Penance

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. First sniff: This, to me, smells like Satyr with myrrh added. It's got that strong, sharp animal sex musk note that's bordering on cat pee, but with a resiny sweetness in the background. I doubt that this will work for me due to my body chemistry's decidedly unpleasant reaction to the darker musks, but it's worth a shot. Wet on skin: The cat pee note that was skirting around in the background is gone now, leaving a sharp, almost bitter musk note layered over a soft background of myrrh. I can't smell the vetiver and wouldn't know mullein if it bit me on the ass, so I can't say whether it's putting in an appearance or not. This is a lot less aggressive smelling than I expected it to be, actually. Dry down: This isn't anywhere near as overpoweringly animalistic as Satyr was, which makes me very happy because Satyr was a disaster on me, but I'm not sure it's enough to save Czernobog for me. It's settled down into a soft animal musk with a hint of sharpness and the tiniest hint of myrrh in the background. The bottom line: Czernobog isn't a bad scent, but it's decidedly not me, unfortunately.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: Baobhan Sith is one of those scents that I never paid much attention to because I'm normally looking for the earthy, woodsy or resin scents, but it actually sounds beautiful although I'm not sure how well apple blossom is going to work on me. I really like grapefruit and ginger and tea of all kinds, though, so this may very well work for me. First sniff: Mmm, grapefruit! This smells like white grapefruit to me. It's very tart and tangy and sharp, which is just the way I like it. I can barely smell a bit of ginger and a hint of apple blossoms (a scent I know well from a whole childhood spent climbing apple trees). So far, I love this. It's the kind of scent that really speaks to me even though it's not my normal kind of scent. Wet on skin: Grapefruit is still the dominant note, but the white tea is coming out now, too, and mixing with the grapefruit and ginger. There's also a faint note of soft apple blossoms in the background. This smells white to me, but white like blinding sunshine on fresh-fallen snow, not creamy white. Sharp white. It's not a wallflower scent, but it's not too bold, either. Dry down: Grapefruit remains the dominant note, but everything else is putting in an appearance, too. This is a cool scent, like those winter mornings where there's six inches of snow on the ground but it's still warm enough to go outside without a jacket. I actually really like this one a lot! It's not my usual earthy or resin kind of scent, but it's gorgeous all the same. The bottom line: I really like this! My imp has a defective lid, so I'm going to get at least another imp in the near future.

Preconceived notions: This sounds gorgeous, but I'm worried about the lemon people have been mentioning. Lemon as a fragrance isn't one of my favorite things in the world, so I'm hoping it doesn't pop up in Dorian. First sniff: Oh, my...beautiful is the only word to describe this. This is somewhat like what I expected from White Rabbit - strong, sweet tea, but with a slight musk to it that goes surprisingly well with the tea note. So far, I love this! Wet on skin: Mmm, pale, pale musk and vanilla with that soft tea note I was craving when I ordered White Rabbit. I'm also getting a bit of the lemon other people have mentioned but, strangely, it's not bothering me. This is gorgeous, no doubt about it. I can definitely see myself wearing this very often. Dry down: The lemon has all but disappeared, leaving a gorgeous vanilla and tea scent with a hint of the light musk I always end up loving. I had a feeling I'd like this, but I didn't think I'd like it this much. The bottom line: Even though I'm flat broke, I'm going to be requiring a bottle of this in short order, probably a 10mL. This is such a perfect scent for its namesake; absolutely dead-on in my book!

Origin: I was gifted with an imp of this by Kells. First sniff: Oh wow, I can see why so many people love Dragon's Milk. It's gorgeous! It's sweet and honey-like but with a very distinct dragon's blood note. In some ways it's a second cousin to Block Buster (they're both spicy honey scents) but this is definitely unique at the same time. I don't normally wear sweet scents, but this is gorgeous. I may have found a new favorite BPAL Dragon scent. Wet on skin: Very strong on the vanilla when it's wet. The vanilla actually overpowers everything else to the point that it's almost all I can smell. That's not a bad thing, really, but I would prefer more dragon's blood to go along with it. Dry down: I don't know what happened, but Dragon's Milk smells like...well, like milk with a hint of dragon's blood now. Honestly, I don't think I want to smell like milk. Aha! Just when I was about to give up and wash this off Dragon's Milk rallied and turned back into the sweet vanilla, honey and dragon's blood scent I originally smelled in the imp. After that point, the dragon's blood steadily strengthens over the next half an hour or so, coming out beautifully. The bottom line: Dragon's Milk goes through some rowing pains on me, but the final result is gorgeous.

