cuervosueno

Hmmm...now what possessed me to order this imp? I suppose I felt I should branch out since so many of Beth's blends please me even when I think they won't. Not the case here, alas. In the bottle it smells doable--wood...is that sandalwood?...and something else that yes, is likely saffron which, honestly, I'm not that fond of. On, though, the rose rushes forward. If anyone remembers that bath oil Jean Nate, it smells like that kind of rose. I've gotten some rose in an aroma therapy kit that smells like that too, and I disliked it so much I had to get rid of it. That's what I get from Baghdad for the first half hour. It does finally settle down to a more managable mix that other people have described, but the rose make its impossible for me. Off it goes!

This is very lovely. Got an imp pack plus my CT yesterday and have three scents on, and while at first I was much distracted by the lushness of the Hanging Gardens, this is coming out to be the dark horse favorite. It did smell dark and slightly animalistic in the bottle, but on, its not like that at all. The wood notes are there, but they don't scream out cedar or sandalwood to me. They are the background for sweetness and pachouli, and this smells so much like Bali to me I can't believe it...where I wandered around in a daze with sea smells and greenery and the undercurrent of pachouli that grows there threading it all together. I close my eyes smelling this and think of the last trip I was on in Bali...the lovely little beachside hotel, the gardens....I love it! So it doesn't conjure up Sri Lanka to me..but then again, I've never been there. I really do love this though. Guess it goes on my wishlist!

My Chaos Theory came when I was out of town, and knowing it was waiting in the mail drove me crazy! Finally got it: bottle DXLVIII which I won't even try to translate into arabic numerals. In the bottle: milky butter sweetness--very reminiscent of Milk Moon. It has that buttery topnote that I got in both Milk Moon and Chaste Moon, but this reminds me of Milk moon with a sweet white floral underneath it. My friend Marisa and I both liked it muchly in the bottle, though I thought it a bit too similiar to Milk Moon. On: at first, it smells the same, but after about a 1/2 hour the florals went soapy on me. Lavender often does that to me, but I don't smell lavender in this--well, maybe, now that I take a whiff from the bottle again. Final analysis for me: Milk Moon+floral, possibly lavender. Not a keeper for me--I like Milk Moon more. this is my second foray into Chaos Theory, and this improved slightly--the bottle I got last year I hated! This one is ok, just not me. If Beth chooses to do this again, yeah, I'll probably try it one more time, hoping the third time will work for me. As for my bottle--I'll decant an imp for the chaos theory circle then off to swaps it goes! eta: tried it again as I decanted it and I note it is buttermint with floral, probably lavender. It is even very pale green in the bottle. Nice enough, but still not me.

Yup, dirt. It smells like dirt...or rather sun-warmed garden soil. It's really very impressive, as so many others have noted. The other earthy scents simply don't work on me. Earthy notes in others--such as zombi or Queen of Clubs smell earthy--as in beets. But I hate beets. So I was seriously worried about this, and wondered whatever possessed me to swap for it. But as it turns out, there is no beet note for me! Hooray! It just smell like warm, well-tilled soil. After it had been on for a couple of hours, I got a very vague incense note too, but truthfully, that is likely the spellbound I tried on the same arm. I like the combination though, and yes, I can see the layering possiblities are endless. I'm not convinced I'll need the whole bottle, but I'm glad to get to try it, and may keep it after all, or maybe will decant and imp and then swap the rest.... Like Roadhouse, this is one of those how-in-the-world-does-Beth-do-it scents.

