Your Best-Bet "Must Try" Enabling Scents

[urraca]

Okay, I'll bite:

 

1) Snake Oil. I don't like it. I've tried it aged; I still don't like it. I'm still aging my imp and trying it from time to time. But I think there will be a big part of BPAL you just won't get if you don't try this.

 

2) Snake Charmer. A variation on the snake oil theme, it is a great introduction to the way Beth can be so creative with a basic template by adding and changing a few notes. And it works on me, which is a lesson about not letting preconceptions blind you.

 

3) Gaueko. Nag champa and lavender, two notes I would never expect to go together but this scent shows both to perfection.

 

4) Monster bait: Underpants: I don't love this scent, but it is here because its scent evokes its name better than any other: creamy and, um, woody.

 

5) Queen Mab: A wonderful example of what Beth can do with orchid.

 

6) Evening Star. I'm not crazy about the "night air" fragrances, but they are such a special part of BPAL, I think you need to try one.

 

7) Rose Red. Your BPAL education is not complete without at least one rose scent. This ne is one of the few that does not work on me, but it is the most unusual rose scent I have ever smelled because it truly evokes the florist's fridge.

 

8) The Ghost. White flowers, you would think this would be a floral like everyone else's, but I've never smelled anything like it.

 

9) Chrysanthemum Moon. You need to try at least one spicy scent. None of them work on me, too grandma's cupboard-like, except this one, which balances the spice with tarter musk and opium. It is also a beautiful example of the red musk note Beth uses so well.

 

10) Obatala. This is a perfect example of Beth's use of milky notes. Does anyone else do this? I've never seen it before.

 

11) Tzadikim Nistarim. Because it is magic. Try it.

 

12) Jacob's Ladder. For the benzoin. This is an amazing scent.

 

If I don't stop here, I'll be describing the whole catalogue. This is nothing like a "top ten" list for me though. Great thread idea, Oly!

[Electra]

1. Snake Oil (like everyone else's list ). I know Black Phoenix is technically the lab's signature scent, but I always think of Snake Oil as the signature. Like Urraca, I don't like Snake Oil. I don't like it fresh, I don't like it aged, I've been a BPAL customer for 3 years and have tried it numerous times over those three years and still don't like it (so it's not a case of my nose just needing to "acclimate" to BPAL - I'm acclimated. Snake Oil just isn't for me). But if you're trying BPAL, you HAVE to try Snake Oil.

 

2. Morella. I can't count the number of times I've heard some variation on "ewww, CIVET..." on the forum. Morella should be in the pack to demonstrate how feminine and stunning a blend with civet can really be. It definitely converted me. I'm not scared of civet anymore.

 

3. Black Opal. Another scent I don't love (though I don't hate it). But I think it should go in the pack because it's such a cool conceptual scent - the mineral note underlying the vanilla is like nothing I've ever smelled before or since.

 

4. Whippoorwill. Because it's f*cking awesome. Again, I have NEVER smelled another perfume like this. No one puts this kind of scent in a bottle. Whippoorwill is unbelievable.

 

5. Miskatonic University. There should be at least one foodie in the pack (even though I dislike them as a general rule) because BPAL does a lot of them, and IMO Miskatonic is one of the best.

 

6. Snow White. Because it truly is a BPAL classic - and really does somehow capture the bite that you feel and smell when you walk outdoors on a really cold day.

 

7. Samhain. Another true BPAL classic. There's a reason it keeps coming back year after year.

 

That's all I've got for now, but I'm sure I'll edit later and get it up to a dozen .

[jj_j]

In no particular order, mind you. If I had to put the list in order of best first, my head would explode. I tried to pick a range of "classics" so almost any scent preference (foody, green, etc.) would be included.

 

Snow White. Perfection!

 

Lughnasadh. So hard to find, but I like it even better than Samhain; it doesn't have the sharpness of Samhain and other similar scents.

 

The Lion. Gorgeous, soft warmth. Beth's amazing Egyptian Amber is so beautifully showcased in this one.

 

Tamora. Foody and velvet-textured all at the same time; it makes the wearer feel decadent and soft.

 

Xiuhuleculti . Partly because it's un-spellable, and partly because it combines smoky and fruity in the most amazing way.

 

Florence. Earthy grandeur that smells like you paid a fortune. L'Artisan should make something so good.

