Akurarei

I don't get comments very often either - one way or another....I really hope it's that the oils don't have a lot of throw vs. people thinking I stink. occassionally, I will get a compliment on Tanuki (LE Shapeshifter - I think it was associated with Old Moon '08, but I don't remember exactly) The other one that gets a good reaction is El Dia de Reyes 2007 - it smells like the richest hot chocolate ever; at least on me - can't say that I've come across any other BPALers in my day to day travels. hmmm. I think Szepasszony has received a compliment from my mom (and she HATES BPAL - and she tends to HATE it all - I was floored when she liked this one) Bordello is another good one for me - the lab's plum seems to agree with me & anyone that happens to take notice. Kitsune-Tsuki is another one that goes plummy yum on me & got a compliment or two. Midwinter's Eve'05, Rose Red'05 & Samhain 2007 are good too. Sorry to list so many LE's - I just seem to have better luck with them I guess. However, I would suggest that you find a note that you can build around. In my case - Plum is a great choice for both my chemistry and other people's nose it seems Hope that helps! Good luck!

Dragon Moon 2008 I never thought there would be another Dragon Moon again - ever! I think I busted a brain wrinkle in excitement when I saw this one available! In the Bottle: Resiny & Woodsy - I like it already! On my Skin, Wet: AMP Cedar! good thing I like cedar! This is very strongly cedar for a good long while - I'm actually a little surprised that the 'wet' stage takes more than 1 minute - but in a good way surprised! On my Skin, Dry: Amber - a glorious clear warm amber!, Woods (hello, cedar - we meet yet again) and - and- and......cherry? dragon's blood? herbs? maybe a sprinkling of all those! yay! there's something else in the undercurrent that my nose doesn't recognize (or forgot when the brain wrinkle popped). Verdict: GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS! The lab's amber note is my friend! as are all the woodsy notes I've tried! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! This might warrant a full bottle hunt down to keep this bottle company! (and in my beloved-ness, maybe they will mate and have little dragon moons while I'm not looking! HA!) 10 of 10 ranking! I love you Beth!!!! ETA 2.1.11; I haven't worn this is awhile, Now that it's aged over 2 years, the cedar potency has diminished and the resin-y amber notes have turned more golden. Any trances of herbs/cherry/etc are also gone. But I do still love this scent, despite elements gone missing

Oblivion was really disturbing for me - very oppressive it probably didn't help that the oil itself was nearly opaque gray.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned MonsterBait: BiggerCritters. (Or I just never noticed it in the thread) this one contains five vanillas - but also jasmine, which I know goes weird/soap/powder/screaming amp on some people. so if you're ok with the lab's jasmine note - I would really recommend MB:BiggerCritters. (it was an LE, but you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a bottle on eBay or getting an imp from someone)

Twisted Oak Tree This is a scent that I never would have bought based on the description. it just sounds gross. anyway.... In the bottle:gross I smell rot & lots of it! drowned wood, specifically ::looks around for alligators:: On my Skin, Wet: ROT! ............... wait, what's that? it's an evergreen forest! and what? the darkest, wetest ivy ever! mmmm....a thick forest just after a torential cold thunderstorm. I also smell some wet earth, but only a little pinch of it. this is all cold winds, thick black-green branches and wet ivy. On my Skin, Dry: No more earth, this is all cold wet black-green forest. the ivy is doing interesting things to my nose! it makes me think that there's something spicy nearby, then when I sniff more closely, is like a cool aquatic. Verdict: OMG - how could something that sounds so awfully decayed be so clean and fresh!! completely took me by surprise!! Lovely lovely!! 9 of 10 ranking!!!

Sugar Moon In the Bottle: Caramel & violet woods. On my Skin, Wet: Blooming caramel notes tempered by wooden stems of violets and cool water tones. On my Skin, Dry: Violet wooden stems - caramel in the background. soft tones of breezes and cool water notes. Verdict: 2 bottle worthy - yay! Wonderful blend! ADDED June 10: Sugar Moon 2008 I thought I had posted a review for this one - but I guess not O_o In the bottle: soft lavender colored woods sprinkled with a sugar snow. this is very soft and lovely, like a white kimino of the finest silk caught in a gentle breeze among fresh spring forests and voilet fields. On my Skin, Wet: I amp woods like crazy and this is no exception. So for about 2 minutes this is nothing but sugared woods - no violet, no herbs, nothing but sweet woods. On My Skin, Dry: Ah, the woods are receeding into the background now - and the sugared violets are coming out more and glowing a crystalized lavender against the darkening forest. Verdict: a gorgeous scent - i definitely get fun mental images from this one - lots of whites, forests, softness, and shades of violet and lavender. 10 of 10 Ranking!

