Faerykin

Dragon’s Heart Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30-am): As will most BPAL dragon’s blood scents, this goes on pure, sweet dragon’s blood. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The dragon’s blood tempers a bit, allowing the other notes to peek through a bit. It is still a very sweet scent – with the fig and the currant – waiting to see if the musks come out. Throughout the Day (10am-on): I think the musks are finally coming through, as there is something bringing balance to the sweetness. Still a very lovely combination. This is definitely going into the Dragon’s Blood Pile (i.e., the Boi’s Pile).

Nocnitsa Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30-am): This is the scent of the deep forest. Pine needles, the damp of the forest floor, and the scent of the wind blowing through the trees. Truly magnificent! Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The pine is a gentle backdrop to the damp forest floor, and the wind through the trees has died down to an occasional gentle breeze. Ah, the memories this scent brings back – I love it! Throughout the Day (10am-on): This is fading so fast. But, it is such a lovely, dark, earthy scent – I must keep it. I still get the occasional whiff of earthy-pine … absolutely lovely.

Arachne Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (7:30-8am): This goes on light & sweet. At first I thought it was fruity – cherry perhaps – then as it calmed, I recognize this, but I can’t quite place my finger on it. Some type of floral? Whatever it is, I like it. Initial Dry (8-10am): This continues to be a softly-sweet scent. I still can’t identify what that familiar sweetness is, but I still like it. Throughout the Day (10am-on): Wow, this fades fast. I can only barely detect it unless I actually hold my arm to my nose. Otherwise, it is truly as light as it claims to be. Still, very nice. Slowly dissipating throughout the day, I catch a faint whiff here and there. Very reminiscent of a spider’s web … very nice.

Leanan Sidhe Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is a slightly powdery herbal. I think I smell lemon. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The lemon scent moves into the background of this very herbal blend. It isn’t quite powdery enough to be headache-inducing … and I hope it stays that way. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This becomes a soft, semi-powdery, herbal floral. Uh-oh, this is beginning to morph into a perfume. Bleh! Off to the Swap Pile with you! So disappointing, I really wanted to like this.

Iambe Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is a sweet, gentle floral that reminds me a lot of Morgause. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This turns a bit powdery with an underlying spiciness. It is still a lot like Morgause. Throughout the Day (10am-on): Yup, a more powdery, bit spicier, sweeter (a little too sweet) version of Morgause. It’s beginning to give me a headache. Off to Swaps!

Blood Lotus Swiped across wrists and along collarbone ... and a little in the cleavage. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): The warm, thick, rich scent of dragon’s blood … with something floral underneath it all that must be the lotus. As with all other BPAL dragon’s blood scents, a winner right from the start. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This lightens up, losing its thickness. It is still rich and sweet. The dragon’s blood is tempered by the floral, almost to the point of being lost among it … almost. Throughout the Day (10am-on): I feel a bit of a headache coming on, and I’ve already suffered two sneezing fits. I do hope the scent isn’t the culprit. Even so, I have plenty of dragon’s blood scents to choose from, should I need to find this one a good home. An hour or so into the afternoon and this has settled into a calm, sweet floral. The majority of the headache has gone. Still, I fear my collection will have to go on without this addition. No worries though, I am certain to find it a suitable home.

13 Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This goes on a bit thick, almost like a cross between chocolate and vanilla. Very Sweet. Every once in a while I catch a whiff of some floral … interesting. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This is slowly getting lighter and lighter. It is still primarily a mix between a light chocolate & vanilla. I still catch a faint whiff of something else here and there, so not much change except for it getting lighter. Throughout the Day (10am-on): It just gets lighter, and lighter, and lighter - nothing else changes. It is still chocolate & vanilla with something underneath … slowly dissipating into nothingness. Not at all unpleasant. I shall have to see if I can get the other notes to show themselves on upcoming 13ths.

Red Devil Swiped across wrists and along collarbone ... and a little in the cleavage. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This goes on sweet and tangy. There is something oddly familiar here, but I can’t quite pinpoint what it is. This is citrusy – more specifically, orangey. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The orangey scent becomes less orangey, but still citrusy. It is difficult to explain. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This is morphing into something that is giving me a headache. It is still sharp and tangy, with something I’ve smelled before but can’t place. I found it! This smells an awful lot like Harlot when it soured on me (sour roses) – bleh! Off to the Swap Pile with you!

