LizziesLuck

Wet: Dirt and greenery. Gloomy and damp, melancholy. Pretty though. There's something slightly floral coming through that I am enjoying. Reminds me a tad of Penny Dreadful, actually, but less sweet. Dry: I like it quite a bit. It has a lot of earth in it, a note I quite like. It reminds me a bit of Zombi, with the earth and moss combo. There is something sweet and maybe slightly floral? I don't really know what Laurel smells like? Anyway, I will very much enjoy wearing this outdoors this summer.

Wet: Lovely! The peach and strawberry swirl together in such a lovely way. The sandalwood and benzoin are such a gorgeous base. I really love this so far! I have a hard time finding fruit scents that are good on my skin, but this is doing it for me so far. Dry: So pretty. The vanilla bean comes out (one of my absolute favourite notes) and it really shines with the sandalwood and soft fruits. This is light, low throw, but gorgeous.

Wet: So, out of all those notes, pomegranate is the only iffy one. And guess what is most prominent out of the gate? Super. It tries to go powdery, as pomegranate likes to do, but the other notes pull it back from the brink. This is good! I love a good dark fruity floral, and that's what this is so far. Dry: Lovely! Dark, fruity floral indeed. I love the pomegranate actually, for once it works on me and smells awesome. Really glad to have this!

East African patchouli, bay, tobacco, golden amber, blackened sandalwood, orange peel, lemon verbena, clove, and a touch of lime. This scent has a lot of notes I really like, as well as a bunch of really iffy ones, so not sure what to expect. In the bottle it's a really dirty patchouli, which is not my favourite thing, though I do like patch in certain combos. Wet: Ooh, the clove comes out! I like clove a lot. I can't really pick out much of the other notes, just a general dark earthiness and clove. Some sweetness, I think from the tobacco and amber. It's actually much nicer than I expected, sniffing it in the bottle. Dry: This went through a phase where I was really loving it, lots of clove, hints of lime, it was good! Now it just smells like really dry earthy patchouli. Not sure if this one will be wearable for me! I love the label so much though.

Wet: Oh this is pretty! Lots of vanilla orchid and amber, light tuberose (not the screechy hair spray kind). Well blended. Tuberose and orchid really balance each other out well. Every time I sniff my arm I think, "Ooooh, pretty". It has a really classic perfume feel without being "old lady" at all. Dry: Really pretty. This is my favourite tuberose scent I have so far. It's just so lovely with the orchid. Really happy to have this.

This is the 2009 version. I love the name of this so much I had to have it. Wet: Very dark and medicinal, and frankly horrible. Lol. I don't know what that smell is, but it's bad. I'm going to just let it sit there and hopefully smooth out... Dry: It gets much better, luckily. It's quite different than I was expecting. Not getting a lot of the floral notes or resins at all. It actually smells a bit like leather?? I think it's maybe the moss I'm getting most of. Maybe the chypre? It smells dark and murky and green at the same time. Like the outdoors at night, sort of. I think I like it, but I'll need to wear it to know for sure.

Wet: The rose note is really sour at first (rose does this weird lemony thing on me sometimes) but it settles and the honey pops out. The lavender lends a herbal edge that's a bit sharp. This might need some aging to round out a bit, but as it is I am not loving it right now. Dry: This is really overly sweet on me. I even like really sweet scents, but this amber note is just not doing anything for me with the rose, it's almost reading as honey, but in an artificial way. The lavender vanished. Ya, this one had promise, but not for me.

I have put off testing this for a bit, because I'm worried that, although it sounds perfect, it'll somehow not work on me. I know, weird. Wet: Wet, this is very similar to the vanilla of Antique Lace, to me. I think I actually like this better....so pretty. It's a light, floral vanilla that hovers just on the edge of gourmand. So so pretty. Dry: So beautiful. It reminds me a lot of The Moon Reflected HG, which I adore. It has that soft, powdery (in a good way) vanilla thing going on. It's so lovely, and hoard worthy and I want another bottle so I can slather.

Wet: Wow. This is gorgeous amber on me. Sweet, rich. A little perfumey. Not getting the other notes at all, which I am kind of OK with, because I love this amber note SO MUCH. It's perfect. Almost a little musky? I was expecting this to be masculine from the bay rum or smell like poo from the oudh (oudh hates me), but instead I am getting sweet, glorious amber. Pretty happy about the whole thing, and wishing I had just ordered a bottle. Amber is one of my favourite notes. Dry: Sweet amber, and still that hint of muskiness which I am loving (no clue where it comes from though.) Just a hint of rum. No stinky oudh. This is awesome, need a bottle!

