If your top 5 scents are... Then try these!

[Aviatrix]

 

 

Hi I'm new here but here is my top five right now:

 

1.Embalming Fluid

2.Zombi

3.Belle Epoque

4.Lightning

5.Eat Me

 

My fiance likes

 

1.Arkham

2.Lightning

3.John Watson

(He's a lot more picky)

 

Thanks for the recommendations in advance! *w *

 

If you enjoy the dirt in Zombi, you might also like Penny Dreadful!

 

The light citrus in Embalming Fluid always reminds me a bit of Zephyr, so you may like that too.

 

A lot of the Mad Tea Party scents share the same vibe, so if you like Eat Me, you can try for example Drink Me, The Knave of Hearts, or Queen Alice.

 

If your fiancé likes John Watson, he may enjoy some of the other citrusy colognes, like Villain and Whitechapel.

 

Lightning reminds me a little of Luminous Phasmatis, which is an equally beautiful ozone blend, but that one is not general catalog (it's a Yule from last year).

 

I hope you find something new to love

 

 

Ah! My fiance says both Villain and Whitechapel sound awesome! I've actually tried and liked Zephyr, I have a lot of favorites :B I think I'll take a look at the other Mad Tea Party scents, and is Luminous Phasmatis rare? If not I may try to get some in the sale/swap threads!

 

 

I don't know how much Luminous Phasmatis there is floating around, but I don't think it was ever very popular at the time it was released, but you can definitely try the sales and swaps forums

[Cerberry]

I received my very first batch of imps yesterday. I've been testing them but it's so overwhelming - the way they transform when applied to skin and what they smell like after a couple hours, but there are some I already enjoy:

 

1. Lampades (I'm absolutely in love with it)

2. Drink Me

3. Velvet

4. Chaotic

5. Veil

 

Oh, and Fire of Love smells dreadful on me, maybe it's musk+lemon that turn sour or something else. I'm still figuring my way around and would love recommendations

[sqwook]

Lampades is really great! There's nothing exactly like it, but here are some that for me share some similarities or a feel --

 

(these are not all General Catalog, I'm taking them from my notes on similarities)

 

Mme Moriarty

Morgause

Witch Queen

Frumious Bandersnatch

Hymn to Proserpine

Tintagel

Fenris Wolf

Black Lotus

Fruits of Paradise

Anactoria

[LizziesLuck]

I received my very first batch of imps yesterday. I've been testing them but it's so overwhelming - the way they transform when applied to skin and what they smell like after a couple hours, but there are some I already enjoy:

 

1. Lampades (I'm absolutely in love with it)

2. Drink Me

3. Velvet

4. Chaotic

5. Veil

 

Oh, and Fire of Love smells dreadful on me, maybe it's musk+lemon that turn sour or something else. I'm still figuring my way around and would love recommendations

 

I am going to second the recommendation for Mme. Moriarty, I feel like it's something everyone should try. It's amazing. Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, black currant, patchouli leaf and wild plum.

 

If you like Drink Me, I feel like you should try Eat Me as well. It's very different, but to me it has that same feel - a decadent gourmand note with fruit. Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants

 

If you like Velvet, you might like Intrigue Black palm, with cocoa, fig and shadowy wooded notes or maybe How 'Doth The Little Crocodile Chocolate peppermint, mint-soaked vanilla, pistachio, oakmoss, and green cedar.

 

I am not familiar with Chaotic - in fact, it scares me. Lol. So I can't help you there.

 

Since you like Veil, maybe try Ouija, I think they kind of have a similar "feel" to them rosewood, oak and teak notes with wispy blue lilac, tea rose, dried white rose and ethereal osmanthus

 

Have fun finding new scents you love! And welcome to the forum.

[ibonekoen]

Ooh, I've been looking for scent recommendations. I'm still a newbie to this whole thing, but I've tried enough scents to have five favorites.

 

1. Alan McMichael

2. Antony

3. Mad Hatter.

4. Loup Garou

5. Dorian and Jolly Roger are tied, lol

[sqwook]

Ooh, I've been looking for scent recommendations. I'm still a newbie to this whole thing, but I've tried enough scents to have five favorites.

 

1. Alan McMichael

2. Antony

3. Mad Hatter.

4. Loup Garou

5. Dorian and Jolly Roger are tied, lol

 

Haha, well the *good* news is that your Top 5 has some serious winners in it: Antony is fantastic,and Dorian & Jolly Roger are way up there too. Here are some others in that similar family-ish.

