lilirose

Lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk. Well, this is a shock. This was among the first imp pack I ever bought, and somehow I’ve managed to not try it until now. I can’t imagine how that happened, exactly- I was certain I had both tried it and reviewed it until I did a search and discovered that I’d done neither. Very odd, considering that it combines many of my favourite notes. In the imp: Cherries. On skin, wet: Whoa, so sweet. Cherries and vanilla and honey. I’m not normally a fan of vanilla but it’s working for me here. On skin, dry: The vetiver starts to come out- I love vetiver and it works perfectly in this blend. Without it this would undoubtedly become cloying, but the combination of vetiver and musk make it sexy-sweet instead of sickly-sweet. It’s still very cherry/honey, at the same time. I’m not getting any boozy smell from it, which is good because that would definitely put me off it. As a huge fan of Dragon’s Blood, I’m pretty sure this blend doesn’t have any actual Dragon’s Blood, but the various notes combine to make it Dragon’s-Blood-ish. Verdict- Totally going on my 5ml wish list, right this instant.

This is a really weird one for me. I’m not getting the leather note at all. Instead, it smells like wood- maybe sandalwood- and myrrh, with a hint of patchouli. It starts out really dry but smooths out with wearing (like many scents with amber tend to do on me). I went from loving it, to thinking “meh”, to loving it again, all in the space of a few hours. Will definitely have to give it another try.

In the imp: I really thought this was rose-based, as I didn't read the subscription before I tried it. It smells like a rosy scent in the imp. On skin: Clean and sweet, as others have said- grassy, sweetly herbal. Yes, it's very shampoo-y. It's the first berry scent that I've really liked, because the berries are there but aren't OMG BERRIES like some others are. Alas, it's also light to the point of being barely there, and it fades really fast, so it's not really for me.

As they say over here, "It does exactly what it says on the tin". In the imp, it's mostly my beloved Dragon's Blood, and the same on skin, wet. The amber comes out on drydown and makes this smoother and gentler than Dragon's Blood single note. As time passes, the amber amps more and more until it becomes more amber than Dragon's Blood. Another one to add to the wishlist...

In the imp: Red-hots. The oil seems to have separated- it's darker at the bottom. I reminxed it by stirring with the imp wand before I put it on. On skin, wet: cinnamon and patchouli and wood. On skin, dry: Cinnamon, patchouli, and incense. It smells like heat and sunshine, yet it's also somehow quite dark. Throw: strong. Staying power: pretty high- can still smell it after 8 hours. Verdict: I like it, but I think it's just a tad masculine for me. Will probably pass the imp on to my husband.

In the imp: sweet and strong. Not too sure about it, but will give it a shot. On skin, wet: Some sort of fruit-flavoured candy. I almost have trouble believing that this has so many incensey notes that are listed in the description. It's just...candy. On skin, dry: Changes totally. I mean totally. It's still sweet, but also rich and deep. The myrrh and amber (both favourites) save this blend and make it luxurious as well as sugary. Verdict: I think I might eventually add this to my 5ml wishlist, because it's so very different to anything else I own. I'm usually not into sweet scents but this one is...different. Better. I like it.

This is incredibly odd, but I'm in love with it. In the imp/wet: I would have sworn it's some sort of exotic citrus. It's not orange or lemon or grapefruit, but...still citrusy. On drydown: Becomes far more clear. Rose for sure, probably some sharp lavender, and something slightly herbal/medicinal- maybe clove, or something more exotic like cajuput? I have no idea. Regardless, the blend somehow is beautiful and incredibly sexy, and I'm definitely getting a big bottle.

Wow, this is an odd one. In the imp: Mmmm, grapefruity. On skin, wet: This is a completely different grapefruit to the others I’ve tried (Schrödinger's Cat, Cheshire Cat). Those are both sugary sweet, but this one is much more bitter- more grapefruit pith than the juicy part of a grapefruit. I think it might be the astringency of the tea darkening it. On skin, dry: Much the same as wet, only fainter. The apple blossom is now peeking out, making me think of having tea in a spring garden, but the grapefruit fades away almost completely. Why must all of the citrusy scents I try be so fleeting? Two hours later: Gone. Verdict: I love this as a scent, but I really need more staying power. Will try this in a scent locket and see if it makes a difference.

