DiesMali

In the bottle: Smoky, herbal incense. Wet on my skin: Same as in the bottle. Dry: This is niiiiiiiiiiice. You know how high-quality temple incense smells after you've burned it, when the ashes are still warm and smouldering and they have the smoky burnt quality beneath the fragrance? This is that. There's a slightly powdery and spicy-feminine quality from the amber and carnation, but the predominant feeling to this scent is "smouldering incense." At least on my skin. The primary notes that I can identify in the incense portion are frankincense, saffron, and smoky-rich helichrysum. The chamomile and angelica aren't so prominent on my skin, but they contribute to that spiciness underlying the incense. This perfume makes me glad to be a Leo, basically.

In the bottle: Uh. Where is it? Wet on my skin: Fuzzy, chilled lavender. Dry: ...Welp. This is the first BPAL that has gone flat-out dryer sheets on me, at least at first. The lavender goes fuzzy with the oudh and with the 'ocean' note, it smells like fresh laundry and dryer sheets. It's actually not unpleasant, though I'm not sure my skin does it justice. May hold on to it and re-test it in a few months, because I suspect some aging will help it a lot.

In the bottle: Uh-oh. Over-ripe banana. Wet on my skin: For the first few moments, this smells like an over-ripe banana that's been sitting out on the counter on a hot afternoon. Heady, and slightly sickly-sweet. Dry: I feel I should note that this oil does stain - I plopped my cap nub on it and rubbed it around (I'm dual-testing scents so didn't rub it in with skin on skin) and there are streaks of what looks very much like melted chocolate that got all over my hand while eating a dessert. For the first few moments, this echoes the sickly over-ripe banana, and then...oh my goodness. Unnhhhhh. The banana tempers itself and goes a little boozy as it joins the cacao, tobacco, and vetiver. It's a little reminiscent of the dessert called bananas foster for about 15 minutes, and then the banana fades and becomes a slightly sweet, creamy background note. The cacao, tobacco, and vetiver base is pretty similar to the delicious Dark Chocolate, Black Tobacco, and Vetiver bonbon from this year's Lupercalia, and I'm sooo glad to have something similar to it since my bottle is going quickly. This is that, but with the addition of a hint of boozy banana that wafts around between sniffs of the rich, darker notes. WIN. * I should also note that I'm not a huge fan of bananas, unless they're the sweet red kind. I took a major chance on getting this, and it's better than I could have hoped!

In the imp: Citrus peel and smoke. Wet on my skin: This starts out very sharp and herbal on me, and it...smells like citrus-tinged Tiger Balm. Hrmmm. Dry: This has a 'sports ointment' feel to it for the first hour or so of wear, and I think it's the lavender and mandarin doing that. Oranges do odd things on my skin, and I knew I was taking a chance with this. But! As it wears, the astringent sharpness mellows and it turns into a gorgeous smoky, tangy, herbal red musk cologne. It's masculine and really, really nice at this stage, and if it weren't for the first hour of 'weird' I'd try to track down a bottle. I still might, at some point.

This is a decant from the 2009 release. In the imp: Sharp herbal mint! Wet on my skin: This goes on as sharp, shimmery, chilly sage and mint with a hint of moss and wood. Dry: For a while, this remains chilly sage and mint, though the moss and woods come through more as it dries. After about 2 hours of wear, something unusual happens and the icy mint and sage just ...melt. At that point, the scent becomes a powdery, creamy pink rose! It's like I put on a completely different perfume! This is really interesting, and I might have to track down a bottle if I keep enjoying how this decant morphs!

In the imp: It smells like freshly oiled trumpet valves... Wet on my skin: Yep. Oiled trumpet brass, with a bit of incense. Dry: I'm a performing classical musician, and I don't think I will ever be able to uncouple this scent from bright, shiny brass instruments freshly lubed up for a performance. This REALLY smells like that, with masculine cologne along for the ride. It's really, really evocative for me, and I think I'll hang onto this for the good scent memory/associations between concert seasons. It's one of the most masculine scents I've tried from BPAL so far, as well, and it would likely be a good go-to for a guy who likes smelling good and dirty, but isn't into musk blends.

