Ryan Hemphill

Up close, Rubber Chicken is bright, fun, juicy/creamy orange scent. My favorite thing about it? It has a nice throw that is a different spin on the scent--it smell just like circus peanut candy It's odd, but just perfect. I very happy scent

Waiting for them in front of the motel was a woman Shadow did not recognize. She was perfectly made-up, perfectly coiffed. She reminded him of every newscaster hed ever seen on morning television sitting in a studio that didnt really resemble a living room. Lovely to see you, she said. Now, you must be Czernobog. Ive heard a lot about you. And youre Anansi, always up to mischief, eh? You jolly old man. And you, you must be Shadow. Youve certainly led us a merry chase, havent you? A hand took his, pressed it firmly, looked him straight in the eye. Im Media. Good to meet you. I hope we can get this evenings business done as pleasantly as possible. A news anchors cologne, a soap stars perfume: perfect, pixelated, and glamorous; aglow with cathodes and anodes, coated with phosphor. I offered you the world, she said. When youre dying in a gutter, you remember that. I'll do my best on this one--but it's a bit tough since I am having a hard time identifying specific notes on this. Media is a very bright, feminine scent. I expected more of a typical perfume scent on this, but instead it was more playful and fruity/floral. Fairly light, and faded away completely in a couple of hours. (but to be fair, lighter girly scents don't usually last long or amp well with my skin chemistry) It was pretty while it lasted...but def more of a commercial scent. In fact, it REALLY reminds me of something I've smelled before (not BPAL) and it's driving me crazy that I can't place what it is, haha.

Gorg's Garden!

Wet, I get a bit of a sweet almond and leather scent. Dry, it's a woody, smoky leather with smooth patchouli. It's a somewhat masculine scent with nice throw (but not too strong). Kind of a darker, more manly Banshee Beat in a way. I really like this one!

A while back I had a bottle of Love's Philosophy and while I thought it was nice, it was too faint and just not enough oomph for me. I ended up selling it after a few tests. I decided to give Grooming Scene in a Brothel a try- hoping it would be the part of Love's Philosophy that I liked, with an added edge to it that would work better and last longer on me. But, Grooming Scene is even weaker on me than Love's Philosophy. It disappeared so fast on my skin. Ahh, skin chemistry. We can't win them all!

I so wanted this to be the amazing holy grail that it is for so many others. I do get a nice, sugary marshmallow scent, but it's quite faint on me and just not WOWing me. I have a bottle of Marshmallow Poof that is much stronger on me, and I have some Antique Lace, Velvet Unicorn, and Edith Cushing for a variety of vanillas that DO work amazing on me. This one will probably be off to swaps

We possess a very sophisticated sense of humor! Dragons blood resin, white cream, pear blossom, and white honey. On me this is a very sweet, strong dragon's blood resin. Not getting a lot of cream or honey- but I can see how everything ties in together. I get an inscensy vibe from it. There's a slight simlilarity to Midnight on the Midway on drydown. Reminds me of a local shop full of candles, inscense, powders, lotions, and other lovely things. Totally wearable and looks to be a keeper!

Don't give up on Round Dance with a quick sniff-- in the bottle it was a little off-putting. I know it's not a note listed, but it was reminscient of some of the jasmine-heavy florals that can go so bad on me. On the skin in changed almost immediately--to me it first amped a sharp, spicy floral. It was a bit much as first, somewhat abrasive to my nose. That hit a peak as it warmed up- about 15-20 min or so? But then, the magic happens It becomes a sweet, joyful floral. It's a very bright and happy outdoor scent. Reminds me of an old-timey casual outdoor party on some farm land w/ pretty girls and boys dancing, tables of homemade goodies, and a slight breeze winding all these scents around you. Everything blends together so well- I can pick up individual things if I try, but they all meddle together creating a realistic and immersive experience for the nose--while still being a good scent as a perfume. Great blind-bottle buy--no regrets! As a note- I usually don't like florals. But this one works and doesn't scream "flowers!" at all to me.

