fairnymph

So a CT-obsessed person sent me a bunch of sniffies of things that were described to her as 'foody' and here is the first one I tested. DLXV - 565 In the imp: Light, bright yellow coloured oil. Heady mixed floral. A little soapy, sharp, and green. Lily of the valley, narcissus? Maybe something a bit fruity too, in the distance. Wet: Softer and sweeter on my skin, but still heavily floral. It reminds me of grandma's talcum powder a bit, though it isn't powdery. Violet, maybe. There is definitely a green note, too, maybe hyacinth or jonquil - which makes it more bearable. Dry: A bitter edge starts to emerge, which makes me really want to confirm narcissus, and suspect maybe some mimosa as well. It's going more soapy/powdery and is making my nose itch. Later: More soap and powder. Only wisteria goes so awfully soapy-powdery on me so I must suspect it. Maybe some iris or orris here too. It's fairly complex, but pretty much entirely floral. Summary: Heavy, powdery, very soapy floral bouquet. Traditional and old-fashioned. A bit sharp, a bit bitter and sort of oddly cloyingly sweet in its depths. But mostly it's heady. Lily of the valley/muguet, narcissus, violet, wisteria, and maybe some orris/iris and hyacinth. I do not think a dude could wear this. Moderate throw; will NOT wash off. Evil floral. The kind I hate. GAH.

Glorious fresh roses - ripe, almost fruity, lush and yet fresh and dewy - with just mown green grass, bitter and bright and summery, and almost an aquatic feel. Very evocative of a rose garden in June. Great 'throw' but fades away pretty quickly. This makes me think of what I expected the Rose Reds (or even Two, Five and Seven - which is dusty dried roses to me) to be like; crisp slightly bitter greenery and intense, deep roses - but without the sourness and bite that RR actually has, to my nose at least. Or like how RR 05 is - the only RR I like, and that fits this description. I never thought I'd be one for room sprays but this may have converted me! I love greenery and roses and this is so invigorating yet soothing, and ever so slightly feminine - but not to the point where a male partner would complain. Note: do not inhale spray directly or your nose will hate you. Yes I realize I am stupid.

Sniffed in imp: Pale yellow oil. Woody, warm, soft, golden. Rather dry. Slightly sweet. Surprisingly unisex to masculine. Even a little spicy.

CCCXX - 320 In the imp: Light gold coloured oil. Tonka and citrus. Geez, much like 314 and 316 overall. Sweet, foody, fresh. Feminine. Wet: Grapefruit seems to be the citrus, and maybe some verbena as well.The tonka is buttery and super creamy; there may be vanilla here as well. GINGER, fresh and bright with bit of bite. This is a ton like 316 but less floral. There's a vague light floral bouquet. Dry: Slow to dry. Not much evolution other than an increasingly creamy feel. It's both the sweetest and yet tartest of this 'creamy citrus base' series of CTs. Oh it's not vanilla - it's COCONUT. Which explains the tropical feel. Later: Coconut amps, wow. The grapefruit (pink) has faded a bit but the lemony stuff (could be yuzu?) is holding. A strong, rich musk emerges, probably white. Overall this evokes white or pale pink, I think in part because the floral is cherry blossom. Summary: This must be the first time grapefruit holds on my skin and yet I don't like coconut, sigh! This a very fresh, fun, and girly scent. Sweet-tart and yet rich. Pink grapefruit, something tart and lemony, creamy tonka and white coconut, with bright white musk, spicy fresh ginger, and cherry blossoms. Definitely a must for tropical lovers. This screams TIKI to me. It also reminds me a bunch of Cheshire Moon.