This is extremely lovely on me- vetiver and ozone, two of my favourites. Unfortunately, it seems to fade unusually quickly- it's totally gone within an hour, which is an awful shame, since this is one of those "want to spend the day with my nose glued to my wrist" scents. Will have to see how it does in a scent locket.

In the imp: Grapefruit. On skin, wet: More grapefruit. On skin, dry: This does a disappearing act similar to the literary Cheshire Cat, only none of it lingers, and it never returns. Verdict: Shrodinger's Cat is incredibly similar to this, only is stronger and lasts longer. Off to swaps.

I like Shrodinger's Cat on hot days. Carnal also...pretty much any scent that's heavy on citrus works for me.

OMG. Love. Sweetness and wood. Clearly not pine wood but yew, which to my nose is much less sharp than pine. There's a sweet, fruity (but inedible) top note. I also get a light coconut note like others have mentioned, but it doesn't put me off in the slightest. This scent captures the immense magical power of the yew tree perfectly. This is, by far, my favourite woody BPAL so far, and I'll be getting a 5ml with my next order.

I'm almost wondering if I got a mislabeled imp, because I don't get fruit or sweetness from this at all. However, what I smell is unspeakably beautiful and complex. I get ozone, musk, probably a touch of vetiver, maybe a little jasmine. It smells like the night wind. It's very dark and deep but also feminine. I'm in love. I can't stop sniffing my wrist. I'd add this to my 5ml wishlist immediately, except I'm afraid that a bottle would smell totally different, since everyone else seems to smell sweetness and fruit in this except me.

In the imp: Whoa! Strong, tangy floral, almost fruity. On skin, wet: Wait, what? Violets? Lilac? This wasn't what I was expecting at all. On skin, dry: soft and flowery. Reminds me a lot of Numb, Later: Soap. Meh. Not for me, thanks.

In the imp: strongly chocolate, but also slightly nutty Wet on skin: exactly like it smells in the imp. It reminds me of chocolate with almonds. Drydown: heads slightly in the direction of hot cocoa (only not hot, of course)- loses a slight bit of the creaminess. Throw: slightly above average. Lasting power: extreme. I put it on at about 4PM and could still smell it the next morning when I woke up. Verdict: easily 5/5 and a favourite. However, I won't be buying a 5ml, because the smell is so very realistic that it makes me want to gorge on chocolate!

I'm not honestly sure why I tried this, knowing in advance that I don't like the smell of real absinthe at all and that I strongly dislike anise in general. Of course, I've been surprised by BPAL many times in the past, so what can it hurt? In the imp is was mostly sweeet and lightly citrusy. On skin, wet, it was quite lemony but the anise was starting to rear its ugly head. On drydown it turns to anise and sugar, and the anise gets stronger and stronger the longer I wear it. I can't help but think that I smell like a stick of black licorice. Verdict: this is surely well-crafted, but so very much not for me at all. Ever.

Frimp from the Lab, wasn't one I'd have tried on my own. But...OMG. To me this is vetiver and aconite and nothing else. And it smells freaking fabulous on me. I love vetiver and this is the most feminine vetiver-y blend I've found yet. Definitely buying a 5ml. (Also, smelling this knowing that the plant Wolfsbane is aconite allowed me to work out exactly what the Lab's aconite note smells like...it's also in The Snow Storm, and I also believe it's a major player in Snow White. )

What can I say that hasn't already been said? In the bottle: mint and sugar. On skin, wet: the mint is a tiny bit sharper than I expected, possibly more spearmint than peppermint, but it's close. The sugar smooths it out nicely. On skin, dry: Doesn't morph very much. Though this is a Yule scent, I'm finding it very comforting on a hot summer day. Verdict: I like. Got this bottle from a forumite, more out of curiosity than out of any burning desire to own it. I thought I'd try it and swap it, but I think I'll keep it after all.

