waternight

In the imp: Dark, sweaty, musty vetiver. Wet/Drydown: First on, sweaty and musty, but one of the florals is starting to sweeten it up, I don’t know which one. Alright, now there’s a strong, heady, spicy floral fighting tooth and nail with the vetiver – could be the roses. I gotta say, this smells quite strange. Alright, now the roses are very dominant, and these roses are taking no prisoners. They’re strong and heady, made earthy by the vetiver. This is predominantly rose, but it’s an angry, dangerous rose that kind of makes me want to hide. Dry: Deep, dark, heady rose. I like it, but there are other rose blends I like more. I think this will go to swaps.

In the imp: Butterscotch. Pure butterscotch and a bit of booze – slippery nipple! I really want to drink it. Wet/Drydown: Still thick, creamy butterscotch, but it really boozes up on my skin – I feel slightly tipsy just from sniffing it! But oh God, it smells SO edible. I never thought I’d like such an outright foody scent, but if I were a guy and I smelled this on me, I’d totally want me. Dry: Reeeeeally boozy butterscotch. The creamy buttery-ness of the butterscotch has taken a backseat to the SUGAR of it, so I’m not sure this is something I’ll really end up wearing much.

In the bottle: Dry, sweet resin. Salty ocean spray underneath. Wet/Drydown: Very green, dark green, woodsy. There’s a gentle floral note giving it some sweetness, or it could be one of the resins. A splash of ocean spray salts it up a bit. There’s a deep earthy note that’s just gorgeous. This smells animalistic, but not malevolently so – this is a wise totem animal. Dry: Unfortunately, all those lovely earthy, green notes disappeared and I’m left with a fairly generic, sweet resin – possibly frankincense? I’ll have to give this one a few more test runs and see if it’s my chemistry that’s ruining it for me. I was so sad that Oborot didn't work on me, as I really wanted it to. The wet stage is absolutely lovely, but dry... nope. I'm still learning which notes don't work or amp on me, and I'm thinking that frankincense is one of 'em. Oh well. Off to swaps.

In the imp: Smells like mint. Wet/Drydown: Minty minty mint! Hoooo boy, this is mint. It’s a very sweet mint though, not herbal. There’s cinnamon too, but it just kinda holds up the mint, it doesn’t really compete with it. My wrist smells like gum. Now the intense mint has settled down; now it’s a sunlit glade, very nature-y and gentle and benevolent. Dry: The original minty-cinnamon of this blend has done a complete 180 – it’s a very soft, gentle, sweet skin scent now. Close to the skin and innocent – I feel like a nature spirit wandering through a sun-dappled forest, causing herbs and flowers to spring up in my footprints. Yay! I love Hamadryad, and will wear it often. May require a big bottle. Edit: I tested this twice, once on my wrist and once in the elbow pits of both arms. On my wrist it was fine, but on my arms, it burned and the skin turned a bit red. I stuck it through, though, because I remembered it being ok on my wrist. The redness and burning DID go away after the drydown, but it is something to watch out for if you're sensitive to cinnamon oil - which I apparently am.

In the imp: Very light, I can hardly smell anything. There’s a faint citrusy, herbal odor. Maybe the slightest hint of rose. Wet/Drydown: Mmm… bergamot with a nice herby chamomile. A light touch of primrose wafting around, and the musk warms and sexes it up. MAN, this smells amazing. Dry: Unfortunately, the rosewood and/or primrose quickly take over, drowning out the herbal/citrus/musky/woody notes and turn this blend into pure rose. While I love rose, I have other BPAL rose blends that I like more, so this will likely be swapped. I'm so sad the rose took over! I LOVED the wet phase, so complex and lovely. Hopefully I'll find a home for Libertine that will appreciate it.

Smut '07 In the bottle: candy Wet/Drydown: Yummy… musky! There are definitely boozy notes, but I can’t specify what kind of booze. The musks are sweet. This blend almost smells foody, like cocoa or something. This is turning into a nicely sugared musk. Dry: Dries to be very heady and intoxicating. Very sexy. Woozy is a good word to describe it. Woo! This is NOT a daytime scent. Tons of throw as well. I’m in a boozy, musky haze.

