porcelaincrypt

Mr.Prenderghast is without a doubt the most unusual, peculiar (insert a bunch of other similar adjectives) bpal scent I have smelled thus far! I can't stop sniffing it because it is so strange! Smells like nothing else in my collection. My initial reaction when I smelled it in the vial- I was taken aback with the spiciness, and not in a bad way. It literally smells like hot peppers in a jar. Not something I particularly want to smell like myself but something that I am inexplicably drawn to. I have no idea what note in this is leading to spicy peppers... On my skin it smells basically the same but maybe if I really stretch my imagination lol I get a hint of the coffee. And I do get some smokiness..smoked hot peppers in a jar... Whatever this is I'm perplexed and fascinated by this scent. It's interesting that a lot of other reviewers smell a similar type scent to what I'm smelling in it as well.

In the imp I thought masculine and possibly sandalwood?... On my skin I get the pine as the standout and then the juniper with a hint of vanilla. Later on the cool vanilla starts to become bolder. The longer it stays on me the more I like it. Overall on my skin it is a faint scent, but in a good way. It's fittingly masculine but contrary to the name I'm not getting anything overtly sexy lol. Like a few other reviewers mentioned, I too am reminded of the holidays when smelling Golden Priapus. I think this would smell nice for a guy to wear to Christmas dinner.

In the imp: First time I smelled it..sweet, something a tad salty maybe, like caramel? The second time I sniffed it in the imp...lemon, absolutely! But there is this plastic-y, synthetic aspect that is turning me off. Not sure what it is, the musks? I read through about 7 pages and didn't see anyone else mention this but I could have missed it in all the posts I skipped, or maybe it's just me. On my skin, it is much better, which is unusual since it can often be the other way around. That plastic-y smell dissipates, thankfully, leaving me with something nice but overall eh..nothing outstanding. Dorian is one of those scents that I really, really want to love, as someone who adores vanilla but I just don't love it like I should. That said I definitely don't dislike it but I'm not wowed, unfortunately.

First sniff when I received imp: Interesting. Strong. Deep. Dark. Reminded me a little of autumn or Halloween. Smoky! Opium maybe? A little bit masculine but I couldn't make out anything specific. Second sniff tonight: Smoky cinnamon, completely! I didn't' get cinnamon the first time, which is strange. I absolutely love cinnamon but this isn't at all my usual sweet cinnamon sugar...it's so smoky and almost bitter. Again, I'm finding Sin a really interesting scent that piques my curiosity. On my skin it's much milder than I expected. Not bitter but still not sweet. It was so bold in the imp but on my skin much more unassuming than I imagined, not at all in a bad way. I was anticipating it would be too strong on my skin but that isn't at all the case! I'm liking it! After about 10 minutes there is a gorgeous sweetness but not foodie sweet. Also the cinnamon didn't irritate my skin, which is a plus! The longer its on my skin the more it makes me think of being in New Orleans last year, browsing in the voodoo and crystals/gems shops, it definitely has that vibe, because of the patchouli I'm guessing. Sometimes those shops can assault your nose but this leaves your skin with just the perfect hint of that type of aroma. I think on my next trip to NOLA I will have to bring this along with me. Sin will definitely be placed on my maybe list for full bottle purchase!

In the imp: My first cold sniff- Whoa, this is unlike anything else in my BPAL collection thus far! Something like tar, or a burnt smell, reminds me of an auto shop, with maybe some spices. The second time I smelled it in the imp, tonight, I again thought it smelled really interesting, and unique, this time I got the leather loud and clear and again an auto shop- there is something very greasy, and oily about it that is reminiscent of one. I like it better on my skin than in the imp because a slight sweetness comes out, I'm not sure what note that is from. Iago is not something I'd personally want to wear but it is a very compelling scent! While I probably won't get a full bottle I really like the imp and I appreciate how different it smells from the rest. If anyone has watched Sons of Anarchy, I imagine this is what Teller-Morrow auto shop, and what Jax Teller would smell like lol. And it's interesting that the show was influenced by Shakespeare too. Anyway, Iago is a badass scent.

