can enjoy, it's not overpowering at all. On the downside, it's getting just a bit powdery, but it just seems to lighten it that much more. Smiley rating:

In the imp: strong aquatic floral, not as strong as Sea of Glass but up there. Initial application: oof, the flowers are really amping, I'm not good at identifying notes, but it seems like it might be a lily or rose scent. Drydown: once it calms it's actually pretty nice. The floral softens somewhat and gets a bit soapy. Very strong throw, I don't expect I'll need to reapply this today. It reminds me, in a good way, of some of the lotions and scents my grandmother used to use. Since thinking about my late grandmother does bring me a certain level of peace, I guess it's working. Smiley rating:

I do believe I have the 2005 version... In the imp: light floral, possibly rose, with a touch of creaminess. Off to a good start. Initial application: and that good start comes to a screeching halt. For the first time I'm experiencing that dreaded "Play Doh" scent I've seen other BPAL'ers lament over. It's very similar to Dragon's Milk on me, except musty and plasticky. Drydown: still Play Doh, though it's softening a bit. Going by some of the other reviews this gets better as it goes along, so I'll give it a little longer. Smiley rating (so far): EDIT 1:27PM: Nope, it just eventually faded to a nondescript, musty floral scent. Final smiley rating:

In the bottle: light green tea Initial application: the lemon comes out, but it's not overpowering for me. The green tea is still the predominant note. Drydown: a clean, understated tea and citrus scent, very nice for the workplace. It's almost identical to Shanghai on my skin. Smiley rating:

In the bottle: warm, spicy vanilla, reminiscent of my beloved Dorian and Snake Oil. Initial application: oof, it suddenly goes all manly on me! A nice kind of manly, but manly all the same. Drydown: ah, okay, it's settling down a bit. This is a beautiful blend, definitely a must for fans of vanilla. I'm not getting any of the floral notes, it's just a delicious mix of vanilla, spices, and musk. Nice, soft throw, but the fade is surprisingly quick, usually vanillas stay with me for a while. It's a little too close to Dorian for me to want to buy a 5ml just yet, but it's gorgeous all the same. Smiley rating:

In the imp: lightly floral vanilla Initial application: the vanilla amps like crazy, which is fine, because my skin loves vanilla. Drydown: I'm not getting anything as far as linen is concerned, and not much in the way of flowers either. This is a pure, creamy vanilla, yet not overpoweringly sweet. The staying power is surprisingly strong, given how light it is in the imp I thought I'd have to marinate in this. It just barely lingers around me, I catch very light whiffs of it when I turn my head, and it's just beautiful. Smiley rating:

2005 edition... In the bottle: chocolate with a bit of spice. Initial application: the chocolate's really strong, my SO smelled it as soon as he stepped into the room. It's only slightly tempered with spicy pumpkin and a dry nutty scent. Drydown: finally, the chocolate smooths out a bit, allowing the pumpkin to come through. Happily, the hazelnut doesn't go sour on me, as a lot of other nut notes seem to for me. I'm not overwhelmed with joy, but it is a nice scent that gets you in the mood for this time of year. Smiley rating:

2005 edition... In the bottle: apple cider with a touch of pumpkin spiciness Initial application: somehow, they managed to get the dry, smoky scent of burning leaves into a bottle. Very impressive. Drydown: the burning leaves smell sticks around for a while, but eventually fades back to the apple cider. Good staying power, I only had to reapply once much later in the day. Very evocative of the season it's supposed to represent, it would also make an excellent room scent. Smiley rating:

In the bottle: sweet and creamy, with a touch of light flowers behind it. Initial application: vanilla and almond comes out. It reminds me of Dragon's Milk. Drydown: this is a pretty, comforting scent. The vanilla and almond die down, and the nonspecific floral note at the beginning comes back, very subtly. The throw is very nice, I first applied about two hours ago and I can still smell it lingering around me. I like it! Smiley rating:

In the bottle: mint, but not a strong, sharp mint. Initial application: mint changes to a dry citrus scent. I guess the dryness is from the champagne notes...? Drydown: on my left wrist it now smells like a light, nonspecific cologne, somewhat masculine, while on my right I still get the citrus. The mint is completely gone. This is very strange, neither scent smells at all like it did in the imp. I'm not crazy about the citrus, but the light cologne scent is nice. I'd like to try this again at a different time, see if I get a different result. Smiley rating:

My first BPTP scent! Huzzah again! In the bottle: green, very green, with a vague floral scent behind it. Initial application: the musk kicks in, with an herbal edge to it. Drydown: from out of nowhere comes the vanilla, a warm, spicy vanilla. It's not overpowering, though. Quite the opposite: this is soft and very subtle. I wish it was a little stronger, I wouldn't mind being able to smell it in the air around me. I'm having the same experience I had with Black Pearl (though they don't smell the same), in which is starts off as one scent and dries to something completey different. I'm not as crazy about the flowery green beginning as I am about the drydown. Still, this is a nice, luxurious, mature scent. Smiley rating:

In the bottle: sugary tart citrus. Initial application: grapefruit, with just a touch of flowery sweetness. Drydown: more of the same, though the sweetness softens it a bit. It's a cheerful scent, and it does actually make me picture the Cheshire Cat in the Disney version of Alice (see icon). On the down side, it fades quickly, and on a personal level, it's a little too tart and fruity for my tastes. Smiley rating: