Jump to content
BPAL Madness!
  • entries
    75
  • comments
    13
  • views
    21,410

About this blog

Astrophysics, Lovecraft, BPAL, computers. If that 'aint a weird mix I don't know what is.

Entries in this blog

 

Eat Me: Seriously Edible!

Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants.

Bottle: Nothing in particular, quite strong.

Wet: Fruity, tart berries.

Dry & Drydown: Smells similar - warm, sweet cake with slightly bitter undertones of berry. Sorry I can't be more specific - this is one of those mellow, all-purpose, warm, comforting scents, and on my chemistry, it smells divine!

Throw: Everyone I asked "Do you like this smell?" loved it. It lasted about 8 hours before vanishing.

Verdict: Warm, sweet and foody. A 6-part chord of notes rather than an octave.

Rating: A delectable 5/5!

Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Dummy off eBay

Right, I've taken the Dummy off eBay and put it up in my Sales Post. The reason, you ask? I'm in search of one or two particular bottles, so I thought I'd have more luck swapping it than selling it   I also have an ISO Post up asking for a 5ml, full or partial, of Monster Bait: Underpants. I know it's a long shot, since it's popular and rare, but if anyone has any Underpants that they would sell to me (or better, swap for my Ventriloquist's Dummy!) please PM me!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Dorian: Mr Darcy's Cup of Tea

Inspired by and created for my beloved Tedwin: my eternal, beautiful, wicked Dorian Gray. Refined, elegant, and lovely, with a noble bearing and seemingly gentle air. This blend is an artful deception: a sweet gilded blossom lying over a twisted and corrupted core. A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea. Bottle: Light cologne.   Wet: Sweet vanilla with a slight "kick" from the citrus. Amazingly, the lemon hasn't amped to washing-up-liquid proportions yet!   Drydown: Sweet vanilla tea, just like the description.   Dry: There's sometime else in here that I don't recognise (probably the fougere, I haven't a clue what that is!). It's a sweet, bright, vanilla tea with the remnants of a slice of lemon in it, and this other, slightly musky scent underneath it. I love white musk so this is lurvely!   Verdict: Mr Darcy, holding a cup of sweet vanilla tea, out of which he has just fished a slice of lemon. I knew I would love this as soon as I read the description, and I'm so glad I bought it unsniffed!   Rating: 4.5/5   Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Delousing Powder

I was frimped this by the awesomeness of shelldoo in my Death Adder order. Woohoo!   Quoted verbatim from the review thread:   Attendees at the June 30, 2007 Thunder Moon Will Calls on the East and West coasts were offered "an extra-speshul themed package" if they donated an item of clothing at the door to help women in local shelters.   To match the "Privilege and Pruno" theme of the events, the package was a plastic baggie with standard prison-issue toothbrush, comb, plastic razor, soap (samples of Macha's new line of Silk Road Trading Company soaps to be exact) and an imp of Delousing Powder! There was no description - only a frosty glare from the warden as she confiscated your clothes. - Numenon   Like others, I got a very strong lemon/citrus vibe out of this. Usually, lemon sends me running for the hills and smells like dishwasher soap. Not so with Delousing Powder! It does smell a little like Fairy Citrus, but it has a lovely sweet sherbert vibe about it too. It smells more like one of those frothy, citrusy, sweet cocktails you get on mainland Europe in August than soap. It also reminds me of lemon Callippos (ice lollies).   All in all, a pleasant scent, perfect for hot summer days - which means I won't be wearing it any time soon *looks out gloomily at the rainy and flooded country*
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Death Adder on its way!