In the imp: Rum and almond. Wet/Drydown: Interesting blend of almond and clove – oh, there’s a hint of bay flirting with the other two. Thank God the almond doesn’t seem to be crazily taking over. It’s actually the clove that’s dominant. Now the almond is creeping back in, sweetly and gently supporting the clove, and the bay is lending the blend an herbal note. So far, I like this a lot more than I was expecting to. Despite the notes, it’s not smelling foody on me, which I was fearing. Just spicy and delicious. Dry: Settles into a delicious spicy clove, slightly sweetened by almond. I'm SO glad the almond didn't take over as I feared. This is surprisingly wearable for me - I'll definitely use up the imp, and I might even upgrade to a bottle.

In the bottle: First sniff, very musty-woodsy, hint of a very dry evergreen. Second sniff, sweet floral – slightly rosey, slightly violety, but in general a lovely floral medley. Definitely smells outdoorsy. Wet/Drydown: Oh god, this is gorgeous. White musk comes to the forefront, which I LOVE. It does have a “wintery” feel to it, a chill in the blend. Alongside the musk is a gorgeous blend of light, delicate, lovely flowers. They have a white feel, but the barest purple hint of violet sneaks in there. The evergreen is subtle and blends very well. Ah, now there’s the barest hint of cedar. Dry: It has a warmer feel now, though it’s still wintery. It’s become a predominantly white musk/genteel cedar blend with a floral undercurrent. Absolutely stunning. This one will get a lot of use.

Got as a frimp with my last order! In the imp: There’s that aquatic note I love so much, with some lovely florals underneath. There’s more to it, but my nose can’t distinguish specific notes. Wet/Drydown: This is heavily aquatic, but I’m picking up some stone in here as well. There’s a heady floral note that blends extremely well with the aquatic note, it’s almost seamless. The aquatic note isn’t quite the salty tang of Tempest, more of a fresh-water note. I’m picking up the incense note now, but it’s not overwhelming. This blend is heady and delicious. Dry: Becomes a deliciously heady incense blend with a stony bent. Long lasting too. This may be my favorite aquatic that I've tried so far, and the dry phase is amazing. This may go on the big bottle list.

I have to say, this was not on my wishlist, as I took one look at all those foody notes and hid in terror. However, got this one earlier today as a frimp, so I tried it anyway. I am so glad the Lab threw this one in with my bottle of Smut! In the imp: Gentle fruitiness, with a hint of earthiness underneath. Like I just picked a piece of fruit and there is dirt clinging to it. Wet/Drydown: Very earthy and slightly sweet – dusty sweet. It’s very herbal on me. The fruits in this are NOT sticky or sickly sweet at all – very earthy and fresh, VERY lovely and wearable. There’s almost an herbal minty note flirting with the edges of my nose. After a few minutes, the scent has sweetened up just a tad – not too much. Dry: This is sexy as all get out. Earthy, slightly sweet, incensey… so yummy. Absolutely delicious. It’s not as dusty as before, definitely juicier and riper. Huh – now I’m getting a drier feel again. Not quite as dry as the initial phase, but it’s definitely there. After a few hours: Ok, it’s faded quite a bit into a lovely but faint skin scent that’s soft-sexy. I love it, but I wish it had a bit more staying power. I really might have to get a big bottle. This is just such a gorgeous scent.

In the imp: Sugared something… it’s vaguely tart, but not lemony. Sweet, but not overly sugary. A hint of vanilla. Wet/Drydown: Vanilla orange! This really is more orange than lemon to me. I’m not getting any musk. The vanilla is so lovely and light, not really foody, which is a good thing. Nice tea notes. Very crisp citrus tea smoothed and warmed by vanilla. Ahh, there’s my lovely musk. I love musk! And now the musk is getting headier and heavier, turning this very fresh, refined scent into something a bit naughtier. Mmm… this is a musky vanilla orange. Absolutely delicious. A bit drier – now the citrus note is amping, which is unexpected, and the orange is becoming a bit more tart, like an orange/lemon mix. It plays so nicely with the other notes, and tarts up the sweetness – and this is a VERY sweet scent. That would normally repel me, but I really think the citrus and the musk is what sells me on it. The throw is pretty strong for a lighter scent. Alright, now the musks have receded into the background and are gently supporting the creamy, creamy vanilla/citrus blend. Dry: The sugar has calmed down, leaving the upkeep of the sweetness to the vanilla, and I must say, vanilla, you’re doing a lovely job. It’s sweet without being cloying. A hint of musk-sweetness contributes as well. Drier – vanilla amps up a bit and the citrus is pretty much gone (sad!). This is pretty much all vanilla tea on me, with a hint of musk underneath. 2 hours later: Dorian has mellowed into an amazingly delicious musky vanilla. I never thought I’d actually wear vanilla, as commercial vanillas give me a headache, but I’ll definitely wear more of this.

