Sara

Imp Sniff: Woo! That beautiful sweet candy lotus, man I loves it. Swipe: The lotus just "pops" right out, it's so rich and sweet. There's also this subtle sweet smokiness peering out from behind the lotus...hmm...I hope this isn't called "black lotus" because there is black musk in it... Drydown: The sweet smokiness never truly emerges from the background. Unfortunately the scent also borders on "playdoh", but doesn't actually cross over the line for a few hours..just sort of hovers. Then, hours after application, right when I can't fix it, it's all out playdoh. Ugghh..... Overall: Damnit. I wanted to love this soo bad. If only the smokiness would've come out and the whole damn thing hadn't gone playdoh. It doesn't say "black musk" per se in the description..but it makes me wonder. Lotus is usually coolies with me (blood lotus was fine, just not my taste), sandalwood is glorious (though never came out in this blend), myrrh I guess is cool...can't pinpoint it as a culprit or anything. Amber, though, I'm not sure about. I guess it could've made me playdohy. But black musk is a huge playdoh maker on me... Which sucks, cuz of all the musks I like its smell the best, it just doesn't love me quite as much. So this blend isn't for me...damnit....I really wanted it to be. It was soo gorgeous. But the playdoh kicked in on an already nauseous tummy and is making me miserable (yep, after several washings). *sigh*

Initial Imp Sniff: Mmm... that's loverly! It's sweet and a touch fruity. I totally almost recognize a specific floral in here....totally almost. Swipe: Dude! This smells just like it would make a loverly scent for a bath collection. It's so fresh and clean, but sweet and almost heady. Very awesome. Drydown: Seriously, I'm thinking "soap" and, no, not because it smells like soap; but because it would make a wonderful soap...and lotion..and spray...and bubble bath.... It's just so refreshing, I can't think of a better word! Overall: Wow, I've really been hitting it with good scents this swap around, about a handful are left to try and they all smell loverly. This one though, has a special place. Mostly because I've been wanting to try it forever and because it really tweaks at my "I should know what this is and recognize it from somewhere" brainbit. It's definitely a wonderful scent for freshly washed bodies, just divine.

My boyfriend "likes" most things I wear...but only notices them when they're shoved under his nose. To which his response is "yeah, it's nice." But damn man, I put on Graveyard Dirt then Anubis overtop and jesus was he all over me! To me the scent isn't sexy at all, just kinda yummy and evokes memories for me. He just couldn't stop sniffing me and getting close and stuff..just sooo what he normally isn't. Hell he never responded to #20 Love Oil, Red Devil, or All Night Long like this - or really, anything else.

Initial sniff: Very floral and bright with a hint of something darker underneath. Swipe: The florals kind of explode on my skin in the face of the almight jasmine (thank you Mi-Go for giving me the ability to identify this very animal flower), which is a very dark, raw, animal, almost stinky kind of flower. Me thinks we're going to have a love/hate relationship in the future. Drydown: Ah, jasmine seems to have the rose qualities on my skin as well, which is to say that it beats the living shit out of everything else leaving nothing but itself in their places. So I smell jasmine. It's not as strong as Mi-Go, but it's the only thing I smell...maybe there is a little bit of lightness on the outskirts. Overall: Jasmine, jasmine, jasmine. On one hand it's ok and I don't mind it...on the other it annoys me. It smells too animal. I might hold on to this imp and I might not. Dunno.

Initial sniff: Hmm... there is a dry woody type smell mostly. Swipe: The dry woody smell pops out a little more and something sweet is lingering in the background. Drydown: Hmm, this went pretty "mature woman" on me pretty quick. It's sort of powdery and floral (rose, is that you?) and sooo not me. Off to the swaps wit' ye.

Initial Imp Sniff: Hmm.. yep, this is floral all right. I think I smell the gardenia, some other stuff, and something kinda smokey. It ain't so bad I guess...time for the skin. Skin Swipe: Well, this isn't as scary as I though, cool. It's definitely floral, and they always make me a little hesitant (strangely enough, only when I smell them. while reading the descriptions I get hyped. ), but this is working out ok so far. It's definitely not going to be a favorite, but it could be workable. Drydown: Something loverly and smokey and deep came out to mingle with the already "darker than the norm" florals...not bad. I know my bf luuurrvveess gardenia something fierce, it'd be awesome if this worked out on me. Unfortunately though, a couple of hours (if that) later this took on the same kind of Granpa aftershave/cologne feel that Noir and Black Phoenix did....POOP!!! Unfortunatley-er about an hour after that it got kinda grody. It's a scent I can't really explain, it's not really play-dohy or old lady-floral..but it's just not..right. It wrinkles my nose and turns my stomach. Exactly what the vast majority of base/carrier oils do on my skin after everything else is burned off. Fuck. I'm actually pretty let down on this one. I was hoping like friggin' hell it would work on me... EDIT: Ok, I need to edit this because I just read the description and there is no mention of gardenia. Is it possible it's not listed? Or does magnolia smell a lot like gardenia in this one? Dunno, cuz I've never smelled "magnolias" before.