Like Penance, I was a bit nervous about this one. Because I love all myrrh, amber, incense and vanilla, I decided to try her in spite of the evil rose and pomegranate notes (evil for me, I mean I read the reviews before receiving her, and became worried about the comparisons to Zombi, one of my least favorite BPAL scents. I guess that was a valid worry (and now I wonder why I decided to swap for a bottle of graveyard dirt, which I likely won't enjoy either. Oh well, wanted to try it, and who knows, maybe it will surprise me). On to my encounter with her royal highness... First, in my impatience, tried her on after she'd been in the car with me on various errands. Temperature outside: 100, and I must abashedly admit that I'd left the royal pair in the car for an hour or so. This first encounter was odd. Astringent. Grassy. I couldn't figure it out. Like grass, but not cut grass. Hmmmm....I don't like that scent. What is it? I couldn't sort it out. On my overheated skin it was quite strong. No, she is not working for me, though I'm already set to offer myself as loving concubine to her King. Second encounter: at night, in more normal circumstances. Still that sharply familiar grassy/earthy note. What is it? then I got it: it smells like beets! Like Zombi which also smelled like beets! Aack! this is not promising for earthy scents and me. The beet scent faded after an hour or so, and I got more of the florals, which were ok, but I wasn't loving them. Several hours later, the scent had faded to something very like the King, which I enjoyed, but overall....not my thing. Now, as I make what will likely be a final audience with the queen, I open up the bottle and the beet scent is a faint underpinning to a fruity floral, which I admit is appealing. Unfortunately, she doesn't like me enough to smell this way on my skin--no doubt she knows I have designs on the King. Ah well. I'll try her once more today, maybe mix the two together a bit, but I suspect I'm sending the Queen off to the realm of swappage. eta: or maybe I will keep her afterall. She's lovely layered with the King, and the two have more staying powering when layered. Also let a friend try her, and my friend, the Queen was more rose and fruit richness....very very different than on me. Interesting!

I needed to keep the ingredients in mind above, because I can't pick out a single note in this--which is not at all a bad thing. I ordered it on the basis of many favorite notes: musk, vetiver, amber, almond. I was a little worried about the leather, because as much as I love that note, it tends to become overwhelming on me. But I ordered him anyway, and his queen, who I was less sure of. Reading the reviews made me eager to get this, and I was not disappointed. It absolutely wonderful--warm, sexy, addictive. But as I said, when I smell it, either in the bottle or on me, I can't pick out notes, even the familiar ones like vetiver. I just don't get that strong vetiver scent as I do in Azathoh. Its a bit sharp when I smell it in the bottle, but nothing hits me except--mmmmm, this smells good! When it is wet, there is a tiny bit of astringent sharpness that I also note in the Queen, but this fades quickly in the King. Then the scent stays pretty stable and is also long lasting--I put some on last night and can still faintly smell it today. It sticks fairly close to my skin, too. I don't notice it too much until I sniff my wrist (which I've been doing compulsively). Overall, what this smells like to me is ambergris. I have a bottle from Caswell and Massey, and to me this smells very much like that. I suppose that's not impossible, given that as far as I know, true ambergris is rarely used anymore, so what I have must be a mix of various scents to achieve an ambergris bouquet. In any case, I adore that scent, and I'm delighted to have a BPAL perfume that reminds me of it. I find this King comforting, sexy and delicious. and I'd love to try him out on a man.....grrrrrr..... eta: I really agree that this is perfectly blended. I love it when I can pick out notes as well, but to me a perfect blend is one that has morphed into something completely new, where the individual scents are very difficult for me to pick out. this is one of those scents. eta: (again!) Rereading the descrip., I realized this King perfectly describes my houseguest, an ex. who is hanging out here for awhile. Hmmm..perhaps I can get him to put some on and play a bit!

Olympia301--your swank avatar is hilarious! Reason enough to read these just to see that! Swank: Pomegranite martini, huh? I got this as an extra in a swap, and likely I wouldn't have tried it on my own. Put it on on a hot day and liked the coolness that at first reminded me of grapefruit. Guess its pomegranite though....and the alchohol comes through too....and it smells like, well, a drink I guess. But it has a very artificial note on me, and it is way way strong and.... I don't like it. Ah well, can't like 'em all, or I'd be so in debt it wouldn't be funny!