In the imp: Something sweet and fruity, which is NOT what I expected, considering the notes. Could it be the high john essence? I don’t think it’s galangal, which is gingery/citrusy. On second sniff, it could be the frankincense. Wet/Drydown: Dry, dusty, a teensy bit spicy. A very gentle woodsy note, not hyper-strong like cedar – maybe it’s the sandalwood. Now a bit more of the frankincense is coming out. This is dry and very smoothly blended, there isn’t a single note that is really jumping out at me. Now it’s warming up – still quite dry – I think that’s the galangal I’m smelling. There’s still a hint of something sweet. The sandalwood and frankincense blend really well together to give the oil a warm and dry feel. I don’t smell cedar at all. Not a lot of throw – the scent stays very close to the skin. A little drier – it’s a dry wood smell, very gentle and natural, not a sharp woody smell at all. Dry: Frankincense and sandalwood, but rather sweet and nondescript. It’s pleasant, but nothing special. I might keep the imp, but I'll probably end up swapping it. For woody scents, I much prefer Aureus.

In the imp: Very sweet almond with an underlying hint of cinnamon. I approach Eclipse with great trepidation. Wet/Drydown: Really spicy almond. So spicy it almost smells like ammonia. Hello, cinnamon, I’d rather shake your hand politely than be smacked in the face by you, but I guess that’s not my decision. Ow. Now, still primarily cinnamon and sticky-sweet almond, but it’s softening just the tiniest bit and I’m getting the vanilla. Now the vanilla has replaced the almond as the primary sweet note and the cinnamon has stopped beating me up – it’s a spiced vanilla. I smell like dessert. Dry: Well, it turns out that vanilla amps like crazy on me, drowning out most other notes. This is just spicy vanilla. Too foody and too dominantly vanilla – not for me.

In the imp: Sandalwood sweetened by the DBR. Does have a dry feel to it. I love the dominant woody note. Wet/Drydown: First on, orris just totally blossoms on my skin, blending with the sweetness of the DBR. It’s a dry, papery sweetness, not overpowering. Hmmm… it’s still dry and papery, but the DBR is really starting to smell like cherries. Strongly. I do get the woody notes, but they’re hiding underneath the CHERRIES. Ok, the cherries are calming down a bit – they’re still there, but they’re mostly trying to appease me by not taking over. We’ll see how successful they are at that. The dry, dusty orris is still a strong player – perhaps it’s what is tempering the DBR. The resin is also tempered by the woody notes, which I love and wish were stronger. Ok, the DBR is really settling down more to be tolerable. It’s definitely still there – this is definitely a sweet scent – but now it’s sharing the stage with the other notes and blending wonderfully with them. Dry: Ok, now the orris and woods are dominant, with the DBR tossing in a bit of sweetness. It’s still a very dry scent. Getting warmer and dryer. Later – the woods take on a creamy note, very skin-scent. Not much staying power. It’s nice, but it doesn’t grab me. I’ll probably wear it occasionally when I want a nice, gentle, unobtrusive scent. I won't buy a big bottle, but I'll enjoy the imp.

In the bottle: Ooo, I really like it. Fruity and sweet and resinous. There definitely is an incense note in there, hidden under an aquatic note. Wet/Drydown: This is very gentle, not the dark broody incense I was expecting. There IS an incense note, gently spicy and really lovely. There is a slight salty note that I’ve come to associate with aquatic/ozone blends, but it blends really really smoothly and well with the incense. Yup… incense and aquatic/ozone. I love it. Dry: Ooo… it’s getting headier, spicier, and muskier. I think I’m in love. This is a very sexy scent. The ozone has virtually disappeared – there may be a very slight salty tinge, but dry, this is almost all sexy sexy incense, and I love it. After the really heady stage, it settles back down into a lovely, gentle scent. Very wonderful. Definitely a keeper, and I'm glad Bard sent me a full bottle, because this will get lots of love.

