willowtreeling

I find Pele to not be very floral, actually--it just smells really clean, like a wonderful shampoo...I personally can't do most florals, either--my body amps them like crazy. I had another thought--to add to the oils at different points option--you could look on one of the sites mentioned in the Retail Therapy thread, like Jojoelle or Elementals or Tickled Pink Scentsations and look for a lotion that has the coffee or molasses note---since there are hundreds of basic foodie scent options--and then layer on the elements that you want with different oils. You could even do a shower gel, lotion, body splash, perfume oil layering routine to get your smell.... I would freakin' LOVE Kauai to be a Wanderlust scent!!!!! Or Oahu...or even San Diego!

in the imp, it smells deliciously of melon and something like tart but fruity maybe the green grapes?) --in a candy sort of way... on me, wet, it stays that way... disappears on the dry down to nothing....which is fine, because it means I can try something new! I liked this, but it didn't see very different--reminded me (forgive me, please!) of something from bbw when i worked there 8000 years ago. also--and this is only true of my cleavage area--it sort of has the same undertinge of fermented fruit that Bon Vivant had...my mom didn't smell it, but I am haunted by it:( I like this and will keep the imp for home fragrance needs!

although i haven't taken this for an official test drive yet, I think it is quite nice...like a sweeter, lighter Snake Oil. It doesn't smell sexed up to me, but it is certainly more sophisticated then a simple candy smell. I also smell a bit of marzipan-y almond..mmmmmmm....for one second while drying down, i smelled a faint tinge of that mildew bo that my ex boyfriend used to get (Blech) but it was a FAINT tinge and literally lasted a few seconds. I can see my mom saying this smells like baby powder, which she says of all my faves--but now I know that she thinks of vanilla and babies and being a mom (she loved having babies and had 5) so I take that as a big compliment to these scents. OH oh oh! I know it now---it smells a bit like my old cabbage patch kids....I LOVE that smell.

I absolutely love Kauai. I can't think of anything that especially smells like it but my mom, who grew up on Oahu, has decreed Pele the only realistic island flower scent that she has smelled. I love the "X" (Can't pronounce it) and Sea of Glass--which are sort of beachy--they remind of the beach, if not a Hawaiian beach (I live in southern california, in a beach town). Also, Obatala, which doesn't work on me, smells like coconuts pretty exclusively so that might add something to the mix. I will keep trying different oils to let you know what I think....I haven't run across anything yet that just screams it to me, but those three have the right "colors" if you know what I mean.

at first it smells like fresh paint on me. seriously, put i actually sort of like that smell, so I let it hang out on my arm for a while. There, my arch nemesis jasmine showed up and made herself really comfy. t's a nice jasmine, actually...very creamy and pretty. i wish i got citrus out of this--it might temper the sweetness a bit and make it more wearable for me. I might use this in my oil burner.

on me it goes from a pretty clean soapy smell to a stronger more perfumey soapy smell to nothing in a very short period of time (which is saying a lot from me, as most perfumes are eaten by my skin within an hour or so, if I am lucky). I think my niece will like it, though. I liked thinking about The Last Unicorn, though:)

I can't believe I haven't written a review on this! I *heart* Penny Dreadful. It was the second Bpal that I loved to wear. It smells like sweet carmel/ gingery dirt cookies...and a bit rosey....and old fashioned and nostalgic. It lasts longer on me and is a bit stronger on me than other perfumes. After not wearing it for a while--as it seems a fall fragrance, or at least cold weatherish--I was walking by this grassy knoll at my work and I inhaled deeply and realized that there was something emanating from lawn that smelled like Penny....mmmmmm.

wet, it has the same weird diapey wipe smell (clean of course) that turns me off of Katharina...I dunno know what it is, I was thinking white musk, but the description doesn't have it in there....I searched this thread, though, and it seems a lot of people smelled white musk in this blend, so maybe I'm not all that crazy. I also smell jasmine, my arch nemesis of allergens... Drying down: that weird note went away, thank goodness, and the jasmine-y smell is actually pretty on me! Amazing--normally, it makes me smell like a brothel or something. This smells like real jasminey jasmine, creamy and pretty and a bit leafy! It's not really my type of smell, but I think I will keep this imp and just see if the mood ever strikes me...I am pleasantly surprised:) ETA: what the heck is wrong with my body chemistry? I just re-read the scent description and I swear I got no fruit out of this at all...all I got was the deceptively sweet flash of floral....grrrr....well, maybe all the other stuff is what makes this one smell prettier on me than a straight up floral would? weird.