Origin: I got an imp of this from ChupaChup. Preconceived notions: I didn't originally order this because I'm not big on foody scents, but Spark (I believe) mentioned it smelling like Villainess' Gingernsnapped smooch and someone else said it smelled like snickerdoodles, so I had to give it a shot. First sniff: Well, I'll be...Spark was right! This does smell quite similar to Gingersnapped (the smooch, not the soap) to me! This does bear more of a resemblance to snickerdoodles than sugar cookies, but it's still not quite dead-on snickerdoodle, either. It's more like cinamon sugar and maybe some ginger that it is a cookie for me, but I still like it. Wet on skin: Same as in the imp, really. This smells a tiny bit more like snickerdoodles now, which is perfectly fine by me because I do like the way they smell (and taste). This, for me, is actually more similar to Villainess' Gingersnapped than Gingerbread Poppet was, which is odd, but fine by me. Dry down: I'm craving snickerdoodles something terrible now. I don't normally get food cravings from perfume because I don't normally wear foody scents, so this is all new territory for me. Sugar Cookie on me is really far more like Snickerdoodle. There's a heavy cinnamon sugar note here that swings the balance away from it being a true (in my opinion) sugar cookie scent. That's alright, though, because I prefer snickerdoodles to sugar cookies any day of the week. The bottom line: This definitely won't be an everyday scent for me since I'm not normally a foody scent kind of girl, but I really like it all the same.

Preconceived notions: Oh man, I just read the description at the top of this thread which I hadn't seen before because it wasn't on the site and it mentioned almond. Almond is very bad news for me, but because everything else about this sounds right up my alley, I'll risk making myself sick. First sniff: I don't trust my nose right now, to tell the truth. Just the suggestion of there being almond in this is enough to make me think I'm smelling it, so I'm going to assume I'm hallucinating and ignore it. Apart from my hallucination of almonds, I smell patchouli and pine and wet, loamy dirt. This is a very sharp forest kind of scent, with the same edge that Loup Garou and Black Forest had. Wet on skin: I wish I could tell if I was imagining the almond or not. I'm almost positive I am because I don't feel nauseous even though I've had my nose right up to my wrist for the last 30 seconds or so, but it would be nice to know all the same. Ace of Pentacles smells like the forest to me in a very realistic way. None of the notes are overpowering or artificial in the slightest and it's very comforting smelling and peaceful. Dry down: I'm not as wowed with this as I was with Death, but it's certainly a very nice woodsy forest scent all the same. For some reason, Ace of Pentacles fades extremely quickly on me, unlike Death which lasted literally all day, but I don't really mind reapplying. The almond note (be it real or imagined) has disappeared and left a soft, generic earthy forest kind of scent that's quite nice. The bottom line: While I'm not as wowed with this as I was with Death, I still got a bottle anyway. I have a feeling once I have time to forget the mention of almonds I'll be more receptive to it.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. Preconceived notions: I've actually been debating trying this one for quite a while but couldn't decide if I should order it or not, so I'm lookin forward to trying it. First sniff: Ooh, I like this! I'm not quite sure how to describe it. Green comes to mind, as does dandelion stems, incense and early morning mist and it's somehow a combination of all of those things for me. It's definitely very green, but green like the smell when you walk outside into the grass very early in the morning when the ground is wet with dew and there's a fog hanging in the air. It's also somehow like a very light incense smoke and I can only catch that portion fleetingly. Wet on skin: Gorgeous! I smell gorgeous green grass and morning dew. This is exactly like when I went to summer camp and we would wake up with the sunrise and take early morning walks through the meadows on the edges of the woods. This is very light on me and seems to be fading already but it's so calming and tranquil and happy smelling. Very light and unoffensive. Dry down: Empyreal Mist changes character ever so slightly as it dries, becoming more like...well, like the way grass blades taste when you chew them if that makes sense. That same elusive faint smoky scent also make a comeback but I still can't pin it down. It's familiar, but I don't know what it is. Mist is the perfect word for this scent. Empyreal Mist is a morning hike through dew-covered grasses with the morning chill raising goosebumps on your arms. The bottom line: The Lab outdid themselves with the lagniappe in this order. I may very well be getting a bottle of this in the very near future even though this fades extremely fast on me.