The left hand of God, or shelldoo as everyone else knows her, responded to my ISO! A bottle of the Adder will be winging its way to me tomorrow. I'm very excited about this one actually.   I didn't like Snake Oil when I first tried it, because it was just so bland on me. It was slightly sour vanilla, not unpleasant, but very bland, and too strong - I got a headache from sniffing my wrist too hard! (But then I get scent headaches very easily.)   Lately, after finding that I actually quite like vanilla (helloooo, Dorian!), I have considered giving the Snake another try. However, I'm (obviously) not willing to make a Lab order for one Imp, and I don't want to buy a bottle, have to wait a month, pay $13 shipping and find it doesn't work. Same logic for the Swaps forum, I know how awkward it can get when people only buy single Imps! I also forgot to add an Imp of SO to my 13 order. D'oh...   My solution? After trying and (mostly) liking Saw-Scaled Viper, I started investigating the Snake Pit more closely. You know how when you first get into BPAL and have tried your first few scents you go through the catalogue and think "That will never work on me"? I did that with the Snake Pit at first. I thought that since SO was bland, any scent based on it would too. Thankfully, I got SSV as a frimp in a swap because it was late (aww!), and found a new love for the vanilla of SO! So I looked through the Pit and checked out the notes. I'm terrified of florals as 99% of floral blends turn to rank old-lady-soap on me, but the one that got my attention was Death Adder: Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax.   The key attention-grabbing note there was opopanax. I LOVE opopanax. Before I got into BPAL I wore Dior Poison, in which the base note was opopanar, and my favourite BPAL ever is Geek, which has opopanax listed as a main note. I love the sultry, sexy, musky smell of it, and it smells faaaaaaabulous on moi! The fact that the Adder has vanilla and coconut only (literally) sweetened the deal. I was a little worried about the vetiver, which is a rather finicky note on me; it can be lovely and tangily refreshing, or it can smell like fag ash, but then it occurred to me that without it, the blend would be so sweet that even I wouldn't be able to wear it. And I have a sweet tooth the size of China.   I really hope that after all that I like it!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Crowley: Don't mess with THE MAN.

Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk.

Imp: Sharp-ish, musky cologne.

Wet: Patchouli. Loooots of patchouli.

Drydown: Oh no! Sharp, alcoholic cologne, the kind that made you gag when it came in clouds out of the boys' locker room at High School.

Dry (First): Phew! Still cologne, but much creamier. Still very, very manly though.

Dry (10 mins): Crowley just screams manliness from every pore. Not something that warrants big bottle attention, but nice nonetheless.

Verdict: Don your sunglasses and drive your burning Bentley screaming through the black night.

Rating: 4/5. Would have gotten 5 if it was a little less testosterone-fuelled.

Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Creepy and Spooky on eBay

I really hate having to do this, but my finances are taking a nosedive. I'm therefore putting my 5mls of Creepy and Spooky on eBay. Creepy was nice but pure butterscotch on me, which was alright but rather cloying and heavy, and certainly not something I would wear. Spooky was very nice, but it went to almost pure vanilla - which I can get from other, cheaper oils.   So: Creepy and Spooky on eBay UK. International (USA and EU) bidders are welcome. Shipping is expensive because I will send by recorded delivery.
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Computers and World of Warcraft

Meh. Simple harmonic motion is SO BORING. And the word "simple" is a very inaccurate description. So I've come on here to rant about World of Warcraft and computers instead   World of Warcraft   I play World of Warcraft. I play it a lot, but it's not the only thing in my life. And no, I don't mind paying for the subscription because it's so good.   I play in the Aggramar realm. I'm a gnome Warlock called Jenesis, currently level 37 (trying to level fast though), specialising in Demonology (I want a Felguard!). I was looking around the WoW-Europe site earlier and I found the High-Level Armour Sets - these have given me a new incentive to get to Level 70 and go do some instances! I particularly like the Felheart armour set, a Tier 1 Raid set that can be obtained from mobs in Molten Core. So when I get to Searing Gorge, off to Molten Core I go   If any other BPALers are WoW (EU) players, whisper me and say hello!   ETA: Molten Core is in Searing Gorge, not Outland. Oops   Computers   I can't wait to get home on the 26th. Why? Because I will be building my new computer after that I'm aiming to have all the components arrive at my house the following Monday so I can build it/test it/tweak it/swear at it when it doesn't work all that week. Not that any of you are at all interested in this, but check out the specs:   Case - This is a sexy case Processor: AMD 64 X2 5200+ Dual-Core 2.6GHz Motherboard: MSI K9N nForce 590 SLI-Ready 8-Channel Audio with Creative Audigy soundcard OS: Vista Ultimate   The other specs like hard drive (500GB SATA), memory (2GB at least) and things are all a bit more changeable and so not concrete yet. Total cost: About £900, or $1750. Not bad for a from-scratch dual-core system. A bit annoyed about the graphics card though; I can't afford a new 8800 yet (check out this sexy beast *dribble* ) so I'm using the boyfriend's old 6600 card until I can! He got an 8800 for his machine and gave the old card to me. So I'm gonna have this lightning fast rig bottlenecked by an almost outdated graphics card   ETA: Must... resist... getting... credit... card... out... I WANT an 8800!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Carnivale: Sweet, Sticky and Sinful