 

Phoenix Steamworks

Oblivion

Greed

Fascinum *Oooh I had forgotten about this one it's so good!

Golden Priapus

Faunalia

Galvanic Goggles

Dee

Death on a Pale Horse

The Robotic Scarab

Fenris Wolf

Crowley

 

Loup Garou is a pine, isn't it? There are toooonnnss of pine & forest & tree scents. My favorite tree scent is Yggdrasil, it's not really pine like Loup Garou is though. But. It's fantastic. i also liked Slobbering Pine.

[ibonekoen]

 

Ooh, I've been looking for scent recommendations. I'm still a newbie to this whole thing, but I've tried enough scents to have five favorites.

 

1. Alan McMichael

2. Antony

3. Mad Hatter.

4. Loup Garou

5. Dorian and Jolly Roger are tied, lol

 

Haha, well the *good* news is that your Top 5 has some serious winners in it: Antony is fantastic,and Dorian & Jolly Roger are way up there too. Here are some others in that similar family-ish.

 

Phoenix Steamworks

Oblivion

Greed

Fascinum *Oooh I had forgotten about this one it's so good!

Golden Priapus

Faunalia

Galvanic Goggles

Dee

Death on a Pale Horse

The Robotic Scarab

Fenris Wolf

Crowley

 

Loup Garou is a pine, isn't it? There are toooonnnss of pine & forest & tree scents. My favorite tree scent is Yggdrasil, it's not really pine like Loup Garou is though. But. It's fantastic. i also liked Slobbering Pine.

 

 

Thank you so much for all of these recommendations! I'm excited to try these out And yeah, Loup Garou is a pine. I smell like a forest when I wear it and I looooove it.

[MadamAnt]

Ohhhh, can I play?

 

1) 13 (October '06 orange label)

2) Eve (Only Lovers Left Alive)

3) 13 (April '12)

4) Cheshire Cat

5) Snake Oil

 

(Bonus: Favorite Non-Bpal -- Le Labo Santal)

 

I'm *really* hoping for some GE scent recommendations because I keep falling in love with LEs that are increasingly more difficult to hunt down, and I'd love to find a signature in the general catalogue!

[sqwook]

Ohhhh, can I play?

 

1) 13 (October '06 orange label)

2) Eve (Only Lovers Left Alive)

3) 13 (April '12)

4) Cheshire Cat

5) Snake Oil

 

(Bonus: Favorite Non-Bpal -- Le Labo Santal)

 

I'm *really* hoping for some GE scent recommendations because I keep falling in love with LEs that are increasingly more difficult to hunt down, and I'd love to find a signature in the general catalogue!

 

Snake Oil is great! And there's nothing like it, but it's GC so that's good.

 

Aren't the 13s usually chocolate based? You may want to check out other chocolate and cocoa recs, here's a giant and delicious thread of recs:

http://www.bpal.org/topic/8131-chocolate-and-cocoa-in-every-combination-possible/

 

Of Cheshire Cat, is it the citrus that you like? You may want to try some of the other citrus scents, like:

Aelopile

Embalming Fluid *super zingy and bright!

Phantasm

Xiuhtecuhtli

Manhattan *really a great scent!

Mag Mell *love this!

Cairo *This one is so great!

Shanghai

51

Baobhan Sith

[MadamAnt]

 

Ohhhh, can I play?

 

1) 13 (October '06 orange label)

2) Eve (Only Lovers Left Alive)

3) 13 (April '12)

4) Cheshire Cat

5) Snake Oil

 

(Bonus: Favorite Non-Bpal -- Le Labo Santal)

 

I'm *really* hoping for some GE scent recommendations because I keep falling in love with LEs that are increasingly more difficult to hunt down, and I'd love to find a signature in the general catalogue!

 

Snake Oil is great! And there's nothing like it, but it's GC so that's good.

 

Aren't the 13s usually chocolate based? You may want to check out other chocolate and cocoa recs, here's a giant and delicious thread of recs:

http://www.bpal.org/topic/8131-chocolate-and-cocoa-in-every-combination-possible/

 

Of Cheshire Cat, is it the citrus that you like? You may want to try some of the other citrus scents, like:

Aelopile

Embalming Fluid *super zingy and bright!

Phantasm

Xiuhtecuhtli

Manhattan *really a great scent!

Mag Mell *love this!

Cairo *This one is so great!

