lilyluxe

this is weird as hell but I like it. it smells like going to the mall in 2009. you've got the Bath and Bodyworks wafting at you from one side, the food court popcorn/pretzel smell threading through, and the candy shop that sells 10,000 kinds of jellybeans. I hate fruit notes in perfume, but here is just kind of adds to the bizarreness of it. I cannot stress how much this smells like a mall. I'm clutching my little Hot Topic bag as my mom leads me to the big sale going on at the Old Navy. I like it, but it's such an intense nostalgia wave that I risk descending into melancholy by wearing it. This is quite perfumey. I was expecting a weird gourmand, and while there are wafts of that it really does smell like a perfume ya know. The drydown and subsequent mellowing becomes a bit more of a traditional cotton candy musk perfume. This perfume reminds me HEAVILY of Solstice Scent's Foxcroft Fairgrounds, which is one of my all-time faves. But this one is a more childlike/whimsical variant.

It's funny to me just how wildly polarizing the reviews are of this! I got a bottle in a swap and I love it! I was a little worried this would be heavy on the leather note, but if there is any in here it is a weathered old leather. For me it is a sweet, rich hazelnut vanilla cream that is grounded by the patchouli. I LOVE it! It's not like any other BPAL patch I have tried in that it's quite smooth. Definitely there but reminds me more of a softer NAVA patchouli in that it's nearly floral. The scent itself reminds me a lot of NAVA Eternal Ankh Black but a much softer and nutty version. It's not really foody a tall though, if you are expecting something nutella-esque I don't think this goblin's sack is for you. xD

This scent is pretty deceptive in the bottle. Super strong almond on first sniff, which always scares me- it's like dipping your foot into a cold pool before wading in. xD The almond burns off really quickly and leaves behind a gentle milky scent that is boosted up by the sandalwood and other notes into being a soft delicate blend. As it wears on, the orris root really shows up for me and kind of amps, turning the scent into a creamy floral kind of thang. I quite like it- it's not powdery or sharp at all. It's a relaxing scent that lingers but doesn't stab your senses. I don't really have anything like it, but the orris is definitely reminding me of Inspecting the Lantern. It was too overpowering in that one imo, and it's a lot more delicate here. It feel quite girly and a bit foody without being a super sweet gourmand. It kind of makes a great white floral for someone like me who loves the creaminess of white florals, but hates the indolic nature of them. It lets me luxuriate in that fantasy where jasmine and gardenia don't stab my nostrils.

This is BEAUTIFUL! I have never smoked in my life (in fact I am very against it) but my childhood includes memories of my mother, all grunge and cool, smelling like incense and cigarettes. She's quit smoking now, thank goodness, but this scent really reminds me of us perusing the occult bookstore we went to all of the time, incense smoke curling in the air, and the smell of her and the edgy folks working there cloaked in cigarette smoke. I don't really think I would worry about this perfume making you smell like a smoker- it's very cool and smooth. Definitely has that grunge witch from the early 2000's vibe about it. All denim and velvet. I think it's a pretty feminine scent- sweet and mysterious. The incense smells complex and expensive- I don't detect frankincense in here. I think it might be a blend of myrrh and ambers, maybe a tiny bit of nag champa. It's very smoky- this is burning incense, not just sniffing the resins. I think there might be some dragons blood in here, but I am not sure. IMO this isn't that stinky smell that smokers tend to have cling to them- it's sweeter and I wouldn't worry about smelling stinky. I agree that it's definitely menthol cigarette smoke, which I am so glad others mentioned because I have been searching high and low for a menthol cigarette scent for a while. I don't get any pipe tobacco out of it, but it definitely is sweet. A melancholic scent, for sure. It also has great throw and power behind it!

A very pretty, sweet and creamy rose with honeyed spicy carnations. It's not a soapy or screechy rose, but one coated in heavy cream and very smooth. I am picky about roses and I love this one! I can pick out all of the notes- I think they are very balanced in thia blend.

This is wonderful! I am not a huge gourmand person at all, but am always tempted by sugar cookie scents. It really really reminds me of the cake note from Mari Lwyd, isolated and amped up with vanilla. It's got that browned smell to it. The vanilla does a bit of a plasticky thing on me, but isn't horribly distracting. Though I do sense it floating around. It's quite buttery and not too sweet! (Also, totally layer this with Alice if you've got it, as they make a wonderful combo.)

This is a very syrupy, resinous lavender. On the drydown, the lavender kind of vanishes and leaves me with an incensey mish-mash where the notes aren't super discernable. The sweetness mellows out with the drydown, but it becomes a bit bitter for me. Going to probably let it sit for a few months and revisit it. I think the resins will probably do well with some sittin'.

Most of the time sandalwood smells quite a bit like baby powder to me, so I tend to avoid it. I took a leap on this blend because I actually have very little experience with BPAL sandalwood, and I've found that notes I dislike from other houses are done well by the lab. This is a really strong scent with massive throw- it's very refined and smooth, and I think the tobacco is a nice sweet balance to the earthy/spicy sandalwood. It's a very rich, woodsy scent that I think is probably a little on the masculine side. It's very warm and almost smoky, and nothing at all baby powdery. I imagine this is what cracking open a branch of sandalwood smells like, plus a bit of fresh, leafy tobacco. The tobacco doesn't read as the chewy, vanilla-y type, but the fresher, brighter kind to me. I'd say it smells like what I'd expect some kind of handsome rugged ranger to smell like.

This is a really deep and spicy resinous scent! It actually reminds me a lot of Minotaur (one of my faves) but a less smoky, juicier version! As very rich, non-powdery resin, with a bit of fruity sweetness. Upon initial application, I was getting a sweet almond smell that dissipated pretty quickly and ended up leaving behind a fruity sweetness. I would describe this smell as what it might be like burying your face in the velvety fabric of a sorceress's cloak. Rich incense, spices, earth, and magic.

