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As much as I love coconut, Obatala doesn't quite work on me. It reminds me of coconut milk (which I detest), warm bottles of water and moisturizer. Oh well, off to the swaps.

In the Imp: It's all dead roses, opium and a tiny bit of plum-like sweetness. Wet: Merlin's mildewed monkey wrench! plum! with something slightly sinister behind it all. Perhaps the opium? Dry: The plum fades to a barely gentle sweetness, while the gardenia and opium come out to play. I can mostly smell sweet florals now, which I don't mind entirely, but I sincerely hope the plum comes back. After a bit: The plum/berries/nonflorals have come back and meshed well with the gardenia and rose. It's horribly faint, but maybe I just need to put more on. It's still sweet and slightly dark. Rating (out of 5): 4

A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond. In the Imp: RUM! That doesn't turn horribly sweet and yucky to my nose! Woo! I can pick out the almond and a mix of the others. It's boozey and foody and sweet. I like it already. Wet: Complete almond at first, very sweet but rather like Amaretto. Okay, now there's a bit of honey and the rum is coming through a bit. Definitely warm in the most decadent way possible. Dry: It's not quite as overpowering as it was wet. I can smell the hazelnut now, and the rum isn't turning horrible on me! This is going to be fantastic in winter! After about ten minutes, everything has blended together fabulously. I can kindof pick out the hazelnut/almond notes, but not really. It's nutty and slightly foody and boozey and oh my god, it's decadent! After 30 Minutes: It doesn't warm my nose anymore, but it still smells very nice. It's making me hungry! The honey has decided to make a second appearance, but it fades between the almond and rum in a wonderfully patisserie-in-autumn type of way. Rating (out of 5): 5

In the Imp: Faintly rosey, can smell the wine very slightly. It's making the nice, light rose something darker and well... bloodier. Wet: It's all rose, but that fades very quickly. Now is a gentler rose, but robust. I can't smell the wine very much at all, but the Dragon's Blood resin is very nice and what there is of the wine makes it sweet. Dry: The resin dies down and a winey rose comes through. It's mostly a slightly fruity rose after twenty minutes. It's faded quite a bit, though. The throw isn't amazing, but it still makes me smile. It's darker and less ohemgee-rosey than Two, Five and Seven (which I love with a passion) but I wish the wine were more prominent. Rating (out of five): 4

I got Lolita in a swap mostly as swap currency rather than because I wanted to try it. Florals usually don't work on me, and this one is no different. However, this is the only blend I've tried that actually smells COLD to me. I got Numb for that express purpose during the hot summer months, but that just made my wrist itch like crazy. Other marine-type scents kindof worked, but none like this one. I don't know what note it is that's making my nose freeze, but I like it!

I originally got Calico Jack for Talk Like a Pirate Day, but I'm starting to think it might be amazing beyond that. In the imp: It's salty and ozoney and slightly sweet. On wet: It's definitely marine-like, but not as in the Pacific or some other warm, pleasant ocean. This is the Baltic or the Black Sea. It's cold and salty and there's still some slight sweetness in the background that makes me think there might be some kind of floral in there (perhaps the same note as in Numb?) Drydown: Wow, it's starting to warm up. The leather is making an appearance. It's soft and worn: a very nice contrast to the saltiness. Overall: Um, yeah. There was an emergency decant (without any decanting supplies) of Lick It Again and though I managed to save most of it, a goodly portion spilled on the wrist I had Calico Jack on. However, I can still smell it through the candy cane goodness! The floral note that was similar to Numb is most prominent, and the leathery warmth is nowhere to be found. Hopefully, this is only because of the Lick It Again interaction.

I got a full bottle of Creepy in a swap and I really, REALLY wanted to like it. It smelled divine in the bottle, all caramel and sugary goodness. However, rum tends to go off on me. When I put it on, the rum note turns everything to super sugary rubbing alcohol (with the slightest hint of apples behind everything). Every once in a while I can smell the caramel that lured me in to begin with, but the damned rum ruins it. Sob.