Love coffee scents, can't resist trying them all! Wet: Holy Hannah that's good! Really sweet coffee (like the kind you slug back when you REALLY need a kick start) and something more. I always find ambrette really subtle, and hard to describe, but I generally quite enjoy it and this is no exception. It went weird and "dusty" smelling, as sweet scents sometimes do, but I made the mistake of testing on my wrist. Trying the inside of my elbow, hoping for better results! Mmmfg. gosh this is so good wet! Can you ever have too many coffee scents? I don't think so. Dry: In my elbow this stays true and gorgeous. The ambrette comes out more too, and shines. Gorgeous. I feel like those who enjoyed Dusky Shroud might like this also. I sure do. *sigh* another AG bottle I need!

I just went and stuffed my nose in the bottle (it's a cool weather smell that I haven't worn in a bit) and it's a good hit of coffee. Mixed with the tobacco though it makes it sweet and rich and divine. Coffee is really great on my skin though.

Due to the decants being offered of this series because of the new releases, I was happy to also get to try some of the originals I hadn't gotten around to yet! Wet: Smoky, almost like it's vetiver instead of patchouli. Was hoping for more amber straight out of the gate, but this likely needs to age quite a bit more for the amber to truly shine. Dry: Soooo soft and pretty. The patchouli fades out (which I am happy about, I wasn't loving that particular patch note) and the hyssop and spices come in, and it's slightly exotic, smooth, sweet and just so lovely. Very soft, not a lot of throw, but I only have a dab on to test. I imagine I will need a bottle of this. This collection is going to bankrupt me...

I've never been able to pick mugwort out in anything, so no clue if I like it. Frankincense is not my friend. But all I saw when I ordered this decant was "grey amber" and I just had to... Wet: OMG what isss that?? It's like a punch in the face. Gotta be the mugwort. Wow, that's strong. And sort of unpleasant, but in an intriguing way? Oh and now I get the ash, smells like bonfire a bit. Or your jacket after you've sat in front of the bonfire for hours. I think I hate it? But I keep stuffing my face in my wrist to sniff it again. This is so weird. I have never smelled anything like this. Dry: This provokes me to make weird faces when I smell it. It's sweet/sour, but not in a good way. All the ash (which was the interesting bit that I sort of liked) is gone, as is anything I could have recognized and it's just weird. Ya. I'm zero help, I'm sure. I think this is a skin chem fail. I'm going to age it and try again in a few months and see. ETA: So I have aged it a couple months. And after smelling it in the imp again, I literally cannot bear to put this on my skin. That seriously never happens to me, I give things a skin test no matter how horrid they smell in the vial, because I know lots of scents need the warmth of your skin to bloom. And because I am morbidly curious. But this... It's not even that unpleasant, it's just...SO WEIRD. And it's super potent and strong. It makes my eye water a bit. I feel like I am having some sort of primal reaction to this - like if I were a wild animal, I would smell this and know not to eat it because its toxic. Does that make sense? I feel like you could use this to keep things out of your garden, it just smells so unnatural and forbidding? Is that the right word? Anyway, part of me wants to keep it so I can sniff it and get the heebie-jeebies every once in a while, but the practical part of me who is drowning in imps will send this on to a new home. SO. WEIRD.

Wet: Pretty much labdanum single note on me right now, which isn't terrible. Sweet and sticky. Smells very warm, but there's a hint of something chemical underneath that I'm not a fan of. Hoping some smoke comes out a bit as it dries. Dry: I REALLY like this. It's such a sweet, resinous, dark, rich scent. It's comforting and warm. I likely need more at some point (but not urgently, as this feels like a cold months scent).

I told myself no more rose scents, I have too many I don't wear much! But I couldn't resist the honey...(or the name) Wet: YUM. You can distinctly smell honey, but sugar as well. You'd think that would be overkill, but they smell great together. Not getting any rose, which I am kind of OK with because this is lovely the way it is. A much more innocent honey than O or Womb Furie. It smells sweet, but not cloying or heavy. It's light and sort of playful. Really enjoying it. Not a ton of throw for something with honey in it, but the scent it strong when I stick my nose up to it. Dry: The rose comes out, a lot. I think it's white rose, maybe? With the honey and sugar, it reminds me a bit of Love, the Pickman scent. I really like it, and would have gotten a bottle if the rose hadn't amped up. Now I'm not as sure. Needs further testing! Really pretty though, and if you love sweet rose scents I would say it's a must-try.