A little more about Yemaya from the following website: http://www.inharmsway.net/gods/yemaya.html Yemaya "rules the sea, the Moon, dreams, deep secrets, sea shells, ancient wisdom, salt water, fresh water, ocean secrets, the collective unconscious, and the surface of the ocean, seas, and lakes. Her many titles include Queen of Witches, Mother of Fishes, The Constantly Coming Woman, The Ocean Mother, Mother of Dreams and Secrets, Mother of All, Mother of the Sea, Holy Queen Sea, The Womb of Creation, Mother of Pearl, Stella Maris (star of the sea), and Yeyé Omo Eja, Mother Whose Children Are the Fish. Invoke Yemaya for blessings, compassion, wisdom, fertility, creation, riches, inspiration, motherhood, female power, natural wealth, love spells, wish magic, sea spells, fertility rituals, water magic, women's issues, having children, sustaining life, washing away sorrow, revealing mysteries, acquiring ancient wisdom, protecting the home, learning not to give your power away, and comforting children in crisis. Invoke her as Erzulie for beauty, good fortune, and good health. Invoke her as Yemoja to cure infertility, as Yemana for rain, as Emanjah for teaching children, as Yemaya Olokun for dream magic and protecting babies in the womb; and as Yemaya Ataramagwa for money spells. Invoke Yemaya as Agwe for affection and blessings. Yams, grain, soap, perfume, jewelry, and fabric are all traditional offerings to Yemaya, thrown into the sea. Rams are also sacrificed to her. Wear pearls or crystal beads to invoke her. To ask Yemaya to grant a wish or bestow a blessing, write her a letter and cast it into the sea. " I got to smell this courtesy of the Yemaya circle, and it's lovely. I didn't expect to like it from the reviews, but I did. My reaction is similiar to Byrdie's. Wet, it get a melony scent, but it wasn't watermelon, and I wasn't convinced it was honeydew. It smelled pink, as others note. Finally I settled on Mango (though of course I could be wrong!) The mango smell predominates, but it is not overpowering and there is a touch of sweetness that could be a floral. I don't like acquatics, so I worried about that, but I don't get that note either--just a hint. What is most like for me is drinking a fruit drink on the beach--the sea notes are just a whiff on the breeze. What surprised me was about an hour later when I moved my arm I'd get a faint whiff of incense. I kept wondering what it was, because when I sniffed my wrist, Yemaya was still beach and mango. But sure enough, there is a very faint note of incense as well, which seems suitable since she is in Orisha--hence an incense offering. I also felt very calm and centered wearing this, and yes, protected. Which is not a surprise since all of Beth's TAL blends really work well. Final image brought up by Yemaya--walking past an outdoor altar near a beach. I get a scent of the fruit left out for an offering, the incense wafting up to the sky, and the air itself is sweet with tropical flowers and sea spray. Lovely! I'm delighted I got to try it.

A freebie from the lab. Put it on last night--had no idea what was in it til I read the reviews today. In the bottle...huh. Cool. Floral. Nothing jumps out it me. On--well, I didn't get the grapefruit notes other did-wish I had because I adore grapefruit. What I got was a cool, watery scent, slight floral sweetness. Reminded me, oddly enough, of cucumbers. Cool and green--I guess that might even make sense--couldn't cucumbers be an acquatic note? In anycase, its not me. I really don't like acquatics. Luckily, it didn't last long at all. And someone else wants it, so off it goes.

Ah Silk road! I keep wanting to call it spice road, which I suppose says it all. In the imp: spicey candle. Like a Christmas spice candle. Everyone else is saying cinnamon, and that's likely it, but to my nose it could be clove instead, which is a softer note to me, and doesn't get so amped up by my skin. There is a slightly waxy undernote too, hence candle comparison. On--pure spice. The waxiness goes away and I get a light spice scent. It is mild, but has some throw, esp. since I put it on before working out, and kept getting light wafts of spice as I threw a punch while boxing. No citrus here. Vanilla? maybe--there is something sweet in it. but mostly just pure spice. I like it--will most certainly use the imp, and will consider buying a bottle.