 

Black Phoenix. For the "perfumey" perfume lover. This is all the good things about classic Chanel scents with none of the aldehydes and other less-than-stellar qualities.

 

Black Opal. Feminine, soft, and clean; much better than those $60 soap-smelling retail attempts at clean.

 

Kumari Kundam. A new classic. This is gorgeous, and just sweet enough to grab people who wear retail scents like Angel.

 

Strangler Fig. Green, but also very figgy. Not foody at all, but good for those who aren't sure about green-ish scents and for whom something like Envy might be to strong.

 

ETA: Oh, it's an even dozen! I get two more!!

 

Unseelie. Soft dried grasses stirring in the breeze, with a sophisticated feel. Smells like a good Ralph Lauren ad might look.

 

Sed Non Satiata. Woods, without being dry, and sexy as hell.

Edited October 1, 2006 by jj_j

[Northernminx]

Hee in a moment of "oh my god i have time to post!"

 

1. Snake Oil

2. Dana O' Shee

3. Alice

4. Manila

5. Queen Mab

6. Dorian

7. Sin

8. Ophelia

9. Cthulu

10. Silk Road

11. Twenty-One

12. Samhain (because you just have to)

 

A nice mix of floral, fruity, foody and spicey. I think I left off the resin category but as my coffee is still injecting itself into my bloodstream today, I can't think of much else to add.

[birdiefu]

1. Snake Oil (of course!)

2. Dorian

3. Cockaigne

4. Fae

5. Anubis

6. The Unicorn

7. Alice

8. Czernobog

9. Tintagel

10. Dragon's Milk

11. Golden Priapus

12. And There Was A Great Cry In Egypt

13. Chrysanthamum Moon

 

I think that's a pretty good mix of fruity, musky, woody, floraly, spicy, resiny, and foody. I like almost all of those scents so maybe I'm being a little biased, but they are all well crafted and represent a variety of BPALness. I tried to stick with all GC, but Mum Moon is such a masterpiece that I had to throw it in for a baker's dozen!

Edited October 1, 2006 by birdiefu

[joseybird]

These are the most unique and evocative BPALs I've tried. I don't have Snake Oil on the list only because I've smelled other perfumes that smell like Snake Oil.

 

1. Lughnasadh

2. Mabon

3. Samhain

4. Snow White

5. Milk Moon

6. Ides of March

7. Alice

8. Dorian

9. Blue Moon

10. Red Moon

[smallvoice]

ETA: This was in response to Olympia's question- my list in response to this thread originally is earlier and rather different in purpose, in my opinion.

 

I love making BPAL lists! It's why I've always got to have a say in the recommendations threads!

 

1. Snake Oil-- I was going to forgo adding Snake Oil, but it's on everyone's list for a reason. I prefer Mme. Moriarty, but Snake Oil wins this one, if we're talking about an introduction to the BPAL experience. As the top seller, it's pretty essential.

 

2. Midway-- This is a mixture of foody scents that the major perfumers who are exploring foody scents haven't even thought about touching. As I've said so often, I don't know how the scent of a carnival can come out smelling like perfume on my skin, but it certainly does. (Though, as with Snake Oil, this is not one of my favourites.)

 

3. Dorian-- Everyone should have to try Dorian. It is so well blended and beautiful and unisex, it really showcases Beth's talent.

 

4. Alice-- Feminine, sweet and a bit spicy. This is so classy. Alice is another one I say everyone should have to try.

 

5. Harvest Moon '06-- This is such a lovely blend. The notes are unusual and come together to form something that is unlike anything I've ever tried by BPAL. It is distinctive, and still represents the Harvest, without being stereotypical in any way.

 

6. Euphrosyne-- A creamy floral. Very pretty, and I don't like florals. (The more I say that, the more florals I find that I like.)

 

7. Arkham-- It's just so well done! The woods and the flowers and the sweetness are really well balanced.

 

8. O-- I feel like I'm just repeating myself here- it's an amazing blend, it showcases the beauty of Beth's honey blends, and it is so beloved.

 

9. Port-au-Prince-- This one is spicy and brilliant. Just gorgeous.

 

10. Katharina-- I had originally put The Lion here, because it's one that I love, but how could I leave out my favourite GC blend? (Nevermind that I've left out some of my very favourite LE's!) I wanted to include a fruity blend, and Katharina is it for me. The white musk makes this utterly clean and cuts the sweetness, but the apricot rounds it out.