I'll admit I got this imp purely for the name and the description. I'm a little obsessed with forests, woods, trees, branches, twigs. It's my thing. First thoughts in the imp: dirt, green, trees, xmas, a little cologne like. Today when I sniffed it again my thoughts were: masculine, pine, Christmas tree. When I first put it on my skin, it's pure pine! And like the forest floor after a rain. Then I'm guessing what is the ambergris and musk start taking over, while the pine was nice, these notes are a little strong for me. Further down the line it starts turning powdery on me. I like it, but not to wear probably. In a diffuser it would be nice. A great way to bring the outdoors inside. It would be good for the winter months and christmas time too but I really like the fact that I don't find it overly Christmas-y! Probably won't be getting a full bottle anytime soon but I just couldn't resist an imp that transports me to a dark enchanting forest!

First time I smelled this in the imp my thoughts were: outdoorsy, trees, oak maybe? Something minty. Something sweet. A little reminiscent of How Doth the Little Crocodile somehow. The second time, tonight, I thought dirt, minty, sweet and a little smoky. On my skin it's like a cool vanilla, not warm at all. And I definitely get the sassafras! It's all Vanilla Root Beer! In the imp it's more earthy, but on my skin it's sweet. I like it a lot! A solid 8/8.5 out of 10. Guess I'm not surprised I enjoy this one since I love Vanilla. Slightly masculine but not overtly so. Not sure if full bottle yet, but absolutely on the maybe list!

First cold sniff in imp: Light, maybe floral, a little fizzy or effervescent. Nice but I couldn't pinpoint anything in particular. The fizzy effervescence must have been the brandy. The second time I sniffed the imp weeks later, I got a slightly sweet, fruity, wine like scent but again something floral...perplexing! I wasn't too off base with the sweet wine impression but wasn't getting apricot at all. Skin: I must be the odd one out, but I just keep smelling floral...not too strong, not bad, but nothing standout that I love. Ever so slightly medicinal maybe. As time goes on it does start to get better and smells sweeter. The apricot starts peaking through slightly. Overall I would say this is a very, very light scent. I hardly smell it unless I put my nose right up to my wrist. Doesn't have much of a throw. It's nice, nothing wrong with it, but just average in my opinion. Probably like a 5/6 out of 10. Just a little underwhelming for my tastes.

I bought a full bottle of Love's Philosophy blindly and don't regret it at all! A great purchase. Cold sniff: First thoughts were...nice, something warm, autumn/Xmas like about this. It definitely smelled familiar to me. It came to me that it smelled like this decor piece I bought for my mom for Christmas back in high school. It was a silver bell, shaped like a star with potpourri inside. It now resides in my grandmothers home and whenever I'm there I always take a whiff and the scent is still mildly there despite being purchased like 15+ years ago. This smells exactly like that and I like it. In the bottle is is mild and not overbearing at all. Skin: On my skin it smells the same, just like the decor, basically like vanilla/spicy scented potpourri in a decorative bowl. I really like, but not quite at the love mark. On a scale from 1-10 it would be about a 7 or 7.5. Prob 7.5. I think I want to use this in a diffuser because I would really like my home smelling like this during the winter months but on my skin it's just a tad strong. I can absolutely smell the cream soda scent that others mentioned in some of the reviews. There is a hint of sweet vanilla fizz. I wasn't getting wintergreen at all and find it interesting that a lot of people did. With the idea in my head now, the more I sniff it I can almost get it, or see how others have! I do rather like wintergreen so for me it is a welcome note.

Imp: This was one of the ones I liked most from the free imps I received with my recent order. My first impression was that it was a little sweet, fruity and innocent with some floral. It had a familiar vibe and then I realized what it reminded me of....Victoria's Secret Love Spell. I used to wear that as a teenager and boys in my class would always compliment and comment on it. There was something to it. The notes in that and Katharina are kind of similar, Love Spell is Peach instead of Apricot and Cherry Blossom rather than Orange Blossom but they both have Musk. This scent takes me back to spring time of 2002 when I was 16 years old. Basically it is budding romance, young lust/love and high school crushes to me. I sniffed the imp today again as I wanted to try it on my skin and this time I got more floral and less Love Spell but it's still there in the shadows. I'm super hesitant with florals and I'm iffy about orange scents, I like some but others not so much, so I'm not sure I would invest in a full bottle of this but I do like it. On my skin: Close to how it smells in the imp. Definitely floral- the blossoms stand out, perfect for a spring day. A little powdery. The apricot and fruity smell makes its appearance a bit more after a few minutes. It is a very faint scent , which for florals I appreciate. It was not overbearing in any way and most of the day I hardly smelled it on myself. However, I'm wondering now if this may have the same effect as Love Spell... When I was out and about today I felt like I was getting extra attention from men. I thought maybe I looked really good today and chalked it up to ovulation and pheromones , does anyone else think that way? lol I've definitely noticed a connection in my own life before. But anyway as I was writing this review it dawned on me that maybe it was Katharina working her magic! I will have to test her out again at various times of the month and see if she played a role.