Too funny! The only one's I've given my mom have been easy to pronounce: Formula 54 and Old London. Knowing her, she'd have a horrible time with anything even remotely unfamiliar. When she was little, she saw a doll in a catalogue with "real humm-in hair". We still make fun of her about that one.

Preconceived notions: The Death card has always been my favorite Tarot card because of the meaning behind it, so for that reason alone I had to try this, but, reading the reviews, this sounds perfect for me and I'm very eager to try this. First sniff: To me, this smells like a cross between Capricorn and Brimstone. It's earthy but with an underlying grittiness and a slight hint of what smells like vetiver in the background. This is so perfect for me. I can't believe I waited this long to try it! Wet on skin: Death is a very close cousin of Capricorn's on me. Its earthy and wet smelling, like the forest floor after a thunderstorm. It's also got a hint of that decomposing leaves smell that I associate with vetiver. This scent definitely wouldn't be for everyone, but for me it's absolutely perfect. Dry down: As it dries, Death lightens up considerably. It's less oppressive smelling now somehow. If Death in its wet stage is like being buried under several feet of wet, loamy soil and decomposing leaves, Death in its dry stage is like standing next to that grave and smelling the soil and grass and sunshine. It's particularly appropriate for this scent as it seems almost a rebirth, going from the wet earthiness of the grave back to the world of the living above ground. Death is much less heavy and oppresive smelling once it dries, but each stage is absolutely gorgeous in its own way. The bottom line: It's like Death was created just for me. This is so perfect for me that it's not eve funny. I literally ordered a 10mL of this minutes after trying it in spite of my dire financial straits, I loved it so much. This is absolute, head-over-heels love for me. ETA: I get different results every time I wear Death. Sometimes it's ashy and smoky and gritty and sometimes it's earthy and then changes to a clean grass and dirt kind of smell as it dries. I'm not entirely sure it's skin chemistry, although that would be the obvious answer to the question of why it does that...I prefer to think that it's just another sign of how it symbolizes change. Don't correct me. I like living in my BPAL fantasy world.

Right now I, personally, am leaning toward either Snow White or Anne Bonny for my wedding, depending on if I want to play the part of the princess to go with my dress or if I want to be my usual stinky hippie/pirate self. Congrats to everyone else who's getting hitched! :D

Origin: I got an imp of this from QuantumSpice. Preconceived notions: I'll be the first to admit I don't care for roses but mention the words "limited edition" and I'll try damn near anything. First sniff: Rose Red's another contender (and most likely the winner) for the weirdest unexpected reaction/association award! Honest to God, I don't smell roses. I smell starfruit of all things! Slighly unripe starfruit to be exact. Anyone who's ever eaten it knows that it has a very unique smell to it and maybe my nose is busted, but I smell fresh-cut, not-quite-ripe starfruit instead of roses and it's wonderful! Wet on skin: I'm still mainly getting starfruit (weird, huh?) but it's mixed with that almost green scent you get when you smell unopened roses fresh out of the florist's fridge. This is nothing like the super floral powdery rose I normally hate. This is downright beautiful! Dry down: Now Rose Red is all unopened rosebuds and I have to admit it's gorgeous. I never thought I would say I even liked a rose scent, let alone loved one, but I stand corrected. This is so pristine and flawless and gorgeous that I'm absolutely amazed, completely and utterly. The bottom line: I never expected to like Rose Red and I don't...I love it and I'm ready to worship Beth as some sort of demi-goddess (as if I didn't already) for being the one person in the world who could make me love a rose scent. For some reason, it starts out smelling like starfruit (I know, I don't get it either) and ends up smelling like a tightly closed rosebud fresh out of cold storage. I've finally found a rose scent that I love the smell of!

