kscha2017

Wet: Strong, sharp, bold, icy, sinus-opening lavender on me. My favorite! Like being outside on an early subzero morning, everything glittering with frost, so cold it hurts to breathe. As it dries: A touch of pine mixed in now, and a hint of chamomile way in the background. Reminds me of walking in fresh, powdery snow as the sun warms the air just a little. Completely dry and as time passes: A suggestion of patchouli, making it warmer and more comforting, like after you've come indoors from playing in the snow. This I would buy in 5ml bottles, definitely. Love!

Very pretty and rich, more "perfumey" than I was expecting, and quite strong on me. I get beeswax prominently with a tiny bit of honey (which I suppose is the olive oil). No smoke at all. This also gives me a strong flashback to a pink, wax pomander in the shape of a Japanese woman that my mom had for many years when I was a kid.

Malediction is my favorite BPAL scent. It smells just like the woods where I hike often. It embodies the notions of peace, adventure, renewal, and spirituality for me. Seeing Frostbitten Malediction offered for Yule made me cry with joy, and now that my order has arrived, I am crying again. This version is more beautiful than expected. I expected Malediction with an icy note, but this is Malediction with sweet snow. It's like walking in my favorite woods with fresh snow on the ground and light, sparkly flakes coming down on Christmas Eve. As much an emotion as a scent. The initial application, wet, was the typical strong, eye-watering Malediction with a hint of a cold note, but that quickly changed to Malediction with a note of sweet snow, and quickly amped to an almost snowy-cotton-candyish overlay with Malediction in the background. I assume this is the "Snow White" version of snow that fans speak of. The longer it's on my skin, the sweeter it's getting with the biting base of Malediction losing ground. Could almost be an olfactory interpretation of the miracle and mystery of Christmas - an innocent babe, laid in a manger, born to overcome the Adversary. After an hour, it seems perfectly balanced between Malediction and sweet snow. It's beautiful and perfect. Definitely a few more bottles going in my basket! [update: 14 hours later, I can still smell it on my wrist, and it's still perfectly balanced.]

I find that this is fast becoming the HG I reach for most often, and I'm not much for chocolate scents usually. It's a well-balanced blend of very good chocolate and what my nose says is Earl Grey tea. The patchouli is very light and lends just an extra little oomph to connect the chocolate and tea. The gloss has tremendous staying power as well - I smell it continually all day after spraying, and can wash several times with other-scented shampoo and it comes back!

This is the first BP item that I was in danger of drinking. I get primarily expensive dark chocolate, fresh cold carnation, and perfect plum, very well balanced so that they all appear at once and equal. I don't seem to pick up much myrrh or sage, but they may be hiding behind the chocolate and/or carnation to lend a bit more depth. Very rich and decadent, I find this a great companion to the Dark Chocolate, Black Tea, and Patchouli Hair Gloss.

Hemp and mossy soil soften and "blur" the sharp cologne bite of the dead leaves. Reminds me alot of Graveyard Dirt mixed with slightly damp, newly-dried autumn leaves. This is lazy, dreamy, floating, sexiness. Warm, but with a hint of unsettling coldness underneath. Once fully dry, I get a background appearance of something slightly bitter/sour - not sure if it's oudh or the dead leaves breaking through. It's not unpleasant, though it may be just a tad sinister/foreboding. Somehow it fits with the lazy-dreamy-floatingness. A scent for an irresistibly sexy male zombie, maybe? I am not able to pick out the frankincense by itself.

I would have sworn I reviewed this already, but apparently not. This was, I believe, the 2nd BPAL scent I ever tried (via a frimp from a friend) and it remains my favorite of all. Based on the name, description, and reviews, I never would have tried it because none of those things told me I would even remotely like it. However ... It smells just like the woods where I hike often. I'm frequently out there and stop mid-stride, thinking "it smells like BPAL out here," and wondering why because I know I didn't put any on before going out there. It smells like wet black earth, sunshine on brackish puddles, moss, mildew, musty mushrooms, pine sap, last autumn's dry leaves crushed into the dirt, rotting logs, decaying plants, and fresh air. And it makes me so happy. It's beautiful and perfect, how could it be "evil incarnate"?

Just sprayed/wet: I got strong allspice, and dragon's blood (I don't like this). Drying: Spicy dragon's blood with a hint of cotton candy (cheering for cotton candy, hoping it gets stronger). Dried: Dragon's blood and a hint of cotton candy (glad the allspice is gone, this is ok, still want a bit more cotton candy).

Lemony ozone and a distant hint of (purple) incense. Evokes a sense of nighttime and apprehension, somehow, and reminds me of being a kid at the outdoor theater late at night with heat lightning on the horizon. For that sense/atmosphere memory alone, I thank you. Then I tried this paired with BPAL'S Stormclouds Over the Midway and *swoon*. It's as awesome as I had hoped.

This is gorgeous, swoon-worthy even. So fresh, wet, the sense of dark, lush green plants alongside clear, fresh water. There is a sweet floral (rather like honeysuckle) that runs equally strong with the green and aquatic side. A hint of something dry and brown is off to the side. Having spent the morning along the shore of Lake Michigan, this smells nothing like it (which is good). It does, however, evoke quite vividly the tall grasses, cattails and wildflowers, along the riverbank that empties into the lake, at the height of summer - a place I visited earlier this week. This is a very uplifting, positive scent, bold and strong.