Serpent's Kiss Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is the fist dragon’s blood scent with BPAL that didn’t go on sweet. In fact, this went on very dark and smoky. This is the first dragon’s blood scent with BPAL that actually turned my nose out of the vial. I do hope that changes. Within 10 minutes, the dragon’s blood begins to sweeten up – I am ever-so glad. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): Thankfully the dragon’s blood continues to sweeten this scent. Though, this is very atypical of dragon’s blood scents I’ve tested from BPAL – this is much darker. Throughout the Day (10am-on): The dragon’s blood is underscored by a dark, almost-cologne-y, spiciness. I am leaning toward the belief that this would make a wonderful masculine blend. Quite unlike any other dragon’s blood I have tried with BPAL. I’ll have to see what the boy thinks. Mmmm … now a nice spicy dragon’s blood. I like!

Regan Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is light, sweet and subtle. I can detect the vanilla, and it’s almost powdery. I certainly hope this doesn’t turn too powdery – or the vanilla too overwhelming. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The vanilla is still the top note, but there is a floral growing under it. It is much less powdery – thankfully – and is shaping up to be a nice, calming scent. Still much more faint than a lot of other scents I’ve tried at BPAL. Throughout the Day (10am-on): The floral is beginning to peak through every now and again. It makes for an interesting blend as the creamy vanilla is interrupted by a short burst of floral, then back to creamy vanilla. Still not certain about this one, it is lovely but I don’t know if it’s quite me. I think I may have finally found a primarily vanilla scent that isn’t so overwhelmingly headache-inducing. I shall certainly have to see what the hubby thinks.

Goneril Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): There is something all too familiar about this floral. It is light and bright with a definite “darkness” in the center. The familiar note is defiantly a part of brightness – I just cannot think of what it is … but, I like it. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): It’s the lily! One of my co-workers, who happens to be quite garden savvy, came down and commented, “Something smells nice.” When I asked her if it was me, she confirmed by saying it smells like lilies. I agree, it is quite nice. I told her I was willing the warmer weather and sunshine of spring to come back. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This remains its wonderful lily self. I can’t really detect anything else – as the lily is quite potent. Long-lasting, as it is still present as I leave for work. A definite spring or summer scent.

Ravenous An utterly feral, thoroughly rousing perfume. Red patchouli sweetened by orange blossom. Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This goes on sweet and sugary. The red patchouli provides a nice earthy base for the sweet orange blossom. A very pleasant blend. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): Wow, this scent is actually improving my mood. I think I’ll have to keep it on that principal alone – we all know that there is far too much awfulness in life, to find a scent that makes you happy … take advantage of it. The patchouli and orange blossom blend so well that I can’t detect one note from the other. This is absolutely divine. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This is so gorgeous. Sweet, sugary and full of feel-happy thoughts. Definitely keeping the imp! Ooohhh, and its long lasting to boot!

Libertine Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is a light, bright, almost-tangy floral. I am uncertain as to specific notes, as they blend very well. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The brightness dissipates a bit as this continues to lighten. It is still very floral. There is no longer any tanginess either. Throughout the Day (10am-on): I still can’t detect any specific notes. This is just a light, breezy floral. Good for warm days or when I wanna feel girly. Still present as I leave for work – I get gentle wisps of floral. *shrugs* I may keep the imp, or it may find a home where it will be better appreciated. We’ll see.

Ave Maria Gratia Plena A pale, delicate, truly angelic blend. A scent created to emulate Adonis' halo of beauty: fragile, distant, and radiant. Rosewood with Sicilian lemon peel, red Mysore sandalwood, pale musks, sweet mountain sage and a dusting of lily, night-blooming jasmine and orris. Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): Light, bright and airy – not certain yet why this is a “men’s blend”. I can certainly detect the lemon peel – and there is a sweet wispiness of floral under it all. A very nice spring scent. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The sandalwood and musks are coming forth. A thick air of floral and almost incense is competing with the lemon peel. This is certainly becoming more masculine. Throughout the Day (10am-on): I can no longer detect any specific notes – this has morphed into traditional men’s cologne. Albeit, a light, fresh, airy, somewhat-powdery men’s cologne … but men’s cologne nonetheless. Off to the Swap Pile!

