LiberAmoris
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Everything posted by LiberAmoris
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Namaste is one of those blends that I've had for a long time but never reviewed. It's one of my go-to blends when I'm feeling stressed out. There's just something about sandalwood that I find incredibly relaxing. I love the lemongrass and rose in this blend as well. I keep my imp in my purse to apply when I'm at work and things are not going well.
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Kurukulla also reminds me a lot of Persephone, which I like, but the lotus (lotuses? lotii?) here are too much for me. They overwhelm the roses and give that distinctive 'bubble gum' note. For those who enjoy lotus, I think this would be lovely.
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I put off trying my imp of Bloodlust because I was convinced that it would be too much. Even in the imp it looks overwhelming---it's a bright dark candy red, like Snow White's apple. And then there was the vetiver, which is an iffy note at best on me. But this weekend, in the name of fair and unbiased science, I decided I should try it out. Dear Lord, this stuff is sexy. It's like Sin, if Sin spent the weekend screwing Dragon's Blood in a motel. This should be a controlled substance. Were I to encounter a man wearing this, I would not be responsible for my actions, nor would society require me to be (the Olfactory Plea in legal parlance). I don't even mind the vetiver here, which is shocking in and of itself!
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Trying to pin down what might be in Scarecrow is difficult. I'm getting what seems like a base of cedar and sandalwood, some kind of musk, and the mystery note that gives it that astringent twang that has been described above as cleaning fluid-esque. To me, it smells a bit like nail polish remover or Comet (which I actually used to enjoy the smell of). Scarecrow definitely is dry and gives the impression of sunlight in the fall, and there is something ominous about it. It's not for me, but I'm really glad I got to try it out.
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Phantom Queen is the first blend I've found that really smells like the hem of a dress after running through woods and meadows. There's even a hint of dew for me, something glistening and fresh along with the grasses and mosses and pollens. The clover and orchid dominate the blend for me, but the overall effect is of grasses and mist. The drydown of this Queen goes pretty 'soapy' on me, which rarely happens on my skin. I might keep the imp just to sniff, though.
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Well, these flowers don't smell *evil* to me, but they sure are pretty. I love lilac, so it's difficult for me to dislike a blend that uses them as an element. Les Fleurs du Mal isn't a distinctive floral to me, but as per usual, Beth's florals are very true to life and teem with a kind of life force that's hard for me to deny. The drydown is a like a finely milled soap and very Victorian, as others have mentioned. This is a very demure blend.
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Tea doesn't always work on me---the White Rabbit went wonky on my skin, but I had high hopes for The Dormouse because I really enjoy peony. Sure enough, the peony turns this into an almost light pink tea on me, with one lump of sugar. It's really fresh and pretty. I'm definitely keeping the imp for the springtime.
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From Asphodel, I get lilies and daffodils. It's perfect for the flower of Elysium and Persephone's favorite flower. When I wear it, I think of Homer's description of the afterlife and of ghostly, pallid meadows swaying with thousands of haunting, soporific lilies. It's beautifully done.
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Eos is very true to description on me: jasmine, honeysuckle, and buttercups. There's just something about the smell of buttercups that I cannot resist. It really is a kind of captured innocence, and although I prefer the Songs of Experience in general, Eos is a lovely, simple, carefree blend that will be perfect in the spring.
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Yggdrasil is another oil to add to my little pile of blends that make me feel like I am outside when I am inside. I definitely get pine and juniper, with a touch of menthol in there that opens things up. Like looking up a tree that stretches high and away from me. I feel like there's a touch of citrus in here, and maybe also some pepper and orris. As it dries, I'm left with a soft buzz of ozone and woods. This is an incredibly evocative blend---verdure and taproot and sky all swimming together.
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Tonight I went to a party dressed as a cowgirl and wore Pumpkin Patch # 1. Monday I'm going to the Village Halloween Parade and I'm dressing as Emily Dickinson and wearing The Ghost.
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Everyone's done a great job of describing Love Me, there's not much I can add. I definitely got Dragon's Blood and cinnamon, with what seemed like lilac and a touch of lemongrass? And there's that 'cola' note that smells like a cherry coke, the one I recognize from other blends. As far as amplifying my potency and sexual magnetism, I did not experience that kind of result, but then again, I wore it at work, which pretty much kills any kind of spirited response. But I'll wear this out some time and give it a fair trial. Even if the voodoo aspect of this oil doesn't work out for me, I really like the way it smells, and there is something very sultry about it. It's like the perfume equivalent of bedroom eyes. Definitely a keeper.