In the imp: Sweet, honey-musky cinnamon. Wet on my skin: That same sweet, musky cinnamon. There's an edge of a Play-Doh quality threatening here... Dry: No more Play-Doh, and now this is one of the nicest BPAL cinnamons I've smelled so far, and definitely the best from the GC. It's a sweet, softly resinous and slightly creamy/silky cinnamon with fuzzy, musky honeysuckle making it just so soft and feminine. It's pretty close to the skin and doesn't have much throw, but it's very lovely and I'll definitely be using up the imp. May spring for a bottle at some point if it has a bit more throw after aging a few months.

In the imp: LEMON. Wet on my skin: LEMON CANDY. Dry: LEMON CANDY and a tiny bit of green citrus peel. It's very sharp, slightly-sweet, lemon drop candy. Pretty much just that through the whole wearing, though a bit of the white musk does start to peek out after a long while. It'd be great for someone who likes lemon/citrus scents, but it's a bit too much citrus for my taste as a perfume. I bet it'd be great in a bath, though!

In the imp: Sharp, slightly sour tobacco. Wet on my skin: Sharp, slightly sour tobacco and LAVENDER. Dry: This is a lot better dry than when wet, but not quite doing it for me. I normally get along with most of the notes in this, but there's something in it (probably the labdanum and something combining with it) that makes it sour/bitter close to my skin. The throw, however, is an absolutely gorgeous combination of lavender, sandalwood, and tobacco. I really wish it wasn't so weird closer to the skin, because the stuff floating around me in the air really is nice.

My all-time favourite mushroomy dirt scent is The Grave-Pig (Fig, oakmoss, mushroom caps, and patchouli). If you like Death Cap, you'll likely like The Grave-Pig as well! The patchouli in is very dirt-like, enhanced further by the other notes, and it's one of my go-to dirty hippie type scents. It's richer and a bit more loamy/moist than Death Cap, and less rosey than Zombi.

When (or if) it comes back in stock, or if you can find an imp or bottle for swap/sale on the forum, get thee some Hagsgate! Hagsgate - An accursed bounty: rich black soil and hay, cucumber, tomato, red lettuce, summer squash, black eggplant, arugula, grape vine, artichoke, and a tangle of herbs marred by an undercurrent of vetiver, patchouli, and black moss.

Hello! I've found a few scents that might fit what you're looking for. Two are LE and out of stock, so you'll have to hunt for them, and one is GC. All three of these are primarily evergreen with bright golden sunshafts filtering through the trees. Of the three, Dark Rosaleen and Dawn: Cernunnos seem closest to what you're looking for. LE: Metis - Clary sage, oakmoss, white pine, and terebinth. Dark Rosaleen - golden frankincense gilding pine pitch, sun-touched amber, and oakmoss resinoid. GC: Dawn: Cernunnos - Terebinth pine, basil, green sandalwood, fig leaf, armoise, lemon balm, cypress, myrrh, black cedar, and juniper. There are some other piney/earthy scents that aren't quiiite foresty, but might also be worth checking out! Here are a few I enjoy for their earthy/woodsy/pine qualities: Golden Priapus (GC) – Vanilla and amber with juniper, rosewood, and white pine. (this smells like sweet ponderosa pine bark and sap on me) Midnight Carnival (GC) - galbanum, teak, myrrh, narcissus, patchouli, cacao, labdanum, agarwood, lavender, neroli, and black moss. (this one smells like a magical bonfire in the woods, on me) Oberon (GC) - Orchid, white musk, and bergamot wafting over juniper berries, with a gentle touch of soft, earthy patchouli. (this is my second-favourite forest dirt scent, with lots of juniper and some orchid over the dirt) The Grave-Pig (GC) - Fig, oakmoss, mushroom caps, and patchouli. (this is my go-to forest dirt/loam scent, smells like a bed of damp pine needles and soil with mushrooms sprouting from it) Invitation (LE, currently up in Lupercalia '16) – White juniper, Italian cypress, and yew bush brushed by a veil of white rose, oudh, armoise, lavender, and vanilla sandalwood. (this one is currently more flowery/aquatic on me, but expect it to go much more foresty as it ages)

