Upstart Crow

The Fortune That Changes Bad Luck to Good, Intervention in Times of Need A hymn for blessings: pomegranate juice, mint, and juniper berry. I love Violent Gesticulations from the 2017 Weenies, and when I saw the notes for this, I hoped for something similar but that may be a bit less high-pitched (which is perfect for Violent Gesticulations! But I didn't want a carbon copy). I got pretty much what I hoped for in this lovely scent. The pomegranate is darker and heavier, less punchy and more mellow--a bit like the kind in September Midnight. The mint and juniper berry blend in a way that accentuates the best parts of both--the crisp menthol of the mint and the woodsy, slight pungency of the juniper. Very well blended, but each note still manages to stand out even while balancing each other. Definitely a keeper! Glad I trusted my love of pomegranate enough to get a bottle.

Smoky vetivert and dead leaves with just the slightest hint of vanilla to it. I love it, but it smells almost identical to my bottle of Death of Autumn, so while I'll keep the decant, I won't need a bottle .

When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily until, at length a simple dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye. It was open wide, wide open and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old mans face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.

 A dim ray upon the vulture eye: smoked violets and bulbous orris, threads of crumbling lavender, and wet iris butter. These are still settling from the trip to me, but I just had to review. I'll change this if the scent changes when it settles down. This is an incredible violet, iris, and lavender blend. Dark and spectral at the same time. The iris and lavender blend so perfectly that while I can smell both, I can't tell where one ends and the other begins. The violet (which I assume is also orris here) gives it just a hint of sweetness, but it's a darker and smokier violet than I've encountered in any BPAL violet scent other than Bruised Violet Compound. In fact, this is like a lighter but slightly menacing version of BVC. Throw length seems to be about average on me, but my skin likes to devour oils, so ymmv. Definitely pick it up if you like any of the three notes. It showcases each of them really well.

I wanted this to work so badly because I love plum and clove and it smelled so delicious in the sample, but the oudh made it smell like plum feces on me. I wish I was kidding. Hard no from me.

Okay, I have a nasty cold so YMMV. But wow, this is exactly as described. Vetivert with plastic and strong chemical smoke. I love "unusual" and vetivert-heavy perfumes, but this one makes me slightly gag when I smell it up close. I'm going to hang on to it, though, to see how it ages.

I avoided getting a bottle of this one for years, even though it was on my list. I normally don't like frankincense and sandalwood is meh, but they're just gorgeous in this blend. I get an ozone, ethereal, incensey violet with just a hint of amber (which really fleshes the scent profile out) and a hint of smoke. Wow.

I got this mainly to help the ACLU and was expecting to either like it okay or to dislike it if the coffee was too strong. It's now one of my top ten favorites BPALs. Wow! On me, the coffee is strong for about five seconds, then settles down behind a slightly aquatic traditional cologne with leather notes that come out to play as the blend settles. I think men who prefer more traditionally "masculine" scents would really dig this (I, however, am not a man and will wear it regularly.)

I'm getting coconut and chocolate? I should probably let it rest a bit after being mailed to me and try again.

I'm not at all sure what to make of this. In the bottle: I get minty, rainy graveyard dirt. On me: I get peppermint/spearmint, light aquatic, Graveyard Dirt, and...grass? Yes. On me, that is definitely the grass note from Blade of Grass! Awesome evocative scent, but it's kind of jarring to my nose, even though this fades into a minty/dirty smell after a while. I will probably sell or swap my bottle for a Yule that is higher priority.

Aber is iffy to me, but the mosses make this blend deep, earthy, and just a little sweet. Definitely getting a bottle!

Normally, I wouldn't have bought a scent like this. I don't like foody scents for the most part, and as much as I love raspberries, I don't want to smell like them. But the fact this scent benefits the ACLU made up my mind for me. In bottle: Sharp, dark raspberry. This doesn't smell like fresh raspberries or even overripe ones, but more like what a perfumer's impression of a raspberry would be. I assume the darkness comes from the birch tar and the tea leaf. This just smells black, rather like the dark label. On me, wet: Pretty much the same. Pretty sure the darkness I'm smelling is the birch tar, as I drink tea a lot and can usually detect what the leaves smell like. I also get a small hint of something metallic. I guess this is the iron fist from the description? Drydown: The raspberry calms down and the dark birch tar comes out to play. I do wish it amped more on me and stayed strong longer, but this is definitely a keeper, as I don't have any raspberry scents and this one isn't all that glaringly foody. Definitely pick up a bottle if you think at all that this might work for you. It's an unusual scent and the money goes to one of the best causes it can these days.