Wanda--on me, Loviatar light. In the bottle, I like it--leather and something sweet--I thought rose, though a rose even I could enjoy. when I looked it up, I was surprised by the wine, because I didnt' smelll it, though I thought later I got something vaguely grape-candyish. One, the leather is just barely perceptible, which is ok, because one of the reasons I stopped using loviatar and iago was that the leather just became a little too overwhelming on me. After it dries down, the violet comes out very strong. I guess my skin amps up violet. Overall--violet candy and a hint of leather. If I'm in the mood, for a powerful, sexual scent, I think I'd prefer Loviatar.

I had to quote completely because I just loved that review...esp the note about willing accepting punishment.... And truthfully, my review is very similiar. I love the warm cocoa note I get at first--how lovely! I bought this in a 5 ml. unsniffed, first because how could I note buy a perfume for the lord of the smoking mirror, and also because I love all those notes. I was worried about the leather as well. I love the leather note in Beth's blends, but the fact is, my skin amps it up so its all leather. Sadly, that's what happened with this one too. I wanted this to be the sexy older brother to Centzon T....and in the bottle, it smelled that way with its cocoa notes.... But on, the cocoa disappears to quickly and I'm left with Iago or Loviatar...or any other leather blend. They end up all the same on me...lovely but pure leather. Its not a scent that wears well on me. I'm afraid this will, sadly, not be a keeper.

Thank you to Atalanta Pendragonne for swapping with me--turns out I love Azathoth! Of the SIA blends, I ordered Al Azif and Shub-N. I knew I'd like Shub, because I had an imp of its gingery goodness, but I bought Al Azif based on the reviews of it being incense and vetiver. So I am SO glad I got this, because for me, it is the much amped up brethern of A.A. that one fades too fast, is a barely discernable scent, but indeed, Azathoth gibbers and howls, and is a real presence! Yes, vetiver, lovely smoky strong vetiver, screaming out of the darkness. In the bottle, there is a strong aftershave note to my nose, which I realized is tangerine mixed with the other elements, esp. saffron. But neither the tangerine nor the saffron show up as individual notes on my skin at all. Its just that lovely V-grass, then it softens and lingers with cedar goodness. Funny, I'd been thinking of trying my own vetiver blend because I have a lovely bottle of it, but after this...well....Beth has done it much better than I ever could. So I'll be keeping the blind idiot god who tramps madly through the vetiver.... And I've loved reading the reviews of this--great work everyone! eta: I put this on last night, and when I woke up this morning, I could still smell it--12 hours later--but it had morphed back to its original slightly aftershavy scent, which I think is the tangerine? doesn't seem likely, because usually citrus notes fade quickly, but the vetiver fades eventually to this other note. Not my favorite part of the Azathoth experience, but by now its just a faint whiff so I still love it. But wow, does this have staying power!

My reaction to this was much like AlectoNox, and I laughed out loud over the part about sniffing vetivert to lightheadedness... but I'm having a hard time with this. I ordered it because of the reviews that noted it was incense-like, which I love. then I swapped for a bottle of Azathoth and got them on the same day, and have been having a hard time separating them, because both have vetiver. Even now I stupidly put one scent on either arm, and I'm so overwhelmed by the Azathoth that I can't really do Al Azif credit, so I may have to come back to this review. but for now, I'd agree that its barely there, a faint skinscent, like a memory of incense as someone else said. Maybe like the faint ash from an incense containing vetiver... Its like the opposite of Azathoth, if that makes any sense. Opposite in that it is faint, retiring, like faded writing..while Azathoh has some similiar notes but much, much louder. Huh. Dunno. It may go to the swap pile. eta: I wore it yesterday on its own, away from the lovely but overpowering idiot god Azathoth. It is really quite nice....the vetiver fades and then it is, yes, a perfect incense note--well, not the incense itself but the ash, perhaps even the ash faded into the pages of an old book. Its an amazing blend, but even though I was out in the sun working, sweating, I could only smell it when I pressed my nose to my wrist. And I'm a girl who needs more throw in her scent. So I'll send it off to a loving new home, and stick to the Caterpillar for my perfect incense scent. But if you like lighter scents, do try this. It is really amzingly well done.

