dancingchair

Very rich, nutty chocolate. It actually smells like a whiskey dark chocolate truffle. The whiskey doesn't smell sharp and boozy like in a mixed drink, but rather sweet and a bit woody in the way that you would expect to find in a whiskey-flavored sweet. The hazelnut cream doesn't read as very nutty to me, but I think it's adding the deep richness to this perfume. The chocolate itself is definitely dark and bitter, which works quite well alongside the sweeter whiskey and hazelnut cream notes.

It's a very straightforward perfume, but it really nails the concept. Sometimes chocolate notes in perfume can smell artificial, but this smells like actual dark chocolate to me. I love it, it's very yummy.

I got this as a frottle from the lab(thank you, labbies!). I think it's a revisited version of Neptune?

Wet, this is a very sharp floral perfume to me. I'm terrible at picking out floral notes, unfortunately, so I'm not sure what they are. Not a huge fan of this stage, as I don't really enjoy florals very much.

As it dries it becomes more aquatic and softer. It's a very clean aquatic at this stage. The florals are still there, but it's more like flowers on a lakeshore instead of a strong floral perfume blend. Something is adding a sweetness that brings the floral and aquatic notes together nicely.

I have mixed feelings about this one. The wet stage isn't for me, but the dry stage is all right. It reminds bit of what I would imagine a wedding on a beach would smell. Sweetly floral, salty air on the breeze, and very aquatic ocean waves.

This is mostly the moss on me, and it gives the perfume a cologne vibe. It's almost a pure mossy and grassy green perfume, but I do get some of the mud notes. I don't get any woody notes, really, which I expected from the hedge and the wagon wheels.

Even though it's a bit muddy, this is a very wearable scent to me. The mud makes this a bit darker and more complex, which I like! It's not too sharp for me, which often happens when moss is involved.

On me, this lives up to its name. The cinnamon is definitely the most prominent gingerbread spice to me, but I do get ginger and clove. The fried element of this perfume is oily and a little bread-like, making the cookie smell more buttery and rich. Luckily, I don't get old fry oil from this perfume but I think that's partially because I tend to amp spices.

This was fun to sample but I don't feel the need to full-size.

This is mostly lavender on me, and it is a more herbal lavender. The lichen note is also very much like a leaf accord combined with moss notes to me. It's fresh and green, a bit soft and spongy. Moss is usually way too sharp for me, but I don't mind that as much when it's blended with lavender.

This would be an excellent camping perfume. I like it but I'm not sure I want to commit to a bottle just yet.

Wet, this is very fruity and dusty. As it dries, the other notes come forward more and I lose the dusty quality. I still get a lot of wine and fruit, but also smoke, the honeyed oat cakes, and savory fresh bread. I like the honeyed oat cake note, it's spicy and buttery with a sweet dollop of honey. The wine and fruits fade fairly quickly, unfortunately, but there are enough other notes that stick around to make it worthwhile. The wine may have been drunk already, but there are still oat cakes aplenty.

I mostly get the dusty, golden amber and balsam, but the beeswax is there trying to bind the trip together. The balsam is tangy and sour on me, which is a bit jarring compared to the thick and sweet beeswax. I think I was hoping for more resin notes, but maybe this will smooth out and get more resinous as it ages?

The lab's excellent tobacco note combined with a strong and slightly effervescent bergamot. It's juicy and citrusy while still maintaining the smooth and sweet qualities from the tobacco note. I love the tobacco note but I'm not sure the combo is for me.

Deep, dark bittersweet chocolate. The tobacco gives it a sticky feel, it's very rich and chewy with just a wisp of smoke. The cacao wood grounds everything and rounds it all out. I don't get a ton of the bourbon cream but it does add a touch of sweetness that holds back all the bitter chocolate.

I really love this one. It's a great chocolate and tobacco combo that's very yummy and cozy.

2021 version

The chocolate in this is much dustier than I anticipated. It's that yummy chocolate note that BPAL does so well, but covered in acrid dust. There is a golden amber present, as well, shining through the dusty chocolate. I don't think this really works for me, unfortunately.

2021 version

This really does smell like a freshly cut rose! There is an element of it that could veer into vinyl or chemical territory, but so far it's behaving on my skin. As it dries, the rose deepens on me, becoming even more red and lush. It's very juicy, bordering on a crisp apple scent. I also get a very green element, like the freshly cut stem. This is nice and a realistic interpretation but I don't need more than a decant.

Mostly blueberry lollipop. I do get an aquatic edge to it, maybe it's the saltiness or maybe there's some other aquatic element added, too. For whatever reason, this addition pushes this perfume from cloyingly sweet into irresistibly delicious. It's a pretty straightforward scent without a lot of longevity but I love it while it lasts!

Cinnamon buns covered with a sugary glaze and sprinkled with gingerbread spices. A very spicy gourmand that delivers on the name.

Raw, vegetal and sweetened pumpkin. It smells like a pumpkin when you're scooping out the seeds but cleaner, if that makes sense. This isn't a slimy oozing scent, it's very crisp and almost fizzy. You're not making a Jack o' Lantern, you're preparing a pie or a soup with this pumpkin. The honey is present, but it's very light and only appears to sweeten up the pumpkin. I was envisioning a powdery sort of honey, but this is more akin to the honey that you can get in one of those bears. I don't get a ton of cinnamon, but it is present.