Ok, I've only had Brimstone on for a little less than an hour, but I just can't wait until it really matures on my skin to squee! Keep in mind that I approached this scent with a lot of trepidation. In the imp: Smells sharp and peppery. Wet/Drydown: Smells smoky. A bonfire image is coming to mind, but it’s not really a BBQ smoky smell. More of a woody, dried leaves kind of smoky. A lot of people have described this as a menacing, brutal, cruel, malevolent scent, but I find it to be benevolent, like controlled burning fires that are set in forests once in a while to renew the forest and redistribute the nutrients back into the environment. There’s a tinge of a green scent, very sharp and sappy. A somewhat herbal note. This just smells like nature, and natural processes. I really like this, a lot more than I was expecting to. Lots of throw. Dry: The smokiness is calming down, leaving an absolutely gorgeous incense and sappy green scent. I feel like I’m walking through a wet pine forest. It’s all herbal and green and sharp and natural, and I love it. Brimstone is dead sexy. My skin tends to turn a ton of things into nondescript sweetness, so I'm psyched that this seems to be staying green and herbal and natural on me. I'm seriously considering a big bottle.

Just to point out, the Snake Oil that I tried was a gift from Bard, and he told me that it's a vintage bottle from 2004, so this is quite aged. In the bottle: Sweet and spicy. Wet/Drydown: STRONG. Spicy vanilla, with the vanilla getting stronger as time passes. Ok, it settles down quickly so it’s not so strong. I almost smell a boozy note, though that could be because it’s so old. A little drier – there’s a sticky sweet smell that I associate with the way honey interacts with my chemistry, and that’s not a good thing. Dry: Had to wash it off, it was too heavy and cloying and overly sweet. Not for me. I think I'm going to order an imp so I can try it fresh.

In the imp: Boozy! To be quite honest, it smells like a generic perfume scent, but that could be the alcohol. Wet/Drydown: First a very alcoholic scent, now mint is coming through – a very herbal mint, not a sugary peppermint. Now the mint is sweetening up, like sugar is being stirred into the booze/mint combo. A gently invigorating scent. Ooo, now it smells like peppermint tea – yummy! I still smell the bourbon, but it’s supporting the sweet mint rather than dominating. Woah – I just took a whiff and it was so boozy I got dizzy! This scent makes me feel a little bit drunk. Alright, now it’s a well-blended scent that smells just like a mint julep, but it’s so boozy and I don’t think I want to smell so boozy. The drydown stage of this is LONG – still damp, but now the mint has turned into a generic floral scent, so I’m getting booze, sugar, and flowers. Blech. Dry: Same – sugary, boozy floral. Too sweet, strong, and cloying. Swap.

I know this is a really popular blend, but I knew it wouldn't work on me due to the honey. I tried it anyway, and I was right. In the imp: Sweet honey, faintly almond. A creamy scent. Wet/Drydown: Very sweet almond. I smell like an almond cookie! Wow – getting even sweeter. Like, insanely sweet. Suuuuugar. Almond cookie dipped in honey. This is incredibly foody on me. I’m thinking the honey in this is going to ruin it for me. Eek – headache! Dry: Very foody and way too sweet. Stupid honey. Off to swaps!

Got a bottle of this from Bard. In the bottle: Fruity and ozoney. Wet/Drydown: Salty! Crisp and ozoney and slightly tangy-sweet. There’s a grapefruit element that I’m getting. A very pithy grapefruit – like the white pith on the inside of the rind. There’s definitely a sweet aquatic note combined with the salty ozone; the salt is on the top, but little wavelets of the sweet aquatic keep playing hide-and-seek with me. More citrusy than Tempest, but quite similar to it as well. Ooo… on an extended inhale, I got a whiff of grapefruit juice. The salt is starting to calm down and let the sweeter aquatic and citrus notes show through more. Now I’m getting an unexpectedly musky note, but for some reason it works in the blend. The saltiness has really died down – it’s still there, but it’s in the background, subtly emphasizing the aquatic/ozone feel of the blend. Dry: So well blended! Musky, salty, aquatic grapefruit, and it’s wonderful. I'll definitely be wearing this more often.