Somber oudh, grey benzoin, raw bourbon vanilla, and tobacco. This one scared me right out of the bottle- it was strong and a little off-putting. But, I gave it some time to settle in and I'm glad I did! (I like to call this the Callidora effect--that's one of my all-time faves, but for the first 1/2 hour or so I STINK, lol! But again, sooooo worth it in the end.) At first, the benzoin is so strong. Once this one has a chance to settle and dry down for a bit (like on hour or so?), it starts to become a gray, sharp, fuzzy scent. That's the image I get when I smell it--almost like static. There's something very familiar about it, too--but I can't place what it is and it's driving my crazy. I know I've smelled something like this before It's got great lasting power and a decent throw, too.

Dreary and dark, heavy with sorrow: vetiver and raw leather suffused with amber oudh and nagarmotha. This hair gloss it just superb. It's leather-heavy, with amber highlights and a touch of vetiver in the background. Everything is blended so perfectly. The leather is a med-brown raw piece of leather in my mind when I smell it. Soft, and not glossy. It's so distinct to me I could even tell you what it feels like. The amber and oudh are just enough to take it from a raw, masculine feel to an expensive, luxurious unisex perfume scent. The vetiver appears at the tail end with just a little zing to my nose. I'm not sure what nagarmotha smells like, so I can't really pick it out. I haven't been able to stop smelling my hair since I put it on, it's such an amazing scent and I'm glad I took a gamble on it! I like to pair my hair gloss with my perfume oil scent-of-the-day and this is going to be just perfect for my leather-forward blends, but will also add a neutral pairing to my amber and woody scents.

Quintessence of dust!! Second this! That's what I was going to say. Quintessence of Dust is perfect if you are looking for that type of scent.

I know it's not a GC, but the sweetest scent I own is Strawberry Sufaniyot. It's straight-up sugary jelly donut!