Preconceived notions: I actually ordered an imp of Ulalume in my first order but swapped it without actually trying it because it smelled too aquatic and floral for me in bottle. But now I've got another imp and I'm going to give it a second chance...or a first chance, technically, since I never tried it on the first time. First sniff: Very aquatic smelling but with a slightly musty undertone that has to be the leaves and cypress. I love woodsy scents, but aquatics are hit or miss and tend to give me hives, so I don't know if this will work for me or not. Wet on skin: The cypress is stronger now that Ulalume is on me instead of in the imp and I can also smell the oak and leaves clearly now, too. The aquatic note is still lingering in the background, buit it's much more subtle now. I'm not quite sure if I like this or not, to tell the truth, but I'll make a decision once and for all once it's dry. Dry down: The lily is coming out in full-force now that Ulalume is dry. Unfortunately, I don't like lily (or florals in general for that matter). This is still quite strong on the cypress, but it's not enough to save this scent for me, I don't think. I'm also getting a pretty nasty case of hives where I applied the oil, so even if I did like this, I don't think it would get enough wear to warrant keeping it. The bottom line: Ulalume is a nice enough scent, but it's definitely not for me. I'll be getting rid of this one.

First sniff: Mmm, I like this! Eidolon is crisp and herbal but at the same time warm and woody and slightly citrusy. This is very clean smelling and I'm sure it would be lovely on a man, too. Wet on skin: I love how the notes in this all come to the surface one at a time and then move aside for the next note in line. I get disconnected snatches of cedar, sage and bergamot, but they never seem to all be present at the same time. This is very fresh and clean smelling but warm enough to be inviting at the same time. Dry down: Once Eidolon dries, the notes seem to finally merge and I get sage and bergamot and a hint of cedar. This smells like an herb garden complete with a cedar trellace and I really like it. This would smell equally good on a man as it would on a woman, I think. The bottom line: Light and clean and airy like an herb garden on a spring morning. It's a shame this is discontinued - I like it a lot.

First sniff: Well, I've worn Dragon's Bone many times and never reviewed it, so I don't think "first sniff" is technically accurate...it's more like "first breath after opening the vial" in this case. That being said: dragon's blood and a very light white sandalwood note. Dragon's Bone is both dry and dusty and rich and spicy right out of the imp and I love it. Wet on skin: Basically the same as in the imp. Dragon's Bone is a very stable scent on me; it doesn't deviate much from the "fresh out of the imp" smell. The dragon's blood is the most prominent note here, but the sandalwood dries it some and makes it thinner somehow. Dry down: Dragon's blood, white sandalwood and a hint of light wood in the background. Dragon's Bone is my favorite of all the Ars Draconis scents I've tried so far. It's got both the dragon's blood and sandalwood notes I love and the result is wonderfully spicy and dry at the same time. The bottom line: My favorite BPAL Dragon scent yet. I love the dragon's blood/sandalwood combination.

Preconceived notions: I've tried Scherezade before, but only as a spot test to make sure I wouldn't suffer a nasty allergic reaction from it (I'm allergic to saffron in food, but apparently not in perfume, strangely enough) and I remember this smelling like Morocco (the place, not the scent) and really liking it from what I could smell of it, so I'm hoping it still works for me. First sniff: Mmm, this is just how I remember it being - musky but with a definite undertone of saffron and spices. This conjures up memories of my trip tp Spain and Morocco and that's a very good thing, in spite of the memories of the nasty surprise of being allergic to saffron in food. Wet on skin: The spices come out more once Scherezade is on my skin, but the musk still dominates. It's a very sensual, musky musk, not a sharp musk...very sexual and alluring without being too animalistic. The saffron gives Scherezade a nice strong yellow background note and lightens the blend a little. This feels very Mediterranean to me, for some reason. Dry down: All the notes in Scherezade have merged together and it's much softer and more subdued now. It still has wonderful throw, so it doesn't fade into the background by any means. Dry, Scherezade is all soft gold and cranberry red with a decidedly languid, harem girl kind of feel to it. I really like this. The bottom line: Sexy and alluring and very Mediterranean feeling for me. I love this one!