Bright, intoxicating, hectic notes masking a twisted, corrupted core: sweet wild berry, spicy carnation and heliotrope layered over deep amber and musk.   Bottle: All I get from this is "cheap cologne".   Wet: Very sweet, sticky berry, rather like candyfloss. I feel like my nose will become stuck to my wrist if I get too close!   Drydown: Still the sweet berry, but with an undertone of florals. I must admit I was scared by the carnation in the description (flowers hate me), but it seems to be working out so far.   Dry: As always on me, the musk appears. No spices, but the florals are behaving, and that's all I ask! The sweet fruity note is still top of the heap, and the whole thing definitely reminds me of a carnival or fair. Or a sweet shop. Not exactly an everyday scent, but definitely one for Hallow's Eve, Christmas or other Winter festival! (Or just for when I'm feeling indulgent )   Final verdict: Rich, sensual and sweet, this is truly a decadent scent.   Rating: 4/5   Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Brown Jenkins: Less than Scary

A small, furry, sharp-toothed scent that will nuzzle you curiously in the black hours before dawn: dusty white sandalwood and orris root, dry coconut husk, creeping musk, and the residue of ceremonial incense.   Wet: Smells like paint. Oh dear.   Drydown: Smells like cheap shampoo. Equally, oh dear.   Dry: Oh, thank goodness for that! The musk (always good on me) and the coconut come out to play. The sweet coconut balances the dryness of the woods, and the mellow musk and spicy incense add complexity to the blend. Not an everyday scent, but definitely one for when I feel particularly engimatic!   Final Verdict: Once it dries, it's a sweet, musky blend complicated by spices and woods. Gorgeous and sexy, although not an everyday scent.   Rating: 4.5/5   Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

BPAL Reviews

BPAL Reviews   Whenever I review a scent, I'll post a link to my post in the review thread here. This is also partly for me so I can keep track of all my reviews   13 (July 2007) Aziraphale Black Pearl Bon Vivant Brown Jenkins The Candy Butcher Carnivale Creepy Crowley Death Adder Death of the Grave Digger Delousing Powder Dorian Eat Me Enraged Groundhog Musk Fire Pig Geek Gennivre Imp Kumiho Lampades Mania Monster Bait: Bloody Mary Monster Bait: Ventriloquist Dummy Obatala Odin The Red Queen Saw-Scaled Viper Shub-Niggurath Spooky Tanin'iver Tenochtitlan Two Monsters White Rabbit Xanthe
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

BPAL Postage Price Rise 2

Why oh why do I have this incredible inability to get out of bed before 1030? It's really messing my work/revision schedules up. I guess it's related to my insomnia but I don't know where that comes from either. Oh joy of joys. (And before you recommend Somnus, all that did was give me a migraine .)   More Shipping Thoughts   I've had some more thoughts on the postage price hikes. This will not stop me buying BPAL altogether, as some of the other UK people seem to be rather dramatically going towards, it will just make me a little more thoughtful with my orders. Here is my reasoning (done in bullet points 'cause I'm a scientist and I like things to be simple):   - Postage before was $9-$11, or about £6. This was an AMAZINGLY low rate for a Priority box from the US. I've paid three times that for things from within the UK. - Postage now is $22-$25, or about £14. - This is indeed double, BUT it's only an extra £8. - I can live with that, especially in a "large" order... - ...Because for me, a large order is between 4 and 6 items.   - Thus, if we make a theoretical order using four items from the current catalog and compare the new and old prices:   -------------------------------   Old Postage   1 x 5ml [A Carnaval Diaboliqe] $20 1 x 5ml [A GC] $15 1 x 5ml [A GC] $15   Imp Set $19.50   Total: $69.50   Postage: $9 (four items)   Total: $78.50 or about £40.   New Postage   Same order: $69.50   Postage: $22.00   Total: $91.50 or about £48.   -------------------------------   Also, bear in mind that I've probably overestimated the pounds part, by assuming an exchange rate of $1.9 = £1.00. It's actually more like $1.999 or even $2.00 = £1 at the moment.   Now, this is an extra £8 on the order. Assuming that I could afford the previous price alright, all I have to do to afford the new price is not go drinking for one week or stop buying coffee for a week or something. (Or even save up all my coppers!) Certainly doable, especially if (like I already mentioned) I only order when I have enough wants to justify an order, which would be once every few months at the most. Also, I don't order lunacies or really Limited Editions (i.e. not long-term LEs) so there's no problem there. For this particular order mentioned here, that is a larger order than I've ever made with the Lab, and I think it would take about 8 weeks to save for that by putting £6-7 a week away.   So there we have it an objective, scientific analysis of the new shipping costs as related to BPAL buyers in the UK. By the way, I am a student, so I know how being poor feels besides, if you save up for your BPAL rather than just buy it on a whim, doesn't it smell sweeter?   ETA: Another thought. BPAL is a luxury. Maybe this will make me think of it as such and not just another thing I bought off the Internet.
Jenesis

