n1k1ta

I will first say that I wanted to love Order of the Dragon: The Carpathian Mountains. I really, truly did. In the bottle, it's lush fir, greenery and berries. It's wonderful just to smell. I got it on my skin and all I got was the juniper and pine. I was digging that. I was hoping that it would stick around and maybe deepen with the honeysuckle. No dice. Within an hour, The Carpathian Mountains was practically gone. I barely even smell it five hours later. I'm so very disappointed. I moisturized and everything. I made damn sure that I put enough on. I think for an LE, this is a major disappointment.

Chimera started out with a bite, so to speak. I smelled like a creamy Red Hot. Talk about yummy! I was groaning in delight and wishing I had some cinnamon candy. It quickly changed into a more floral scent. The myrrh and copal hit me in the back of the nose like incense. The honeysuckle is sweet without being overpowering. The cinnamon is a warm piquant note that lingers and seems to charge the honeysuckle with something more sexy. I find Chimera to be a great scent for a cold winter day. I've felt cozy all day. This is a definite keeper.

I'm not sure why this perfume is called Bluebeard. It's not very scary. Though I will say it does smell like a washed nobleman of the seventeenth century. Maybe this is the shiny facade of a psychopath. It was very soapy in the beginning. Okay, it was rather boring... and soapy. I wasn't thrilled. What really came out on me was the violet and musk. Despite this perfume being based on a murderous fugly man, Bluebeard is relaxing and lightly floral. This is by no means a men's cologne, so don't be fooled by the name. I think this more suited for Bluebeard's comely young wife than him. I'm kinda on the fence on this perfume. I might have to smell it a few more times (or get an offer for it I cannot refuse) to determine its fate in my meager collection.

A sophisticated traditional gentleman's cologne, with just the slightest taint of patchouli's passion, tonka bean's decadence, the philanthropy of bergamot, moss' cynicism, the sharp wit of lavender, and the hopeless romantic longing of jasmine and thyme. Yup, it's a man's cologne. It's a wonderful man's cologne. I would like the anime fanboys to start wearing this and deodorant. Wilde reminds me of Cool Water which is a rather sexy cologne. Well, at least in my opinion it is. It keeps pretty true on me, but that's kind of a downside for me. I wanted more jasmine and bergamot with a hint of lavender. Instead it's patchouli and thyme with moss, I think. I do have to say that Wilde is mellow yet crisp and strong. I'm of the opinion Wilde would be wonderful on almost all men. On me, it's a generic man's cologne and I'm sorely disappointed. I wanted to love this. I'm very serious about the anime fanboy thing though.

This has to be the richest patchouli I've ever had the pleasure of smelling. At application, it bashed me over the head with patchouli. Yeah, it was a little strong. Not really bad per se, but just overpowering. As time passed, the cedar broke though the patchouli and brought the cinnamon with it. Imagine that green-brown moss you find in the forest. That's the color Umbra smells like. Umbra is heady and powerful. It's almost masculine and probably would be on a man. However, on me it's just spicy and primordial forest - very sexy. Not to mention the throw! This stuff doesn't die. I think I'll be smelling this on my hoodie tomorrow. I happily look forward to it.

The cocoa is immediate and so inviting in Tezcatlipoca. It's not sweet at all, but what cocoa really smells like: rich, a little bitter and warm. I want to say this is just a foodie scent because of this, but there's more. There's a smoky pine note from the incense which mellows after an hour so the perfume is not as green as in the bottle. A touch of floral rounds out the incense. The leather note is so subtle that it's almost indiscernible. I love how Tezcatlipoca is not gender-specific! I think it would be appealing, very appealing, on either sex. I must say that I smell delicious in a totally edible way. Just dust me with powdered sugar and I'm done!

In an effort to create a pleasing environment during a surprise trip to Yuggoth, we have created a soothing yet stimulating blend of pink pepper, peony, jasmine, mango, kiwi, pomegranate, pineapple, white ginger, serene white tea and light musks. Bon voyage! BRAAAAAAAINS! When I first smelled Mi-Go Brain Canister in the bottle, I really did think it smelled like brains! I was thinking I was going to smell zombilicious. I was strangely looking forward to it, actually. I put the perfume on and it was sickly sweet. I was seriously thinking I was going to stink of brain drippings for the rest of the day. There was even a meaty note that was so weird that it kinda freaked me out. Oh, but after an hour Mi-Go turned into this light fruity floral with a hint of musky ginger. I think I fell in love with it because it's the only perfume that will stay fruity on me! Everything turns dark and mysterious usually. But not this. Not the Mi-Go. I can understand why my friend, Violaine, is infatuated with this perfume. It's perfect for brightening up even the cloudiest day.

Scherezade smells very earthy and spicy in the bottle. It's a real treat just to sniff it. I've been opening the imp and smelling its powerful juju ever since I received it. I think the storyteller Scherezade would've smelled like this too. There is a dusty note in this oil that reminds me of books that have been stored near incense. It's rather heady, actually. When I first put this on, Scherezade was a little powdery and musky and not much else. I was a little disappointed. After about two hours, though, the perfume deepened and became more mysterious. I think this perfume would be perfect for bellydancing. I feel a fluidity in my movements as I wear this. Hell, I feel downright sexy. I think it is time to bust a move.

When I first put this on I thought I had dowsed myself in Pledge. Very lemony and not heavy at all. I felt strangely invigorated by this oil though. Once it was dry and warming on my skin, the white musk blossomed. And with it came the tea and aloe. Embalming Fluid became more of a green scent than a yellow because of this I think. I picture the color of absinthe, or that new spring leaf green, when I smell this perfume. I had to double up on the oil though so I could continue smelling it. That is the only drawback I can find with Embalming Fluid. It is a definite keeper.