I decided to try this one for a review next, because I someone mentioned it in the review of salome, comparing the two. For me, they are not at all similiar. When I first opened the imp and put it on, I thought oh my god, I have to get this off me. It was overpowering--lemongrass mixed with...what? something that didn't work with it. I felt like I was wearing one of the aromatherapy mixes I make to keep ticks off my dogs (and yes, that does include cedar and lemongrass). It calmed down after that, but its still fairly strong lemongrass. I don't smell much other than, with just maybe a touch of woodiness. Its really not my thing, I'm afraid, and on me isn't that calming--just overpowering.

I ordered an imp of this because of the almond, and I love the almond note in the bottle. But like others have noted, that goes away right away. What I'm left with is a standard floral--not even particularly jasmine like on me. Oh well, guess its not a keeper.

Wet and in bottle: very floral. white, tropical floral. Drydown: after 1/2 hour I start to get the spice--nice tobacco note and a touch of bayrum. I like it at this stage, but I like Port-au-Prince more. It fades fairly quickly, as Port-au-Prince did. I like the imp, but not so much as some others, so since I know someone else who wants it, off it goes to a better home.

I love that description, Fallow Deer. Seems so true to me. I got this from a friend who decided she didn't like it, and I started to send it off as a swap, then thought huh, have I tried this yet? Put some on. Nice woody notes, green and mossy, nothing special. Then an animalistic note came out. Musk or civet, musk or civet? I couldn't decided, but thought perhaps civet though it seemed less overpowering than civet. If it was musk, it didn't smell like egyptian musk or the other slightly sweet almost floral musks, but a deep, dark musk. Perhaps I should keep it? After about an hour, it is a gorgeous blend of warm woods and that animal note that, after reading the reviews, I realize is indeed musk. Its a bit like the TAL Lord of the Forest blend, but that one is a bit too overpoweringly civet for me to wear, and this is a calmer, sweeter variety of it. Makes me feel comfortable surrounded by lovely male energy, and the spirit of wild woods. As if I'm walking in the wolf's path. I'm also surprised this one doesn't get more attention, because it is gorgeous! eta: and yeah, I kept the imp

I wanted to like this one since I have great raven connections, but never tried it because of all the florals. Got it in a swap or as a freebie from the lab--can't remember now. In the bottle. Green. Light green. stays that way wet. then goes pure floral. Lavendar? I don't like lavender. No, its not lavender. Looked it up: violets! Of course! After it dries, that's all I get--pure violet, nothing else. Reminds me of those Choward Violet candies I used to eat. No, it doesn't work for me as a scent.

Milk Moon--who would have guessed? good news: it is the first Lunacy blend that really worked for me. I kind of liked Chaste Moon--that butterscotchy scent, but the dry down wasn't that impressive so I swapped it. But this truly works. bad news: since Lunacy's never work on me, I already promised it to Rosered. Good news again: I'm swapping for her gorgeous jewelry, so I don't feel at all bad about giving it up. Now for the review: In the bottle--butter! Like I imagine midway or shill to be--though this like buttery caramel or something. Ie. sweet with a hint of salt. very strong and I want to lick the bottle. On me--first 1/2 very much the same as in the bottle. Then the floral comes out. No floral isn't the right word. Sweetness comes out. I smell like something really delicious to eat. I get no mint at all, or coconut, thankfully. After a bit it turns milky, and yes it is almost a baby smell (not that I've had one, but sometimes I'm around clean just fed babies and its kind of like that). then its final morph is to a scrumptious sweet custardy smell... Like creme brulee without the burnt sugar smell. It is very tasty, but makes me want to lick my arm. I don't mind giving it, as I tend to only wear the foody scents at night for comfort when sleeping....and I have Dia for that. But I'm delighted to have smelled it.

sorry for the long quote--but Sarada got this right on for me. This is exactly headshop (of the 70's for me). And anyway, I just learned how to quote.... I didn't think I'd like this. I avoid fruity notes usually and I almost always detest grape notes, but it is so hard to get them real. But I like this a lot. At first I get the grape, but it is tied to a woody note that I realize really is pachouli blending with muscadine. The incense comes in later, an etheral smoky note grounded with the more earthy pachouli. If you don't like incense notes, you won't like Urd. I do like it, and like the throw--from a distance I can smell my wrist, its the faint scent of faded incense. Nice! but I prefer The Caterpillar for my favorite incense note BPAL--The Caterpillar is sweeter, which I like. So likely I won't get a bottle of Urd, but I'm glad for the imp.