 

11. Sudha Segara- This was initially going to be Jailbait, for reasons similar to Midway's reasons. Then it was going to be Shub Niggurath. But really, I love Sudha Segara's creamy ginger. I'd definitely want to showcase this scent.

 

12. The Organ Grinder-- Again, incredibly unique. I never would've thought to try these notes together, but they are so distinctive and lovely.

 

I wish I had more professional explanations, but I mostly just looked for signature blends and scents that are enchanting to me. I'll change my mind because there are so many to choose from, and I haven't tried everything yet. But these are my picks for now!

Edited October 7, 2006 by cordia

[Phaedra]

This is such a great and interesting thread- thanks Oly!

 

Let's see- I'll have to start with the Trifecta, the Holy Trinity of BPAL (in my book anyway) Snow White, Rose Red and Samhain:

 

1. Snow White- this is so different from any other traditional/commercial perfume I've tried. It's hauntingly beautiful and if I was stranded on a desert island and could only bring one bottle, this would be it.

 

2. Rose Red- yes I am a rose lover. This to me is the perfect chilly red rose. Like Urraca said, this smells like a rose from the florist's fridge.

 

3. Samhain- the perfect autumn scent. A bit foody with some darkness to it. I think this is a great representation of how BPAL interprets seasonal holidays.

 

And the rest:

 

4. Dorian- the quintissential gentleman's fragrance. Classic, elegant and a bit naughty.

 

5. Snake Oil- what more can I say? Dark, complex, utterly sensual and sexxxay!

 

6. Black Moon Rising- both as a set or separately. Black Moon is the ulitmate feminine energy, Schwazer Mond is the ulitimate male energy. This to me is an amazing example of the Lunar blends.

 

7. Miskatonic University- a cult classic. It really does have the note of old books! And who else would chose to honor the work of Lovecraft in liquid form?

 

8. Midnight Mass- this might be a more of a personal favorite of mine. I think it is a perfect example of the incense blends that Beth does so well. Every time I wear it, I am transported to a Greek Orthodox church mass.

 

9. A Voodoo blend- I'm not sure which one, maybe Joy Mojo or Horn of Plenty or All Night Long. Something to represent the blends with a purpose so to speak.

 

10. Enraged Orangutan Musk- although I've never even smelled this one. This shows the Lab's awesome sense of humor.

 

11. White Light- I know this is a TAL and maybe should be considered separately but it's another classic and loved by many for it's healing abilities.

 

12. Chaos Theory- I think this may be the most important one of all. What other perfumer would do something so risky and so creative and downright fun? This to me is what the Lab is all about.

[forspecial_plate]

.......

12. Chaos Theory- I think this may be the most important one of all. What other perfumer would do something so risky and so creative and downright fun? This to me is what the Lab is all about.

 

...excellent point! : )

[ceej]

I'm pretty new, so I don't have the same broad exposure to BPAL that y'all have, but this is what my "cover the range" list of 12 would look like:

 

Snake Oil - the signature scent

O - another very BPAL-ish experience

Dragon's Milk - non-foody sweet vanilla; everyone I've given this to has liked it

Aglaea - happiness distilled

Shango - the bottle should come with a paper umbrella

Blood Rose - rose & wine, complex & sophisticated

The Lion - warm spiced amber, or a glass of hot chai with milk

Miskatonic University - foody and Lovecrafty at once

Embalming Fluid - the opposite of warm

Severin - tea and leather, two important BPAL notes

Samhain - the essence of fall; an example of evoking place & time

Schwarzer Mond - my god, resinous, sweet, soft, dark, and mysterious

 

Or maybe swap out the LE Mond for Titus Andronicus, to keep the list in the GC or at least still available. Or swap Dorian in for Severin. Or Two, Five, & Seven in for Blood Rose. Or Alice in for The Lion, to get another floral in. Eep. These lists are hard.

[euterpe414]

Oh yay! I also love makign lists. If were to introduce someone to BPAL I think I would have to recommend...

 

Snake Oil - what everyone else said...

 

Alice- this is the scent that had me hooked, so I'm sure it would work for someone else. I had never smelled anything as lovely as this before when I tried it!