Cheshire Moon In the Bottle: fruity sweetness that definitely smells pink...this reminds me a little of Pink Moon 2007; maybe a they're cousins. On my Skin, Wet: ummm - cheap vanilla candle. This has an unmistakably wax tone to it...it's really not pleasant at all. just cheap drug store candle that smells like plastic-y vanilla. ick. On my Skin, Dry: the wax calms down some but never really disappears completely. some of the sugary fruits come out now - they still seem very pink to me, but trapped in a thin layer of wax still. 3+ hours: less wax - more sugar and fruits. it's not what I was expecting from this moon; but it's not a complete loss. Verdict: I'll keep my bottle, but this is definitely not worth another bottle any time soon (maybe if it ages well - but if the wax lingers then it may eventually it will be gifted to someone) 5 of 10 Ranking!

In the Bottle: Vetiver - Black Currant - Red Musk. The vetiver and currant and red musk seem to be the dominant notes in the bottle - I do not smell anything else, though I'm hoping that something can temper the vetiver somewhat. On my Skin, Wet: Vetiver at first, then a blast of currant followed by a brush of musk. As the scent settles, I can detect some moss and tobacco, but they are shadows in the background. On my Skin, Dry: Less vetiver now, the currant and musk are eyeing each other as the alpha note at the moment. still shadows of moss and tobacco, with slivers of frankincense and lavender hanging on the rim of this blackened moon. Verdict: I'm not a huge vetiver fan, but as long as it is not the dominant note I am happy. Not stockpile worthy but aging will be interesting and hopefully an aged bottle is not stockpile worthy. 8 of 10 Ranking! P.S. Wonderfully appropriate bottle art!

Sleet Soap Eucalyptus, menthol, two mints, and sparkling white citrus blast you with a bracing, enlivening chill! Water, saponified free-trade palm kernal oil, coconut oil, soy oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, castor oil, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume oil, and alkanet powder. In the Package: The wrapping is a wonderful shade of blue, like an icy blue pond - and antiqued yellow parchment. Faint - a mint and grapefruit swirled scent, light and fresh - but not cold. the scent is very mild and almost undetectable. I had my nose up against the paper to identify the notes. Dry, Out of the Package: Scent is a little stronger now - and surprisingly, the grapefruit dominates the mint note. the color of the soap is a light blueish gray with a very slight swirl of peach. There are also some little particles in this soap that vary in color from light tan to dark chocolate brown. Used, Out of the Package: Very smooth silky texture, more mint scented now that the soap is wet. It's still a nice balance of mint and grapefruit, but I still don't have a 'cold' feeling from this scent, it still just seems fresh. unlike the soaps with red clay, Sleet has no color in the suds and rinses clean. interestingly, when I use this soap, the scent of mint and grapefruit seems to mingle with a cream sort of note. The scent becomes creamy; almost ice cream-ish. my hands feel lovely after washing with this, and my bathroom has this delicate creamy minty grapfruity scent lingering while the bar dries. Verdict: I really love this soap - the color is interesting, as is the resulting creamy scent that eminates from it. if this scent had been a perfume in BPAL's catalogue, it's quite possible I would have found a new favorite scent to replace Venom as my all time holy grail BPAL. Beth, please make Sleet again next year! (or the year after, or after, etc) 10 of 10 ranking!! eta: BPTP description

Asphodel In the Imp: floral and chemical smelling On my Skin, Wet: eep! sharp, stinging chemical smell - this smells very much like a cheap drugstore perfume - but a knockoff with exceptional quantities of alcohol maybe that's the "gray" quality making it's presence known? regardless, this stage is very unpleasant. On my Skin, Dry: Chemical, sharp and green. I don't know what my skin is amping that makes this aweful stench, but I smell terrible! Surely it's my chemistry - there's no way that BPAL would make something stinky on purpose! Verdict: Way too artificial smelling on me - this won't be a flower that I'll miss from the garden. 1 of 10 Ranking.