Preconceived notions: I had to try this one if only for the name even though floral blends generally end up being disasters for me, plus it has pepper in it, which I'm learnign that I really like. First sniff: Oh, this is much more promising than I'd imagined it would be. I don't get any florals right out of the imp, just dry, dusty wood, pepper and a bit of musk with a faint touch of mandarin to sweeten it slightly. If this stays like this, I'm going to love Grandmother of Ghosts. Wet on skin: Still no florals (hurrah!), just soft wood notes, pepper and a hint of mandarin. I really like this one. It's spicy and dry and very slightly fruity all at the same time and it really appeals to me. It's definitely unisex an it's perfect for a girl like me who prefers gender neutral or masculine scents, but at the same time it's definitely feminine enough for a girlier girl. Dry down: I'm definitely getting a bottle of this, no question about it. I never dreamed I'd like this enough to even finish the imp, but it's turned out that I love it. The main note on me now that it's dry is pepper with some wood and musk and a tiny hint of mandarin. The bottom line: The main question now is whether a 5mL will last me or whether I should get a 10mL. I love Grandmother of Ghosts. It's absolutely perfect for me!

Origin: I got an imp of this from Malanna. First sniff: Dissipation is another complicated scent, at least for me. On the first sniff, I get ivy, something bitter that I'm assuming is the wormwood and a hint of sassafras, which happens to be my one foody smell weakness. So far I like this a lot! Wet on skin: Ivy is the most prominent note here, but I also smell a little bit of poppy and sassafras. Mainly it's a soft green, slightly soapy scent that brings to mind images of creeping ivy and scratching the waxy coating off the leaves with my thumbnails. I expected this to smell a lot more like my beloved sassafras, but Dissipation still isn't a dissapointment. Dry down: Soapy green ivy and a hint of what I'm guessing must be wormwood. I really like this a lot. It's green and slightly herbal and a little bitter. This is somehow a very clean smelling scent for me in the same way that Neo-Tokyo is clean: in a green, unoffensive kind of way. The bottom line: Dissipation isn't quite what I expected, but I really like it anyway. I'm glad I got to try this one.

Preconceived notions: I had to try this even though amber normally hates my skin the majority of the time because it just sounded so gorgeous and I love Alice in Wonderland, plus I just had a great experience with Coyote in spite of the amber, so I'm somewhat hopeful The Lion will love me. First sniff: Amber and dried grass with a hint of cinnamon. This is somewhat similar to Coyote for me, but the two are definitely different. Coyote is dry and parched smelling while The Lion is warm and sun-baked smelling. The difference is subtle, but they're definitely two different creatures. I'm hoping that since Coyote worked for me, The Lion might, too, but I don't want to get my hopes up yet. Wet on skin: Soft amber and a hint of spice. So far, this is lovely, but most amber scents are until my skin chemistry gets a good hold on them. This is somehow almost creamy smelling and I actually really like it. As long as the amber behaves itself, I can see myself loving this one. Dry down: Another amber-related miracle! No sour milk response and The Lion is positively gorgoeus. It's a very soft, creamy amber on me with the tiniest hint of cinnamon lingering in the background. This is extremely faint on me when it first starts to try, but then it gathers strength and comes back shortly afterward. I have no idea why, but, on me, The Lion could be an extremely close relative of Snow White's. I'm not kidding when I say this is creamy on me and I have no idea why that is. The bottom line: I'm so glad I tried this in spite of my bad track record with amber. I'm definitely going to be needing more of this in the very near future.

I still say Bee-Pal and refer to it as The Lab online. I don't know why, but I feel weird saying Bee-Pal even though it's the only thing I really refer to The Lab as when I'm actually talking about it...it just sounds awkward to me and I have no idea why. I'm finding myself referring to just Beth half the time just because it's easier.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab. First sniff: I smell sweet florals, no herbal notes at all. I wouldn't swear on it, but I think I smell honeysuckle in here and maybe rose. Mainly, it's the soft, creamy, sweet floral I associate with honeysuckle. I actually really like honeysuckle in spite of my floral aversion, so I'm actually quite happy with the way this smells, but the most important thing is whether or not it works. Wet on skin: Now Come To Me smells like tea rose and not much else. It's the only kind of rose I can tolerate, so that's not such a bad thing. I'm curious what's actually in this blend, to tell the truth, since I'm not so sure I'm competent enough to really identify the floral notes I'm smelling. Dry down: Come To Me backfired on me, apparently. Not only did it not bring my boy running to me, but it seems to have repelled him. He won't have anything to do with me today, sexually speaking, and that's really pretty upsetting since I don't normally have a hard time getting his attention at all. Come To Me smells nice enough, like light, sweet florals and tea rose, but it's really not working for me in the worst possible way. I think I'm actually afraid to try this one again, although I may have to just to see if it was a fluke or if this really is the culprit, as weird as that seems. The bottom line: It's nice to know Come To Me worked for other people, but for me it's Leave Me Be instead.