Shanghai

51

Baobhan Sith

 

Thanks so much -- these are great recs! The 13s ARE pretty chocolate based! I love those two most for their complexity (the orange label one is like, a spicy chocolate orange -- like eating a chocolate orange in a spicy incensed room, and the april one is like if you took wildflowers and poured white chocolate all over them with something a little spicy in it as well to give it a little heft), Cheshire Cat I like because I know it's meant to smell like citrus, but it actually smells like fruitcake to me?? Something about those glaceed cherries and warm, eggy bread, and booze. I don't know why because I don't see a lot of people saying it smells like that to them, but there's something not classically citrus that comes out real strong on me, and I love it!

 

One thing that I've noticed about many of the chocolate blends is that they feel pretty strictly gourmand? and while I love a gourmand, I tend to like it with a little spicy stink thrown in, too. I'll certainly have a looksee, though. Thank you so much for taking the time to recommend!!

Edited January 9, 2016 by MadamAnt

[LizziesLuck]

<snipped>

 

 

Thanks so much -- these are great recs! The 13s ARE pretty chocolate based! I love those two most for their complexity (the orange label one is like, a spicy chocolate orange -- like eating a chocolate orange in a spicy incensed room, and the april one is like if you took wildflowers and poured white chocolate all over them with something a little spicy in it as well to give it a little heft), Cheshire Cat I like because I know it's meant to smell like citrus, but it actually smells like fruitcake to me?? Something about those glaceed cherries and warm, eggy bread, and booze. I don't know why because I don't see a lot of people saying it smells like that to them, but there's something not classically citrus that comes out real strong on me, and I love it!

 

 

 

One thing that I've noticed about many of the chocolate blends is that they feel pretty strictly gourmand? and while I love a gourmand, I tend to like it with a little spicy stink thrown in, too. I'll certainly have a looksee, though. Thank you so much for taking the time to recommend!!

 

 

If you like your chocolate with some spice, you may want to try out El Dia de Los Reyes - one of the current Yules. Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar

Or for chocolate with fig and woods Intrigue Black palm, with cocoa, fig and shadowy wooded notes

And if you like chocolate with some incense, you almost have to try Velvet gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh

And my absolute favourite non-gourmand chocolate scent The Candy Butcher Bittersweet chocolate with a heavy cream undertone. I know that likely sounds gourmand, but there is this herbal undertone that keeps it from being foodie, and it is just gorgeous!

 

If you like Cheshire Cat because it actually smells like cake to you, maybe you would like other cakey scents? Have you tried Cockaigne? milk and honey, sweet cakes and wine.

 

There is nothing out there like Snake Oil, but there are other blends that have Snake Oil in them, and lots of folks who like Snake Oil also like those! You might like Tombeur vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil.

 

And also, I feel Morocco is one of those classics, totally different vein, but if you like Snake Oil you may like it too Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia.

 

Hope you find some new GC scent loves that are easily obtainable!

[VetchVesper]

Ohhhh, can I play?

 

1) 13 (October '06 orange label)

2) Eve (Only Lovers Left Alive)

3) 13 (April '12)

4) Cheshire Cat

5) Snake Oil

 

(Bonus: Favorite Non-Bpal -- Le Labo Santal)

 

I'm *really* hoping for some GE scent recommendations because I keep falling in love with LEs that are increasingly more difficult to hunt down, and I'd love to find a signature in the general catalogue!

 

It sounds like your tastes might be similar to mine. You like a foodieness to the smell, but not strait up gourmands?

 

Cheshire Cat has an almost candy like citrus sweetness on my skin. Other blends you might try are Aizen-Myoo, Fae, and Megeara. They are less bright/sharp citrus and more soft and sweet. You might also try Pere Noel, which is a lovely true orange candy smell, not hard candy orange.

 

For Snake Oil, if it's the vanilla you like, I'd second the Morroco recommendation, but if you're a patchouli fan - Goblin, Imp, Vixen, and Desire have a foody sweetness, but are predominantly resinous blends. Oblivion and Dance of Death are more resinous, but have smooth, dark sweetness to them akin to Snake Oil. Satyr smells like a masculine SO. You also might try Tezcatlipoca which has cocoa and patch. and Masquerade which is a spicy orange and patch.

 

Can't tell I love patchouli, can you? ;-)

[MadamAnt]

Ahhh! These recommendations are all so great!! Thank you so much (from me. My debit card isn't going to be anywhere NEAR as pleased with all of this information as I am!)