In the bottle: Sweet, slightly foody floral. Rather light and fresh with the lilac and tea, but with heavier and darker nuances of tobacco and coconut. Wet: Much brighter, almost sharper. The lilac is powerful, heady. The tobacco has a bitter edge; the hyssop adds a fresh greenness. Still some foody sweetness from the tonka and coconut. Dry: Still very much strong LILAC, with a slightly soapy edge, but the creamy tonka, coconut, and vanilla keep it in check. It's a bit less bitter and sharp, more like sniffed in the bottle now. Later: Some of that truly divine, rich and sexy musk has emerged and provides great depth to the blend. Lilac still going strong topside, while the foody notes have lightened a bit, making the tobacco stand out a bit more. Summary: Much more coherent than I had expected. It settles down into a unique blend of fresh but heady true lilac and intense, velvety musk with smooth, slick tea, a light hint of creamy sweetness from coconut, tonka, and vanilla, and a hint of bitter, dark tobacco. Unisex. Great throw and lasting power. Not my style but more pleasant than I anticipated.

In the bottle: Pale lemon yellow oil. Fresh, aquatic, herbal. The mint is soft but bright, and the violet is very light and dewy. It's totally a misty, airy-watery scent. Wet: Ahh! I know what this smells like, cucumber! So lovely and fresh and green. It's a touch soapy on my skin, but cleanly so, not unpleasant. It's also a bit more herbal, like being in a garden, though still very aquatic and luminous. Dry: This actually reminds me a fair bit of Sturgeon Moon, which I adore. It's similarly unisex to masculine, as well. It's definitely soapier and more herbal though, as well as more floral. A bit cologne-y. Later: The violet has amped up a fair bit and has a very slight powdery edge - still, this is a well-behaved violet. Most of the airy feel has worn off to reveal a sort of woody base, though this is definitely still very much an aquatic. Summary: In the end, the violet becomes dominant - I would say this is the most violet-y BPAL blend I've tried - making this more unisex to feminine . It has that hint of powder, but overall aquatic feel and freshness of the cucumber and green herbs keep it nicely in check. The herbal-woody base gives this otherwise ethereal blend depth and add to the rustic feel. Good throw, decent lasting power. This is totally not what I expected and a very unique blend overall, though probably layering the right SN violet over Sturgeon Moon would produce a somewhat similar effect. I don't know how much I will wear this but I don't think I can resist getting a bottle!

In the bottle: Very pale yellow oil. Sweet, floral, creamy. The vanilla is quite lovely, very rich but not foody, and the tonka is light, mostly providing sweetness. The florals are languid, the champaca sophisticated, the orchid distinct and new to my nose. Wet: Ahh, tonka is a bit more present now, grr, and this is sweeter, almost foodily so. The florals have a heavy, velvet feel to them, suggesting humid summer nights, with the orchid dominating - it's reminding me a bit of Shadow Witch Orchid now. A tiny bit of nutty warmth from the amaranth comes through, making the blend all the richer. Dry: Very slow to dry. It's taking on a distinctly fruity feel, though - like wild plum, or a berry maybe, or lotus - something hot pink and a bit bubblegummy. The tonka remain strong and sweet, and the vanilla has amped and taken on a slightly boozy quality. The champaca has amped too, but the orchid is still stronger. Later: The musk, as generally with skin musk, really takes an hour or two to fully emerge, but it's powerful and glorious when it does. The amaranth also amps up a bit, reminding me a bit of Dana O'Shee, and almost making the blend foody again. Summary: Sweet, heady, rich, creamy almost foody floral over a deep sexy musk base. All notes are distinct but blend quite well together. The orchid, vanilla and musk take the fore, with champaca right behind, and softer, muted tonka and amaranth as well as something pink and fruity. Utterly feminine and quite womanly. Tremendous throw and lasting power. It's just a bit too rich and creamy for my tastes, and I don't like the earlier tonka stages, but it's a beautiful and unique scent, one I would recommend to those who typically fear florals.