I love love love Delight. I received an imp from Bard, and I'm really glad I did, because while I probably would have gotten around to ordering it from the lab somewhere down the road, it wasn't high on my list. SO GLAD I got to try it. In the imp: Floral, but there’s a resinous scent as well. Like a slightly floral, slightly resinous incense. It reminds me of a funky but high-end clothing boutique in my home town where I always bought my incense. Wet/Drydown: A rich, sweet floral. There’s rose and tuberose in the background, but they’re not the dominant floral. There’s definitely a lovely jasmine in the foreground. I don’t know what frangipani smells like, but I’m guessing that that’s what I smell blending with the jasmine. This has such a warm, thick, tropical feel to it. It smells luxurious and languid and utterly feminine. This is an exotic and ravishingly beautiful woman reclining on a silk chaise, surrounded by lush, tropical plants. She’s giving you a lazy yet scorching look from underneath drooping lids, and a secretive smile plays about her lips. This oil is not one, but several days spent lounging in bed with your lover, making intense and passionate – but decidedly unhurried – love. Utterly sensual. LOVE IT. A bit drier – getting a bit sweeter, and it’s SO YUMMY. The sweetness is warm and golden, almost like amber, but it’s not amber. I kind of want to molest myself. Dry: Rose and tuberose come out a bit more, sweetening the blend up and taking away a bit of the mustiness of the jasmine/frangipani blend. There’s a bit of muskiness though. This is so utterly feminine, but in a very confident way, both sexually and non-sexually. After a few hours, the sweetness is holding its own, but it’s not dominant in any way. The staying power is amazing on me as well. I put it on yesterday around 5:00 p.m. and I can still smell it this morning. This is definitely a big bottle purchase.

Ok, this review is going to be long and rambling, as I'm pasting it directly from my own personal review folder, and this blend certainly inspires complex reactions.. In the imp – Mmm… bergamot and lavender, with a hint of amber and tonka underneath. Wet/Drydown – Lavender and amber swirling together to smell absolutely amazing. Definitely a sharp citrusy element that’s delicious. I love the sharpness of this. It’s a clean yet intoxicating scent. Thank GOD I’m not getting any anise – thank. God. I’m getting a muskiness that I think is a hint of patchouli. Leather is hiding pretty well, but I see it peeking shyly around the corner. Oh my God, I can’t stop sniffing myself, this is SO GOOD. It’s herbal and astringent as well and warm and sexy and I would LOVE to smell this on a guy. I wouldn’t be responsible for my actions. Seriously. Ok, as it’s drying it’s sweetening up, the tonka making it creamier and sweeter, but that lovely herbalness is definitely still there. This is a very active scent, totally invigorating. And naughty. The man who wears this is wicked. More drying – there’s that lovely amber that smells so amazing on me! Oh my God, I want to molest myself. There’s a soapy element, but I like it. It’s not soapy enough to make me not use this. Dry - The soapiness goes away (whew!), leaving a somewhat sharp and herbal amber/tonka blend. Plus it’s giving me a sense of strength and confidence. Overall: A fascinating, complex blend that plays on so many levels. So delicious. I also enabled the boy of a friend of mine, and he loved it. He was like "it's so complex and interesting!", and I definitely agree. More must be obtained.

In the imp: Smells like the description – a dominant note of damp, robust red rose, with an undercurrent of new black leather. Wet/Drydown: Mostly rich, heady, red rose. The black leather gives it a spicy swarthiness to the rose, though it could be a little stronger. Dry: Dries down to mostly rose on me. The leather fades a bit, but never goes away completely. I really like this blend. I've had people tell me it smells really nice and sexy on me, so that's good. I adore both roses and leather, and while I wish the leather note were more prominent, the hint of it is still very sexy and naughty. I'll definitely be wearing this more.

In the imp: Musky patchouli with something sweet mixed in Wet/Drydown: First on – PATCHOULI. Pure patchouli, but a soft patchouli, not overly sharp; it’s still quite herbal though. Drying down – still very strongly patchouli. It’s almost like a single note. Turning a little less herbal, softer, quite warm and comforting. Something vaguely sweet is coming out. Mmm… smells like delicious incense. Dry: A lovely, sweet, patchouli incense scent. Not something I’ll wear every day, but one I’ll definitely wear on occasion.

In the imp – sweet musk? Wet/Drydown – blend of spices – sweet. Very warm scent. Maybe some cassia, a very warm musk. I’m not getting any floral. I smell like syrup! Yup – getting a syrupy smell, syrup with a bit of cinnamon. I smell like a bakery. I don’t really get sandalwood or incense, which I think would tame the bakery sweetness. My dad says I smell like “licorice and new car smell”, then “chocolate leather”. Ohhhhhh kaaaaay… Dry – pure bakery. It’s a yummy bakery, but a bakery nonetheless. I know Morocco is one of the most popular scents in BPAL, but I just don't want to smell like a bakery, no matter how yummy it is. I gave the imp to Almeda.