Hello Switch Witch, nice to "meet" you! Thought I would answer all the questions here so they are easy to find Pumpkin? Like, don't love. Booze? I enjoy vodka, fruity drinks, and bottles w/ pretty artwork. Want anything from Yellowstone? Be it postcards, key chains, shot glasses, pint glasses, or huckleberry what have you? I just went last year and bought all the stuff Are you a fan of the TV show Penny Dreadful? Yes- finally watched Season One a few months ago and enjoyed it. Waiting for the DVDs to come out for Season 2. What are your coffee and tea preferences? I prefer caffienated coffee. Love trying new flavors. What's your sense of humor like? Do you enjoy puns? Play on words? Dirty humor? Dry humor? Who are some of your favorite comedians? All of the above + nerdy humor I like Louis CK & Russell Peters, amongst others Do you like board games? If so, which ones? Traditional or more unique? (like Settlers of Catan, Small World, Red Dragon Inn, etc) More traditional group party games. Not much into LARP-style paper/card games. Is there anything that you specifically do NOT want to receive? Nope Plain or fun socks? Either Name one (or as many as you would like) thing you would like to learn more about? Science, space, physics, lives or famous artists/musicians/historical figures What one thing you would like to do more of? Hike What are some things that fascinate you? Or, What would you like to know more about? New scientific discoveries, politics Would you like any cookie butter (just to be clear, store-bought, not home-made, and does contain wheat since it's, y'know, cookie butter)? A small amount would be good- but trying not to eat a lot of sweets Is there any particular piece (or pieces) of art (painting, photograph, etc) that speaks to you in some way? Monet is my favorite artist. Also love Van Gogh and Klimt What kinds of things would you like from the Lilith BPAL or BPTP update (or are you joining a decant circle?) I got one bottle, but no decants. Plan on buying the bedtime scent from the post. Would love to try any decants. Do you want to received knit or crocheted items? If so, could you describe or even link to a couple of items similar to what you would like to receive? Sure, why not. Mittens, scarf, blankets Would you like anything from Lush? I love everything from Lush, LOL Do you prefer hand-made or store-bought? I like both SPICY! Scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being "oh, that's a bit too much black pepper for me" and 10 being "ghost pepper? scorpion pepper? I laugh at these! I love as much heat as you can throw my way!" Where are you? I'd say a 7, I like it HOT, but not deadly! What is your BPAL "Holy Grail"? OLLA Eve What scents from other perfume companies are you really wanting to have in your collection and or are just really wanting to test? Companies like NAVA, Arcana, Solstice Scents, Possets, Haus of Gloi etc.....? Not really interested in any others Do you have an affinity for any specific animals? Nope, I love them all <3 Makeup! Do you like it, would you want some? If so what brands do you like to wear? I think I'm too picky for makeup... Chocolate fiends ahoy! What kind of chocolate do you like? Do you like any other things in it or just plain good ole chocolate? Dark chocolate is great. But so is milk chocolate...haha. I like small pieces of gourmet chocolate the best. Would you be opposed to receiving a ton of Halloween themed items? I don't have a ton of room for decor in the house, but a couple things would be fine. Would you be interested in any special little thing I might be able to pick up from the Great Lakes Bat Festival this Saturday? Both Janell Cannon (author of Stellaluna and other kids' books) and Fiona Reid (illustrator for lots of animal field guides) will be there, so would you possibly be interested in something like an autographed copy of Stellaluna or one of Cannon's or Reid's other books? Or something from the Organization for Bat Conservation, like a shirt or other swag? Not super familiar w/ them, so probably not. What items from the Weenie update interest you, should you have to option of getting anything as a gift from your Witch??? Would you be ok with decants, or bottles? I only bought La Femme de Satan- then a few decants from a circle. I wouldn't mind trying an apple scent, since I didn't choose one. What's your favorite scary movie? I love all Stephen King movies (well, most) Blu-Ray or DVD? Either is just fine Game systems - console or computer? Mac/PC? Which console? There is an XBOX360 and XBOX One in the house, but I don't play them much. I stick w/ Wii and my 3DS mostly. Are you dressing up for Halloween and if so do you need any accessories for if? I'm being a black and white 50's TV Housewife this year. Think "reverse Pleasantville." I do still need to find some cheap black costume jewelry for the costume (i.e. chunky earrings, thick beaded necklace, simple bracelet) Talk to me about bags, what kinds do you like? I am lazy- I'm a 1 purse gal. I hate switching back from bag to bag all the time. I prefer to grab and go! What are your favorite fandoms and do you want to receive anything related to such? I like Dr. Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, horror movie stuff, Svengoolie (local horror host) What are you planning to order from the Weenies update? I only ordered a full bottle of La Femme De Satan. Then a good size handful of decants from a circle. The Last Huzzah of the NY Renaissance Faire happens this weekend and I'm going! Is there anything you might want? (Besides a turkey leg, which won't ship well!) too late on this question, but I do love the Ren Faire. Don't usually buy anything there though. I just like to watch (and maybe shoot some arrows). Do you like comics or graphic novels? Any issues or collections you want to read? The only ones I've read are The Walking Dead and some Gunslinger comics. Do you like fanfic? Would you like a story written for you as part of your gift? What characters/fandoms/pairings etc do you like? I've never really gotten into this before. Where do you have wishlists at? If you could please link to them or to a post that links to them. (Amazon, Etsy, Think Geek, Pinterest, Sephora, Lush, BPAL/BPTP, Soap Box Company, everywhere and anywhere!) Hmmm, let me see: I have an Amazon, but it's like all over the place w/ everything from books to furniture. I just add anything I like: https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/77P8V7FLXMR4/ There's a "Cool Crap I Want" board on my Pinterest. Again, pretty random here: https://www.pinterest.com/girlryanooo/cool-crap-i-want/ There's a Lush wishlist, but I didn't really put any bars are bombs on it and I like all of those. There's a few things though: http://www.lushusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Lush-Site/en_US/Wishlist-ShowOther?WishListID=cdnG6iaagtZbaaaadjgWsluuuZ Let's say you have indicated interest in receiving a hand knitted item. What colors, exactly, do you like? If you could provide color swatches here or to pinterest (or something visual), that would help out a lot. I like natural colors - greens, blues, browns. Very Earthy. Would you rather receive a bunch of little packages through the round, a couple of medium packages, or one big package at the end? Whatever is good. But there is something fun about getting a few random surprises For those of us with out-of-country Witchees, would you be happy with receiving a few packages from local to you merchants (say, through Etsy or equivalent)? Sure, why not. Would Witchees like something from IKEA? (Or any other not always accessible by everyone store?) Nothing that I can think of. If/when you go to the mall, for which store(s) do you beeline? I don't go to the mall much, I like Lush, but I tend to avoid that place. haha Do you receive any subscription boxes (julep, lootcrate, ipsy, birchbox, etc.)