Another of my branching out disasters...er....experiments.... Decided to try it because of musk and amber, though I'm not entirely sure amber is really me....love musks though... Got it at the same time as Urd and for some reason had the two confused...thought I'd love imp and that urd was a maybe, but urd I like and imp...no, nope, not a go. In the bottle: pure grape bubblegum. And ya know, grape has always been my least favorite artificial flavor/scent. And a throw? Definately. I kept smelling it. And smelling it. Wanted to wash it off but needed to review it...so... then it morphed. Now it is a glittery, warm gold scent, and when I looked it up and saw the peach, I thought of course! Because it smells a bit like Aglaea on me...that peach. so I guess I've discovered peach really doesn't work for me. Ah well. Still worth the discovery. Off to reswap it goes.

first a salute to evanesce--this part of the review just cracked me up. Its the my little pony part that got me. then a confession: I got this in a swap, and have no idea why I requested it. I think I'd simply decided to branch out and thought the ambers would be nice, but by the time I'd gotten it, I'd forgotten what was in it, so tried it without having a clue. Wet: my god this is sweet. what does it remind me of? Tropical fruit. mango? that's not quite right. I like sweet sometimes but this is a bit much. As it dries I get more citrus notes. Mandarin? Maybe. too sweet to be kuzu, but...something like it. What is it? After 1 hour it goes wierdly citrus/sweet/men's aftershave. I don't like it. Don't hate it, but don't like it. What is it? finally I look it up. Peaches! Of course! What's wrong with my nose not to get that right away? Well, overall its not working, though I can now see how the amber and peach together would make this tropical fruit to my nose (I don't know what myrtle smells like so can't speculate there). Guess this one might be a reswap. Not me.

I see this one hasn't gotten a lot of attention... I got this in a swap, because for some reason I had it in my head that it would be like Eclipse, which I find to be a darkened version of the Tarot: the Sun. Why I thought that, I don't know--some wierd brain fart I guess. Interesting in reading these that many people noted sandalwood though there is not sandalwood in the blend. When I openend the imp I also thought pure sandalwood, and was surprised to read the description. I'm guessing then that it is the pachouli and cedarwood that blend together to make a sandalwood-esque scent. After a few minutes, something green and sharp comes out that is familiar--that I like--but I'm not sure about it in here. When I read the descrip., I figured that must be the vetiver. I don't get cinnamon at all, but it is a dark woody scent--like...dunno, an exotic wood slowly decaying in the jungle? I enjoy the elements, but doubt I'll wear this. Still, glad to try it, and its nice, just a little too woody for me.

Hell's bells! This is gorgeous! I'm not a floral person, but lately I've been experimenting with them since I've run my way through other scents and want to branch out. So I thought hell, why not? Ordered an imp, got impatient, got another imp in a swap and I still may have to get a 5 ml. It starts so sweet I can't believe it--honeysuckle sweet. I remember Oleander and Magnolia from Calif. when I was a kid, and I don't remember Oleander smelling so sweet, so perhaps it is the magnolia? In any case, its sweet and a lovely white floral and I adore it. Drying down--say in a 1/2 hr or so, it turns even creamier....like burnt sugar and white florals over a pale swathe of green....and I don't like coconut at all as a scent, but there is something slightly nutty in the later stages too that grounds this. What a wonderful scent! I need more! eta: forgot to say that the mandarin comes out with the burnt sugar phase, adding a nice citrus brightness.