In the bottle: Rich, cake-y vanilla. Wet on my skin: A very even blend of vanilla, saffron, and cream - exactly in the order given in the notes. Dry: The saffron in this fades fairly quickly, leaving a rich, foodie, and almost cake-like vanilla and cream with just a hint of the saffron in the background. It smells like I've dipped my wrist into a bowl of thick vanilla buttercream cake icing! It threatens to verge on plasticky at times, but seems to be reined in by that hint of saffron. I'm hoping aging will bring the saffron more prominently into the blend, but as it is, this is definitely a gourmand scent I can reach for when I'm in a mood for something richer and sweeter than my usual fare.

In the bottle: Honeyed vanilla. Wet on my skin: Oh. Ohhhhhh. Magnolia! It smells exactly like a freshly bloomed magnolia flower! YES! And some musky honey and vanilla, but mostly magnolia! Dry: I am generally not one for white florals, and honey is hit or miss on my skin, but something in this (the magnolia) just called to me and I had to have it. It's true to life magnolia, like the huge white blooms they get down in the deep South, backed up by musky sweetness from the honey and vanilla. It's a bit 'antique' smelling, if that makes sense, and just very beautiful. White upon white upon white, but not too perfumey, nor soapy. Lovely, feminine, and I think it has sort of a velvety feel to it. Unlike anything else I have, which is good!

In the bottle: Sharp, slightly sour and unpleasant rosey incense. Wet on my skin: SAAAAAAAAAAAFFRON. HI. I'M SAFFRON. SAFFROOOOON. After the saffron has finished loudly announcing itself, it's joined by its buddies sandalwood incense and carnation. And then vanilla! Beautiful. Dry: This is a very beautiful, Oriental-feeling blend, and I adore it already. The vanilla saffron, sandalwood, and carnation are prominent for the first hour or so of this scent, making it a spicy, warm incense blend. After a bit, the spiciness tones down and sweet rose and myrrh come in more fully. At this point, it softens into a soft, powdered rose-carnation incense, though never goes into baby powder territory. This is such a beautiful blend, and not at all similar to Love's Philosophy despite the similarity in notes. It starts out strongly gold and rose in colour, then fades more to a soft rose with light golden touches here and there. Sexy, but in a light and feminine manner rather than dark and vampy.

In the bottle: Oof, not pleasant. Burnt and foul-smelling. Wet on my skin: Something about this combination of ingredients starts out smelling almost nut-like on my skin. Not pleasant at this stage, but not as foul as in the bottle. Dry: This smooths out a bit after about ten minutes, and it's now fruity black leather with just a hint of brown sugar. I'm not getting any cognac, pepper, or vetiver yet. I do believe I'm going to let this bottle sit for a week or two and then re-test it, because I had high hopes for this and I want it to work. Right now it's a bit discordant and smells a lot like dried prunes. I like prunes, but I'm not sure I want to smell like them.

In the bottle: Musky lemon. Wet on my skin: This goes on with an initial whiff of lemon, which immediately fades and makes way for a cool, blue floral. Dry: I'll admit now, I had no idea what wisteria blossoms smell like, but now I know! And I like them!!! This is indeed a night scent - cool, dewy, softly-musky, and blue, with just a touch of lemony incense. Like being outside in the late spring, after a heavy rain has ended, with candles lighting the scene through a window from inside the house. This is unlike anything else I have, which is exactly what I was hoping for! It's soft and feminine, and will be an excellent scent to wear through the springtime.

