Block Buster

[slave1]

Used to open up options in your life, overcome obstacles, and create opportunities. This blend increases your potential for success, inspires creativity and quick thinking, and helps you to be more flexible, adaptable and open to change.

On Bottle: Smoky wood

On Skin: I get a sharp woody note and a soft but strong smokey note. Also something minty. The smoke and wood are quite warm while the mint scent lends a cold tingly feel. Very interesting. It does wake me up and stir my senses. I could see this actually performing its intent, I do feel invigorated after smelling it just once. I think it's nice to use as aromatherapy in the bottle, to take quick sniffs of it, but it's not a scent I'd wear or want my room to smell like. It has a light throw and average wearing length (even though I know it's not supposed to be worn).

NOTE: This thread is for the Twilight Alchemy Lab oil. If you're looking for the BPAL Bewitching Brew of the same name, those reviews are here. --Shollin Edited June 3, 2008 by ivyandpeony
corrected coding

[PurringPulsar]

Block Buster

 

The scent: totally different to the voodoo oil-this doesn't smell like cinnamon apples, but of patchouli and mint. Scent wise, I prefer the voodoo version, but this one might pack more of a punch where efficacy is concerned.

The intent: I wore this for my first job interview-it's for a part time job, which I need. Opening up options in my life, opportunities, success, flexibility and adaptability are just what I need for my summer job-I'm hoping to work as a courier. I applied some to the back of my neck so that I could have the oil's influence working on me as I went to the interview without interfering with my perfume. It seemed to work very well-the interview went by easily, the interviewer was very good, and told me I have a very good chance of getting the job.

Review may be updated if anything else of note occurs.

[Chaos the Crazy]

No scent notes from me for this review....strictly results.

 

And all I can say is WOW!

 

I was in a very frustrating place with work, so I put some on my palms before heading off to work one day with a quick meditation and shout out to the universe to help me find something new, and within a couple of weeks a completely unlooked for opportunity thumped down in my lap. It's so right up my alley and I'm very excited about it. Later today I'm doing a followup ritual with a dressed candle and will update with final results.

[aidenraine]

I am working with this oil right now, to help me get into a good PhD program and to prepare me for the changes ahead- transitioning from teaching as a professor full-time, to going back to school. I seriously need the blocks in the application process busted though. (The folks in the General TAL Chatter thread recommended this one, actually. I had been using Road Opener before this.)

 

I did a ritual on a Wednesday night, 10pm (precision is so important to me, it focuses my intentions and helps me to believe in what I'm doing.) I dressed a yellow candle with this oil, faced east, and meditated on my desires. I also burned peppermint and lavender essential oils, which are reportedly useful for my purposes.

 

(I actually had a couple of good chants I made up for the occasion. Again, chanting helps me focus. It becomes like a little song in my head.)

 

I have done this ritual twice now. The first time I felt such a surge of energy rip through me that I actually shook. It was intense. The second time I was exhausted and lacked focus. I still felt good about the process, but didn't have the same energy.

 

I am academic in my approach to everything I do research so my rituals can be "just right", but it really seems to help.

 

I won't know until March whether my rituals helped at all!

[maribouquet]

Scent: At first this is minty, like pennyroyal or an Andes chocolate mint candy, but as it dries I smell powdery vetiver, and perhaps a touch of something citrus? Of all the vetiver blends I've tried, this has been the most wearable - it's still a note that is too peppery and reads too much like dank leaf mold to my nose, but it's not overpowering here.

 

Efficacy: 100% satisfaction. If this smelled like roast duck dung, I would still wear it because this stuff works! I put it on thinking it was the Voodoo blend, just taking it for a scent test drive -- imagine my surprise when I heard back from several people I've been waiting to hear from at work, created opportunities for several others, and landed myself a part-time work-related job that will not only give me a nice extra source of cash flow, but also will provide me with the material for a really great future work project.

 

AND my long-time crush asked me out for drinks on Thursday!

 

 

Forest, you are a frigging genius! GLEE GLEE GLEE!

[DifferentDances]

I bought this because I have a lot of mental and emotional blocks that I'm trying to work through. I received my package yesterday and thought I'd give it a test run.

 

I put this on shortly after I showered last night, no specific goal in mind. I sat down to continue reading a book on HTML, and I felt the oddest sensation -like I was looking out my eyeballs from a skewed angle in my skull about 15 degrees to the left. Not entirely sure what that means, but that's all right. Perhaps preparing me to change my perceptions?

 

I'll update with further results at another time.

[Extispex]

I've gotten excellent results from this already.

