Sheila

Oh. Yum. This is like Lush's Skinny Dip but less intensely clove. At first, violets and spices--that's the clove. As it wears, it becomes deeper, sexier, spicier--but always that soft floral note in the background. Onto my big-bottle list it goes!

Definitely a poisonous scent! What I mean by that: there are two parts to this scent. One part is soft florals--lilies definitely, maybe carnation, and other wistful, gentle flowers. The second part is sharp and spicy--it almost stings my nose. This part is dark and frightening--very poisonous. Both these scents combine in Beatrice. It's very complex and quite fascinating. ETA: And the bottle is fabulous!

This was a giftimp in my most recent order. Thanks, lab! I see why this is such a favorite. On me, it's mostly melon, with a soft, gentle floral scent in the background. This is cool and soft. Lovely!

At first: wow, Romany incense! Very strong incense. After a couple hours: ahh, there's a touch of bergamot and neroli. Yum. This is now spicy and sweet, with the incense in the background. Later: this is very soft and sensual--heavy-lidded indeed. I really like this at the drydown stage. Sometimes the incense perfumes are too much for me, but this one has a softness that I really like. A keeper.

At first: strong, powdery, sweet violets. Yum--I love violets! After an hour or so: oh dear, there's the jasmine. It's still a bit powdery and very faint. After several hours: sweet vanilla. Unfortunately I have to really stick my nose on my skin and inhale strongly to smell anything. This is very pretty, sophisticated, and feminine, but not quite "me." I think I'll swap it to someone who loves it.

What a lovely question. Darkness or Haunted, for me.

An olfactory serenede. A somber, contemplative scent -- dreamy and subdued. Deepest violet touched with lilac and tuberose. This was a giftimp from the lab--thanks so much! This is a sweet, soft floral--I get mostly violet with a touch of lilac. I really like it, but it fades quickly.

At first, strong cinnamon--in fact, it smells just like those red cinnamon bears candy for the first hour or so! Then the cinnamon mellows, and I'm left with a spicy, sweet scent--very warm and deep. Like spiced chai tea or a spicy Christmas cake. Yum! ETA: I just realized what this reminds me of: Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea. The perfume has a bit more cinnamon, but otherwise they're almost identical.

At first, strong sandalwood, which goes a bit powdery on me. Then the jasmine takes over. This is nice--very pretty and sophisticated. I wish I got more vanilla/other florals, though.

Oberon and Alice.

Jezebel. It's all orange blossom and honey--thick and sweet and powdery.

Hi Widget: you might want to peruse this post; page two especially has some recommendations. Good luck!

This was a giftimp from the lab. Thanks, lab--glad I got to try this. On wet: grape kool-aid! After 15 minutes: phew, the super-sweet grape scent has dried down. The cloves are coming out now, creating a very pretty, slightly sweet, spicy blend. The grapes have settled into a dry wine scent, creating a nice base for the spicy cloves. I like this--it's a very nice scent, but not very "me." I think someone with a connection to Madrid might enjoy this more. Off to swaps.

Lilac lovers, unite! On me (and, again, like VelvetSky says, we're all different!), I got strong lime from Whitechapel for the first half hour. However, citrus of any kind doesn't last, and when it dries--pure lilac. Personally, I think you should try it, at least--it's the most lilac-heavy of the current BPALs, to me. Veil didn't work with my chemistry, but you might want to give it a try also. Les Fleurs Du Mal is a gorgeous floral--more violet than lilac on me, but quite nice. I too love lilac, and was lucky enough to snag the single note while it was still available. Dragon's Eye is too "woodsy" and dry for me, but it might work on you. I really like Bruja--but it might be hard to get hold of. I think Spectre (also discontinued, sorry) had quite a bit of lilac too. Not very helpful, am I? Good luck with your search!

Heh, you're probably going to have to sample quite a few to even begin to come close. Without a scent description, there's not much help we can give. That being said, I think Morgause is very purple in a fruity/floral way (it even has "purple fruits" in the description), and Langour is velvety dark purple in a smooth, sexy, droopy way. Good luck! edit: grammar/clarity

This was a giftimp from the lab. Thanks, lab! On wet: hello grapefruit! It fades very quickly, never to appear again. After it dries: I'm suprised how sweet this is. It's like a candied plum. I don't know what orris is, so I'm guessing that's what's making this so sweet--the bergamot and black amber are definitely in the background. A very pretty scent.