I was a little apprehensive about this due to the opium tar and wormwood, thinking it may induce a migraine. Now I kinda wish I had ordered 2 bottles right away. I like this. It's ozone and incense, both dark and disturbing. The atmosphere and emotion stand out, equally a feeling as much as a scent. I can tell it's related to Midnight on the Midway, one of my favorites, and I'm eager to try this paired with the Post's Crack of Thunder Hair Gloss.

I was eagerly awaiting this one for the lilac, lily of the valley, beeswax, bergamot, and nectarine. Wet or dry, I expected to love this. However, I'm only getting an odd, unpleasant coconut-like musk. Perhaps that's the golden musk? It's giving me a headache and I hate coconut. Very light scent, I expected there to be alot of throw but no. I bought two bottles because of the lilac and lily, so I will put them aside for awhile and see how they, or my chemistry, change. Lilac and lily, please come out!

I will never stop being amused by BPAL's ability to make scents that evoke a sense of something such as "gravelly". Fresh out of my decant and wet on my skin, this is gravel. And more than that, it's a "fuck you" kinda gravel. Strong, bold, unforgiving, leave you bleeding on the shoulder of the highway in the middle of nowhere. Not overtly masculine, however; a tad bit perfumy. I had a headache when I tested it and for a moment was afraid I was inducing a migraine. But then the scent dried down and tamed a bit, morphing into a softer, almost distant asphalt with, I swear, some warm, dusty, black-purple feathers mixed in. A pretty scent now, but ever so often, the "fuck you" gravel peeks out again. I would wear this when dumping someone or quitting a hateful job. I think it would be put to good use in some ritual work too.

It's glorious! Pure, sharp, cold, fresh, juicy lime. I could smell it immediately upon opening the shipping box. I need all the bottles!

A branch of holly on a cold, clear Christmas morning. Fresh. Green. Holly. Chilly and vibrant. This will be beautiful in summer too as doesn't seem to convey "snow" and, of course, isn't a "Christmas tree" pine or spruce scent. I will probably dab this on as a perfume too. Update: happy to note it is long-lasting on me and is still there after a couple washings.

This is lovely. Straight out of the bottle and onto my skin, it's a sweet pine and dry grasses scent with a hint of fresh air. I will need more.

I think this is the most beautiful BPAL creation so far. If a starry sky could have a scent, this would be it. Fresh, cool night with diamond stars overhead. Just you and your Self, marveling at the immensity of the Universe. Breathtaking. I immediately ordered another bottle. Will likely order a few more.

On me, this smells like ... well ... nothing. But a nothing with potential. It brought a strong image of the blackness of space with the tiniest pinpoint of silver starlight just barely beginning to become visible, perhaps more like a feeling rather than actual seeing. Rather ineffable. Very unlike anything I've encountered before. Brilliant!

My first bottle from the Post. This is a dark reddish-plum with very fine same-color sparklies (2 coats applied). I don't get any other colors shifting in and out. This polish feels so different from any other I've tried - it's rich, creamy and thick but dries quickly. Edit: Ahhhh! Perhaps it needed a moment more. I am now getting a color shift, from the reddish-plum to bronze to bronzy-green to black-with-red-sparklies to plum-with-red-sparklies. Nice.

Green, indeed. Swampy, amphibian, oozing green. Creepy green. Reminds me alot of the Plagues' scent from awhile back "Smite All Thy Borders with Frogges", which is a favorite of mine. They pair well. Love it.

Patchouli and wildflowers. *swoon* Wildflowers trampled into thick, black mud by unicorn hooves. I swear, I can smell the hooves. I smell daisies in particular. I'm getting a tad bit of crushed greens too (leaves and stems). And the woman's gown ... a slight whiff of fabric. The wildflowers are there but don't overpower the bold patchouli. If you like patchouli, you probably already ordered this. If not, do so. If you -don't- like patchouli, pass on by. It's strong. Wild, like it's name. I love-love-love patchouli. I thought East African Black Patchouli and Ask the Nearest Hippie were my patchouli Holy Grail scents. I was wrong. This is my patchouli Holy Grail scent.

Reminds me a little of Fruit Stripe gum we had as kids, but chewed while drinking warm 7-Up on a hot summer night. Totally fun, carefree, and sweet.

What can be said but that it's the perfect olfactory interpretation of the artwork. On me, the musk, grass, and apple blossom stand out, all equal in strength, with just a hint of mint and pine in the background. It's as if I were sitting right there at the water's edge. It's gentle yet mysterious and otherworldly. Perfection.

Surprise, it smells like Guatemalan coffee. I opened the bottle and a big plume of spiciness burned my nose with a brewed coffee note peeking through. I opened the bottle again a few hours later, and this time there was the expected spicey-chocolate-floral-coffee blend. I haven't tried it on the skin yet, but if this has any throw and staying power, I'm gonna have a hard time resisting a 3rd pot of the brew on the days I wear it.

A frimp in my recent order. Very similar to Anaesthesia which is towards the top of my Favorites list and a frequent go-to scent. Pain is not quite as strong, I would say, and I think Anaesthesia lasts longer, but if I couldn't get Anaesthesia anymore, this would be a perfectly acceptable substitute. It will be added to my Wish List.