Black Phoenix

[alianthe]

Our signature oil. A dark, languid scent. Promotes hedonistic tendencies and extreme self-love. You won’t stop kissing mirrors for a month.

In the bottle: Sweet and sharp and bright and dark and inviting....

Got some on my fingers. Instant headache. Owwwwie! Took multiple vigorous scrubbing sessions to get it off.

[sleepflower]

I got this as an extra imp long ago. I honestly did not know I had it. It just randomly showed up when I moved.

 

This scent was so made for me. I cannot pick out any obvious scents, . It smelled like burgundy in the little imp. It reminded me of black cherries or dark chocolate, not because it smells like these things...it smells like dark luxury.

 

When I put it on it smells lighter...cherries and a chocolate brown colour--again, not the smell of chocolate, just the colour that pops in my head. The scent honestly gives me confidence! I walk around feeling so wonderful with it on, I never want to wash it off. It has a darkness to it that, I guess, speaks to me. What is more, it works during any weather; our winters are hot and humid and I felt as 'in place' wearing it on bright and/or rainy days as I did when it was actually cold out.

 

I bought a bottle very quickly after wearing this.

[naeelah]

In the imp, it smells festively of almond and cherries.

 

As soon as it hits my skin, the almonds and cherries go FWOOSH! And it's replaced by a much lighter, much more floral scent. Then that quickly morphs into sandalwood -- my old nemesis! Sandalwood hates me - I amp it to the nth.

 

Dry, 10 minutes later, we're holding at sandalwood and a light incense-y quality. So sad. I loved this for the first 10 seconds -- why does it have to turn into generic sandalwood incense?

[cranberry]

Cherries, lemon verbena, musk…..almonds…..

 

Frankincense and myrrh too, there’s a resinous quality here. Roses too.

 

As it wears, the roses become the strongest, backed by incense.

 

A few hours later, the myrrh remains on my wrist. Could be amber too.

 

When I first tried this a couple years ago I didn’t care for it too much – too much almond, too much cherry. Now though, I’m glad that I re-tested it.

[ceiswyn]

In the imp: This smells like pure Amaretto. Mmm. I love Amaretto.

 

On the wrist: Amaretto and something. I think it's something a little green, but it's hard to tell. A hint of rose, perhaps? A trace of something woody? This is turning quite complex...

 

One hour later: Talc. Just... talc. I think I should avoid almond.

[lisawoj]

My favorite BPAL scent so far (by far). Just lovely. Straight out of the bottle I get effervescent soda--like Cherry Dr. Pepper. As it ages it reminds me of the American Legion Hall my grandparents used to take us for diet cokes and "cheese fry" potato chips. They'd show us off to friends, let us sit at the bar or let us wander around the smoky interior. Its sweet, a little musty, but also clean, and reminds me of tobacco and smoke. As it dries further, I detect anise and the scent reminds me a lot of my mother--cigarette smoke and anise/licorice "breath mints" (Sen-Sens, made in Chicago) that she loves.

 

Odd associations, but overall a lovely fragrance. It works better for me in a scent locket than on my skin, where it can go sour.

[Northernskygal]

I don't really know what is in this blend.. I see lots of mention of like.. almond and cherries and.. I don't really get either of those. I get maybe an oh so slightly fruit scented baby wipe..

[Zirah]

In the bottle: Definitely almonds. Something spicy and dangerous underneath. Musky?

 

Wet: Spicy and biting. No fruit or almond to speak of.

 

Less than an hour out the whole thing has gone to powder with a little light floral scent. Maybe a bit of spice under it all but mostly I smell like a granny.

 

Swaps pile for this one.

 

So... is it a bad sign when the flagship scent doesn't like you?

[voodoocatwoman]

In the imp: Almond

 

Wet: Cherry joining the almond- I agree with the poster who mentioned it smelling like the original Jergen's lotion. I am surprised I haven't inhaled my entire arm.

 

Dry: The cherry almond is gone- I am left with a heady incense musk, darkly inviting and definitely a night scent.

 

[djsiberia]

i liked this one for a couple of applications, then it started to morph and i didn't like it too much, it started to smell a bit sour on my wrist.

[Nightroad103]

So... is it a bad sign when the flagship scent doesn't like you?

I don't know, but it doesn't like me either.

 

I can't place anything in particular in the smell in the bottle, or even on me... (My nose clearing up would be fantastic, any time now.)

 

Once it dried on me, it turned into something too strong for my liking, and not the best of scents to be so strong. I'll probably give it another shot, but it will most likely go in the swaps pile.

[vampkat]

Wet: Oh wow. i have no idea what is in this, but it's pretty and strong.

Dry down: The strong note (maybe a dark cherry?) has taken over It's very....THERE.

Dry: Ok, This is a fabulous scent. It's like really dark fruit, with something else thrown in. I have GOT to get a bottle of this!

9 out of 10

[twilighteyes]

I bought this one on impulse without sniffing first or reading the reviews. BAD BAD BAD me. BAD.

 

I hate cherry and amaretto.

 

I mean, it's the SIGNATURE SCENT. I SHOULD LOVE IT.

 

 

I will let it age and see the amaretto scent dies a little.

[donnatron]

Imp: Old fashioned pop. A home brewed root beer or cream soda or similar.

 

Wet: Cherries? Almonds? This is a very familiar scent. It definitely replicates parts of itself through the BPAL ouvre.