I will first say that I love this perfume because I have quite the hard-on for John Keats. This oil hit me with musky roses right out of the bottle though. 'Oh, no. I smell like my great-grandmother...' Ha, I judged way too soon! For a little under an hour after application, I smelled like a high-class funeral. I rather liked that. It was so damn different than what I was expecting! Two hours into Ode on Melancholy, the peppery lavender and gnarled wisteria oozed out. The sandalwood hit me in the back of the nose so that I could almost taste this perfume. At the end of the day, Ode on Melancholy had lost its power, but was still lingering on my skin like a floral mist. I would say that this perfume is not as sexy as others from BPAL, but it's still a keeper. It's very relaxing and soothing. A perfect match for lounging or reading a romantic book.

As the oil was drying on my skin, Lampades smelled like a 'head shop. Of course, it was not the same as Vice's variety 'head shop. It was more exotic from the Mediterranean spices. I was not exactly thrilled with another hippie-like perfume though, honestly. With mellowing and a little patience, Lampades became a wonderful mixture of lily and ginger. I did not smell cranberry at any stage, but it wasn't missed on my part. I think the smoky note of this oil rather killed any cranberry tartness. All in all, I'm pleased with Lampades, but it's not something I'm gaga over. I think I might have to wear this a second time before I make a final decision on its fate in my collection.

The description is exactly what The Red Queen smells like. It's smooth with a bite. It's a little haughty. It's perfect for alpha bitches. I smelled myself right after the oil dried on my skin and I proclaimed, "Off with her head!" The cherry and currant sweetness/tartness mellowed after about an hour. The mahogany deepened as time passed. And seven hours later, the Queen is still here. I'm very impressed with the oil. I'm not sure if I want a bottle of it, but I definitely want to wear this again.

The peppery lavender hit me right away when I applied Envy. I was worried that it would put me to sleep because that's the affect lavender has on me. However, the mint and lime kept me invigorated. I found myself relaxed and peppy. After about an hour, the pepperness of the lavender mellowed out and Envy became this rich yet light floral with a warm sweetness I have fallen in love with. I would not recommend this scent to someone whose chemistry brings out sweetness. I think it would smell rancid. Someone like me though, Envy becomes smooth and citrusy spicy.

I don't know where the flowers went, but I didn't really smell them on me. When I first put this on, I immediately thought it smelled very male and fresh. I think this is from the incense and copal. The flowers and orange were almost nil throughout the life of this scent. However, in the bottle there is a citrus tang which is quite refreshing. The plumeria probably added to the uplifting zing of Xiuhtecuhtli. This zing might be stronger on someone else but me. My chemistry tends to bring out the darker notes in a fragrance (which is something I love about my body). I think most males would smell temptingly delicious with this oil on. *purr*

Bewitched reminds me of the movie "Bell, Book and Candle" with Kim Novak. It's sexy and mysterious. It's feminine without being girly. It's powerful without being bitchy. The sage gives a nice bite and the berries are mellow. Green tea keeps it light and the dark musk gives a sensual undertone. There's an almost vanilla scent after an hour of wearing that's refreshing and comforting.

When I first put this on, I smelled the star anise immediately. It almost overpowered the musk and cherry. Slowly, the licorice scent mellowed out and it became more spicy and musky. The cherry came out with the red musk. I smell delicious. Weirdly, the oil I put on my wrists smell different than what's on my neck. It's a wonderfully subtle difference. I really, really like Kabuki.

Welcome to my New Orleans. This is exactly the scent I would smell when I walked into certain French Quarter shops. I'm not sure if it was incense combined with the smell of old wood or if it was some other combination in those old houses, but this is that scent. It takes me back and I think I'm going to buy a full bottle of it. The iris (soft orris) note is extremely strong in the beginning. But that fades to the background to become a feminine touch. The coconut isn't too sweet and adds to the floral of the iris. The blood musk is what really comes out on me. Blood Pearl smells like temptation.

Honestly, when I first took a whiff of Hellcat I thought it smelt of burnt cat and/or hair. I was surprised by this one because it was so repellant. The other oils that I have are great and this one simply put me off. Now that I think of it, I think the burnt note is probably from the rum and nuts. I found once I put it on I didn't smell like I rubbed myself with a dead animal. The sweet honey mead and rich smell of buttercream really came out once it warmed on my skin. The sweet almond developed more as the hours ticked by and Hellcat turned into a nice scent. This is not my favorite and I don't think it works well with my other products or chemistry.

Aglaea is the sweetest oil in my limited collection. I like it, surprisingly. I usually don't go for sweet because I'm not much a sweet kinda girl. However, I really enjoyed wearing this scent. The peach wine is so very subtle and tones down the myrtle quite nicely. When I first put this oil on, I was concerned that I would smell like I rolled round in myrtle blossoms. That can be pleasant until the pollen gets up in your nose. Trust me on that one. I didn't need to be concerned though. The peach lightens the myrtle, so the total scent is light yet powerful. If you're a fan of sweet florals, I highly recommend Aglaea!

Two words: 'head shop. Right out of the bottle I didn't like it. The chocolate was a little bitter and it overpowered the cherry and orange blossom. It mellowed after a bit and I started to enjoy it. By the end of its life, which was shorter than the other oils from BPAL I've tried, Vice smelled like a 'head shop on me. I was reminded of brass incense holders and dusty hookahs in dirty windows. And while I like the scent, and 'head shops for that matter, I'm not fond of smelling like a toking hippie. No offense meant, my toking hippie buddies.