Totally, absolutely dirt. This reminds me of strongly of my childhood, which was spent dirty and exploring the woods, ponds, and just overall being an outdoorsy kid. As much as I love it, I can't really wear it on its own, but it makes *the* most gorgeous combination with Anubis - seriously. My boyfriend doesn't usually compliment me on my "smellies", but damned if he didn't bury his head in my breasts and say "Damn, you smell great!" It's even funnier (and more satisfying) knowing he initially crinkled his nose in "ew" after smelling GD out of the imp. Overall: Man, I'm so pissed I dicked around with Apothecary's Cat on this one instead of just ordering it straight from the Lab when it was offered. Sure taught me a lesson, since now I just have one little imp to treasure. While I won't wear it on its own often, the layering possibilities are amazing and endless. I bet Envy would make a good combo....Zombi could use an extra kick... hmm....

Okies, so I tried this one two times. Normally if a scent doesn't work the first time I just let it go..but I was trying so hard to love this one I gave it a second shot. Imp Sniff: Hmm... kind of smells like a heavy, borderline curdled milk. There is also some spice wiggling at the back. Swipe: The first time it was all "Blech, curdled milk!", but the second went a little better. The apricot (yes? I haven't read the description/review in a loooong time) began to peek around the icky milk smell and the spices also piped up more. Drydown: It just has this "thick milk" smell to it I really don't care for. I love Suave's Milk n' Honey conditioner with a passion, why can't I like BPAL's milk smells? I hated Dana O Shee (made me nauseous), hated Snow White (made me nauseous as well), and this one has a different milky feel to it, but I think I hate it as well. It's a heavier, thicker, more curdled milk than Dana. the spices are nice, staying in the background and adding a wonderful touch. The apricot was loverly on the second application...it's just that damned milk. Overall: *sigh* I honestly thought I was going to worship this scent. I love spiced black (chai or chai like) tea with lots of honey, sugar, and milk. Yet for some reason the tea and milk scents just don't go over well with my nose or skin. I'll give it another shot, but sadly I don't think it's going to work out. Damnit. I don't get pissed about scents not working for me often, because there are so many more to try out, but I'm really angry about this one. It sounded heavenly, and yet...it's a no-go for me.

Initial sniff: You know...I don't think Dragon's Blood is for me. It really does smell "perfumey" to my nose. Not at all deep and rich like I imagine a real Dragon's Blood to smell like. Can't pick out much more beyond that. Swipe: Dragon's Blood and some other light notes...damnit, why can't I actually pick out lilac? It's like my second favorite flower smell ever and I can't actually distinguish which one it is... Drydown: This went soapy on me. Not like, bad soapy, just soapy. Clean and sweet and floraly and bright. Like what clean old ladies smell like, not the stinky decrepit ones. Seriously, though. It's a pretty soap... Overall: You know, I'm just not feeling the Dragon's Blood. Neither am I feeling the florals. It's a pretty scent and clean...but something about it wiggles my inner bits and turns me off.

Initial sniff: Mmm, this is kinda yummy. It's got a bit of the fruity note(s) similar to Jester, along with a little something else to make this a little more grown up. Swipe: Yep, fruity and...just..feels like something. Like woods or greenery. I mean, there isn't any like "grass" smell or something I would associate with actual greenery, but it just feels green. Green with brightly colored berries. Drydown: The other, non-fruity notes, are coming out more now with the fruit adding a delicious background. I still can't really identify them (damn I suck), but they're loverly and make me smell loverly. Overall: This feels like an older relative of Jester's. It's refreshing and adult as opposed to Jester's "in your face fruity", I like it. Those people who are turned off by purely fruit scents, but want something for spring/summertime should definitely check this one out.

I smell the leather (just a hint) in the imp, but applied on my skin this is all rose. Granted, rose usually conjures "cheap perfume/matronly ladies" in my mind, but this is a little better than that. It's a deep sort of rose that I'll have to give another shot to, perhaps even layer it over some DeSade.

I was hoping for more rum, but what I ended up with was floral. Blech, I really am beginning to loathe florals, no matter how hard I try to love them. I see "heady Caribbean blossoms and think "Sweet! That sounds loverly!", then I try it on my skin and it's all sickening florals... why don't they love me? After a while this starts to become kind of plasticky like barbie dolls...but I didn't see clove listed, and it's usually the culprit. Hmm....

Wet and fresh on my skin this is very woody/herbal and reminds me of a gutted pine tree..it's kind of nice and I like it. However, I applied it shortly before going to sleep, and when I woke up in the morning it was completely and utterly a different scent. It was....well...I can't really describe it beyond "ick." Very pasty powdery old woman almost playdohy stuff. Didn't smell a damn thing like it did initially, and if the odor wasn't coming from the exact spot (and only the exact spot) I'd swear it was something else. Damn.