CCCXVI - 316 In the imp: Pale yellow coloured oil. Buttery, foody, cakey - tonka, I think. Citrusy - lemon. Florals, and something clean smelling. Reminds me a helluva lot of Vampire Tears. Wet: Pretty much the same, perhaps a bit sweeter, sugary - making it more foody. The citrus is definitely in the lemon family. A bit spicy too - fresh ginger. And the sweet floral I think is pikaki. Tropical feel on the whole. A brighter floral note strikes me as gardenia. Dry: Slow to dry. Some of the buttery-foody tonka is wearing off, and the florals are amping, becoming dominant instead of background notes. This is still tart but the lemon has faded a bit, while the invigorating ginger holds. Later: Wow, the ginger in this just amps and amps! The lemon is more juicy-fruity, less tart-sour. The gardenia is, amazingly, behaving nicely, and the pikaki is wonderful. Tonka is no longer foody, more just sweet and creamy. Summary: Fresh, spicy ginger with bright, bold gardenia and sweet, velvety pikaki. A touch of lemon adds to the overall refreshing feel, and creamy-vanillic tonka and musk ground the mix. Feminine, complex, sophisticated. Great throw and lasting power. Final drydown reminds me of a gingered cross between Lover's Parodies of Sumo Holds and Vampire Tears, leaning towards the former. I would love it without the tonka, but it's just too strong of a note here and not one I like to be able to detect clearly in a blend.

In the bottle: Medium, golden-chestnut brown coloured oil. Sharp! Incensey, earthy. Dark, rooty patchouli, bitter narcissus, and sour rose. Hint of softer oakmoss. No apple - it probably evaporated years ago, with how ephemeral apple notes generally are. Wet: Very similar, perhaps a bit softer and less biting. Still very earthy. The rose is most likely white, and it's stronger now, and more rosy-floral instead of sour. The white musk jumps out now, the patchoul is more earthy, less rooty, and the oakmoss is clearer. Dry: The narcissus is still too sharp and the rose too sour, but the patchouli and oakmoss amp further and keep the scent grounded. I like the white musk in this - it's sexy, and not too piercing - but it doesn't blend well with the deep patchouli - they're too disparate to harmonize. Later: This is so dual-layered and it never coalesces. The top layer is sharp-sour-white, narcissus and rose and musk, and then below it the dirty and earthy and hippieish patchouli and oakmoss. It'd be like if Paris Hilton got dreads and started wearing hemp pants. Summary: After a few hours, the shrillness of the top floral/sharp musk layer fades a bit, leaving behind what is mostly a dark, somewhat sexy patchouli- and rose-tinged oakmoss-musk base. Very earthy at every stage, appropriately, but this the blend never truly achieves any sort of harmony. Unisex. Strong throw and good lasting power. Sigh, apparently none of the old or new astrological oils will work for me. And oh how I swapped for this little bit of oil that so didn't love my skin. /whine

In the imp: Deep reddish-brown orange or auburn-coloured oil. Sweet, foody Snake Oil. Creamy! Caramel and vanilla and sugar heavily laid atop spice, musk, earth and wood notes. Wet: Much less intensely sweet and strong. A touch plasticky, as fresh SO tends to be on my skin. The caramel is darker, more molasses-burnt sugar, and this is much less creamy, much darker in feel. A strong woody base emerges. Mahogany? Teak? Complex. Dry: Slow to dry. The plastic-sharp note is unaged clove, I believe, but it is less present here than in standard SO. There is a bit of that SO-cola note too. The caramel has firmly deepened into molasses, and the blend has darkened greatly, developing a smoky flavour. Later: The woods only strengthen over time; I think my initial guesses were right, but there may be more too - they all blend together so well, it's hard to tell. Oak, perhaps? There's that rooty-earthy patchouli from SO, too. The clove softens; Smut-like and red musks emerge. Summary: This doesn't morph much; it evolves, deepens. Caramel-tinged dark molasses, deep woody teak, mahogany, and oak, heavy smoked vanilla, all over a base of Snake Oil with that cola note, boozy and slightly harsh musks, and sharp clove. Dark, sweetly foody, lightly spicy and unisex. Good throw, great lasting power. As I don't care for Snake Oil or foody stuff generally, this one isn't for me. Thank god! I should also note this reminds me GREATLY of one of the CT IV bottles I received (XXIV- 24). It's seriously almost a dead-ringer.