Dragon’s Milk Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): Just like the description says, dragon’s blood and vanilla. I do hope the dragon’s blood tempers the vanilla enough so that it doesn’t overwhelm me. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The dragon’s blood begins to come forward, with the vanilla providing a thick sweetness underneath. This is a very beautiful blend. Throughout the Day (10am-on): As with all dragon’s blood scents, that is what this has turned into – dragon’s blood. I’m certain the vanilla is still there, providing for a dragon’s blood that is a bit thicker … but it is still just dragon’s blood. This is interesting. After an hour or so, the vanilla begins to warm up again and I can definitely detect the thick sweetness it adds to the dragon’s blood. Wow – the first dragon’s blood scent that doesn’t go purely dragon’s blood. The dragon’s blood provides its familiar bright sweetness while it tempers the vanilla, preventing it from becoming overly sweet. I’m liking it a lot - definitely keeping the imp.

Kabuki Swiped across wrists and along collarbone ... and a little in the cleavage. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): Mmmm … I could eat this – cherry and anise … mmmmm. My two favorite licorice flavors. Then … cherry cola. Where did that come from? Initial Dry (8:30-10am): Well, the cherry cola has thankfully calmed down. I still mostly get hints of cherry and anise … must be the red musk making it fizzy. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This is quite unusual. I’m not certain if I like it or not … I know I don’t not like it. I can’t detect any specific note, just this thick sweetness. I’m not certain if I’ll hang onto this or not. I appreciate the initial wet stage – mayhaps on another day, the cherry and anise will stay longer.

Rakshasa Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This blend really plays a game with my nose. I could swear I smell orange. Then I recognize it as the rose, and how the patchouli and sandalwood attempt to ring it in … just to have it escape again. It is really interesting how the orange comes back, and then just as I contemplate, ‘there isn’t any orange in here’, it morphs into rose, and then I detect sandalwood and patchouli, then right back to orange. Odd indeed. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): I think my brain has finally decided that the orange is really the sandalwood and patchouli tempering the rose – because it is no longer identifying an orange scent. The rose is finally moving to the back while the patchouli moves up to the forefront. The sandalwood lies under it all, bringing the scent together and preventing any of the individual notes from completely overpowering the overall scent. I like how I can detect each note, yet it all blends so masterfully – truly amazing. Throughout the Day (10am-on): I’m not sure I like the way the rose is trying to sour. Though, just as soon as it turns my nose, the patchouli and sandalwood temper it. Why is the rose so obstinate in this scent? Though, after reading the description again, I can certainly appreciate how Beth captured ‘shapeshifting’ in a scent. End of the day and it is still going strong. I fear I will have to place this in the Swap Pile, as I don’t like how the rose is coming out on my skin. It is indeed a lovely, ever-shifting scent, just not for me.

Seraphim Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is a light, bright floral. The wisteria is the most prominent and I can hardly detect anything under it … yet. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This doesn’t change at all. It is still all wisteria. A very light, bright floral. Not that I mind wisteria, but I hope the other notes come forward at some point. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This remains its light, bright wisteria self. Sadly the other notes didn’t come out to play. Fortunate for the overall scent though, I like wisteria. It is a beautiful warm weather scent – not to mention useful at keeping away negativity. So the imp is definitely a keeper.

Psyche Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is an unusual scent. Just as soon as I think it’s a bit overpowering, it calms into almost a wisp of fragrance. Right now it is primarily rose and musk – with an undertone of thick incense. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This remains wispy and begins to sweeten. It still reminds me of incense – but that could be the frankincense. I’m not certain if this is a scent for me, as it is still quite potent – aside from the fact that I never thought of myself as someone that’d want to smell like incense. Throughout the Day (10am-on): This actually gets heavier as time goes by. Deeper, a bit darker … and a lot heavier. It is a gorgeous blend, just a little too heavy for me. I’m just not really a ‘wants-to-smell-like-incense’ kinda girl. So, off to the Swap Pile!