In the bottle: Rich, smoky, dark chocolate. Wet on my skin: Dark, dark chocolate and smoke. Really, really, really nice smoke. Unf. Dry: I don't smoke, but this is what I imagine it's like to smoke a real, hand-rolled Cuban cigar while eating the richest dark chocolate from the highest-end chocolatier in France. Dark, smooth, smoky, and oh my goodness it's good. The tobacco and vetiver combine to make up the body of this scent, sweetened up just slightly by the chocolate - but the tobacco is almost sweeter than this chocolate. I'm having trouble finding words for this right now because my eyes want to roll up into the back of my head every time I catch a whiff of myself. SO GOOD.

In the bottle: Rich, spicy pumpkin and beeswax! Wet on my skin: Instantly, I'm struck by the GOLDEN feel of this scent. This is the most GOLDEN blend I've found from BPAL so far - but it's not pale gold. No, this is rich, autumnal gold with flickering candle light. PUMPKIN and beeswax with a bit of honey, tobacco smoke, and a bit of booze in the background. Dry: Instant love. This is one of the strongest scent-colour associations (synaesthesia) I have had so far, and it's just gorgeous in both my nostrils and my brain. This could be a Weenie by how autumnal and golden it is! Pumpkin and beeswax forward, with tobacco smoke and beery hops, and just a touch of golden dust from the hay. The pumpkin-beeswax goes a little creamy, and reminds me of The Witches, but this is much fuller-bodied and spicier. Amazing, gorgeous scent. Loooove. This scent is evocative of flickering, golden-orange candlelight.

In the bottle: Juniper berries and sweet yew. Wet on my skin: The same as in the bottle. Dry: This is a cool, pale green, almost aquatic feeling scent. I'm actually a bit perplexed, as the ingredients are pretty foresty-floral, but I'm mostly getting cool, clean, almost-soapy herbal aquatic. It's actually quite lovely, despite being a bit more floral than I was expecting, but I'm still hoping that some aging will draw out the greenery a bit more. The juniper in this smells like plump, juicy juniper berries rather than the green branches, and beneath that, the rose, sweet yew needles/leaves, and soft lavender are most prominent. The vanilla and white rose are indeed a veil, cooling the feel of the whole thing and taking it from foresty green to pale, misty aqua in colour.

In the bottle: Musky vegetation, almost smells a bit 'off'. Like a pile of rotting leaves or something. Wet on my skin: Strong blast of red rose, followed by slightly-powdery musk. Thankfully, the rotting leaves don't stick around on my skin. Dry: This is a heady, sexy, musky rose on me. It's slightly reminiscent of Black Rose, but richer and actually even darker. Red rose and indigo musk are prominent on my skin, with the tobacco and opoponax backing them up and making them both smokier and darker. It's a deep, deep red with dark grey, almost black smoke charring the edges of the rose petals. Absolutely gorgeous on my skin, and I'm SO glad to have found another indigo musk love - it's the best musk on my skin, but so few blends have it! This will definitely join my "I'm going out and want to smell as sexy as I feel" collection of BPAL bottles.

La Femme de Satan is definitely one of the best red musk blends released lately! If you can track down a bottle of that (shouldn't be too hard since it was just this past Halloweenie release), I hiiighly recommend it.

I'd like to add that my recently-enabled friend just got her first order in, and one of the imp caps in that order sheared off like the rest as described here.

In the bottle - Oh holy cr...what IS this? Wet on my skin - This is vile. Dry - Still vile. I bought this from a forumite about 8 months back, before I knew how awful violet and salty aquatics tend to be on my skin. It was awful, so I waited to review it to see if it got better after re-settling from shipping, but no. It's 5 years old and has aged to "perfection," and it is still disgusting. Not even the tobacco can save this. It smells like Cthulhu's dirty bathwater, complete with mildewed tile. Not good on me. I think I will be re-selling this bottle to someone whose skin won't turn it into Eau De Port-A-Potty.

On me, at least, Lamia's smoky/nutty (coconut and vetiver) and fruit (black currant and white peach) notes combine and end up making me smell like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for about the first hour of wear. My significant other confirms this, and that it isn't just my nose reading something wrong.