Sniffed only: Soft, rich, bright. Primarily a fruity floral- it reminds me much of the perfume oil - and both are incredibly complex. As with the perfume oil and the L'Estate bath oil, the blend is so complex and harmonious I can't immediately pick out notes. Gardenia is high and heady, tuberose clean and bright, while the iris adds more depth, with lush rose and fresh jonquil in the distance. Tiny hints of of bitter green dandelion and gently herbal violet leaf. The sugar cane, plum blossom and and mint come through quite strongly, but I can barely pick out the lemon and grapefruit. The sandalwood isn't distinct, but I can tell it's there because this blend has a slightly sharp dryness to it which neither of the other items in the set has.

Sniffed only: Deliciously icy florals - the stargazer lily and orchid jump right out, pure and white and feminine, accentuated by rich, heady, slightly soapy jasmine. The fir is piney-evergreen but gentle, not pine-soley, and with the light mint (barely detectable), adds a gentle coolness. Citron is notable, and beyond sour, zesty white grapefruit. White musk spikes brightly as it does in the perfume oil, but without the unpleasantly harsh hairspray edge it has there. A bit soapy, but quite pleasant. Closer to the room spray than the perfume oil.

Sniffed only: Sweet and spicy, fruity, creamy, rich! This is the most harmoniously blended, seamless of the bath oils (and interestingly, also the most distinct from the perfume and room spray). The carnation is the sexy spicy sort, and goes very well with the fragrant, freshly green cardamom. The beeswax is like a deep honey but richer, with more heft, and merges into a light, syrupy sweet white peach note. The vanilla orchid is softly floral, and the vanilla aspect does add to the creamy feel of the beeswax and the golden, gently powdery amber. I get only a tiny bit of myrtle here, a light green note that with the cardamom, lightens and freshens an otherwise exceedingly warm, languid blend.

In the bottle: Medium golden-peachy coloured oil. Burnt sugar caramel hits first, then some ripe apple - making me think of caramel apples, appropriately - with fainter honey, teak, and amber. Quite sweet, slightly powdery. Wet: Much lighter and less sugary-sweet on my skin; more fruit, less caramel. The floral aspect of the apple blossom is delicately present, amplified by the delicious honey. The cream has emerged and seems to dampen the amber's powder, keeping this velvety in feel - and the smooth depth of the teak as it amps adds to this. Dry: The apple-fruit is fading a bit, but the floral-blossom is holding nicely. Amber turns a bit more powdery, but not excessively. The cream-caramel combo on top of the amber is almost too rich - there's a heaviness to this scent. Later: The amber goes further to powder, and the teak amps up, gaining a dry edge. The caramel has backed down a bit, but is still just too sweet and foody for my tastes. Honey and apple blossom greatly diminished. Summary: Rich, powdery amber and velvety cream with deep, slightly dry teak and sugary, intense caramel. Faint honey and apple blossom provide distant fruity and floral notes. Languid, heavy, womanly. Sweet and foody. Decent throw, great lasting power. The amber and caramel don't work for me, alas. I do love the other notes in this, so it's a shame.

In the bottle: Light peach coloured oil. Delicately sweet, planty like new leaves. Quite light and soft, a bit like a wet forest. I'm not really getting any woods, or strong herbs. Wet: Still quite sweet, fruitily so, but the herbs are coming through more now, giving it a more unisex feel, with a bit of sharpness and soap amongst all the greenery. Faint suggestion of oak. Dry: Not much of a change, other than that the herbs and sweetness are balanced now. I'm wondering if the sweetness is some orange-citrus? I do think there may be something citrusy here. Otherwise, the herbs are so seamlessly blended, I can't pick individual notes out - but the whole mix is really lovely and garden-y. Later: It seems to sweeten back up, in a way that I find a bit cloying and almost makes me suspect frankincense. The oak has come out a bit too, and possibly some birch, but the woods in this are quite light on the whole and again, hard to pinpoint as they mix. Summary: A sweet, complex blend of virtually indistinguishable herbs, backed by delicious oak, and lighter woods with a vague suggestion of frankincense. Slightly dry, foresty, outdoorsy. Unisex to masculine. Fabulous throw and great lasting power. I feel like this would be good on male cohort if I were wearing The Blood Garden - maybe the oak?