Snow White 2007 I have Snow White 2005 and rarely wear it because it has always smelled like suntan lotion on me. nothing wintery about it sadly. But on to the 2007 Version: In the Bottle: Smells more floral-y in the bottle than my 2005 bottle. so that's a step in the right direction already! I can smell Beth's famous 'Snow' note as well, it seems quite crisp, actually. it still has that vague suntan lotion undertone though, so who knows how it will wear? On my Skin, Wet: Suntan lotion with coconut. hmmmm...that's not very encouraging, but the suntan lotion in 2007 is not as overpowering as my 2005 bottle. So I'll wait and see. On my Skin, Dry: More coconut and now the long-awaited appearance of some florals! I think I can see why this scent is so popular at long last! If the florals are more intense on others, I can understand why everyone loves Snow White so much...up until now, I had only a heartbreaking experience with her 2005 incarnation. 2007 has lifted my spirits! anyway, I get coconut and floral wafts from my wrists - and if I keep my wrists moderately away from my face I get the snow note however, if I bring my wrists directly to my nose, it's nothing but flowery suntan lotion. weird, weird. Verdict: Hooray on a version that works better with my chemistry! it's a very faint scent, just enough to keep me interested in my wrists, but the up-close experience is still lacking unfortunately. 7 of 10 Ranking! (I am glad that I bought Mirror,Mirror and a stand-alone bottle for this year's Snow White. Also, my best friend loves Snow White so if this year's was worse than 2005 on me, then she would have been randomly gifted her favorites )

Old Moon In the Bottle: Smells familiar - but I've been playing with lots of Yule blends so maybe my sniffer is numb. On my Skin, Wet: Herbs, Snow & Daffodils! Mostly snow & Daffodils - I can smell herbs but I can't identify them (mostly I'm not familiar with my herbs - I only cook with Rosemary) I *think* I can smell the lunar oils, but with a numb sniffer, who knows? On my Skin, Dry: ::POOF!:: almost not there! Daffodil & Snow, very little Herbs... no detectable lunar oils. This one smells very much like Snow Maiden on me....I don't know why (Snow Maiden was NOT one of the Yule's I was playing with before applying Old Moon) Verdict: Not a favorite, but hanging on to it because I've decided to buy every single 2008 Lunacy this year since I've been sporadic about the Lunacies. 5 of 10 Ranking (Since it seems to be a Snow Maiden duplicate, anyway)

Midway Resurrected In the Bottle: pure cotton candy On my Skin, Wet: Sugar, Cotton Candy & strawberry (?) I think that's actually the caramel apple - but strawberry is ok with me. On my Skin, Dry: Cotton Candy then Sugar, then POOF! Almost completely gone! I can hardly smell it at all! Verdict: 10 of 10 on unique scale! 7 of 10 overall - only because it doesn't last on me but I will probably get another bottle so I can slather - AND who knows when (or IF) this scent will ever return!!?

The Snow Storm In the Bottle: This smells like a cold, snowy night. I don't smell anything except BPAL's 'snow' note On my Skin, Wet: Snow! Lots and lots of snow! The Snow Storm reminds me a 2006's Snow Maiden without the florals. Darkness - like a midnight storm of ice & soft flurries. On my Skin, Dry: very little change from the wet stage. dark, cold and snowy. real descriptive, huh? Verdict: 8 of 10 ranking! This will be the scent I wear when I want a pure snow scent. currently I use Snow Maiden to that end, but now I have the option of having snow with or without florals - yay!

Depraved In the Imp: Apricot & dirt On my Skin, Wet: PATCHOULI !!! Ick ick ick..... On my Skin, Dry: patchouli & apricot. mostly apricot at this stage, which is nice, but getting there gives me a headache/allergies. Verdict: 3 of 10 ranking. If this were just dirt & apricot, maybe... but the patchouli kills it for me

This oil really smells fantastic! Oranges and lavender!! fabulous! I have used it on my calves and fore-arms & it just felt great! very smooth & not at all greasy! I can't verify the "relieves bruises" part because their weren't any bruises to heal ^_~ Very lovely oil & I'm very happy with it

Archangel Winter In the Bottle: Ozone & oranges? well, maybe just a little bit citrus, but I definitely pick up on the ozone. On my Skin, Wet: Citrus! not so much oranges as lemons and maybe a drop of grapefruit. It smells like BPAL's CG Lightning but with citrus notes....hmm, weird skin. On my Skin, Dry: Ozone and snow and still a background of cirtus notes. I smell like I've just showered - yay! I love that 'just showered' scent Verdict: 9 of 10 ranking! Love the strange citrus note my skin makes of this - even though there isn't a citrus note listed anywhere

Tanuki Fire Pig + Fruit Moon I think that sums it up

Green Tree Viper In the Bottle: Snake Oil + Monster Bait: Tokyo Stomp On my Skin, Wet: Snake Oil spiciness and a huge amount of vanilla. I can also smell the mint - it's definitely the same exact mint used in MB:TS I cannot smell the green tea at all - and I cannot tell if I detect bergamot or not. On my Skin, Dry: Still very Snake Oily & MB:TS. The vanilla is still pretty strong over the spices & mint though. also, I seem to just absorb Green Tree Viper - so it's almost indistinguishable on me...so faint I have to remember that I actually applied it! Verdict: As a scent, this ranks 8 of 10. because of it's lack of longevity, I must knock it down a few points to a 4 of 10. so.....overall it's a 6 of 10 ranking.

Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree In the Bottle: Cherry Blossoms. This smells like a stronger version of Kyoto basically. I think I smell Lychee too - hmm. On my Skin, Wet: Pear! OMG Pear! Sweet, juicy luscious pear - I also am starting to get what seems to be the same 'wood' note of Peony Moon. (which I adore!) I can still smell the cherry blossoms, but they are in the background. On my Skin, Dry: Pear is still the dominant note. There is still that 'wood' note that I love in Peony Moon appearing once in a while, and the cherry blossoms are still there too, waving at me occassionally. Verdict: If you take pear SN, Peony Moon, and Kyoto and wear them all at once, you would be wearing Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree. I love pears, Peony Moon (my favorite moon ever), and cherry blossoms. 10 of 10 Rating!

Sea of Tranquility In the Bottle: Silver? yes, silver dust! like twinkling stars have been caught in a bottle & this is their scent! what fun!! On my Skin, Wet: Silvery lotus...I get mostly lotus from mine. I also detect something resinous like amber, but I can't quite bring myself to call it. there's also something about this scent that reminds me of ozone, but I don't know why I think that. On my Skin, Dry: Cool, calming and soft. the "silverness" of the lotus has never dissipated on me & love the way it makes me smell! Lotus tends to get a little spicy on me, so this scent is a breath of fresh air! not an overly complex scent, but not too simple either. very good balance of tones (I hate to say 'notes' because I can't really smell anything in particular) Verdict: A cool lotus! impressive! 8 of 10 Rating!

Hony Mone In the Bottle: Honey! lots & lots of Honey!! hmmm...this will either smell awesome or I'll be stung to death by angry bees who think I've stolen their hive. On my Skin, Wet: I tend to amp honey notes - and this one doesn't disappoint! AMP AMP AMP!!! All I can smell is honey! all the cat can smell is honey! If my stuffed Panda seal had a real nose I bet he would smell honey! On my Skin, Dry: huh - the honey has quieted down & allowed the jasmine and the almond to come out. I think the honeysuckle is just being shy, but I can still find him. Interesting - I didn't think any other note would become noticable, but there is where BPAL's magic lies....you just never can tell how it will wear on the skin. Verdict: Very Honeylicious. I really enjoy the fact that the honey eventually backs off & other notes can come out to play for a while. The overall scent quiets down to just barely a whisper - which is rare for me and honey scents. 7 of 10 Rating!

White Phoenix In the Bottle: Flowers. Just flowers. On my Skin, Wet: White flowers - rose, gardenia, & others I can't identify. Overall warm feeling, not a wintery scent, but more like the early spring with a cold gust of wind on occassion. On my Skin, Dry: yum, yum, yum! THIS is what I had hoped Snow White would be like on me (instead I got a cross between cookie dough & play doh). Lovely, colder now but still nothing but flowers! I can't pick out the rose or gardenia anymore, but I feel like I'm holding a grand bouquet of white flowers sitting in a park of ice sculptures! (strangely, I get a sugar note in this stage of White Phoenix) Verdict: Another bottle please! Snow White - I don't have to beg & plead for you to work anymore - White Phoenix has picked up the slack! 10 of 10 Rating! Beautiful & poignant!

Hymn to Proserpine I wanted to love this one - but alas; twas not meant to be. Upon application to drydown all I got was distressed, foul amber. Amber usually works very well on me ; as does pomegranate ; but apparently not in this perfume. No pomegranate, foul amber and this overall mold smell. not pleasant at all. 0 of 10 Ranking

Pumpkin Soap I could smell this in the mailbox! And it was fantastic! Once I opened the box my room smelled like freshly cut jack-o-lanterns. I didn't use my bars right away because I was so in love with how they scented my room...ah, nostalgia. I have since opened 1 bar and decided to cut it into smaller pieces for use. I used my small cutting for a wonderfully decandent bath the other day and my goodness - did it smell like pumpkin! My skin emerged a little on the dry side (not unsual for me + soap of any kind) and I smelled very much like the season of fall - pumkin with hints of creaminess and spice. Verdict: I will probably use this more as a hand soap than for my showers & baths. If the bar had a touch more spice & moisture to it, then it would be a different matter... 7 of 10 Ranking in use... 9 of 10 Ranking in scent!