I always knew I was going to be an English major. My mother was an English teacher, my sister is as tweedy as it comes and is thinking of going into Library Science. I was two grades ahead in English in high school. This past semester, however I took a class called Concept Design and Storyboarding just because it sounded cool. With that and two literature courses on my plate (not to mention a hellish semester of Russian) I thought I was grooming myself to be another tweed-wearing professor with a penchant for quoting T.S. Eliot and Belle and Sebastian lyrics interchangeably. Little did I know that I would be willingly spending anywhere from 7 to 43 hours on every single assignment for Concept Design and pretending to finish every book I had to read for both English classes. Last semester really did change my life. It sounds stupid when I say it, but it's true. It was my dream the past two years to go to Reed College in Portland, Oregon. My sister goes there, I've visited a few times, and all in all, it's an amazing school with wacky traditions and a good amount of infamy and prestige. I wanted to get in more than almost anything. But then I started really excelling in Concept Design and Storyboarding. I've always loved to draw and stuff, but I've never gotten along with an art teacher. This was different. This was digital, marketable art-doing. I was really happy when doing homework and it was an excuse not to do my reading for my lit classes. I didn't fall behind in anything (except Russian, but that didn't really count because the grades weren't based on numbers or any solid evidence), but it was an amazing transformation. Suddenly it was like "Oh wow. I like doing this. And I'm damn good at it! AND I can make a living doing it! Woot! I've found my calling!" Then I found out I had the highest grade in the class, and that just solidified my decision to go into art instead of English. Then my Concept Design prof practically shoved an application to an animation program into my hands. He gave me all sorts of compliments and so, as of tomorrow, I shall be on my way to becoming an animator. There's going to be several guest animators from Pixar and Disney at the program, but also a representative from Laika Entertainment in Portland who are currently working on the film version of Coraline. Which, I'm sure we'll all agree, is totally amazing. Everyone in the program will also going to be visit Pixar Studios for an entire day. Before I saw the film, I thought that we'd be seeing some behind-the-scenes stuff for Ratatouille (which we probably will anyway), but now I hope that we get to check out the pre-production process for Wall-E. As it is, I probably will get to be led around by (and maybe meet personally) the 3D animators, but I won't be working with any of them in the crash courses or anything. But as I am doing 2D I'll most definitely get to meet Chuck Harvey (as in, the Little Mermaid, Fox and the Hound and the Rescuers). Knowing me, I'll plan a speech and everything and end up shouting stupidly, "YOU DRAW GOOD." So embarrassing. The entire process will be a little bit more awkward than I anticipated because one of my good friends isn't able to go. So I will be alone. Sniffle. Actually, I am distant acquaintances with a couple people who are going to be there and I'll have a roommate, so I'll have to interact with others at least a little bit. And I'll know one of the teachers from CSU Chico. Hell, what am I saying? It'll be totally awesome! I plan to knock the socks off of several people in high-paying and powerful positions. Yes. That is a good goal for this summer. I know how to be charming and polite, I'll subconsciously dazzle everyone by smelling amazing (my new addiction: BPAL perfumes), I'll show everyone how civilized I am by writing and receiving letters while I'm there and I won't skive off work to finish the seventh Harry Potter book! ...Okay, maybe the last one is asking a bit too much. To ensure these things, I shall repeat a few simple rules to myself every day: Do not embarrass yourself too badly. Do not reveal your narcissism to anyone. Really. Do not insult anyone without first knowing their salary and station. Okay, that sounds good. Wish me luck!

Blood Kiss turns into a dark, thick honey smell on me from the start. No trace of the cherry or wine. The musk comes out a little bit after a few minutes. There might be a trace of the poppy as well. Hm... I'm not a huge fan of honey, but if I did like it I'm sure I would be head-over-heels for this blend. I smell like the evil twin of those honey bear squeeze bottles. If you like honey, this might be the perfume for you! (or if you have a significant other who just happens to love the stuff! ) ETA: It's been three hours since I put it on and it's still going very strong.

When I first put this on I get a really sweet mint. I get the same feeling as when I chew mint gum, the cooling rush and all that. If I smell my wrist very shallowly I can smell a bit of the juniper. After a bit, I still get the cool scent of the mint, but the lotus has made a stand of its own. It's very cool, fresh and if it had a color, it would be a very cheery blue-green. (It's also one of those scents that amplifies hunger. I should probably go have breakfast now. ) Overall, it's very nice but it's a bit too minty for everyday wear. I'll probably swap this one.