Dragon's Blood smells like red, spicy, bottled strength to me. It is a hot scent, reminiscent of the tropical lands from where it comes. It's heady in an almost alcoholic way, like red wine, but yet is not boozy. It is magical and powerful and commands respect. I'm not sure why I am writing a review for a scent which has no parallel in my mind. It's Dragon's Blood. It smells like Dragon's Blood is supposed to smell, only better and richer, since my previous experiences with Dragon's Blood were in the form of smoky incense. I wear Dragon's Blood in my scent locket because, although it is bright red in the bottle, it stains my skin an unattractive yellow colour. Also, in the scent locket, the scent will remain for a really long time- several days, at least. Dragon's Blood is a scent I cannot live without, and I'm not sure why it took me nearly a year to buy myself a 5ml.

Source: second-hand imp that may well be a few years old. In the imp- cherries. Wet on skin- cherries and cedar or maybe sandalwood. Dry on skin: mostly woody, hint of cherry and vanilla. Not terribly dissimilar to The Red Queen, only the wood note is not quite as strong. Verdict: I'd sort of like to try a fresher imp of this, but based on this experience, it's really not my thing at all, though it's not unpleasant.

For this one I'm putting the "verdict" on top as so many others have described the scent eloquently, and I mostly want to rave about how well it works. Verdict: I am astonished at how well this works. I went to bed feeling terribly upset and agitated over something a friend said. Usually such a situation would have kept me awake until past dawn. I put some TKO on my wrists, curled up with my hands over my face, and was out like a light in ten minutes. Since I've been an insomniac all my life, mainly because I have trouble "turning my brain off", this is nothing short of stunning. TKO definitely will be a permanent fixture in my future. Scent: In the bottle: lavender and sugar. On skin, wet: strong lavender and sugar On skin, dry: Can you imagine lavender-flavoured candy floss (cotton candy)? That's my strongest impression. There's a hint of marshmallow as well.

I bought this intending to gift it on to someone I'll be meeting who would find the name quite significant, but after smelling it in the bottle I decided it might not be the best introduction to BPAL for a newbie, so I'm keeping it. In the bottle: bitter and very grassy green. It smells exactly like the colour on the label. On skin, wet: Still bitter and green, but in a nice way. It reminds me of picking dandelions as a kid and accidentally getting some of the white dandelion sap/milk on my lips. Dry: Wow. Oh wow. This is so beautiful, a huge bouquet of fresh flowers in a warm, sunny room. I love it. My belief in the power of morphing is renewed- I never would have dreamed it would turn so amazing on skin when I smelled it out of the bottle. What a wonderful surprise! I actually feel bad for the reviewers who say they didn't try it on after sniffing it, and I also feel bad for the person I bought it for (who, also, undoubtedly wouldn't have tried it after smelling it in the bottle).

In the imp: barely smell anything, a bit of ozone, a slight tangy scent On skin, wet: Ozone, rain, humid air. Like Lightning only slightly less sharp. Dry: Still very like Lightning, but somehow less dark and masculine. I honestly can't say what the precise difference between the two is- they're so very similar- but I think I like Tempest a tad better as a perfume, whereas I like Lightning as a room scent. Tempest is a bit softer and gentler.

Imp: green, but sweet. Wet on skin: definitely getting sage and berries. I think I like! Dry on skin: damn. Green is gone, no musk, just the same sweet-tarts smell I got from Lady MacBeth, only not quite so overwhelmingly strong. Throw: Low to medium. Staying power: good, if you don't mind the fact that nothing sticks other than the berries. No fair.

I am a giant fan of Dragon’s Blood and was really looking forward to trying this. In the imp: Dragon’s Blood and something spicy-hot On skin, wet: Like someone soaked a Red-Hot cinnamon candy in Dragon’s Blood. On skin, dry: This is almost like Dragon’s Blood SN. I can’t really detect much of the other notes. Maybe a faint hint of cinnamon, but that’s all. Very confused over where the clove is, because I usually amp clove. Still, overall 4.5/5, and I might buy a 5ml, because I do love Dragon’s Blood with all my heart and maybe the other notes would come out with aging?