[roseus]

Ooooh I've been wanting to expand my horizons but I haven't been sure where to start!

1. Morocco

2. Mare Vaporum

3. Mouse's Long Sad Tale

4. Aelian's Phoenix

5. Two, Five, and Seven

[PrinceofcatS]

 

Ooooh I've been wanting to expand my horizons but I haven't been sure where to start!

1. Morocco

2. Mare Vaporum

3. Mouse's Long Sad Tale

4. Aelian's Phoenix

5. Two, Five, and Seven

 

 

This is a Halloweenie, I apologize! But it's come out a few years so it might come back, and you might be able to find a bottle online, but on me, I swear The Vampire Bride has the exact same base as Morocco, plus a little bit of a chilly dark-green vine note laid over it.

 

A friend of mine has said the frequent Yule scent Rose Red (out now) has the same rose scent as Two, Five and Seven. Based on your other interests, I'd recommend Maiden (white tea, carnation and rose), because it's a light, almost spicy, delicate but rich rose scent, and Penny Dreadful, which is one of my all-time favorites - it's like a spices-laden women's perfume in red grave loam, which sounds vile, but is in fact THE BEST.

 

I also think you would like Belle Epoque ("Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood"). And depending on your budget, the scents from the Crimson Peak collection Between Your Heart and Mine and The Waltz might appeal to you - they both have a rosewood, vanilla and white rose base, iirc, but The Waltz also has amber and "champagne musk" (on me, champagney musk, truly warm and musky and not at all soapy like champagnes usually go on me). eta: Lucy's Kiss! This is "the gentle scent of rose and a blend of Victorian spices".

Edited January 13, 2016 by PrinceofcatS

[PrinceofcatS]

I only just started purchasing from BPAL again after a six year hiatus, but I haven't purchased any imps yet - I've only bought from collections - so I would love some general collection recommendations if anyone has any!

 

My favorites are:

 

1. Egle

2. A Young Woman Appealing To a Witch

3. Leanan Sidhe

4. Lady Una

5. Lucille Sharpe

 

I warred with putting Voodoo Lily on here, which I got as a frimp with my Crimson Peak order and ended up wearing more than anything in the order, but it's pretty basic. eta: I get along with a wide variety of scents, but I really hate patchouli.

Edited January 13, 2016 by PrinceofcatS

[VetchVesper]

Roseus - You might try The Lion. It's a soft, warm, spiced amber w/ a similar vibe to Morocco and MLST.

 

PrinceofcatS - I just bought a bottle of Lucille myself. It's lovely and not quite the same as anything else I've sniffed, but it did remind me a little of Black Rose, which is a dark and velvety rose. You might also try Spellbound and Black Lily.

 

Hedylogos smells like honey and roses to me, which might be similar to A Young Woman Appealing to a Witch, and Elf reminds me of Egle in that they are both bright, sweet, florally forest scents.

 

ETA: You might also check out Sheol since it seems you like lily and it shares a copal note with Penny Dreadful.

Edited January 14, 2016 by VetchVesper

[PrinceofcatS]

Roseus - You might try The Lion. It's a soft, warm, spiced amber w/ a similar vibe to Morocco and MLST.

 

PrinceofcatS - I just bought a bottle of Lucille myself. It's lovely and not quite the same as anything else I've sniffed, but it did remind me a little of Black Rose, which is a dark and velvety rose. You might also try Spellbound and Black Lily.

 

Hedylogos smells like honey and roses to me, which might be similar to A Young Woman Appealing to a Witch, and Elf reminds me of Egle in that they are both bright, sweet, florally forest scents.

 

ETA: You might also check out Sheol since it seems you like lily and it shares a copal note with Penny Dreadful.

 

Thank you so much, this is so comprehensive - a couple of your recommendations were already things I was thinking about trying, and looking the others up they sound like things i would love! I've tried Spellbound, and I agree it's similar to Lucille, but it seems like red musk mostly doesn't agree with me, so I passed the imp on to a friend who will hopefully enjoy it more.

[roseus]

Thank you guys, this was really helpful! I'll definitely be looking into Penny Dreadful and The Lion!

[VetchVesper]

Yay! Glad to help and happy sniffing.

[ioleda]

I'm looking for some suggestions. I wear these the most frequently and feel most like myself when I do. I'm open to both GC and LE, but I would especially love to find an everyday, GC scent. To complicate things, I can't wear anything with amber in it.