ROME Refined, austere and graceful. A recipe gleaned from Classical Rome: cypress, juniper, chamomile and rose. In the imp: Cypress and chamomile. It's very refined and it does indeed remind me of the large tree outside of my old apartment in Rome. On: The chamomile gets really strong here, but it doesn't overpower the tree scents. Every once in a while I think I smell the rose, but I can't be sure. After 15 minutes: Okay, the rose is definitely present! It's mainly chamomile and rose now, which is very pleasant but less reminiscent of Rome. Or maybe it's just the scent of the the upscale neighborhood. After a while: All the notes have blended together magnificently, but the juniper/cypress mix is now the main element. Overall, this is a wonderful scent that truly does capture the feel of Rome. I can picture the cypress trees (with their very interesting pruning job) in Vigna Clara and the long, narrow walk down from Giochi Delfici to my old highschool. It's not one that I would wear all the time, but I think it would be wonderful when I'm feeling nostalgic. This is the only picture I could find of that area without me or my friends making funny faces, but this is exactly what this blend brings to mind: link!

I wanted to like Persephone. I really, really did! I adore pomegranate and I usually like roses. However, the rose in this blend completely overpowered all of the sweetness the pomegranate offered and eventually turned into a powdery, old-lady-type smell. Ah well. I love 2/4/7, so maybe I can layer that with some Swank (if I ever manage to get my perfume-ordering priorities in order) to get the effect I hoped Persephone would offer. Ah well. Off to the swaps!

I've been wary of rose scents since I tried Persephone and a few other commercial ones (tea rose just overpowered everything to the point of nausea). 2/5/7 is completely different! It's a real rose garden, not those powdery imitations that you find in old lady perfumes and fabric flowers. It's fresh and bright and wonderfully green and pretty. I am definitely keeping this one.

In the imp: Tea and linens, a completely heavenly smell! I absolutely adore it. On: Oh dear. The pepper has really overcome everything else. But after about fifteen minutes it calms down into a slightly powdery smell. My mother says it smells like baby powder, but I can still smell a bit of the tea. After a while: It doesn't change at all for a few hours. It's still slightly powdery and peppery with a slight undertone of tea. It's nice, but I'll probably end up swapping it.

I do get the fake-cherry-flavor type smell when I first open the imp, but when I put it on it immediately calms down. The woody notes come out and blend wonderfully with the fruitiness of the cherry. It's a truly delightful scent that just screams spring, contentedness and dignity. Unfortunately, my skin just eats it up. It only lasts an hour or two before fading into obscurity. I'll keep the imp, but with the lasting power there's no way I can get a bottle.

I so wanted to like this one. It's what got me interested in BPAL in the first place! Unfortunately all I can smell is super sugary cheap alcohol. It's not pleasant at all. And this disappointment happened on the same day I had some issues with Dorian. It was truly heartbreaking. (Dorian and I have since worked out our differences, but Mr. Nancy seems like it was never meant to be. Sob.) I have some coconut-lime body spray I'm going to try layering it with to see if that will help, but if not then it's off to the swap pile.

Loup Garou In the imp: It's something familiar... perhaps a bit of the juniper and for some reason I can swear that I smell cucumber. On: Immediately it turns into something heady and strong and herby. My mother (a gardener) says it smells like verbena. To me, though, it's just the classic herb garden smell. Nice, but very strong. After a while: It's still awfully strong and so sharp I can't sniff my wrists directly. The scent hasn't changed. At all. After five hours: Okay, this is getting a bit extreme. The smell hasn't changed, the throw is still good and the lasting power speaks for itself. However, it's getting overly strong. I mixed it with a tiiiny bit of The Hesperides and it immediately is calming down and blending nicely. I'll try it with some other oils as I don't think verbena and apples are the absolute-best combination. It's not what I'd expect of lycanthropy in general, but perhaps at the moment of transformation this scent could work.

Dorian In the imp: Dark, sweet vanilla tea with the slightest bit of lemon. It's definitely intriguing and sexy. On: Something powdery happens to it, as if milk were suddenly added to the tea. It's not nearly as sensual as it is in the imp. After a bit: The powdery smell goes mostly away, but it's taken the dark notes with it too. If we look at Andrabell's infamous first post as the epitome of Dorian awesomeness, then I only get to the sitting room with the tea and perhaps a mild innuendo or two before that posh and oh-so sexy Victorian gentleman has me escorted out while he retires to his bedroom where some other lucky tart is waiting for him. Hmph. ETA: Okay, I spoke too soon. The throw is great and the darkness is coming back. My beloved Victorian gentleman has merely been teasing me! Perhaps he has been bored with the pattern of tea-then-ravishing and needed some more intrigue this time. Whatever the reason, Dorian and I are working out our differences and are very happy with the outcome.