Sniffed in imp: Light gold-yellow oil. Very woody with incense and resins, just as described. Dry, dusty. Cedar, rosewood, patchouli. Maybe a hint of sweet frankincense. As expected, not at all my thing.

Sniffed only; I don't use mineral oil products. Caramel! Deliciously, creamy rich, burnt-sugar caramel - brown sugar and molasses and vanilla, with a light touch of cinnamon suggesting sticky buns; definitely the sweetest of the 3 components in this season's set. Intensely foody, but other complexity lies beyond. The herbal-bitter, slightly smoky tinge of myrrh provides depth, as does some intense, somewhat rooty, deeply earthy patchouli - these aspects remind me greatly of the room spray with its Country estate, suave bachelor feel. The sweetgrass is a softer note, dry and haylike, merging with the dry warmth of cedar and sweet woody spices.

Deep, woodsy, a bit manly. Herbal and earthy. The fig leaf is bitter but rich, dark and pleasantly sharp, a bit like neroli but much more herbal. The tea note is strong here, but different than how it is in perfume; much deeper and more astringent, like overbrewed English Breakfast. Conversely, the patchouli is pleasantly lightly, earthy, sexy and the smoke likewise, just a hint of distant wood burning, curling vaguely through the air. Very seasonally fitting, and my favourite of the room sprays, just barely ahead of L'Estate. Would be great for a bachelor's pad. Maybe James Bond's country Estate smells like this...

Light, soapy-clean floral, with a faint suggestion of fruit. Tuberose, white rose, jasmine and heather are the strongest distinct notes. Orange blossom, rosehip, linden, and sugar cane if I really strain - I wish these notes were stronger. I can't detect any lemon tree, plum or oakmoss, sadly. Overall, it fits very well with the rest of the set and is appropriately evocative. Superb 'throw' and lasting power - I just wish it weren't quite so soapy.