 

Last night I annointed my computer with Blockbuster, hoping it would get me writing again. Things have been kind of chaotic around here, and I've been procrastinating, and fiddling about... basically doing anything to keep from facing the blank page. Usually I get distracted by surfing and ... uh... hanging out on the BPAL forum.

 

So I woke up this morning and my internet was down! Obstacle removed, distraction evaporated, block busted. Maybe not in the way I wanted, but hey, it helped! I spent a few minutes feeling a bit lost. (How'm I going to check my email? And the BPAL forums?) Then I started writing. Banged out a full article. Made notes for another article. Made an outline for the next few chapters of my novel. Baked a pie. Baked cookies. Did a ritual I've been putting off for a while. Cleaned the kitchen. I did stuff! And I got caught up with everything I've been meaning to do.

 

And then my internet connection came back on.

 

I gotta say, this stuff is the best. Oh and it smells good too - at least to me.

[Nia]

Yes, I know this is a ritual oil. But the scent is just too off-putting, too distracting.

 

I used it to anoint my mouse, my computer, and my fingertips. I noticed a smell that reminded of a combination of patchouli and honey. I can't concentrate with such a sweet scent, which is a shame. It's just very distracting as I cannot associate anything so sweet with work. To use up the rest of my sample, I created a little ritual that doesn't let me smelling the oil as I work. For about two weeks, I anointed my wrists, some fingers, and my forehead, just before going to bed.

 

Nothing I can detect in it smells relaxing (like lavender or chamomile) but it worked wonderfully in making me feel less stressed, and as the description says, more open to change. I slept better not because I was more relaxed, but because I was boycotting my own self less. Habit, or its powers, made it a comforting part of my bedtime routine.

 

Some of the problems I had last month vanished when I had a more positive attitude. In retrospect, the most noticeable effect of my use of Black Buster was that I had an urge to do things as they needed to be done. It is an anti-procrastination oil. I got another imp on the way from a swap and I'll save it for another "feeling stuck" emergency.

Edited July 10, 2007 by Nia

[crimescenecleanup]

Out of the bottle, this is a creamy vetiver.

 

I know those two words don't usually go together, but...that's what I get.

Fresh cream note and vetiver. Strong vetiver. Very earthy. And dare I say...comforting? Reassuring at the least. A scent that gives you the strength to go forward.

 

I was expecting something spicy, something firey and powerful that would bring up images of obstacles being brought down by a strike of lightning or a good bitchslap. But it's not like that at all.

 

The earthy/woodiness of this blend makes me think of plants - perhaps an immense tree that has wrapped its roots around the obstacle or wall in question and is slowly eroding it away, growing up through the cracks and branching out new, fresh leaves in its place.

 

I like that image much better. And for a ritual of positive change and transformation, it was more than appropriate.

 

I used it to anoint candles and added a few drops to warm water. The throw wasn't so strong that my housemates noticed from the next room over, but it was strong enough to last throughout a four-hour ritual and gently scent the room I was in. It stayed true throughout the night, without morphing much at all.

 

This is a really soft vetiver, with a hint of something creamy or milky, and something else that reminds me of uncut meyer lemons - no sharp citrus tang. It's almost like a lemon drop candies.

I guessed that it was lemon verbena, lemon balm, or some kind of chamomile.

 

If anyone here has tried the Good Earth brand tea variety "Good Night Tea" this smells a lot like that. Good Earth Good Night contains chamomile, passionflower, hops, cherry bark, mint, and lavender, so it I'm guessing it's the same kind of chamomile that's in that tea.

 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this stuff and the atmosphere it lended to the ritual. I can't vouch for the effectiveness yet, but I'll update with further results.

[Mountaingrrl00]

This smells herbal-minty with some woody notes and a strong violet/violet-leaf note. It reminds me of Grey Flannel cologne, which is one of my favorite mainstream fragrances, mixed with the minty kick of TAL Road Opener.

 

The effects so far have been subtle but noticeable. I've done several things I'd been procrastinating on, and plan to use this again in a more focused manner.

[IronMollyBlack]

The smell of this to me--butterscotch! Up close, I get some mint, and a bit of herbal/woods, but from a distance, totally BUTTERSCOTCH! It's a pleasant enough scent to me, as long as it works.

 

Edited to add I am impressed with the results so far. Used in ritual and am getting both personal and situational results. In plain English, things are moving forward, and opportunities are coming up for no OTHER good reason I can find...

 

Edited AGAIN: After a year and a HALF, a job offer, EXCELLENT pay, flexible hours, not in the field I had hoped, but hell, I'll take it! Thank you labbies!