 

Dry: Mmmm.... it reminds me of a very intense, very sexy Kyoto. I don't know what's in it, but I like it. The lab's right. I'm going to go make out with my reflection right now.

 

Throw: Just enough to make it enticing, not obnoxious.

 

Overall: I was afraid it wouldn't work on me just because it's the signature scent. Luckily it does and I am very, very glad that I came into an imp of this. Hopefully this will soon become a bottle.

[DarkClarissa]

In bottle: Wow, erm...not good...oil of cloves...but wait...good...yum almonds.

 

Wet: Almonds, sweet, but with an undercurrent of...is it sandalwood or bitter cedar wood? Whatever it is its tangy and rich.

 

Dry: Complex, the almonds have receded now and I'm left with a definite sandalwood aroma, mixed with smoke, but sweet smoke. Its dark and brooding. Most definitely a Black Phoenix rising from the burning embers. Slightly soapy - but on me this is a good thing - I love this smell.

 

Verdict: My first impression in the bottle was that I'd just bought a bottle of oil of cloves for a toothache - wah! But the minute I put it on my wrist it metamorphosed into an amazing blend that is so addictive. This is definitely a fragrance to wear to boost your confidence and feel uber sexy!

 

Marks out of 10: 10

[jparrack]

I got this one as a swap. I'm glad I got to try it.

Wet: Amaretto. A think, sexy grown up, in your face with style amaretto.

Dry: Where's the amaretto go? This is dry and sweet and spicey and musky and I can't identify a single scent note in it. It does not smell bad on me.

Verdict: if I were ten years younger and dating again, as opposed to happily married with two toddlers, I may have worn it. I am finding that I like "tame" and "light" scents that aren't overly floral. This is neither tame, nor light.

[iiinterstate]

Interesting.

 

Wet on me: I swear this smells like coca-cola. Never had that experience before.

 

A few minutes later: Okay, its a little deeper and less sweet now, kinda spicy.

 

Dry: Now this is quite nice. Very dark (appropriate) but still sweet enough to keep me interested. I'm not usually into heavier blends but this IS quite a sexy scent. Not sure if I LOVE love Black Phoenix, but I think it might grow on me. Definitely keeping the imp.

[MadameJay]

WOW, suprising. Didn't expect it to turn into something so completely different. In the vial and wet on, yep, almond and cherry. At this point, I'm thinking, "OK, don't think so - not sure I want to smell like marzipan". Then just as I'd just about written it off, ... amazing... it changed into a lovely musky, sexy something, with no hint of almond or cherry about it at all.

 

It stayed this way for quite a few hours longer. Love it. It's going on the "get it" list.

 

ps. Noticed Seraglio has the same almondy thing going on, but I like BP better!

Edited May 22, 2008 by MsJay

[moderngypsy]

It's been so long that I can't remember when I got the imp for this one. All I know is that my now-husband bought me a 10ml for my 2005 holiday gift, and the mix of almonds and something kind of dark and indefinable pretty much hooked me on BPAL for *life*.

 

It's sweet at first, but dried down to something kind of sweet and green and sleepy-eyed, and I really loved it.

 

Earlier this year, I quit smoking, though. And it stopped being perfect. Stupid body chemistry wonkiness. I still get almonds and fabulous at first, but within an hour, I've got slightly-nutty talcum powder. And not just powder, but powder that *burns*.

 

No, really. My wrist turned red and itched. So did my neck. I'm not ashamed to admit I cried a little.

 

I keep the bottle here so I can open it up and sniff it from time to time, and I think if I ever get a locket that will separate it from my skin, it might go back to just this side of Perfect.

 

*sniffle*

[greenranger]

From reading this, I would never have picked it.

 

However, I tried a pit of it on my hand at the will call, and I decided I needed to give it a good try so I purchased an imp.

 

In the imp, I get almonds.

 

Wet on me, it switches to roses. I'm getting lush, billowy masses of roses.

 

Drying, I still get roses, but, there's an incense note backing them up. I bought Whip at the will call as well, and comparing the two on my skin, Black Phoenix has incense where Whip has leather. I like them both.

 

Its throw is moderate. I don't need to worry about the entire office smelling my perfume, but, I can still smell it.

 

Dry, a bit later, the incense is coming forward, especially on my wrist, but, I can still smell the roses. The roses are interesting, since everyone else seems to be getting almond or cherry notes, and those notes were what had been scaring me away from trying this. It I sniff really closely I can almost detect a bit of almond. I like this one...lots.

[taramarie]

I'm not positive, but I think Black Phoenix on me smells like sandalwood and resins. Wet on my skin, it's a dark scent, but it lightened as it dried. It's not really me but I do like it. I don't see a bottle in my future, but I'll definitely keep an imp around.

[Czarina]

The Lab kindly frimped me their flagship scent.

 

In the imp: pow! almond extract.

Wet: Almonds.

Drydown: the almonds disappear completely! And are replaced by incense? Resins? Sandalwood?

 

Magnificent.

[prrrplegrrrl]

At first it smells just like amaretto, but turns into almost pure baby powder for me on the drydown. Weird...

[VioletChaos]

in the imp: dark cherry soda. or cherry syrup.

 

wet on skin: same. more candy-like. reminds me of red licorice.

 

dry down: weird! the cherry is gone, totally vanished and has been replaced by a dark red rose.

 

in all: if you are into the scent of dried roses, you will likely adore this one.

[lilirose]

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.