Wet: Something wet and green. Freshly cut grass during a rain storm? Neat. It smells like outside, and humidity and foreboding. Very atmospheric. Dry: This is very much a grass scent on me. Not the same as Grass Stain SN. It's got some dampness to it. It's interesting and would make a great room scent, but it's not something I would wear. I do think it would layer well with a ton of things though.

So far I am really loving testing my American Gods decants. Even the ones I haven't loved have been so accurate and evocative. Beth did brilliantly with this series. Wet: The Lab's metal note, but not quite as strong and horrible on me as say, Torture Queen. It's pretty unpleasant though. I guess I really amp that note, which sucks cuz I'm not a fan. Hoping whatever other notes are in there can come through once it dries (was hoping for some golden amber or something!). Dry: Cold metal and main stream cologne. *sigh*. I need to give up on metal notes.

Based on the reviews, I have a strong feeling I will love this. Wet: A big blast of beautiful, sparkly florals and pale sparkly musk. This is sparkly. In the same vein as some other "commercial-but-better" smelling BPALs, like Ava, BFJA, Muse of Fire. I think it's maybe a bit sweeter than any of those though, but I will have to compare to be sure. It's REALLY pretty on me. Classy, elegant, kinda bitchy. expensive smelling. I love it, and I love how I feel differently about it knowing what it represents. Spot on, Beth. Dry: OK, so I`m pretty sure this has dried down to a creamy jasmine and musk. Like, a jasmine I can wear. It doesn`t smell like cat pee. Or human feces. Or any of the other things it always smells like. It`s sexy! Is this what other people get out of jasmine all the time that they like so much...cuz if so I totally get it, this is awesome. Need bottle, asap.

I blind bottled this, because I have been obsessed with smoky clove scents recently Wet: A huge clove punch in the face. Clove is one of those spices that can overwhelm everything in cooking. It's totally overwhelmed this perfume. It smells like straight up clove essential oil right now. Hoping it settles a bit and gets softer, lets some of the other notes (whatever the "poisons" are) come out. It's not bad, at all, I love the smell of cloves, it's just very single note right now. Dry: Soft sweet clove. I'm going to age this and see if the other notes come out, but either way I really like it, and will likely keep it even if it does turn out it's going to be clove single note forever.

Wet: Sweet, earthy, and medicinal. This doesn't smell like smoke OR incense to me, I don't know what that is. It DOES smell like old man though, so I guess that's pretty accurate? It's not awful, really. Reminds me a bit of my grandpa, who typically smelled like alcohol and motor oil and wood shavings. Dry: I swear there's a motor oil note in this, that reminds me of Streets of Detroit maybe? Something. And of my grandpa. This is quite pleasant, but I can't wear it. Makes me a bit sad, actually.