Imp: First thoughts- warm, dessert like, rum and fruity. It smells like some doughnut I've had before. I like it! I can smell all the notes but it took me a while to realize it was coconut I was smelling, but once I did it started to remind me a little bit of 'Coco Cabana' Bath & Body Works Body Splash that I used to use in high school. Skin: I skimmed most of the reviews and I feel like mine is an usual interpretation but there is something Autumn like about this scent, it makes me think of going apple picking. Near my college there were many orchards and nearby was a farm market. As the weather turned colder they would open for the season and I would stop by to pick up their homemade sugared cider doughnuts (I figured out this is the doughnut I was recalling when I smelled the imp) and a cup of hot, spiced apple cider. Mind you, I'm not getting any apple note at all when I smell this but for some reason that was what it was bringing to mind, maybe it's the rum. It's a strange combination of Coco Cabana and Cider Doughnuts... The coconut is the standout note on my skin I smell a hint of the tobacco in the imp but on me it's coconut with the sugared rum. I really like this one and it is probably going on the full bottle list. Usually when I think coconut I think summer but this coconut is versatile and can transition from summer to fall. It's really fantastic!

Just received this imp with my current order, I was excited to try it because I like apple scents and of course I was lured in by the name. I was in the mood to wear this today since I am currently working on an art doll of the Wicked Queen from Snow White and I wanted a little something extra to put me in the headspace to bring her to life properly. Imp: My first impression was that it smells really nice, like a juicy apple, a tad sour, like a green jolly rancher candy. But there is a hint of something else that I can't put my finger on. Skin: The apple stays for literally about a minute, which is a damn shame, but then it becomes much more floral, like sugared apple blossoms, it must be the Oleander or Hemlock. I'm not smelling the Opium. It's a strong smell but not cloying at all. Verdict: I like it but it's just not me, so I don't think I would order a full bottle. I think it may be best kept for a scent locket so I can enjoy the apple without it turning too floral. The strange thing is I went shopping with my mom and when she smelled it she completely got something different..she said it smelled like Indian or Eastern spices or like incense/ patchouli to her. She didn't smell apple at all. I have no idea where she was getting any of that from but I thought it was interesting.

One of my favorite imps from my recent order! Imp: First whiff, this smells good! It's both warm and light. Like on one hand it definitely smells like Fall and pumpkin but on the other there is something spring or summery about it. I was really getting a very fruity vibe and I thought it was pear at first but then I realized it was peach. Something about it brings me back to my childhood... maybe Fruity Pebbles, or Fruit Loops or Trix cereal, or maybe not, I'm not sure, I can't quite figure it out, but it is something from my past. It's really nice! Skin: It goes on very light, not cloying or too strong at all. Doesn't have too strong of a throw. The peach stands out on me, but there is that comforting warmth in the background of pumpkin and autumnal spices. It is beautiful how well the peach and pumpkin play off one another. Makes me want a piece of pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread with a scoop of peach ice cream. This scent is like a glowing sunset on a Indian Summer evening in October while sitting on the porch swing with the leaves on the ground. This is for sure going on my full bottle wishlist!

Imp: Really strong, a little musky, cologne like. A bit masculine, not sure what the note smells like, maybe sandalwood, don't know, but some note that is common in mens cologne...and a hint of vanilla. I think this would probably smell very good on a guy. Skin: On my skin I get more of the sugary vanilla, but it's sexy not sweet, and it is nice! There is a clear divide, each scent is strong and battling the other, on one end is the vanilla and on the other is the masculine smell. I like it and I can see why Snake Oil is one of the most popular scents, it is very intriguing. But at this point I don't think I would get a full bottle. The longer it is on my skin though the two opposing smells start to blend and eventually the vanilla starts to devour the sandalwood type scent. I now begin to like it even more. It really does morph into a gorgeous vanilla on my skin, potent but not overbearing. Maybe I'll have to rethink that large bottle thing lol...on one hand it is a strong scent...walks a fine line of almost too much..on the other hand, my god, that vanilla smells amazing...hypnotic and intoxicating! Vanilla is one of my favorite scents so if you like it too you have to at least give this one a try and see for yourself!

