lady-logistikon

Frederic is wonderful. He's sea-salty without being too cool or brusque. Rather, you get your sea-salt/rum piratical--down to the floorboards of the heaving ship--plus the lovely roses and just a touch (no more!) of currant. This last doesn't read as fruit/berry at all, to me, just adds a sweet sugariness to the floral aspect. I really think this is a scent that nails the idea on which it's based. Are you/do you want to smell like a Victorian pirate? If you are thinking less Jack Sparrow, more Oscar Wilde with a cutlass, look no further--you have arrived.

For most of this oil's life on the skin, it is white-floral-forward, with the backdrop more of a sheer mesh of the darker notes than a hard/heavy presence. It's not as powerful as other white florals I've tried, but it's definitely still a floral-lover's oil. If you're worried this will be too dark because of the other notes, though, it won't be. Even on the drydown, the myrrh/ink just serve to sort of... preserve the flower in question, give it a sturdy metaphorical book in which to be pressed. (Actual book smell not included.) In this end-stage, there's a memory of the flower, and a sense of good times past.

This is like if Uncle Brian (the oil, not the human) grew up and joined the leather community. And that is not a bad thing.

Of all the red musk oils I've tried from BPAL, this is my most favorite blend. It's light--still musky, of course, but not so dry (raspy?) or heavy as other iterations. This scent actually reminds me strongly of a perfume gifted to me by an aunt when I was eight or so. It came in a vial shaped like a heart, and my aunt told me it was a patchouli, like she wore. Fitting that this memory would come up, as I know porcelain as a note comes up in things like Young Edith's Bedroom. There's a definite youth to this, swirled in with the sensuality. I get the bourbon vanilla, but not AS bourbon vanilla. If I didn't know that was what it was, I'd never guess. For brief flashes I recognize bergamot, but on the whole this is a perfume that is greater than the sum of its parts. It's sexy, but it's not weighted down. It doesn't feel dark and gritty. Neither does it feel overly innocent, or blushing. It's... pure like art is pure: not naive so much as... intentional. Sincere. Passionately focused. Mm.

I hesitated on Chocolate Musk because I was afraid it would smell "dirty." Not dirty-like-stinky, but dirty-like-dirt. Ultimately I doubled back because it sounded like one of those scents where I'd regret never knowing. I am SO GLAD I did. This is NOT dirty. It's not sweaty, either. It's not that kind of musk. It is... warm. Gooey. Sexy, sophisticated musk plus wholly melted chocolate. I wouldn't pass this up. I agree that it's back-up worthy.