Jenesis

4
 

BPAL Postage Price Rise 1

Today's Scent   So today I got my bottle of Shub that I swapped with naughteblonde for my backup Gennivre bottle. On first sniff I thought "Oh no!" but on application it mellowed. It takes a while to mellow on me so I had to be patient, but it was worth it in the end: Lovely spicy ginger! This is going to be my "spicy" scent. I don't have any yet, Chimera is just barely spicy enough, and all my other blends are creamy-foody or light. So all in all good. And by the way: DON'T LAYER SHUB WITH CHIMERA. I tried it out of curiosity, and oh boy did I regret it. I was scrubbing my wrists for ten minutes after that gaffe Smelt like baby sick   ETA: It does work well with Xanthe though! The uplifting fruitiness of the Clown is darkened and sweetened by the herbal ginger of Shub. Worth a try if you have both   USPS Price Hike   And so we move onto the main story of the day: The huge increase in International shipping prices by USPS. I started a thread about it myself here, but it's more expertly covered in this thread here. To US customers of BPAL that's not much, but for us UK citizens (and indeed Canada, Australia and the whole of Western Europe) it's crippling.   [ETA: The threads have been split, the main one discussing the prices as directly related to BPAL and possible solutions is here. The other thread mentioned above is mainly discussing the hike in general.]   The cost of shipping an order from the Lab to me is now $22.00, up from $9. That's over double the price. I don't know about you but this is seriously going to limit my orders. Good for my bank balance maybe, but not so good for the Lab, and definitely not good for new customers and newly enabled peeps. I really hope we can get a UK group order circle going. I don't order LEs much anyway (and certainly no Lunacies), but I definitely won't now. I can't justify spending $20-25 on a bottle and $20 for shipping of something that might not work on me.   So my plan is to plan my orders way in advance - say 3 months before I order - and make it at least two or three (GC or long-term LE) bottles and some Imps or other things of equivalent value. That's the only way I can justify spending $20 on shipping, where before I was happy to order one 5ml and a couple of Imps.   Such a shame
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Boyf's Family Event: Am I Evil?

I really need to get my thoughts in order about this.   I met the boy at the beginning of last year, as he's in my Physics class. We started going out in February. In about March (while we were still at Uni), his mum emailed him about his grandfather's 80th birthday event thing, which is today. She also invited me, in a "Does Jenny want to come too?" sense. I turned down the offer, for these reasons: - I hadn't even met his family yet, let alone got to know them. - I didn't want to intrude on a family event. - It's very selfish I know, but I didn't want to be the "outsider", where I wouldn't know anybody and everyone would be laughing at in-jokes and talking about people I don't know and whatnot.   So I politely declined, saying that I didn't want to intrude. However, apparently all the other girlfriends/boyfriends/partners of the family are going. And I'm the only one who hasn't. So I seem like the unsociable scrooge who isn't interested in his family. What if they hate me forever because of this?   I should also say that, having met them last month, I would definitely go to a family event if invited now. One of the cousins is getting married soon, and I'm hoping to be invited to that so I can meet some more of his family (if they're as lovely as his parents, I can't wait!), and also hopefully patch up this little boo boo.   But anyway, I guess I'm confused. I felt justified in my decision not to go at the time, but I'm not so sure now. And it's too late anyway. So I'm beating myself up about it, because I'm worried that his parents won't like me any more, and they're such nice people that I don't want to upset them (and as I'm hoping they'll become my in-laws in the future, I definitely want to start on the right foot!).   Any thoughts/advice..?
Jenesis

Jenesis

2
 

Bored of this now.