I, too, am getting sharpened pencils here, which is absolutely the frankincense. This and the cloying sweetness are the reasons frankincense is such an iffy note on me. It either enhances the blend subtly or it overrides everything else in a way that isn't unpleasant exactly, but which is just something I don't much care for because it hammers everything else down. I get just a hint of the full-bodied rose here, and some sweetness from the violet, but overall not what I'd expected or hoped for. Not a bad blend at all, but just not entirely for me. If you love frankincense, though, you really ought to pick it up!

A very sweet, snowy scent, definitely a sweeter, lighter musk. I don't think I've ever tried blue musk before, and it's absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, the throw is pretty weak on me and it fades very fast. Maybe because I've only tested it and didn't put a lot on? I'd like to keep this one, so I hope the throw either improves or aging makes this stronger.

Dead Leaves, Chamomile, Roses, and White Tea is so good it inspired me to blend my own white tea, chamomile, and rose petals blend at adagio.com!

Visiting the Temple on the eve of Auspicious Fortune (I think that's its name...it's super long) is a good rainy scent, though it's incens-y too, which may not be yuor thing?

I passed this up in 2012 but picked it up for the 2016 charity event. I only regret waiting so long. Vetiver is a favorite note of mine that I've sought out less over the years for some reason, and this gorgeous bottle reminds me why I shouldn't do that ;3. It's smoky, slightly greenish, woody, heavy, pungent, and "gritty" as a few people have said. Nice long staying power too. This smells like the same vetiver used in Bluebeard too, which makes it an instant winner for me.

In bottle: Very soft leather with a slight hint of spice--which must be the cloves. I don't smell bourbon, leaves, or vanilla. Wet: Very, very faint clove and light leather. Reminds me a little of The Two Old Men from this year's Fleurette's Purple Snails, but not as strong or satisfying. Drydown: Clove comes out to play more and blends with the leather beautifully, and I think I'm picking up on a very dry, light vanilla. It's lovely, but its throw is super weak on me and it's just not one I see myself reaching for as much as I will some of the others in this plentiful pile of leaves. I'm curious to see how it will age, but at the same time I may swap it for another leaf bottle.

I'd also recommend Anthelion! It smells like happiness in a bottle.Might be good to use later in the day after you use Peace.

Sadly, this is straight lemon drop candy/lemon pledge on me with the barest hint o lilac I was so hoping for something low on citrus and high on lilac and musk.

I forgot Lady of Shallot has Gardenia in it! Yes, also seconding that recommendation.

Cascading Blossoms and The Head from this last Lupercalia thread are all gardenia, all the time on me. I love them!

zankoku_zen above sent me roughly an imp of this, and I was blown away. It smells completely different to me (tough I do get where she got dryer sheet from). To me, it smells almost like antique lace, though maybe just a little sharper. I love it and was thrilled to find a bottle of it on Etsy! Hehe

All of the reviews here piqued my interest, so I got a bottle of this. Along with Fleurette's Purple Snails, it's one of my favorite perfumes ever. The vanilla and honey aren't distinguishable as individual notes on me--rather, they just emphasize and amp up the magnolia, which is a sweet,soft, and very slightly sugary flower. I've ordered a second bottle, as I think I'll be wearing this a lot.

I can't even with this scent! It's one of my top tens easily and maybe even top fives. I had to get it, of course, seeing as violet is my favorite note of all, and I wasn't disappointed. I was a little bit worried when I put it on and got maple syrup, but it quickly morphed into a sweet, slightly sugary violet. I get a very, very light hint of anise in it oddly, which should be impossible because it's not an ingredient, but there you go. I may have purchased three bottles of it :x, which I haven't done for almost any other scent, save for a handful that are my top four!

Despite it's name, I've found the original release of Signore Dildo to be quite romantic, and Ragged Wood. As far as GCs go, I agree with Roses, Pearls and Diamonds and would also recommend Lucy's Kiss. It's a nice spicy rose scent that doesn't scream "seductive" to me despite the lab's description.