CCCXIV - 314 In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow colour. Sweet, brightly citrusy, buttery-cakey. Lemon cake with creamy vanilla frosting. Wet: Less foody, more citrusy. Some tangerine now, and subdued florals - pikaki, maybe. The creamy sweet scent strikes me as tonka, perhaps. Still a nice zesty lemon rind, and maybe some lemon blossom and orange blossom too. Dry: More and more floral; definitely pikaki and orange blossom, and I still strongly suspect lemon blossom as it reminds me of Tiki King. This blend almost has a tropical feel, and wait...yes, some coconut in here, that must be what struck me as tonka at first - very sweet and creamy, but natural, light. Later: There's another floral I know but can't place, something green and a bit heady - hyacinth, perhaps, or a well-behaved magnolia. This has become mostly glorious, deep but not overwhelming green-white flowers, as the citrus notes have faded. A sexy musk, white I'd guess, has emerged too and makes this blend all the more alluring. Summary: Citrus blossoms and rich white florals (magnolia, pikaki), over a creamy, tonka-coconut base, with an intense kick of sexy, rich musk and a hint of green-herbal freshness and woody-earth. Feminine, tropical, warm and summery. Exotic, sexy, complex. Great throw, good lasting power. Not quite my style, but absolutely delectable. XXIV - 24 In the bottle: Deep orange oil. Buttery, sugary sweet. Some creamy vanilla, and a hint of spice. Insanely foody. Wet: Caramel, that's what this is! Creme brulée-like, slight-burnt-sugar edge. Some deep woods in here, too - something a bit dusty - mahogany, perhaps? The vanilla is dark and almost a bit smoky, and this reminds me a bit of Snake Oil. Something rooty, a dark patchouli I'm guessing, which gives this an earthy soil note. Dry: Very slow to dry. This has developed a licorice note, and some clove, and I suspect some red musk...it's really reminding me a ton of Snake Oil with these notes. It's less overwhelmingly sweet, much spicier, more complex, exotic. Later: On me, the wood note really amps over time, and the musk deepens. The clove is sweet, spicy, and woody all at once, and quite intense. Fortunately, the creamy, sugary vanilla-caramel sort of softens the intense spice and woods. Summary: Burnt sugar caramel, creamy smoky vanilla, deep, dry-hot mahogany, intense clove, rooty-earthy patchouli, and bold, sexy red musk. Probably It reminds me a great deal of Snake Oil, but is sweeter, creamier, and woodier. A must for foody/spicy/woody lovers. Good throw and lasting power. Sadly, this is precisely the type of scent I DON'T like, personally, so off to swaps. ETA: Having just tried Anaconda, I'm finding these two scents are nearly INDENTICAL. It's frankly eerie! LII - 52 In the bottle: Crisp, tart green apples! In fact, the very same apple note from Snow, Glass, Apples (I did a direct sniffing comparison). There are some light white and exotic flowers too, and at least one other fruity note, maybe some honeydew melon. A fresh, green, fruity floral, with a yummy sour candy feel. Wet: Very similar, oh it's delightfully sour, just like sour apple candy. A bit more floral, and lighter on my skin. The flowers remind me of springtime, and have a fresh, creamy feel. Daffodil, peony, and some stargazer lily, giving this a nice cleanness. Sweet plumeria or jasmine sambac, too. Deconstructing the fruit a bit, I suspect there is some sort of exotic citrus, like kumquat or yuzu. Dry: Much of the sourness fades, and the fruit and flowers become sweeter and softer. The apples still resemble sour apple candy, but no longer the initial tart flavour - now it's the aftertaste that lingers sweetly in one's mouth. I was right about the melon note, which is twin to the one in Blue Moon 04. I'm getting a tea note, too - white and/or green, pleasantly piney-fresh, smooth, and soothing. Later: Sweeter and sweeter, just barely straining at the limits of what I can bear, with probably some lighter tropical fruits - this has that Asian/tropical feel. There's another distinct fruit note, too - wild strawberry. Yep, WILD. It has that unmistakeable tart-herbal edge, and it's not plastic like the regular strawberry note is on me. A delicious musk has emerged, some sort of light musk, though it's potent to be able to stand up to the intense fruit. Summary: Sour green apple candy which morphs to an exotic tart citrus and ripe red apples, honeydew melon, wild strawberries, and likely some other tropical/asian fruits. Just barely behind the fruits in dominance comes a strong musk, and then next a rich and creamy, yet clean and fresh boquet of daffodil, peony, stargazer lily, and jasmine sambac. Some smooth, gently herbal white and green teas round out the blend perfectly. Ultra feminine and superbly balanced. Good throw, fabulous lasting power. Recalls Blue Moon 2004, Earth Rat, Mi-Go Brain Canister, Fruit Moon, Night-Gaunt and Kitsune-Tsuki. It's incredible, and I will cherish this bottle. It instantly skyrocketed into my top 10 of all time. Lab, you struck rhodium with this one. LXXIII - 73 In the bottle: Predominantly green-herbal, but also some slightly heady florals (lilac? lily of the valley?) a slightly soapy-clean aquatic note, and some deep woodsy. Unisex. Wet: Soapier, more floral - argh, I suspect jasmine, though still some lilac, too. The herbs include sage, I think, and then other greenery - ivy, perhaps. The sharp soapiness of the florals suggests neroli, too. A hint of citrus - bergamot, perhaps, or petitgrain. Dry: Slow to dry. Increasingly, unpleasantly soapy - definitely neroli and jasmine, though the lilac is well-behaved, and other than being typically heady, the lily of the valley is not too overbearing. But the citrus and herbal notes are matchings the florals stride for stride. Something earthy emerging faintly, distantly. Later: That slightly bitter citrus is holding on remarkably, but the soapy, heady florals are just too much for me. I can smell some sweeter, more neutral grounding notes (tonka, patchouli) but they are so vague and don't quite come through. Quite masculine at this point, I'd say. Summary: Slightly bitter green citrus, herbs, ivy and greenery with somewhat heady florals (lilac, lily of the valley, jasmine). Soapy edge on my skin, due to the lilac/jasmine. Hint of white rose, and in the final drydown sweet tonka and light earthy patchouli finely shine through. Outdoorsy. Unisex to masculine. Strong throw and lasting power. I can't take the double whammy of jasmine and lily of the valley, which are soapy and heady on my skin, respectively - but when they wear off, the tonka and patchouli which linger are quite sexy (and on a man, I would bet even more so) . It's just a bit too masculine for me, but it's a rather unique scent in the BPAL range. Off to swaps.