I didn't order this Moon because the florals turned me off...seems like they never really work for me. But after seeing all that was available in the swaps, I figured, sure grab and imp and check it out. So I did. Okies, initial sniff is "hey, this is kinda spicy, wow, it's pink too!" It reminds me of this sugary sweet candy whose name (and description) eludes me currently. Swipe: Wow...this is kinda nice. It's that sugary sweet candy with a spicy "aftertaste" and really is quite nice. Not at all the sickly floral bouqet I was expecting. Drydown: Ok, this didn't morph too much, but it did get a little "perfumey." Poo.... cuz I was totally thinking about a bottle, but I'm not big on smelling "perfumey." Overall: Although I enjoy sweet scents, for some reason I'm actually getting a little sore and raw in the back of my throat from all the sweetness. Pink Moon and a Pink Sugar sample from the other day are really doing a number on me. This new change had better not be permanent!

You could try doing a vinegar rinse with EOs. I find adding 5-7 drops of Peppermint EO and 7-10 drops of Rosemary EO to my vinegar (I eye ball it, but it's probably about 2-3 tablespoons (long hair) to 1.5-2 cups (more?) of water) and running it over my head and down my hair, then sort of massaging it a bit before rinsing lightly really overpowers everything else - especially the vinegar. Not to metion the Peppermint adds a lovely cool tingle and can wake a gal up. After my hair is dry though, I can't smell a thing....well, ok, sometimes I catch whiffs of my conditioner, but after your hair is dry maybe you could run some impie swipes through it.

Inital imp sniff: Pretty, very faint, and with a touch of some kind of spice, but not like a foody spice. Swipe: Ah, there we go, much stronger now. Wow, this is pretty nice. It's herby (I guess) and has a flower note or two that isn't "floral" in a not-so-loverly way, and I guess is woody too? Man I suck at identifying stuff. Drydown/Overall: Ok, it hasn't changed much since the swipe, just mellowed out a bit. But this is giving me a serious case of the "nostalgia" just like Leanan Sidhe did earlier, but for different reasons this time. This reminds me of sunscreen and being at the beach with my family. To be perfectly honest, this smells like my new sunscreen (can't remember the name) only richer, deeper, and rather delectable (again in a non-foody way). I'll have to give it another shot soon to see if it changes at all...but so far I like it, just don't know how often I'll wear it.

My first sniff brought to mind an impression of my mother, and this felt like something she would wear. After application the scent became wicked strong, wicked "momly", and just...well I can't explain. Nostalgia was pulling at me super hard trying to place this scent. I can't pick out any notes. But, I can tell you that I finally figured out what scent or childhood thing this blend reminded me of...ready? Navy (was it by Covergirl?), this is Navy, dead fucking on with the addition of a sort of "depth" and richness. Finally figured out what my memory was nudging me towards. Even if it was a wrong nudge, as she never wore Navy, feeling that it was "cheap." But I sure loved it as a young girl, it made me feel more sophisticated and grown up. Personally, I like this a lot, and I might even wear it...IF it didn't remind me so strongly of my mother. I have a perfect image of her wrist in my mind when I sniff my own wrist (not that I need to put my nose to it, this is a very strong scent) and this, by far, is the most "commercial" and "perfumey" oil I've come across - with the twist of "richness" only BPAL can do. Edit: after time this becomes more powdery and looses it's wet connection to Navy (which was wickedly dead accurate), but still remains grown up and I really think I'll send it to my mom.

Initial Imp Sniff: Hmm...what the hell is that? It's light, comes across to me as something white-ish or light yellow-ish or something, and....hmm...feels a touch sharp. But I get that impression from woods and florals, so it may not actually be sharp. I just suck at anything I don't already know (*cough* most everything *cough*). Swipe: Well gee, it's a little stronger now, not much else is peeking around the initial sniffy notes....what the heck is that? Is it floral? *note - I do not read other reviews until after posting my own...so I'm sure I'll find out when I'm done. Drydown: It's softened even more and there's some clean-smelling soap coming out of the first note (or combination of). It's not a bad soap, it's just soft, clean, and pleasant. This would be loverly on a clean chickadee in a white t-shirt and kakhis, fresh out of the shower with damp hair. Totally. Unfortunately, this really isn't me, so off to swapdom it goes. Edit: Woah, somebody got Sandalwood out of this? Damn man, wish I did...Sandalwood is the shiznite on my skin. Oh for Petey's sakes, Edit again: Gee whiz, I didn't get any of the notes from the actual description that I recognize. I didn't get sandalwood, gardenia, lilac, and while I can't exactly remember what lavendar smells like (although I have the EO in the bathroom), I don't think I got it either. So the note(s) that were strongest on my skin had to have been the ylang ylang and/or violet. I thought I knew what ylang ylang smelled like..but damn it's been so long I'm not sure anymore.