? Ipsy and Birchbox Do you like tarts/candles/incense? If so, what type of scents? I like Scentsy- things that aren't fruity or flowery Is there anything you wish you could have picked up from the Dragon*Con exclusives? I bought a couple decants- haven't tried them yet. There's nothing that I am pining over. Is there a GC you've been dying to try but haven't got around to yet? Hippie Ghost, Fenris Wolf, Norman's Grandma The questionnaire asked about gold & silver jewelry, but how do you feel about copper jewelry? Do you like colorful jewelry, or do you prefer to keep it neutral? Again, natural color stones. Copper would be OK. Just nothing super big. We asked about decorating style, but are you interested in receiving decorations for your home? Are you interested in things that go on the wall or things that go on shelves? Probably more items for shelves. Office supplies hound? Pens, pencils, journals, any preference, or favorites? I have a specific favorite pen, which might sound a little odd. I love the Foray .7mm retractable ballpoint pens. Talk to me about socks! Is there anything, dear, dear Witchee, that I can get for you from Sock Dreams? Anything from another place? Comfy bed time socks, or any fun ones are good. I live near a huuuuge candy store. What kind of candy do you like? Gummies? Caramel? Chocolate? Sour? Sugar-free? I like all kinds of candy, just trying not to eat it right now. How do you feel about animal products? Not so much animal toys or food, but more like furs, paws, bones, etc. Not a big fan. Makes me sad Are you interested in receiving any restaurant.com gift certificates for your area? Sure, why not. How do you feel about "toys" - stuffed animals and the like? I like some small ones. Not many though. Did you see the eclipse last night? How do you feel about astrological events, like eclipses? Any interest in the Blood Moon Eclipse scent from BPAL? I did watch the eclipse! I'm not really into astrology, but I love astonomy Witchee's, how tall are you? And perhaps, what's your arm span (from wrist to wrist)? 5'4"- not sure on arm span How do you feel about the 4 elements? Or are you more of an Asian 5 elements person? Do you feel strongly about any of the elements, like a connection or a preference? Probably the 4 Elements. I'd say water first, then earth. How do you feel about bento boxes? Is it something you would use if you were to get one? Not likely- they are great, I just don't have much of a use for them. Scarves, shawls or cowls? Mittens, gloves, fingerless mitts or wristlets? gloves or fingerless gloves are cool. how do you feel about online classes? Like, say, craftsy or creativebug? Or even lynda.com? I've never tried one of those. It might be fun! What do we want from Paintbox Soapworks? I think the bath struesels look pretty cool! If I were to make you some art, would you prefer a frame that hangs or one that sits? And what color/style would you prefer? That a good question- it would depend. I supposed I would have more options for one that hangs. How do you feel about gourmet marshmallows? Never saw them before checking out the link, but I would love to try some. Tempted to buy a few Are you a slatherer or a dabber? Slatherer. I started off just dabbing, but learned a like the throw and lasting power or a good slather better. Talk to me, dear witchies, about tea. I know we've covered this a little, but I really need the nitty gritty here- not just companies you like and don't like (Teavana? Adagio? David's? Some tiny place?) but I also want to know the other stuff: top 3 flavors, loose or bagged, the kinds of tea accessories you use- or have always wanted. Be specific. Provide links if necessary. I am more a coffee person than a tea person. I do like it sometimes, but don't really have favorites. I know that I don't like these very much: Earl Grey, strong black tea. And I like fruity herbal teas, peppermint, sleepytime teas. Villainess is putting out brand new stuff for the first time in a while (as opposed to bringing back former lines). Sooo.... who wants it? I've never actually tried them before. I like trying out soaps. The perfumes, not so much, as I am loyal to BPAL. How does everyone feel about duct tape crafts? Any favorite patterns? I like seeing what people have done w/ it, but I don't really have an interested in it for myself. Are there any flowers you especially like? Carnations, lillies Would you be interested in any cozies or cases (yarn o fabric, not hard cases) for tech stuff (phone, laptop' etc) or for cups/mugs/bottles or anything else similar. Not that I can think of. I sewed one for my Kindle already, and that's the only one I think I needed. Would you like Halloween or Day of the Dead themed ornaments or a "bunting"? No, thanks Are there witchees who would like book related gifts like a booklight, bookmark, bookseat or something for your reading gadget,like a cover or a light for example. As an avid reader, I have all those already. Wow, I'm being so negative on this ketchup.... I make handmade journals, mini albums and similar items. Would my witchee be interested in something like that? Sure, that could be cool What songs/music/artists/CD's do you like to listen to around Halloween? I have a HUGE playlist for our annual Halloween party. Anything horror related works! I like it LOUD for Halloween. Are you interested in leg warmers at all? Not for me, sorry! Is your Halloween style scary, cutesy, folksy, grotesque . . .? A mix of everything. For my big party it's pretty dark and gory. I bought the Portal board game last week & it came with a Portal 2 steam free download code. I already have the game on another console & it's one of my favorite series of all time. Soooo, would you want it? No thanks, I have a copy already. Have you read The Martian? Or do you plan on watching the movie? Haven't read it, but hoping to see the movie soon. NaNoWriMo - Pertaining to that, how does everyone feel about such things? Will anyone be participating? How about NaNo swag, is there any you want? I have wanted to do it, but never have. Some year! Honey or beeswax products? Discuss. I tend to like natural beeswax beauty products. I like honey in tea and those yummy little flavored honey sticks. How do you feel about bumper stickers and car magnets? What do you like--cute, pretty, snarky, geeky/fandomy? None on my car right now. Do you have any phobia's that your Witch should be aware of? Nope! Trading Post Weenies are live! Anything calling to you? I got a pin, october polish, and the pumpkin cheesecake bath oil. But honestly, a lot of it looked pretty awesome. I'm really full on hair glosses right now, but kind of low of bath oils, so I would steer in that direction. Speaking of nail things, it that time of year and I am doing my jamberry order, Would you want some Lovely Jamberry's for your nails? I tried Jams and they didn't work super good for me. I did see hear that they came out w/ gel polish and was interested in seeing how their brand was. Do you like or want to try Marmite? I've actually never hear of it. Let me go Google.... Hmm- probably not. I would just a curiousity, but I can't really see what I'd do w/ it! LOL Some folks have already said they do not want used nail polish. If you haven't already chimed in about that... would you be interested in a bottle of BPTP claw polish (in this case, either Event Horizon or Baku) that has been used for one manicure? Sure, why not. Are there any DISCONTINUED (not LE) BPAL oils that you wish you had, or had a little more of? Well, I hate to say Antique Lace, but it's amazing. I would never expect that, haha! Other than than, nope. Is there anything fairly basic that you're always running out of and need to buy more of? Bobby pins, scotch tape, bath bombs/bubble bath Anything interest you from the recent Blooddrop update? Nope, I am a 100% BPAL girl How to you feel about foreign spices/flavorings? I like trying new foods and spices. Dearest Witchee, can I get you anything from Shiro Cosmetics? I'm going to place an order soon and perhaps you are interested in some of their goodies?https://shirocosmetics.com (https://shirocosmetics.com) It looks cool, I'm open to trying it.