 

1. Haloes - Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot.

2. Snow White - A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.

3. Aristocratic Couple - Bourbon vanilla, preserved apricot, and cardamom.

4. Womb Furie - An itch that needs to be scratched: Snake Oil and three types of honey.

5. Dorian - A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea.

Edited January 26, 2016 by ioleda

[biocarolyn]

I'll play! I'd love some suggestions.

 

My top five:

1. CC Female: Leather, golden amber, vanilla orchid, Spanish moss, Oxford clay, and tonka.

2. Ü: A mélange of balsams, leathers, and raw vanilla designed to evoke images of unearthed secrets and dusty, ancient libraries.

3. Door: Golden honey, nicotiana, blue chamomile, and cistus.

4. Pussy: Orange blossom honey, brown sugar, saffron, tonka absolute, and tobacco leaf.

5. Kypris: Peru balsam, vanilla bean, Rainier cherry, bitter almond, golden honey, rose water, lemon peel, sugar cane, and benzoin.

 

Although I like vanilla and honey, I really don't react well to overly sweet scents (Pussy dries down very heavy on tobacco leaf on me.) I've been mostly on hiatus since 2013ish... and don't mind tracking things down.

[biocarolyn]

 

Ooooh I've been wanting to expand my horizons but I haven't been sure where to start!

1. Morocco

2. Mare Vaporum

3. Mouse's Long Sad Tale

4. Aelian's Phoenix

5. Two, Five, and Seven

Have you tried The Rose, from Marchen? I feel like I remember that includes the greenery that makes Two, Five, and Seven a little more interesting than straight rose to me.

[LizziesLuck]

I'm looking for some suggestions. I wear these the most frequently and feel most like myself when I do. I'm open to both GC and LE, but I would especially love to find an everyday, GC scent. To complicate things, I can't wear anything with amber in it.

 

1. Haloes - Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot.

2. Snow White - A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.

3. Aristocratic Couple - Bourbon vanilla, preserved apricot, and cardamom.

4. Womb Furie - An itch that needs to be scratched: Snake Oil and three types of honey.

5. Dorian - A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea.

 

I am having a hard time thinking of things that don't have amber....hmmm. I got nothing for your first two, sorry!

 

Well if you like Aristocratic Couple, maybe try Pandy Fresh white musk, honeycomb, sweet apricot, elemi, orange blossom, and mischievous pink pepper. or Depraved Earthy black patchouli swelling with apricot.

Since you love Womb Furie, have you tried Snake Oil? Or Tombeur Deadly and seductive: vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil.

And since you like Dorian, I would try Famine Sleek black tea, tobacco leaf, frankincense, lilac, and white musk. and maybe also Theodosius, the Legerdemain Earl Grey tea leaves, a white fougere, jasmine leaf, pearlescent white musk, and vanilla bean.

[ioleda]

 

I'm looking for some suggestions. I wear these the most frequently and feel most like myself when I do. I'm open to both GC and LE, but I would especially love to find an everyday, GC scent. To complicate things, I can't wear anything with amber in it.

 

1. Haloes - Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot.

2. Snow White - A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.

3. Aristocratic Couple - Bourbon vanilla, preserved apricot, and cardamom.

4. Womb Furie - An itch that needs to be scratched: Snake Oil and three types of honey.

5. Dorian - A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea.

 

I am having a hard time thinking of things that don't have amber....hmmm. I got nothing for your first two, sorry!

 

Well if you like Aristocratic Couple, maybe try Pandy Fresh white musk, honeycomb, sweet apricot, elemi, orange blossom, and mischievous pink pepper. or Depraved Earthy black patchouli swelling with apricot.

Since you love Womb Furie, have you tried Snake Oil? Or Tombeur Deadly and seductive: vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil.

And since you like Dorian, I would try Famine Sleek black tea, tobacco leaf, frankincense, lilac, and white musk. and maybe also Theodosius, the Legerdemain Earl Grey tea leaves, a white fougere, jasmine leaf, pearlescent white musk, and vanilla bean.

 

 

I know, it makes it very difficult! I haven't found a single blend I can wear with amber at this point. edit: except haloes, apparently?? weird.

 

I actually haven't tried any of these! Tombeur and Pandy sound especially lovely. I will definitely try to track down some partials or decants. Thank you so much.

Edited February 4, 2016 by ioleda