Edited May 6, 2008 by IronMollyBlack

[prettybird]

Scent: Oh man, I love how this smells. It smells very buttery and caramelly to me, with a faint acrid tang that cuts through the sweetness very nicely. It's quite boozy as well- I think whiskey, maybe? It's quite strong (I may say this because I spilt it all over the first time I opened it) and doesn't change much on the dry down. Even though I was accidentally wearing quite a lot, I didn't find myself growing tired of the smell.

 

There's something about it that reminds me of High John the Conqueror (the BPAL version, I don't know that there's a TAL), which seems appropriate to me. I found it instantly invigorating- I giggled, for Pete's sake. Even if it was a total dud, ritualistically speaking, I'd totally wear it as a perfume.

 

Efficacy: Holy crap. I wore it to work, because I have a couple projects that have to be finished very soon that have been dragging out for several months. And let me tell you internet, I tore it up. In a very literal sense, I got my obstacles out of the way once and for all, and there was much quick thinking and creativity involved. That energy definitely stayed with me all day.

 

A caveat: While I totally kicked butt, took names, and was generally awesome, I found myself- and my coworkers found me- somewhat meaner than usual. I felt like nothing so much as a raging bull (or possibly an avenging angel). Use with caution.

 

I used the spilled liquid that I couldn't get up with an eyedropper to scent a page in my writing notebook, as I've been having a touch of the writer's block lately- we'll see if it helps!

 

ETA: I've gotten the same kind of effect in my writing as I did wearing it- I've been able to muscle through my writer's block in a big way, but it's very unrefined, frantic writing. Oh well, that's what editing's for!

Edited July 30, 2008 by prettybird

[Raqassah]

Wow! This oil smells good! Caramel - but not sickly sweet! My package arrived today which was really fortuitous. I'd been very distressed by some relationship stuff. A really bad situation. Let's just say I was blown away by their effectiveness. I cleaned the house and burned the oils in the burner and did some rituals. It looks like everything is resolving itself.

[MisterShrapnel]

Block Buster indeed! Part of my first ever foray into the Twilight arm of the Lab, and it's been a wonderful experience.

It's a deliciously sweet and caramel-y smell, almost makes me think of candles, but that's not the main point... (although interestingly the librarian came up to me suddenly and asked me what perfume I was wearing. She loves the way this smells! Maybe Block Buster helped... er... open up opportunities to share info about the Lab? I'm always eager to do so anyway...)

I put it on in the mornings now, as kind of a support for Concentration. And I've tried some informal n00b-y "rituals" with it, dressing candles and anointing certain things to help create opportunities and openings and at the very least (haven't heard yet) I feel incredibly confident. Also tried using it on my assignment planner, basically streaking a finger down the huge pile of things to do because most days I can hardly scratch the surface of one thing. However, for the last three days I've been working with Block Buster (and Concentration) I've gotten an uncharacteristically large quantity of things done, barreling through it like an absolute devil, or at least I'm not passed out on the desk after school drooling into my triumphant Calculus book...

Basically Block Buster helps me to remember and keep in mind and really FEEL like there isn't a single damned thing in this universe that can get in my way, unless I say it can. I feel like an arrow, a bullet, like I'm driven by fire, and it's terribly inspiring.

Can't tell if it's the Concentration in conjunction, but one of my biggest barriers for productivity is a bizarre and "chronic" apathy, fatigue, ennui, and extreme reluctance to start things. I used to have the upper hand over my procrastination habits but I've been overwhelmed in the last few years, like I've been buried under a weight. Block Buster, I think, helped me to banish all of those impediments, because these days I've been incredibly, otherwise-inexplicably energetic and driven. If I don't really "feel like" doing something (especially starting something lengthy and nasty... another huge barrier for me on most days) Block Buster has helped me to shove those negative attitudes aside and forge ahead. Challenges become trifles. Curious to see how Block Buster might have a different effect from Determination...

And a lot of times I have trouble talking to teachers about questions and any problems I have because I'm shy or "I don't feel like it right now" but I've definitely talked to them more, and straight away (without even thinking to myself "should I? or should I just wait? Gah I don't know I'll just do it later..."). Shyness, blasted to smithereens.

I'm applied to my top college choice Early Decision and I've already sent everything in (before I even knew of TALs... hee), and I'll hear back on the 15th. I'm a bit nervous (I don't want to have to write more applications, really! and I want to go to this school so badly it aches...) but I'm going to try doing a little bit more work with Block Buster because so far it's been terribly reassuring. I keep imagining all the competing applications that might be covering mine blowing away from the admissions desk (like autumn leaves before a strong gust of wind) and leaving behind only mine shining on the polished wooden desk. And all the other applicants clamoring at the gates of the school being blown away too (like the nannies in "Mary Poppins" )... it's a funny and reassuring image.