I understand completely. Almonds make me horribly sick (i.e. I was throwing up for three days after sniffing Baron Samedi once because I didn't know there was almond in it). I've found that Beth and the other labbies are very helpful if you're wondering about a certain scent like I was with Snow White. Just ask and they'll most likely be happy to help you out.

Origin: Lagniappe from the Lab! This is actually the second time I've gotten this and I'm just now trying it. First sniff: To me, this smells like the hot mint tea I drank when I visited Morocco. It's subtle mint and a slightly sweet background that reminds me of sugarcane with a hint of something soapy lingering in the far, far back. Truth be told, I have no interest whatsoever in using this blend for voodoo purposes because I'm not the kind of person who would actually use this blend, at least not as anything other than a perfume, but I'm trying it anyway. Wet on skin: Mint tea, right on the money! I swear, this smells like freshly brewed mint tea with sugar and it's gorgeous. Dry down: What the...?! All of a sudden I get flowers with a tiny hint of the mint tea I loved in the imp. I'm horrible at picking out floral notes, but I know this, I just can't place it...rose, maybe? That doesn't sound right, but it's the closest I can come to identifying it right now. I really don't like the dry down on this one, unfortunately, but the wet stage was gorgeous. The bottom line: I can't say whether Black Cat works or not because I really don't want to try testing it's effectiveness, but I can say it's gorgeous in the imp and wet, but it loses me on the dry down.

Origin: I got an imp of this from Andrabell quite some time ago and I'm just getting around to trying it now. First sniff: Juju smells very familiar to me, but I can't place it. It smells like some sort of resin but with a sweetish, powdery note...amber, maybe? It smells like an occult store to me for some reason and that's a good thing. I can say now I won't be able to say whether this blend works because I don't have any need for either a crossing or uncrossing blend right now, but I'll review the scent itself, anyway. Wet on skin: I think that is amber I'm smelling. I wouldn't swear to it, but I'm almost positive. It's golden and powery and semi-sweet all at the same time and it's also threatening to turn into sour milk, which is normally the hallmark of amber on my skin. Dry down: If there's no amber in this, then there's something else that turns to sour milk on me because I smell like an unplugged fridge. I know it's just my bad skin chemistry doing it, too, which is frustrating an more than a little disappointing. The bottom line: I can't vouch for the efficacy of this blend, but I can say I smell amber and maybe rose in it and not much else. This is getting swapped.

First sniff: Hmm, that's either anise or fennel, I can't tell right at the moment. I really hate both of those notes, to be honest, but I'm not wearing this for the scent, so I'm going to have to try and deal with it. Wet on skin: Ugh, ugh, ugh...I think that's fennel, not anise, and it reeks. I just have an extreme intolerance to anise and fennel almost the same way I do to almonds except they don't make me sick, I just hate them. I don't know if I can tolerate wearing this blend, unfortunately. I only dabbed a tiny bit on my wrist, but I may as well have been swimming in it. Dry down: This is getting washed off. Immediately. I just can't tolerate the smell, as much as I want to find out if India Bouquet really works. The bottom line: Sadly, I can't say whether India Bouquet works because it's barely dry an I can't tolerate it anymore.

Origin: I got an imp of this from the lovely Malanna. My impressions: This is dead on. It's not the watered-down juniper you get at BBW and the like, this is the strong, bracing, almost harsh juniper I've come to know and love in Burial and several other BPAL scents. A tiny bit of this goes a long way and it has great staying power. I don't know that I would wear this on its own even though I love juniper because it's a little harsh for wearing alone, but I can definitely see myself layering this with my other BPAL and getting a lot of wear out of it. I'm constantly surprised and thrilled by the quality of BPAL's single notes and Juniper Berry is no exception.