 

Dorian- irresistibly sexy.

 

Asphodel- the perfect light floral; in my opinion

 

Les Bijoux- a wonderful sweet honeyed applely scent- perfect for those who like sweet pretty department store perfumes and may not like the alcohol, etc. in them (like me)

 

Rose Red- the perfect fresh rose scent

 

Embalming Fluid- the second scent that had me hooked

 

Eden- a great comforting mix of foody and green, I always feel gorgeous wearing this.

 

Velvet- again, what everyone else said...

 

Loviatar- this is one of my favorite leathery scents, and I think a great example of a leather blend from the lab.

 

The Haunted Palace- a wonderful example of a well blended feminine scent- I find this one to be most artistic in concept and construction.

 

Mouse's Long and Sad Tale- a great mix of floral and gourmand

Edited October 1, 2006 by euterpe414

[stepho]

I just realized that I missed four pages somehow when I was counting! Maybe some threads got merged or something? So it's time for me to start counting again and compiling a new, improved list. Each time a scent is mentioned in this thread I'll give it one vote and we'll see which ones are the most popular. This might take awhile but it's going to be fun!

Edited October 1, 2006 by stepho

[moonarcana]

Snake Oil - quintessential BPAL whether it likes you or not

Black Phoenix - ummm...obviously

Alice - classic

Antique Lace - classic

Black Moon Rising - as Phaedra already mentioned, the set is the perfect dynamic balance of the range of the lunacy blends.

Dorian - classic

Dragon's Heart - passionate Ars Draconis

Embalming Fluid - classic

Hollywood Babylon - so different

Smut - oh yeah...gotta have teh Smut

Snow White - classic LE

Venice - one of the GC's most beautiful floral blends (IMO)

[stepho]

I finally went through every post and created a list of twelve, based on your recommendations. Only fragrances with 9 or more votes made the list but if you're interested in seeing all the numbers you can PM me with your email address because it's long!

 

Snake Oil 39

Alice 27

Dorian 26

O 18

Embalming Fluid 17

Morocco 14

Dana O'Shee 12

Velvet 12

Queen Mab 11

Scherezade 10

Samhain 9

Severin 9

 

I guess you could call this the ultimate enabling pack.

Edited October 3, 2006 by stepho

[olympia301]

1. Velvet
   
2. Snow White
   
3. Eat Me
   
4. Alice
   
5. London
   
6. Whitechapel
   
7. Fae
   
8. Snake Oil
   
9. Wilde
   
10. Ravenous
    
11. Severin
    
12. Hungry Ghost Moon
    

[filigree_shadow]

One time I tried to enable a friend this way (by buying her 3 imp packs), and I basically picked all my favorites. Now I can see that was kind of silly because everyone likes different ones, and it would probably be better to choose a wide variety.

 

1. Snake Oil

2. Dorian

3. Bathsheba

4. Two Monsters

5. Bordello

6. Dragon's Reverie

7. Scherezade

8. Jazz Funeral

9. Loviatar

10. Endymion

11. R'Lyeh

12. Tamora

 

But I'd mention that the Lab has hundreds of different ones, so this is a really small sample. Even if the person didn't love any of these (which I'd find hard to believe), I think she'd at least be intrigued by the quality and want to try more.

[fiddledragon]

Hrm...

 

1 Penitence - pure unadulterated resin

 

2 Thaleia - a wonderful example of Beth's honeyed florals

 

3 Danube - a nicely complex aquatic

 

4 Nephilim - so many ingredients show off how personal chemistry affects how something smells on different people

 

5 Rose Cross - you need a rose blend, and I have a weakness for frankincense

 

6 Eat Me - I haven't actually tried it, but there needs to be a foody one in here

 

7 Somnus - both an excellent example of jasmine and a good "utility" blend

 

8 White Rabbit - a good milk/tea scent (which, alas, goes weird on me)

 

9 Nyarlethotep - incense, ozone, and just the name

 

10 Dee - a good masculine blend, and shows off Beth's use of leather

 

11 Loup Garou - shows off woodsy/evergreen blends

 

12 Bastet - can go foody or incensy depending on the person

 

I have to be recalcitrant and not include Snake Oil. I've just never understood the appeal or been able to smell the complexity. Once the person is enabled, they can go and get it themselves.