Lightning splits the sky, illuminating the skeletal skyline of the carnival rides: sugared incense, flickering blue musk, and night-blooming flowers. This was the first thing I tried when my CD order arrived. At first when I applied Midnight on the Midway, I was a little worried because I was getting such a strong flower scent that edged on soapy. But even then, it was a dark, lovely floral (I'm not typically a floral girl--so I'm a little picky about that). Thankfully, upon drydown it smoothed out and the sweet incense came into play. I have tried many incense scents in the past and haven't had too much luck. This one was my first winner! The incense stayed strong when it normally fades on me quickly. The flowers, musk, and incense blend together so beautifully. I am excited that I took a risk on this. I think it is because most florals and incense dont work for me that when I do find a winner it really wows me. It's been about 7 hours now and I am still getting the sugary smoky incense. I could definitely see myself wearing this often. Totally perfect for an evening scent, especially an outdoor evening event. It's a definite keeper!

CRÈME Come-hither enchantment. A vampy, blackened berry. Spellbound in the third of the new claw polishes that I've tried out. I am so loving the dark, rich colors! I always think that lighter polish and bright, warm tones look strange on me, so this array of pretty gothic dark colors is great. This one went on easily, and I did 3 coats. I think I maybe should have stopped at two though because it go so dark on the 3rd coat that it lost a lot of the red/purple tone to it. With the third coat I ended up with a a berry that was almost brownish black. The "berry" tone is still there though. To be specific, I would call it a spot on "raisin" color. On day two right now and no chips so far...so far, so good!