Imp: First thought- mint chocolate but there is something else, like bark and grass- must be the cedar and the oak moss- interesting scent. I don't pick up the vanilla or pistachio but I'm definitely getting the mint chocolate and the green/tree aspect. Skin: Smells the same, I get a bit more of the chocolate now, it is a little like Bliss but toned down a lot and very different in the sense that there is a coolness to this that Bliss does not have, the mint adds that iciness. As it dries down even more I start to get hint of the vanilla and it's very nice. This was a frimp and another one that I'm really glad I received. Not sure if I'll invest in a full bottle yet, but I do really like it. Not too sweet, not too strong, just right! Bottom line- smells like someone decided to mix it up and leave chocolate peppermint bark for santa next to the Christmas tree instead of cookies lol

Imp: For me, my mind does not go to coffee upon first sniff, I without a doubt think Baileys Irish Cream, and I am in LOVE! It is sweet but not overbearing, although you only need one drop because it is powerful and has a strong throw. Skin: On my skin it smells just like this Baileys Irish Cream pie I have made many times, the chocolate crust, the cool whip, the Baileys..so decadent! Another BPAL scent that just makes me want to eat. I'm so glad this reacted positively with my chemistry and smells almost the same in the imp as it does on my skin. But at this stage I also get the dust, and who knew dust could smell so lovely! A hint of the oakwood too now, it all blends so seamlessly. Miskatonic University is tied as my favorite BPAL scent thus far, along with Bliss. It is incredible and it was a free imp. I'm so happy I was sent this one. Just ordered a full bottle, can't wait till it arrives! I also love the scene the description of this scent conjures in my mind. The longer it is on I do start getting more of the polishing of the oakwood and it starts smelling a little bit more like coffee but overall in my opinion it is Irish Whiskey and cream liqueur all the way! My wrist is glued to my nose when I have this one on!

I'm relatively new to BPAL, I've only smelled about 25 scents, but Bliss is tied as my favorite so far! Imp: mmm... In the imp it reminds me of Count Chocula cereal from my childhood, the chocolate-y goodness with the best part, the little marshmallows. Skin: Incredible! Smells like chocolate brownie or cake batter, or like the chocolate I get on my fingers when I melt it to dip strawberries into. Not a complex scent but deliciously divine! If you love chocolate like I do, get this NOW. It is absolute bliss for lack of a better word. I literally want to lick my wrist, but I will refrain. Awaiting on my full bottle to arrive!

Another one I got second hand so I'm not sure if it is relatively fresh or aged. Have only smelled this one also and have not tried on my skin, but will come back and update when I do. In the Imp: My first thought was soapy- while Gnome, which I previously reviewed had a note that smelled of classic dish soap, this is exactly like bath soap, some soap I have smelled before, Dove? Camay? I'm not sure which brand but it smells exactly like one of their classic soaps to me. Also smells floral, I'm pretty sure the only note I'm picking up is the Jasmine. Not getting any of the Vanilla or Cinnamon or Honey, which is a shame because those are the type of notes I love. Maybe when I try it on my skin I will get some of them. Let's hope so. Otherwise, it's just far too soapy for my liking, but if you like that classic bar of soap smell you will most likely like this.

This is my first review, I have only smelled it in the Imp but I will come back as soon as I test on my skin and then how it develops over time. I got this secondhand so I don't know if it is fresh or aged. In the Imp: First thought: Whoa. Strong. Smells very green to me (which made sense in my mind, I pictured a little lawn gnome tipped over on the grass lol) and a little soapy. Has a sorta cologne like smell. Not loving it and not the usual type of scent I go for at all but I'm curious to see how it smells on my skin and I also am hoping to discover a scent that I really like, unexpectedly, based on notes I wouldn't usually be into. Anyway, I don't smell most of the notes on cold sniff. Only the Balsam and maybe the sarsaparilla. I don't smell the ginger that many are saying they smell in the reviews, but I'm also seeing that there may be some various batches of this scent and one of them does not contain the ginger smell, I don't know. This one is just very, very strong to me. It may have bothered/irritated my throat slightly also, my throat felt like it had a tickle in it after I smelled this.