Paris Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): Out of the vial and directly onto the skin, this is bitter and earthy. But, that quickly begins to soften and sweeten. The spice really plays around in the background here adding a morphing dimension to this that I really like – enigmatic is right. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This is all sweet and spicy. I am really liking it. The spice is unlike any other spice I’ve experienced, and it provides a very nice depth to the lavender and lotus. The way the scents mix so differently depending on whether I am smelling it in the air around me or on my skin – I can see the sensual and decadent aspect of this blend. Throughout the Day (10am-3pm): This continues to lighten, becoming more airy. It is a very pleasant scent. I can see wearing it in the warmer months. It almost conjures images of open air cafés and bustling streets. A shopping scent? By 3pm this has nearly completely dissipated in the air around me. My skin holds a spicy powdery scent that is completely unlike how it smelled in the air. I’m going to have to keep the imp for Girl’s Days.

Absinthe Swiped across wrists and along collarbone … and a little in the cleavage. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This smells almost exactly like the drink. Quite uncanny. It is bright, spicy and warm. Very nice. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This tempers just a bit. It remains it warm, spicy, very nummy self. The individual notes blend in such a way that I cannot say one stands above any other. I’m liking it a lot. Throughout the Day (10am-on): I am finding this scent so difficult to describe. It is complex, yet simple. Suffice to say, I like it and I’m keeping it. It is warm, light and comforting. A beautiful scent for spring or autumn when the weather is cool and there is a gentle breeze. It is barely present as I leave for home – but I still catch faint whiffs. Absolutely lovely.

Eris Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): Bright, sweet, wet and fruity. This is almost like candied fruit – it is very sweet. At this stage, it is all fruit and mimosa. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The sweetness tempers a bit, but only a bit. This is still a very sweet, wet, fruity scent. I cannot detect any of the floral, just mimosa and wet fruit. Nice and cool. Throughout the Day (10am-on): Wow, this fades fast. Still not detecting any floral, just a faint, cool, sweet fruit and mimosa. As I leave for work, the scent is incredibly faint, but still there. I will keep this imp for hot summer days.

Kyoto Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This goes on sweet and bright. The anise is at the forefront, but it is mellowed by the sandalwood. Not certain I detect any cherry blossom yet. But, it is definitely sweet (almost sugary) and quite nummy. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This continues to remain its sweet self – I think it may be the cherry blossom lying under everything. The anise and sandalwood are still at the top, which makes for a very nice, warm, earthy blend. Still nummy. Throughout the Day (10am-on): The combination here smells almost like a very light patchouli – how odd. Not at all unpleasant, just not what I had expected – or was hoping for. I really wanted the anise to pop out. Poopy. Off to the Swap Pile!

Muse Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is light, cool and bright. A very distinct citrus floral. Very spring-like. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): As this begins to dry, the floral really comes to the forefront – almost overpoweringly so – and it is mostly jasmine. I hope this calms and the lime comes back. Throughout the Day (10am-on): Sadly, this is all floral – a very strong floral. I was so hoping the lime would come back. Poopy-poop-poo. This would be wonderful if I was looking for a jasmine scent. But, I was looking for a lime scent – so off to the Swap Pile!

Morgause Swiped across wrists and along collarbone. Initial Wet (8-8:30am): When I first applied this, my first thought was, “Wow, this is gorgeous!” It immediately put me in a good mood, and my mood has yet to dampen. I never thought I’d ever find a ‘signature scent’, but if this doesn’t change much, I may have finally found it. (though it’ll have to pass the Hubby Test to be absolutely certain) This is a sweet, fruity floral that is oddly familiar. I absolutely love it! I could bathe in this stuff. Initial Dry (8:30-10am): Thankfully this hasn’t changed at all. It is still a wet, juicy, fruity-floral. Utterly delicious! Throughout the Day (10am-on): This slowly dissipates throughout the day, but still remains its wet, juicy, fruity-floral self. This is definitely a pick-me-up, girly scent. I absolutely love it. Straight to the Big Bottle List!