Beware of Paris if you don't like lotus. It's not just lavender. Today I'm wearing Psyche, and though it does have other florals, it's a true "herbal" lavender scent. (In fact, I find all of Beth's lavender to be quite herbal and "true," rather than perfumey.) Twilight's another lavender-heavy floral blend. Oneroi was quite jasminey, but Somnus might work for you? Good luck!

This was a giftimp in my latest order; it was also on my wish list. Thank you, lab! In the vial and on wet: ugh, strong lavender! (I'm not a huge lavendar fan.) *cough choke* After about 15 minutes, the lavender calms down a bit. Phew! Now it's a lovely, slightly powdery floral (I like powdery florals). This is very pretty--delicate, with the white musk in the background. Neither the rose nor the orchid--both of which can be very strong on me--are overwhelming this blend. It's soft, soothing, and feminine.

Oh, yum and bliss! First, this is one of my favorite poems, and I was stunned to see it captured in scent form, since I always thought it was rather obscure. My college "boyfiend" used to call me a "girl mad as birds," which at the time seemed romantic and special but now seems pretentious and possibly psychotic. (We were both English majors, and quite competitive about who could recognize the most lines of poetry. It was a messed-up relationship, not helped by the fact that we both won the same scholarship. But I digress. ) I love rose scents, and have been looking for a "dark" rose scent. Spellbound, Black Rose, and Blood Rose were all terrible on me--they smelled like "dirty rose," if that makes any sense. But this is lovely, and just what I was looking for. In the bottle, it smelled like a very expensive rose perfume. On me, it's primarily rose, but the amber and carnation give it a touch of spice and make it incensey and dark. Simply lovely--and the bottle is fabulous. Beth, thank you so much for a scent that is very personal and gorgeous.

Yes, Snake Charmer is Snake Oil lite--with added plum. It even looks like Snake Oil--dark orange, and it'll stain your skin if you don't rub it in thoroughly! On wet, I smell patchouli and musk and those unmistakable Snake Oil spices. As it dries, a soft, candied plum scent takes over. (This is not the SEX plum that's in King of Spades, or the mournful plum that's in Bathsheba--this is a gentle, sweet plum. I can't really describe it.) There's a trace of powdery amber, too. Later, the tonka/coconut takes over. This is soft, sweet, and seductive.

Not much I can add, but.... Midway smells just like my "Tutti Dolci" lotion from Bath & Body Works. The scent: Creme Brulee. YUM. I only wish it were stronger; it fades very quickly.

Miskatonic University--I don't usually like coffee scents (at least, not to wear as perfume) so I didn't get this. Then I sniffed this at the Seattle BPAL meet, and fell in love. Luckily I've managed to swap for some imps. The first scent always makes my eyes roll back. I want to drink the vial. It smells like Irish cream liqueur (Bailey's, or something). So sweet and creamy! Applied, for the first 20 minutes or so it retains this scent. Then the sweetness fades and the dusty wood and books come out, layered with strong coffee. I have no idea how Beth managed to capture this scent, but she did! My cat's fur smells dusty, and this stage reminds me of how my cat smells. Ater several hours, a bit of the sweetness comes back, and it fades into a gently sweet, dusty coffee. This is delicious throughout all its stages.

Alice--my imp is aged (several months), and it's even lovelier than when it was new. New, it had a tiny bit of "sour milk" smell that is now gone. Alice smells creamy, powdery, and slightly spicy (from the carnation). The rose is more of a hint than a main note. I love scents that turn powdery, and the carnation here adds a really unique twist. I'm getting a big bottle in my next order.

This smells just like dragon's blood and musk. DUH, huh? These are two of my favorite notes, and they both work well with my skin chemistry. At first, juicy-and-floral dragon's blood. Then, as it dries, the musk comes out. This is a deep musk, not light, and very sexy. This is a great evening scent. On me it has good staying power, too (not a surprise, since both dragon's blood and musk are fixatives). Very sexy.

Maybe more than any other BPAL I've tried, this scent is "me." It reminds me of something that I can't place (maybe the opium incense I used to burn?). Anyway, Languor is truly lovely. It's a sophisticated, deep, and sexy floral. It's smokey and velvety. Words are failing me a bit--it's indescribable. I'm ordering a big bottle today. Thank you, Beth, for making this.