In the bottle: Medium golden brown colour. Woody, musky, earthy, herbal. Softly floral, a bit smoky, and lightly sweet, too. Unisex, and a touch soapy from the moonflower. Complex and well blended. Wet: Surprisingly light - fresher, cleaner as the neroli joins moonflower in producing a soapy edge. The pomegranate is now distinct, sweet-tart. Lavender is deliciously herbal, and the amber and sandalwood are soft, warm and sexy without being powdery or dry. Less smoky and earthy. Dry: Dries very rapidly, becoming vastly more fruity. The pomegranate in this is rich and ripe and strongly reminds me of note in The Fruit of Paradise, especially combined with the herbal and darker elements. Indeed, the tobacco returns in a way that's pleasantly bitter, sexily smoky and earthy, especially with the fresh-earthy oakmoss. The sandalwood and amber are still so well behaved, adding depth and body and sex appeal without any detracting aspects. Later: Okay, I adore purple musk and I'm finally getting this OMG PURPLE COLOUR vibe that others describe. Wow, it's sexy and luxurious and fruity and fun! The neroli and moonflower have faded such that they are no longer distinct or soapy, but still keep the blend clean despite all its earthy depth. The copal, likewise, is too well-blended to distinguish but adds a vague resiny smokiness that further grounds the scent. Summary: This evolves beautifully on my skin, and has the same alluring, dark, richly fruity-floral-gourmand quality of Kali - a scent I adore. It's a deep, vibrant plum colour in feeling. Sweet, tart pomegranate, earthy, almost leathery tobacco, and decadently sexy musk dominate. Just below, woodsy oakmoss, smooth sandalwood, deep, sweet amber, and resiny copal with a vague smoky edge ground the blend. Delicate highlights of moonflower and neroli provide a clean, floral feel in combination with the bright herbal hint of lavender. Superbly blended. Womanly. Excellent throw and lasting power. Why did I doubt this? Thank god I got a decant! If Faiza, Kali, The Blood Garden, and the Fruit of Paradise participated in a reproductive orgy, they would produce Penumbra. I will be getting at least a bottle of this masterpiece. For once, copal doesn't amp like crazy on me, while neroli, amber, and moonflower are on their best behaviour.

In the bottle: Extremely pale yellow oil. Light, fresh. Herbal, floral, a bit of soft leather, bright white musk and what smells like rain - aquatic. A bit cologney, but pleasantly. Lilac, lavender, moss. Absurdly clean. Wet: Deeper, with headier lilac and more intense leather. Also more herbal, with a very green-fresh lavender note, and some thyme too. Slightly mentholic, but in a refreshing, not harsh manner. Lightly soapy edge. The white musk is stronger, a bit sharp. Dry: Very little morphing. The bracing herbal notes soften a bit, while the lilac and leather merge together producing a light sweetness which enhances the sexy cologne scent. It's still quite aquatic, and while the leather is very slick, it's not quite plasticky the way it can be on me. Later: The lilac blooms further over time, without going soapy or heady - it's just intense and pure and natural. The white musk has softened into pure, clean sex. While the leather retains the almost-plastic slippery feel, it's also deepened, with almost an earthy or stony tone, and a spicy edge. Light oakmoss shining through now, too. Summary: Sweet, fresh, and bright; unisex cologne with a glassy sheen. Clean, alluring musk, softly herbal thyme and lavender, slick but deep, sauve leather, fresh, full-bloom lavender, and a faint touch of earthy oakmoss, all immersed in a rain-drenched aquatic base. Beautifully balanced. Decent throw and lasting power. Yay! Finally a lilac scent I can wear, and leather note that isn't unpleasantly plastic on me. It's a bit too unisex for heavy use, but it fits the bill for lilacs, and one day I will slather this on man and ravish him.