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I ordered an imp of Shadow Witch Orchid even though my skin's had uneven luck with the Lab's orchid note. Wet on my skin, it's a strong, sharp orchid with ylang ylang. Uh oh. But as it dries, the orchid becomes creamier and sweeter, with an slight sliver of what smells like honey. It retains an edge, which seems very appropriate. An hour later, it's a soft and dreamy orchid, tropical and lush. Another lovely RG blend.
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Baneberry is blackberry and what smells a bit like ylang ylang on me. Once those settle down, I get orris and a flower note that reminds me of tulips. I am really enjoying the RG blends! On me they are florals that have their sweetness perfectly balanced with root and earth notes.
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Love Black Hellebore. The gorgeous peony is supported by that herbal root note that almost has a touch of anise to it. The rose is so faint here it's just barely a pink breath. This one goes on the big bottle list for the springtime. So pretty without being a flat-out floral. I really like the root note which makes it grounded and slightly earthy.
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I was really looking forward to Lurid even though I was leery of the ozone. The description just seemed so...dynamic. And I love black currant. I'm not disappointed. It's an even mix of black currant, lavender and white musk on me, with underpinnings of what smells a little like patchouli or amber and of course, a big bolt of ozone. The ozone definitely makes the blend a bit 'perfumey' as it imparts that distinctive odor, but it is offset by the currant and lavender. This is one of those blends that makes me a happy BPALer, because it is just so creative and unique. Lurid waffles a bit on my skin, going a tad 'soapy' at times but then redeeming itself by broadcasting black currant and Beth's yummy white musk. This one is just too curious to give up, though. Definitely a keeper.
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Wow, this one is absolutely true to description on me. It's dirt (like in Graveyard Dirt) with bay rum and the flower/moss twist that I feel like I recognize from the sexy, swampy NOLA-inspired blends in the general catalog. The bourbon note is a topnote on me---it's fleeting and burns off by the time the drydown kicks in. The end result is a mossy bay rum with just the tiniest hint of the magnolia. I really like it, but I don't need more than an imp of it, as I probably will use it to call up memories of New Orleans rather than wear it as perfume. This seems much more solemn than the Jazz Funerals I've seen, but somehow that feels right.
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Sparkling, uncomplicated pomegranate with a touch of juniper. It's tart, but at the same time it's almost candy-sweet on my skin. I love pomegranate, and this and Persephone are my favorites thus far. Swank would be another good going-out perfume, or I think it would be great for work as it is very fresh and inoffensive.
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I was so excited to see this blend's inspiration, which is from a fantastic poem by James Merrill called Lost In Translation. Merrill, whose father helped found Merrill Lynch, spent summers in the Hamptons and wrote his poem about the seclusion and isolation the Hamptons offered from NYC, long before they became an ostentatious playground for the misbehavior of the upper crust that they are now famous for. The poem turns on several 'translations', available here. The Hamptons is absolutely a cosmo to me, heavy on the junipery gin with a splash of tart cranberry. It's a bit sparkling and effervescent and surprisingly refreshing and lighthearted. I'm keeping my imp for next summer.
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Green ivy and crawling vines, shady cedar trees and mossy ground...and pumpkin. The pumpkin seems the most 'buried' here, as compared to the rest of the patch, making this blend very outdoorsy and a little bit spooky. This is darkness falling over the pumpkin patch, with all its attendant forms and familiars.
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Mmmm, I swear this smells like delicious buttery pumpkin with dry violets and sandalwood on me...not sure how that is possible, but it smells great. There's a rooty note that blends well with the sandalwood to create a very earthy pumpkin, like a real pumpkin patch at nightfall. Very enjoyable.
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The pomegranate and pumpkin combo in the bottle is wonderful, but on my skin I also get a 'bubble gum' note that is very stubborn. Pomegranate usually does really well by me, so it's disappointing. If it smelled on me the way it smelled in the bottle, I'd be in pumpkin heaven!
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Another great pumpkin blend. The cocoa is strong in the bottle, but once on the skin it recedes and I get mostly the hazelnut/walnut combo with a subdued pumpkin note that almost smells baked. It dries down to a very soft and hazy pumpkin pie on my skin.
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Yum! Apple cider with mulling spices and the type of pumpkin I get from Jack---but with a tamed-down butter note. This is absolutely yummy and not too sweet or too spicy. Gah! So good. This is now at the top of my favorite BPAL autumn blends list.
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2005 Version Compared to last year's, this year's Dia seems to have more tobacco and florals and less chocolate and foody notes. It wears less like a smoky gourmand and more like a smoky floral. It's nice in its own right, but I think I enjoy the smoke note in Devil's Night more. What can I say, I have a sweet tooth!