I wanted to like this as it sounds lovely and I love the smell of coconuts--both realistic and sunscreen-esque. However, I could hardly smell anything...and once on, it smelled...weird...sort of like a dirty plastic inflatable raft that someone left out by the pool all summer, forgetting to use it. And also, sort of nutty. Luckily it went away quickly. I think I will stow it away and try it in a few months before I decide--I might have been a bit off when i tried it because it was my TOM and also, I had bronchitis and was on heavy antibiotics....

Wet: at first it smelled exactly like the Victoria's Secret Strawberries and Champagne body spray my college friend used to wear, so it brought back some pleasant memories:) It wasn't anything I would normally put on as it smelled a bit artificial, but I was pleased to have something that smelled like Cat and even thought of sending it to her. To my horror, later in the day, the smell of fermenting fruit wafted up at me. Blech! No thanks. I sniffed again and it smelled like the same old VS Strawberry/ Champagne duo-but with a sort of undercurrent of fermented fruit--sort of sickening and vinegary--you know what i mean, Bon Vivant--don't pretend like you don't. Conclusion: Bon Vivant and my skin chemistry do not play well together...

I love Snake Oil. At first, I didn't think much of it--I just sniffed it and though "Oh, vanilla incense," much like I thought "Oh, strawberry incense" when I smelled Hollywood Babylon. But on, Snake Oil is the yummiest, sexiest, most wonderful vanilla incense imaginable. It is one of the few bpals that lasts a long time on me....one of the few I can actually smell on me without burrowing my nose in the crook of my arm (which I do constantly--I think my students and co-workers must think there is something wrong with me). For those who are not vanilla lovers--this isn't candy sweet sugary vanilla--this is dirty smoky smutty vanilla plus something more. Must buy big bottle asap. This and Dragon's Milk are my best friends;)

so you can buy general catalog stuff at the will call, right? It sounds like I need to make the order in advance to pick up, or can you make your decisions there? There are a few oils that I KNOW I want, but I wouldn't mind purchasing some random imps. I was sort of unclear, even reading the announcement.

fae is a good name for this scent (on me) in that in the imp and on my skin it is a wispy, ephemeral peachy scent....after a while, though, the muskiness comes out a bit and the scent strengthens a wee bit, but it is still very very very light and..we...fae on me. Which isn't a bad thing....I am just used to peach scents that would knock you out. Surpsingly, despite its lightness it has lasted a long time, too. Not very much throw at all, but I think I am gonna keep this one. It is my favorite of the three peachy/ apricot ones I have tried (katharina, Algaea and Fae) and doesn't have any weird undertones. Might be nice for layering with Snake oil, too!

in the imp, it smells gorgeous...fresh..a wee bit salty...and a little white flowery, but not cloying at all...the freshness of the aquatics tempers that I think. On me, the saltiness goes away--pity because I LOVED that part of it, but it still leaves a lovely, fresh sky blue and grassy green scent that makes me clean and happy. It is a very pretty scent and perfect for summer. It also, for obvious reasons, reminds me of sea glass--all blue and green and white and sort of ethereal but earthy, clean but mysterious. Though I can't say it smells like my beloved ocean, the Pacific....it does remind me of a fantasy ocean---a Narnian ocean, at the end of the world, where all the waterlilies were blooming and the scary mermaids appeared...

that I heartily agree with:) Selkie is nice...in the bottle it smells like a slightly salty but mostly salty aquatic with a slight melon-y tinge to it... On me, the melon tinge doesn't last--pity, because I liked it, and it is a nicely blended floral/ aquatic---a bit stronger than what I would normally go for, but I did over apply it... I think that I could def. wear this for summer evenings--it is a scent that calls for a sun dress Imagery/ colorwise: It seems like a jump in a cold dark green briny sea mixed with pink flowers and green grass to me

I probably wouldn't put it on the cat because they lick themselves unlike dogs and ingest the oil. yeah, it was sort of an accidental cat perfuming...and it was such a tiny amount, that i am sure she is fine...i have heard cats are perfume lickers in general though...one of my cat books recommending putting perfume on areas where the cat likes to pee because then they will associate that area with licking and not peeing there anymore because they don't like to "cross reference" *shrugs* I am going to Golemn up my pele and not even share the precious with the cat...after all, it will be in the best interest of her health;)