Very smooth, creamy vanilla with a little resinous frankincense kick hiding in the recesses. A little woody and a little floral. Very simple scent that is well-blended. Doesn't smell like a single note or anything, just very smooth and silky sweet without being cloying or gourmand. I think BPAL does these simpler perfumes best- it lets the notes shine without being muddled by too much going on. Definitely a cousin scent to Zorya P but richer/earthier. If you love Zorya P like I do, it's worth trying because while in the same family, I love having both and wearing both for different reasons. Sandalwood can smell like baby powder dusted cheddar goldfish crackers to me sometimes, but it's not doing that here at all. Do with that what you will. xD

I have the 2017 version and have not tried the original! I would say that this smells a lot like an airier version of the candy coating on a freshly opened pack of jordan almonds. It's quite sweet and vanilla-y! I feel like it's got quite low throw, and has that tendency to go a little plasticky on the drydown like some vanillas are apt to do. In fact, it reminds me a lot of Posset's Silver Vanilla, which also did this plasticky undertone thing fro me and is definitely in the same family. I wish there were a bit more of that cotton note, but I think Flickering Lights, Fluttering Curtains might be the superior vanilla AND fabric-y scent. Very soft and delicate, definitely evocative of lace and all that jazz. But oh my goodness, please, instead of overpaying for a bottle of this on eBay or elsewhere, just do yourself a favor and buy a bottle of Nocturne Alchemy's Moonstone. It's got a much higher throw and is a clearer, smoother vanilla than Antique Lace but is nearly IDENTICAL! Moonstone is a staple for me- I wear it all of the time, layer it with things, etc. AND, it's general catalogue over at NAVA so you don't have to worry about running out. You can even buy a giant bottle of it there. If you have a chance to grab Antique Lace at a reasonable price (Like, $35 or less) by all means, go for it, but if you find yourself loving it and lamenting how hard to find it is, just please try Moonstone. Or even Posset's Silver Vanilla if you don't have trouble with vanilla going plasticky.

This scent reminds me a ton of Flickering Lights, Fluttering Curtains sans vanilla when sniffing in the bottle. It's also a bit like Apocalypse Box but less soapy/sharp. Definitely has that "fresh sheets, warm from the dryer" smell to them. Which I can dislike if it smells too soapy or detergent-y, which isn't the case here! The frankincense definitely amps up on the skin, and the marshmallow comes out to play as well. This scent really makes me think of spring cleaning- there is a little bit of a lemon wood cleaner vibe with the frankincense. I would usually HATE that, but it's very weird how as soon as I can getting a bit too much lemon, a waft of marshmallow comes right after and soothes the ol' nostrils lol. I SWEAR I am picking up a hint of saffron, or maybe even a rose/saffron combo in there, deep within the recesses of the scent, Curious if anyone else knows what I am talking about lol. If I sniff my wrist up close, it gives me a little of that 90's hairspray smell I always pick up when rose and saffron are in a blend together. I'd say this is an excellent clean scent for those like me whole hate soapy scents. It's a very refreshing but soft, cuddly scent. Frankincense is usually too screechy for me so I tend to avoid it, but I'd say it's definitely neutered by the marshmallow! xD

2021 version! Man, I was really looking forward to this, as it has everything I love as far as notes go! I'm hoping some aging will help with it, but as it is now, it's a very powdery, almost bitter/burnt plasticky scent with a fruity baked goods undertone that makes the blend a bit sickly sweet. There is definitely smoke in there, which I think might be lending to the burnt plastic smell I am getting. When I put it on, the bitter/acrid notes really take over and the sweetness amps up. I had to scrub it off. 😭 I hope that letting it age for a while will tone down some of the icky aspects, because I do really like the good parts I am smelling in the form of the smoke and baked goods. Maybe it just needs to tone down a bit.

I was really looking forward to this one because the notes sounded divine! Unfortunately, I would have to say that this almost reads as a dead leaves single note. Which, luckily for me I don't have any other FSes with the lab's dead leaves note so I am happy to have it around, because I do like it and see myself layering it with things. I was expecting a buttery, almost gourmand vanilla and dry leaves, but honestly I can't pick up any honey or vanilla. Or perhaps, like the above poster mentioned, it does kind of smell like a shea butter lotion from somewhere like Bath and Bodyworks underlying the scent. It's definitely a bit 'perfumey' for lack of a better word. If you are expecting a gourmand, buttery scent, I think you'll probably be disappointed. Luckily I do like the perfumey, sweet dead leaves scent it is instead, though I still wish it'd been more like my expectations!

I will start off by mentioning that I suspect the bottle I got of this wasn't kept in the greatest condition, so it might have marred the scent. First of all, I was shocked to see the oil when it dropped out (I always pop a reducer cap in before I even try a perfume) in slow motion, the oil landed on my skin, and it is BLACK! I love cocoa absolute, and know it tends to do this, but this is the darkest I have ever seen! Thick and sticky, rubbing the oil in makes my skin (I am pale) stained reddish dark brown, which unfortunately is a no-go for me as I am terrified of staining my clothes. (Also makes it look like I have a skin condition!!!) This smells heavenly as it dries down, rich brown cocoa cream tamed by earthiness. Unfortunately, the scent disappears almost immediately, leaving my wrists stained for nothin'! Like I said, maybe this is because the bottle I got isn't in the best condition for its age. I would like to try this in a scent locket, as I think it's really the only practical way to wear such a dark oil. (White shirts are a hazard with this stuff!) Gosh, I wish I could find a dupe for this that would last longer. Beautiful rich cocoa and earth.