[opheliaslily]

My top ten:

 

Dorian: I have never met a person, man or woman, who didn't love Dorian. It simply is that good, beautifully blended, and completely magnetic.

 

Snake Oil: Ditto.

 

Grand Guignol: I've had people stop me to ask me what I was wearing.

 

Hungry Ghost Moon: One of my most favorite moons ever.

 

Alice Suitable for almost everyone without adoubt.

 

Lucy's Kiss: my favorite rose scent from Bpal.

 

The Apothecary: There's something very light and refreshing about this scent.

 

Mouse's Long and Sad Tale: Sweet and delicious and lingering.

 

Cockaigne: The spice cake scent is enticing.

 

Morocco: Delectable for both men and women.

 

I have a big list of honorable mentions but those are the ones that matter most to me so far. I have high hopes for some of the Winter scents.

[Chrysantza]

The one BPAL I've made everyone squee for is Morocco. I think it's because it's warm and spicy, but not too out-there or unusual. I enabled one of my best friends with an imp pack (Bastet, Brisingamen, Loralei, Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo, Cairo and Morocco) and she simply squee'd over the Morocco. She's not the only one who has flipped for Morocco - it was one of the first imps I got when I was first enabled and I love it too!

[northatlantic]

My experience from enabling the office, the ones I had that seemed to please the widest variety of people:

 

1. Black Pearl

2. Mantis

3. Danube

4. House of Mirrors*

5. Sea of Glass

6. Anne Bonny/Cathedral (tie)

 

*if HOM unavailable, substitute Hungry Ghost Moon. If HGM unavailable, substitute Zephyr, which although I myself do not care for, quite a few people of my experience do.

[Christine Daae]

Last night, while I was backstage at that-show-I-hate-doing with the other girls that hate doing the show ( ) I let them raid my perfume stash (or "crate o' perfume" as the BF calls it). These were the most popular scents (some to my surprise!):

 

1. Black Pearl (I can't wear coconut, so this was surprising to me!)

2. Sugar Skull (I couldn't let them take this one, though.)

3. Embalming Fluid (I can't wear this one due to lemon.)

4. The Unicorn

5. Phantom Queen

6. Kindly Moon (again, I wouldn't let them take this one!!)

 

If you don't have imps of Kindly Moon or Sugar Skull, two others that were popular were Maiden and Persephone. And Bon Vivant!

[zankoku_zen]

This is for a girl, I'll edit this later for a guy

 

1. Alice

2. Dorian

3. Snake Oil

4. Bat Woman

5. O

6. Perversion

7. Intrigue

8. Snow White

9. Rose Red

10. Samhain

11. Blue Moon

12. Chaos Theory

 

I've noted some that are not my favorites, but in the interest of enabling, they would go REAL far.

[AlectoNox]

I got my own mother hooked with just one imp of Black Pearl.

 

[raspberryswirlgirl]

Hi there!

 

I was wondering what 6 scents you think anyone new really needs to try.

 

My first thoughts are:

Snake oil

Dorian

Embalming Fluid

Dana O'Shee

Morocco

and Alice

 

......oh but then there's Antique Lace, O, Perversion, Szepasszony.....so many more!

 

what about you?

 

*come join us in the Adopt-A-Newbie thread....everyone is welcome*

 

TIA

Edited July 10, 2007 by raspberryswirlgirl

[AmyAngel]

I would include Bordello, it's the ONE that's worked best for enabling for me.

 

Of the ones you listed, only Embalming Fluid really works well on me, and I think it's because of the creamy/vanilla aspects of some of the others. My personal choice would to try to include a variety of types of scents - something with Dragon's Blood, something ambery, something incensey, something floral, something fruity, something aquatic, something spicy... Of course with only 6 you have to leave things out!

 

I think if I had to make a list I'd use:

Snake Oil (because you have to)

Shanghai (tea! Embalming Fluid would work here, too)

Dragon's Milk or Alice (depending on the person)

Bordello

Bastet or maybe O or Haunted

51, or something aquatic (I've not found the perfect one yet)

 

If you could do 7 I'd include Tanin'Iver or something else spicy, or maybe something blatantly incensey if I thought the person would be into that. And there's still not really a pure floral in there, hmm.

 

If Neo-Tokyo was still available I'd include that, as it is just beautiful. If Antonino was impable I'd include him.

 

It's so hard to choose!