Initial imp sniff: This shares a note with Masquerade that I don't know the name of...it's a sort of sharpish (but not icky poo sharp), dry, woody, clear type note that almost makes the back of my mouth water. It's not unpleasant, in fact I prefer it much to the supersharp icky poo wood smell that I also don't know the name of. Swipe: Clean, clear woody note is coming out strong and keeping the other notes swirling around in the outskirts at bay. I think there may be some fruit, but I just can't tell what lies past the woody note. Drydown: Damnit!! My theory is confirmed: Clove goes all plasticky barbie on me..son of a bitch.

Initial sniff: Mmm, powdered mint candy. Swipe: Bright mint n' stuff...I think that's the coconut too... Drydown: No more mints, rather this is creamy soft, sweet coconut with a hint of cocoa around the edges. Much more drydown: Someone described it perfectly when they said this was just like powdered cocoa. It's not like powdery in a gross way..but seriously smells like opening a packet of hot cocoa mix and inhaling..just on a smaller scale. Overall: Holy shit, there wasn't one unenjoyable moment of the Spooky experience. Not a freaking one. I loved all stages just the same, no more or less than the others. And guess what?? It didn't go to shit on my skin like sooooooo many oils before (and after) it!!! Seriously, I need this. I need it in a way that is desperate and would be willing to perform rather unholy acts to get more. One imp will not last me.

This smelled lovely in the imp, very sweet and clean. However, on my skin this took on a nauseating quality tinged with plastic barbies....eww.... Sorry for the ever so short (probably my shortest ever) review, but if I don't wash this off now...well....you don't want to know what might happen.

Jester, jester, oh how I love thee.... Initially I really loathed Jester, thinking it reminded me too much of the failed Bon Vivant, but after a week or two, this sucker became my passionate, obsessive love. Jester is pure fruity goodness on me. Hell if I know what fruits or whether there are any flowers in here, but daaammnnn if it isn't wickedly wonderful. It's super-strong and lasts a pretty good amount of time on my skin, but I can't wait to get a 5mL and make a spray. Absolutely perfect for summer. Even as strong as it is, it's not cloying or smothering in the heat..just refreshingly sweet and perky.

Dracul. It reminds me of a tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious guy....but it's got something soft and sweet to it that could totally suit the right woman. If black musk wasn't ass on me, I'd roll around in it every day.

Maybe I'm just a freak or something, but Brimstone was in no way "campfire-y" to me. It was cloying, heavy, and didn't bring to mind anything like being out in the woods (or even a backyard) hanging around a campfire. I haven't lived in the city so long as to forget what a campfire smells like. Sadly, though, I have no recommendations.

Gee, am I the last person to review this or what?? Ok, I bought this completely unsniffed and on the reviews of everyone else...... so here goes.... Sniff: Umm, well, this isn't really what I was expecting. It's perfume-y with a touch of something I don't really recognize. And I think I smell the sugar and lemon. Swipe: Well gee, this doesn't smell like the black tea with cream and sugar that I make. Frankly, it smells like a girl. A girl who's been rolling around in heavily perfumed flowers and sugar. Drydown: This goes a little wonky on the drydown, a little too soft, too powdery, and too "womanly." Overall: Wow, this is sooooooooooo not expected. I also got a bottle of Bordello and the similarities between the two are amazing. I really don't need both, as they both smell rather girlie, sweet, and kinda powdery. Sadly, this was kind of a disappointment. I mean, it's lovely..it's just not what I had in my mind - stupid pre-imagined smelling. Edit: I gave this one another shot today...sadly it's still nothing like what I was expecting (sweet creamy vanillay sugary tea), but it's not bad. Preconceptions aside...it's a little sweet for a man, a little masculine for a woman, and kind of powdery and "dry" feeling in the back of my throat. There's also a touch of lemon, but it's just a touch. Unfortunately, after (*looks at clock) an hour it burns off into this rather disgusting powdery stinky woman-ish blob of scent that reminds me heavily of my grandfather's wife...............not exactly something I'd want to smell like. Maybe alcohol would help (as I have a feeling it's either the base/carrier oil (soo many problems with those on my skin), the musks, or both). Grrrrrooowwwllll!! Why can nothing work on me that everyone else raves about? Snake Oil was just "eww gross" on my skin, now Dorian is following lead with a "kind of a'ight, gross after an hour", what the fuck is next?? Umm..yeah..sorry for the outburst. Currently experiencing major stomach ickiness (could be Chinese, could be pms, could be both), and I hate everything right now (definitely pms). The hate isn't clouding my sense of smell though, it's just affecting what words I'll use to describe it.