I think I was envisioning the filthier version of this scent, the version that smells like a seedy, stringy pumpkin that was sitting on the curb at the store for a couple of weeks before you got to it and now it's all smothered in dark, oozing honey that tends to go powdery on me. This isn't really to my tastes, but if you want a lighter pumpkin then this might be for you!

Wet, this is a very yummy raspberry tangerine jam. As it dries, the amber fog rolls in and swallows up the fruit notes. It's mostly a creamy, smooth amber on me. I get a faint hint of the fruit notes, but it's mostly about the amber. This might be nice when I'm in the mood for fruity perfumes but not something super strong or sugary.

This is very well-blended, it's hard to pick out any individual note unless you know what you're looking for. The florals, citrus, and sugar plum combine to make a sugary sweet flourmand. It's a juicy and purple floral candy, basically.

Sugar Plum Snake Oil has spicy, musky notes that hold back the super sweet sugar plum, but Villain embraces the sweetness and amps it up. I was trying to think which villain this would be and I think it's Yzma transformed into a kitten in The Emperor's New Groove.

Plummy, but definitely sugar plum. It's so very sweet! I mostly get the achingly sweet sugar plum note. Underneath that, I smell Snake Oil. The vanilla from Snake Oil fluffs out the sugar plum note, moving it away from being pure candy. All of the musks and incense that come from Snake Oil are also there, adding intrigue and complexity. I like this and I'm interested to see how it ages!

2021 version
 

Sweet, powdery hot chocolate cut with a shot of bitter coffee, finished with a big dollop of whipped cream on top dusted with cinnamon. This is so rich and delicious-smelling, but I think it's the most wearable hot chocolate perfume I've tried. Other hot chocolate perfumes have been sickeningly sweet and rich but this doesn't go that far to me. Very yummy!

Oddly enough, I get more of the haunted parts of this perfume rather than the mill parts. There's a thick haze of smoky opium fog enshrouding this mill, which does also have a tar-like sharpness to it. I get a worn brown leather note very prominently, much more than a quiver. The oak and oud are both in the background, hidden somewhere under the opium. I'm not sure that I can pick out the patchouli, but I think it might be adding an incense-like quality to the opium.

If you like opium and leather, this is the perfume for you! I thought this perfume would be primarily wood with a hint of leather and opium, but I do like what I got instead.

The first minute of this is a journey. The saffron is particularly strong and dry during this stage, and I also get competing whiffs of a toothsome caramelized pecan brittle. As it dries, it settles into a well-blended delicious spicy gingerbread. The saffron contributes a bit of smokiness and dryness that offsets the traditional gingerbread spices wonderfully. This is where the bite comes from. The coconut bark adds a creamy body and woodiness to the Gingerbread Dog. I love coconut so I can't really say whether or not it would go suntan lotion on someone. Sugared pecan turns this into a sweet gingerbread puppy, even if it's still a bit rowdy.

Most gingerbread scents are too "nice" to smell like real gingerbread to me, but that is not the case here. This is a cute little gingerbread dog that has a naughty streak and I'm here for it.

A very pretty amber and honey blend. I was worried that this would be too smoky for me, but the fire note is only the faintest bit smoky. I also get a bit of beeswax, like there are beeswax candles present. It's straightforward, but a solid perfume if you like honey!

I was really nervous about this one based on the notes, but I managed to hunt down a decant. I'm very glad I did because Bridge Trolls is so unique and gorgeous!
 

Wet, I get a lot of basil and pine. It's very green and herbal at this stage. As it dries, the scorched cumin and smoked clove start to make an appearance, like ominous misty smoke curling from under the bridge. But then the Dorian appears and everything becomes brighter and sweeter. Dorian's sweet vanilla balances out the herbal, smoky notes of Troll so perfectly. Lurking beneath it all is a pillowy cloud of lavender that is gentle and floral.

I really love this. The herbal smokiness gives me the impression of incense without the usual sharp florals that pair with incense notes. I could see this being someone's signature scent because it's very unique and complex.

Wet, the labdanum is prominent and very fizzy. I'm not a big fan of effervescent perfumes (for some reason they make me queasy?) so this stage made me a bit nervous. As it dries, the honey, vanilla, tobacco, and cuddly puppy musk come out more. The labdanum is still fizzing away but it isn't stealing the show anymore. The honey and tobacco pair together beautifully, it's a lace tobacco but sticky sweet like honeyed shisha.

I really like this! I don't think the labdanum is strong enough to put me off of this, thankfully, and I love how the rest of the notes come together. It's very sweet and comforting. 

Wet, it's mostly astringent herbal lavender. Dry, all the other notes come out and they are stunning! The lavender calms down into something cuddly and sweet. The base is a really lovely vanilla blend. It's creamy and sweet, made caramelized by the tobacco note. The smoke is subtle on me and I can't really tell it's there unless I'm looking for it. The cognac adds a little bite but it's not boozy. It all comes together to make a delicately sweet and complex lavender blend. I really love this! 

I love lilacs, but usually lilac in perfume is far too sharp for me. This is a pleasant exception! I think the lilac is perfectly balanced by the lime and citron. The white musk rounds everything out. A very nice lilac blend!