I've only been able to try this once as it was a Mother's Day gift, but from that one time it was lovely. The plumerias and slightly aquatic notes blend perfectly. I didn't get any tea rose (thank god!) and the florals didn't turn on me for once!

Endymion In the imp: Bright pear and some florals. Rather sickeningly sweet, but has potential to be quite nice. On: Alack and alas, it was not to be. The pear softens nicely, but the dreaded florals turn the entire thing powdery. Curse you, floral notes.

Lust In the imp: I can smell the red musk and the myrrh first and foremost. It's dark and husky, and even though it doesn't seem to be "my" kind of oil, I still like it. I can also smell a tiny bit of the ylang ylang in the background. On: The musk is still present, but the myrrh fades when the patchouli comes out. The sweetness the ylang ylang provided has completely disappeared, leaving it ever-so sinfully smelling. After 30 min: The sweetness is back very slightly, giving it that balance between meaningless sex and passionate ravishing. Overall: A scent I would totally wear on a second or third date. I'm sure I would want to go out and find someone to jump if it weren't so miserably hot right now. Like I said, it's not "my" kind of perfume, but I'll definitely keep the imp for special occasions. Season: Night. Any night. Rating (out of 5): 3.5

The Hesperides In the imp: Cloying, sweet, oh-my-god-my-nose-just-melted apples. Nothing else. On: At first it's the exact same as in the imp, but then the florals come out. They blend and temper the sharpness of the apples and it turns into something heavenly. After a bit: The apple has died down into the background and I can't smell it unless I'm holding my wrist to my nose. But that might be because I didn't put very much on. It smells exactly like the descriptions says. A garden of nymphs at dawn, when the dragon isn't a threat and the golden apples are just starting to gleam in the sunlight. After 30 minutes: The apple comes back a bit and blends flawlessly with the florals. I adore it and will definitely get some use out of the imp. I'm not sure about getting a bottle just yet. I'll have to see how the lasting power and the throw change with time and perhaps a more generous application. Season: Spring, early summer. Rating (out of 5): 4.0

I adore the descriptions of the Voodoo blends, but #20 Love Oil just turned rancid on my skin. In the imp, it smells like herbal soap, which isn't fantastic, but it's not bad either. As soon as it touched my skin though, it turned on me. I hoped it would change after time, but after about thirty minutes, I couldn't stand it anymore and had to wash it off (and it took three washings). Very disappointing. I think I'll try it once more just in case before sending it off to the swap pile.

51 First Sniff: Honeydew and perhaps a bit of grassiness. Initial Reaction: Commercial perfume, but with a slightly sweeter base. It's nice. Drydown: It's still a little sweet, but more green and slightly sharp. The commercial perfuminess has all but completely gone away. It stays VERY close to my skin and completely softens up, despite the sharp note. After 15 Minutes: Okay, I can now smell a little bit of the musk. I still can't smell much of anything unless I put my nose to my wrist, but it's very lovely. After Time: It turns slightly powdery, and the sharpness turns sour. It ends up smelling rather old-lady-ish and clinical. Overall: It's nice for about an hour, but the throw is rather poor and after time it completely turns on me. Oh, well. Into the swap pile! The lasting power is amazing, though (14+ hours). If only I liked it... Season: Spring Rating (out of 5): 2

DEE First Sniff: Soft and slightly sweet. Woody and complex. Initial Reaction: The rosewood, tonka and incense blend nicely on a background of leather. It's soft and wise, like a really well-stocked and classy library. It's sweetly woodsy. After 15 Minutes: It's peppery and slightly sweet from the tonka and rosewood. It mellows out a little from directly out of the imp. After Time: The throw isn't amazing, but it's not bad either. It still smells fantastic, though. The rosewood is the predominant scent after about an hour, leaving it slightly sweeter than before and... do I smell the parchment? I just might. The leather is completely gone, which makes it much a bit lighter, but still vaguely reminiscent of a woody molasses. Overall: I have to go around the world and when I find a place that smells exactly like this, I will know I have found the best library in the world (excepting, of course, the Beast's library from Beauty and the Beast). It brings to mind old manuscripts, mahogany bookcases, white marble floors with beautiful rugs and falling asleep over an excellent book in front of a fire. I want to LIVE in this scent. And my bottle is in the mail! Season: Autumn, definitely. Possibly a snowy night in winter. Rating (out of 5): 5!