crow-toes

I really do like BPAL’s cocoa scent - it’s rich and earthy without being sweet. It layers so warmly and naturally with the incense and leather. The faintest hints of florals add an extra note of intrigue, so different and yet fitting to the blend. I don’t know if it’s my type of sexy just yet, but it is seductive for sure.

Very woodsy! Deep forest pine, murky woods, a touch of the spice of juniper. I'm not getting much moss, leather, or musk while wet. Once it’s dry, the suede and musk really do come out and bring a nice rounded warmth to the scent. It morphs more than I was expecting - I wish the intense pine stuck around a bit more dominantly on my skin.

The berry scents in this are delightful - juicy without being cloyingly sweet. The musky undertones are a lovely addition that really round things out once it dries down. For something so fruity, this works remarkably well on my skin. I don’t think this will ever be a full bottle for me, but I’ll definitely be reaching for the imp again. A later edit: I keep coming back and lingering over the scent. A smokey blackberry sage tea… I think it’s really growing on me. This might warrant more than an imp.

This one's a no-go for me. Eucalyptus is turning out to be one of those notes that I just can’t wear - all I can smell is cough drops.

This goes very one-note on my skin - I’m basically only getting the very sweet blood orange. Definitely a bummer, since without the incense to make it smokier and earthier this one’s just too fruity for my tastes.

Irish coffee, mostly dominated by the brown sugar and whipped cream. The coffee is very much in the background, and I’m not picking up the dusty tomes. Incredibly sweet to my nose - not one I think I'll be wearing much.

Oh my god, I love this. Delicious warm blended spices. Not sweet - just rich and cozy and decadent.

Pineapple rum cake, maybe? Lots of caramelized sugar scent, a dash of something boozey, and a faint whiff of pineapple. Very definitely smells of dessert - not my style, but an interesting combination.

Very fresh and clean, mild, and low throw. Comes across as a fancy but fairly neutral soap. Herby and slightly floral, very very minimal on the citrus. no individual notes are standing out. I'm unfortunately not getting any noticeable fig or ginger on my skin. Overall on me it’s… nice? Entirely inoffensive. But a bit boring and soapy for my tastes.

Wet: Wow, spicy, resinous, and intensely cocoa - nothing sweet, just smoky and earthy. It’s invigorating and complex. Dry: This scent smooths out a lot. It’s still spicy, but the cocoa is much more understated. Resinous, rounded, and balanced - but not as unique as its wet scent. Overall, I’m not sure I’ll often find myself in a mood to wear this, but it is a fascinating experience.

Musky with a touch of vanilla and honey. Not particularly complex, but pleasant and cozy. Fits in a similar sort of mood for me as Dee and Jezebel, but doesn't have some of the depth I love in those. Good for layering, but not a standalone for me.

Sweet and orangey. A very fresh scent, but not one I like for myself - too tropical.

This one goes way too sickly sweet on my skin for me. Makes me think of Yankee candle shop? I'm picking up vanilla cupcake with pine and fake cinnamon, maybe. This imp is headed for the pile to share with my sister - sweet doesn't seem to do such strange things on her!

This is the sweetest incense- and resin-based scent I’ve come across. From looking at some of the other reviews, I suspect it’s the dragon’s blood? It’s a lot fruitier than I was expecting from the description, almost as if there’s some pineapple or other tropical fruit in the mix. I’m not getting the balsam coming out on my skin, and am finding myself wishing for more wood and smoke. Overall, it’s a nice scent, but not going to be my go-to for moody incense - and dragon’s blood might be getting some hesitation from me in the future.

I was a little hesitant about the marzipan notes in this, since I suspected it would be too overwhelmingly foody for me. I could definitely pick up the myrrh in the vial, though, so I was hopeful about how it might wear on my skin. Unfortunately, it got washed off early without me even picking up on either those notes. Something about this really doesn't work on my skin - it goes sour with a touch of cherry cough drops.

No issues with oudh here! Lucky for me, since this was a blind buy of the full bottle. The inscense is very smoky, with leather and earthiness lingering underneath. To me, it invokes that little smirking smile Crowley gives in the show when handing over the book bag in the bombed church. I’m definitely a fan of this one.

I didn't have the BPAL scent notes nearby when I was trying this out, and absolutely no memory of them (this definitely isn't an imp I picked out for myself - got to love samples for pushing my boundaries!). My scribbles reflect being incredibly baffled by what I was experiencing. To quote myself exactly: "Andes mints? With some bit of warm spice behind it? Maybe a touch of eucalyptus? Idk man, not for me." So, most definitely some chocolate, peppermint, and something more chemical. Maybe it's that cedar, or maybe the oakmoss? Either way, I'm now glad to see I was neither going crazy with what I was picking up from the blend, nor was my skin chemistry doing something really out of left field.

Oats and honey. Simple, cozy, and sweet. I feel like I smell like a delicious breakfast with this one. Not super “me” (too foody!), but I think I’ll reach for the imp occasionally.

Gorgeously cozy, with its heaviest notes bringing in warmth and all of the honey. I just want to bask in the scent of this one. Perfect vibes for curling up with a blanket, books, and a cup of tea.

I was feeling like I was taking a huge risk on a blind buy with a bunch of untried notes. Ozone and rain? I had no idea what to expect. Glad I gave it a go, though! Moody, cold, ozone (yes, definitely ozone now that it hits my nose!) bringing threat of lightning, absolutely like a dark storm gathering in the distance - with a hesitant earthy base, like potting soil and concrete that hasn’t yet been touched by the rain. This is fascinating, very different from what I'm used to, and is going to be fantastic when the mood (and weather) is right.

This is the scent that really rejuvenated my interest in perfumes and guided me toward finding blends that really work for me. My first bottle bought after testing an imp in years, and after more exploring it still fits like a glove. Warm new leather, vanilla, a hint of whiskey and incense. Incredibly cozy.

A blind buy of a bottle that I am incredibly happy with. Wet: heavily smokey with citrus rind - the finishing touch on an Old Fashioned in a low-lit speakeasy. Dry: Smooths down to a deliciously sultry and balanced blend - smokey wood with warm leather and vanilla. Leaves me thinking of well-worn armchair in a bookshop, with a lingering memory of that citrus garnish.

A hard no for me - had to wash this one off before terribly long. Aggressively soapy on my skin, with a weird bite, and maybe a hint of scorched urine? I get none of the floaty florals on my skin that I was excited about from the vial.

A solid 3/5 stars from me. Warm and pleasant, very reminiscent of Terry’s chocolate orange. It smells good and doesn’t do anything funky and unexpected on my skin, but just isn’t a “me” scent.

Cucumber? That's what my brain immediately jumped to with this scent - was there a cucumber melon or something along those lines at Bath and Body Works back in the aughts? It's a bizarre scent memory I haven't touched on in a long time, whatever it's calling up. Very herby and bright. Not a hit for me.