When I was new to BPAL one of these - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1w5oj6NGHIy6M_kHIkMEmDl4gO_Y7nCGr6hji08O93wA/edit#gid=0 was the best thing ever. I highly recommend saving a copy, keeping it updated with new releases (I think this one may be missing Covfefe) and making a tab for things you've tried and your notes on them. If you're into that sort of thing (total spreadsheet nerd, right here!). At the very least, I find it much easier to search for a specific note this way. You want Jasmine, search for Jasmine and you can go through ever scent with jasmine in it. Personally, I can't do jasmine, but here are some recs on other florals rose: Spellbound three roses, radiant amber, and sensual red musk. Whip black leather and damp red rose. Wanda deep red merlot with a faint hint of leather, sexual musk and body heat over crushed roses, violets and myrtle. (More of a general floral) Pepper Wild English roses, French gardenia, vanilla, honey, golden ginger, blood orange, tuberose, bergamot, and geranium. Beauty, The Aggrieved A white rose draped by a delicate, pale, sheer veil of vanilla, the depth and darkness of her black lace embodied by tobacco absolute, Indonesian patchouli, Bulgarian oakmoss, frankincense, white sandalwood, and myrrh. (don't let some of the darker notes scare you, this is delicate and gorgeous, likely my favourite rose) From Carnaval Diabolique - Hope Sugared Rose lilac: (sadly these are all LE, but I don't think too hard to find on the secondary market) from the Trading Post Glaucous Snow Snowballs of blue lilac, lotus root, Roman chamomile, sandalwood, and cade. Eusapia Pale lilacs, white tea, and candle wax. His Station and Four Aces Lilac fougere, white musk, and leather accord. (may be a bit harder to find, but it was worth the hunt for me!) Adante con Fantasia A honeyed lilac fougere with a drop of lime From the Lupers just past Cave of Treasures Sweet amber and golden honey, cream accord, blue lilac, and a drop of cardamom. honeysuckle: (this isn't too common a note in BPAL, or at least not in a prominent way that I have found) haven't tried it, cuz jasmine, but maybe Twilight Lavender and jasmine, with a touch of glowing honeysuckle High John the Conqueror (no listed notes, but it's a pretty floral, and some think honeysuckle is one of the notes. I think there's lily in there too) Juliet Sweet pea with stargazer lily, calla lily, heliotrope, honeysuckle, white musk and a touch of fresh pear New Orleans Sweet honeysuckle and jasmine with a hint of lemon and spice. From the new additions to American Gods Eostre of the Dawn Jasmine and honeysuckle, sweet milk and female skin. Geranium: haven't found many, but a couple I liked were Alice, The Reaper of Cruelty Bourbon geranium emboldened by the rich scent of aged patchouli, the sweetness of peach, raspberry leaf, and bourbon vanilla, surrounded by a butterfly swarm of spicy carnation and Italian bergamot. The Night-Raven Indigo musk, wild plum, rose geranium, benzoin, night-blooming jasmine, and patchouli. and an LE from not long ago Alias tonka bean and vanilla with red patchouli, Spanish king mandarin, white sandalwood, black pepper, and rose geranium was very geranium dominant on me. Lily frequently smells like wet cardboard on me, so I'm not the best to gives recs on it, so instead, the rest of my favourite "floral" scents: Alice Milk and honey with rose, carnation and bergamot. Harikata Osmanthus, honey, golden musk, vanilla flower, and ginger. (LE) Adventure with Bandits in a Kago Nectarine and pearl peach, white frankincense, and gardenia. (from the recent Lupers - amazing Gardenia!) Lamia Pale orchid, vanilla amber, black currant, white peach, champaca, coconut, Arabian myrrh, Burmese vetiver, and oude. (this is AMAZING) Queen Alice Carnation, posies, and white amber with a hint of inky treacle, sandy cider, and wooly wine Happy floral hunting! I hope you find many you love.

The lab has a lo of dead leaves notes - some I love, some I hate. This is one of the ones I love. Not sure how I feel about the cedar. I really wanted more cinnamon and incense. It's pleasant, and very leafy, but not wowing me.

I thought I would try this based on the reviews of black licorice despite it not being listed. Love black licorice in perfume! I do get a bit of anise-like spice! Sort of peppery. It also smells like a wood shop in the best way possible. This smells incredibly natural. Very light, low throw. It's a neat scent. Not sure how much I'll wear it, but I enjoy it!

I found the following description for it Blue Hyacinth and Orange Flower Templar blend with Laelia Orchid and Crepe Jasmin, warmed with Zebrano Wood. does that sound accurate? I've never tried it. Based on those notes I immediately think of a fairly recent LE from the Trading Post Do The Dancing Maidens Sleep hyacinth and snow-dusted honeysuckle, sweet with asphodel and honeyed vetiver. Hyacinth doesn't come up a lot and it was strong in this scent. Haven't tried it, but Dawn: Mourning Victory sounds like it might be similar? Red sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, white tea, hyacinth, rosehips, and tuberose. Maybe Egle Ocean water, hyacinth petals, star jasmine, and fir.? Hopefully someone who has tried it can maybe suggest something.

Wet: Oh wow that's yummy. Rich chocolate, tobacco, spices. Hints of fruit. Soooo good. THEN it starts to smell like goat, and I swear you don't want it, you should just give yours to me. No really, I'll just take that for you. This is reminding me (yes ok, you caught me, it doesn't smell like goat..) of Café Mille, only a bit sweeter and more gourmand. It has that same coffee, spice, tobacco thing going on, but this is a much richer tobacco. I think I like this even better. The little hint of tropical fruit is so nice. I can't stop huffing this, I need a bottle, like NOW. Dry: Less gourmand, more smoky (in the most pleasant way possible - like toasted spices, sort of?). This is GORGEOUS. And I need a bottle, and likely a back-up, just in case. Don't let the goat scare you, go and try this!