I got some Pele on my kitty, Clare, and she smelled wonderful! I am considering putting some on her brush, too! My dog, Riley, hates Possets Hearts and Flowers--he darts away from me and looks sincerely perturbed when I have it on, lol, but the bpal scents seem to pass inspection.

scared me in the imp because it was a little too foody, which surprised me as I love cakey stuff...but on it smelled very nice, indeed. It smelled of some kind of honey covered baked good--like baklava, maybe.... as it dried on me, there was a slight but rich dried fruit note--like currants or something...it finally ending up smelling like the mulled wine I had in Dublin on my study abroad, one freezing afternoon. mmmmm. I will be wearing this more in autumn and winter, i think, but I like it! Cozy yet decadent.

this sounded lovely but didn't do much for me, which is a surprise because I love apricots and orange blossoms. The smell is pretty consistent and didn't morph much on me. It was very very light and smelled like a mix between jelly candies from the Sweet Factory and baby wipes (clean, of course). I will try it again when it is a different TOM, but I think I will stick to Aglaea and give this one to someone else to try. It could be very pretty on the right person.

i liked Malediction and will keep my imp dear, but i don't know when i would wear it--it is very strong and makes me a little self-conscious. However, the other day I had Aglaea on, and I put the tiniest dot of Malediction on top of that, and it actually smelled quite nice--like an earthy sensual peach. It smells similar to Lush's Tramp, but less green and more brown, if that makes sense. Not for people who don't like natural earthy (literally) smells....

I'm not sure what to make of this. When I smelled the imp i felt sort of queasy, to be honest--it was soooo strongly toffee/ hazlenut/ butter to me that I think it took me back to my coffee shop girl days--it was like smelling the torani syrups we put into our coffee drinks, or almost like butterscotch schnapps...just a little too concentrated... But on me, it smelled more off shortbread cookies, almond cookies, dried banana chips, and something I couldn't place--very bready, no fruit for me...and a teensy bit of a plastic smell drifts in and out but isn't really unpleasant as it reminds me of toys in the eighties... I am would not order a big bottle, but will keep it around, as I like a comforting scent like this when I am lounging around at home, cozy in my pajamas...might be good with something a bit more spicy added to it, too...

Electrifying, mechanized and chilly -- the scent of crushed blooms strewn on cold metal. Lush violet and neroli spiked hard with eucalyptus and a sliver of mint. very minty...like mint mouthwash...but not unpleasant. as it dried, I could smell the violet, a bit--like those violet candies I used to suck on...i put it on my knee to test it and I didn't mind the smell as it drifted around me, but i wouldn't really want to wear it as a perfume. I will be keeping it to help my sinuses, though--it made me feel really clear headed:)

starts out with the very faint smell of those peach rings candy... warms up on my skin and becomes stronger--yay, since my skin seems to eat most of the things i like---and smells first of this wonderful peach lipgloss i used to have that I loved and peach schnapps mixed with ginger ale that i drank one night in edinburgh years back...finally, it smells a little teensy bit bitter, like the way fruit tea tastes when you leave the tea bag to steep too long and a bit like lipstick, but not in a bad way. mmmmm.

in the imp, it scared me a little, because it seemed like perfume my mom would wear--grown up, formal, and a bit spicy. I just don't go for that classically perfume-y smell and that is what this little lady smelled like. But I was brave and dabbed some on the back of my hand--the spiciness led me to trust bpal and go for it--as spiciness seems to work on me. wet, on: smelled good, but still had that Je Revien by Worth mommy smell....it must be the musk...I don't seem to get any plum at all and was surprised to see it in the lab description....I guess musk is going to be like rose on me, amped up--but I like that better. dry: warmed up on me and smelled more spicy and musky, till I actually quite liked it. I don't know if I will ever wear it and might give it to my mom, as it does seem more like her than me, but it smelled nice--didn't give me a headache..maybe I could layer this with something to sweeten it up...

I got this as a frimp, which was nice... sadly, on me, all it did was make me smell zestfully clean for a few minutes and then disappeared completely. Damn my perfume vampire skin!