In the bottle: Freshly spicy, sweet and fruity, a bit like fruit punch, and even a little effervescence. Blueberry and vanilla jump out, but I can detect ginger, coriander, and benzoin just below, as well as a bit of harsh red musk, grassy green tea, and a planty floral. Wet: Vanilla'ed bluberry! Candyish, edible, foody. I'm imagining blueberry lollipops dipped in vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise. The red currant, now distinct, adds a nice tart counterpart, as do the medley of invigorating spices. The benzoin adds more sweetness, of a honeyed-vanilla sort, but also some resin which grounds the blend. The green tea is stronger too, and quite bright, both piney and grassy, and merges with the juicy red currant. Dry: This is really incredibly sweet, tooth-achingly, candy-like. The vanilla amps increasingly, and the red musk has come out with a vengeance, adding a bitter, biting undercurrent. The also stronger coriander, too, has taken a bit of a bitter edge, but more pleasantly. The other notes remain distinct, but beneath these three bullies. Later: Not much morphing past the dry stage, other than an increasing sweetness from the vanilla in particular. It's much less fruity than it is in the bottle and earlier stages on my skin, less green and herbal and fresh (in fact, virtually none of that remains), and much muskier. Summary: Super sweet and musky. Strong, intensely sweet creamy vanilla backed by honeyed benzoin, rich, slightly herbal-bitter but still very sexy red musk, candied blueberry, spicy ginger, fragrantly citrusy and woody coriander, and planty-fresh, vaguely floral squash blossom. The green tea and red currant linger faintly. Feminine. Crazy strong throw and lasting power. On me, it's just so intensely vanilla-y and sweet, as the fresher, tarter elements fade quite quickly, that I don't find it personally wearable. But the presence of the coriander, blueberry, and squash blossom give it some lovely elements which make the blend utterly unique for BPAL or any scent, for that matter. Impressive!

This is a review of the RELEASED version, as opposed to my prototype review, above. There are some significant differences, too. In the bottle: Fresh, tart, crisp apples, cold sleet, and a zing of ozone. A bit of mentholic, Vicks-like fumes - still that eucalyptus, I fear. Wet: Sweeter, more intensely applelicious. This reminds me of the sweet-tart green apple flavoured gummy, sugar-coated candy strings. Still a bit mentholic, but not unpleasantly. The ozone is lovely and almost metallic - there's a sexy sharpness to it, reminding me of Archangel Winter especially combined with the soft-cold snow note. Dry: Flowers, why hello there! Yes, some rather cologney-perfumey, traditional white florals have emerged quite strongly. The apples have faded considerably but linger in the background. Some sweet white mint has appeared to mingle with the bearably biting eucalyptus. Unisex to masculine. Later: A strong, sexy musk emerges - most likely a white musk from its bright, almost astringent quality. The white flowers hold, while the mint and eucalyptus, especially the latter, have faded. Only a tiny hint of tart apples remains, if I strain. Summary: Alluring, powerful white musk, with soft, cool snow, light gently sweet mint, a melange of classic white flowers, and very distant, faint sour-candied green apples. It softens greatly, but maintains a bit of an edge throughout. Unisex. Excellent throw, fair lasting power. It's so sad how the divinely delicious apple note fades so quickly and massively, but I much prefer this version to the prototype. The flowers are a bit generic, but a nice touch, the ozone is stronger, and the mint is the perfect cool addition. The eucalyptus fades away, and the introduction of a sexy musk note is fitting and brilliant. It won't see heavy rotation in my personal use, but I'm glad I have it on hand. If the apples hold in my scent locket, it may see more use...The label art is stunning, and the cobalt bottle thrills me. Plus, it's the only vampire scent to have worked on me at all.

Light and fresh, almost like a bathroom cleaner or traditional air freshener, but not in an unpleasant manner. Pine and cedar with a citrusy tang, over faint delicate flowers, fresh, slightly piercing sandalwood and sleet. Refreshing but soothing, the way herbal lavender can be. Not very strong, and fades quickly. This is almost something I would use, but it's a bit on the weak side, and somewhat too heavy on the pine for me. Very fittingly wintry, however!