Block Buster is definitely useful for a wide variety of purposes, it's fantastic stuff. Throughout the day I kept thinking of different things I can apply it to and I'm terribly excited to try.

Eeee, thank you Labbies!

[Babette]

Wow! Allow me to vouch for the efficacy of this oil because it really works! I can't say that I love the scent -- mkes me nauseous and a little dizzy -- but hey, I am not fussy as long it delivers what it says it does. I used it because I needed to type out a report on an article and I have been suffering from a mental block for weeks, and so naturally, I have been procrastinating, hoping that the 'inspiration' will kick back in sometime soon. After annointing myself -- I dabbed a bit on my wrists and woah, it does have a strong throw -- it took me an hour to type out a draft without the usual nonsense of mental hmm-ings and uhh-ings, and I am amazed at how swiftly my thoughts poured out and how I never did run out of things to say (I get bored easily and tend lose focus fast). I am not too sure if the draft will make any sense since I just typed and typed without checking for coherency but that's alright because I just needed a catalyst to jump start the process and editing is much easier than the process of writing, at least, that's how it is to me.

 

Verdict: Love it! Will definitely use it again, like, tomorrow.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Smells vaguely alcoholic and rather like juicy fruit gum with a floral edge. It is light and sweet and strangely refreshing. Wet: he bright fruity effect is stronger on the skin. The florals and the alcohol/medicinal side back down. It’s a touch spicy, possibly cloves and or ginger. Dry: The lavender comes out a bit and the fruit and spice combination reminds me pleasantly of Alice’s Evidence. I’m really pleased with this.

[zankoku_zen]

Vetiver, woods, lemony (either lemon verbena or lemon balm), touch of chamomile. It doesn't smell unpleasant. It smells mainly woody and centered to me. I dabbed some on my chakras this morning and promptly forgot about it.

 

I've been tackling a few long term problems at work, and I just needed a bit of determination and flexibility. I typically reach for Road Opener under these circumstances, but Blockbuster seemed like a good choice.

 

And what do you know, I've made a spreadsheet and a memo, and a timeline, and I think we may be good to go.

[Happicuppa]

I just anointed my chakras so we'll see. Smells woodsy and minty and actually really nice in the bottle.

 

I have internet drama I just want to let go and I'm hoping this helps remove the obstacle. May add some White Light to help calm me down.

The scent alone is actually really centering and calming.

[Pixie-elf]

I have no idea what the scent is, but I am not a fan. It's really weird.

 

Howevee, I'm not using it for its scent, this stuff works REALLY well.

 

It's very calming, centering, and helps you focus on "I need to get THIS done."

 

 

Also if what I need to get done happens to be rest so I can get shit done later it somehow helps me relax to do that. I think it's because with my insomnia, I have so many blocks... and sometimes I really DON'T give myself what I need, which is rest.

 

Other times it perks me up and I go right to work!

 

I love it!

[doomsday_disco]

In the decant: This smells musky and resinous to me.

 

On my skin: I think I am smelling musk and a powdery resin like a soft myrrh, but I don’t know for sure. It’s soft and powdery on my skin with a dash of what I believe is black pepper.

 

The second time I utilized it, I got some patchouli and something lightly cool (maybe a light mint note?).

 

As far as its purpose goes, I found it to be very effective. It made me focus on what needed to be done, and I had a very productive day, revamping my resume, writing a cover letter, and tackling some cleaning that needed to be done.

 

I am so happy to have a decant of this and may need to invest in a bottle for the purpose (not the scent). Thank you to the lovely forumite that frimped me this decant so long ago!

[velvet]

there is a project I need to edit that has been on the back burner for a few weeks. I tried Hand of Hermes to try to jump start my process but after a couple hours things were not going well.

 

Upon application, the scent was kind of buttery. There is an herby, medicinal quality that most tals have but this one reminds me of a kind of butterscotch, as others have mentioned.

 

As the oil dries, there is a kind of cooling effect on my skin. on top of that, I was having a lot of issues with concentration and noise from neighbors in my apartment building (and outside helicopters) but as soon as I put it on all the annoying noises stopped. Will report back soon.

 

Okay so, I've gotten exactly none of my editing done, but I quiet literally busted up the noise going on by contacting my building manager and getting that settled. nearly four hours in and it's finally quiet and I'm too tired to get things done.  I would say it worked, just not in the way I intended. I will try it again for effect.

 

As far as the scent goes: it still lingers as a kind of sweet creamy smell. It is very pleasant and not overly foodie

Edited September 13, 2020 by velvet