He doesn't think about me at all. He thinks that a hug is a substitute for understanding me and paying attention to my needs. He never thinks about what I might want at all. But if I say anything, he acts like I've run over his dog or something.   I don't want to end it and be alone but as time goes on it seems like I should more and more...
Jenesis

Jenesis

3
 

Bloody Mary: Sweetness in Red

Why waste time chanting her name in the mirror 13 times? Bedevil your next slumber party the easy way! Chunky, glistening red fruits with sweet cream accord, black clotted cherry, and powdered sugar!   Wet: Cherry cough medicine.   Drydown: Getting more interesting, a cherry scent (real cherries, so not too sweet) with a creaminess underneath.   Dry: What every summer fruits pudding aspires to be! A gorgeous, sexy blend of cherries, lifted by the sugar and warmed by the cream. Yum yum. It's like a less sweet version of Vice (which suits me just fine!). Final Verdict: After the drydown, a cherry pudding sweetened by sugar and drizzled over with cream.   Rating: 4.5/5 (Loses half a point for the bad wet smell )   Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Black Pearl: Rot, Decay and Damp

Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.   Bottle: Chanel No. 5. And not in a good way.   Wet: I actually recoiled from my wrist when I smelt this. Strong, sickly, rotting flowers and sickeningly sweet coconut.   Drydown: Doesn't change much from wet - still awfully strong coconut. I usually like coconut, but this is just too much.   Dry: Smells *exactly* like the old lady next to you on the bus who must bathe in her cheap, shop-bought perfume.   Final Verdict: I'm sorry, Lab, this one is actually nauseating on me. It would be lovely on the right person though   Rating: 1/5   Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Aziraphale: Intelligent, Light and Heavenly

Ethereal musk, blonde woods, and dusty Bible accord.

Bottle: Aaack. Alcoholic cologne.

Wet: Still alcoholic cologne.

Drydown: Weird, dusty, woody cologne.

Dry (10 mins): Slightly more interesting. I can smell cedar, sandalwood (I think) and other light, as it says, blonde woods. No "dust" as yet. I think the "cologne" scent must be the musk.

Dry (20 mins): Glad I left this, it's lovely now! Sweet, light musks and bright woods. Very sophisticated and fitting of the character. If I ever have a spare $25 I'll grab a bottle of this!

Verdict: Leave this to mellow! Smart, sophisticated and uplifting. Sit there with your gold-rimmed spectacles and browse your old books.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Assortment: New Lab order, life in general

So here I am back at University for my second year. The work isn't too bad, although the lecturers seem bent on giving us assignments that have to all be handed in at once. My house is... interesting. Suffice to say I am never living with some of these people ever again. Leaving milk out on the counter for two weeks doesn't exactly put them in my good books.   Anyway, happy stuff: I made my birthday Lab order! I thought "Oh, screw it" and pretty much ordered my entire wishlist. Here goes:   What a great box that will be to open! I was going to go for Saggitarius, but the Chamomile was a deal-breaker for me - the scent of that just reminds me of pond water. I'm really excited about Samhain and Gingerbread Poppet especially, and I look forward to trying Iago and De Sade (leather... mmm!).   Luckily my birthday isn't until December 14th, and hopefully it will be delivered before then! I know the Lab will be very busy over the next few weeks, what with the wedding and everything, and I just hope they get round to my order in time.
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Anybody want Saw-Scaled Viper?

As I said in my Sale Post, I'm selling off one of my bottles of Saw-Scaled Viper. I do love it, but the first ten minutes of wearing it is almost unbearable - my sinuses practically turn inside out. So while I love the drydown and dry stages (and the vanilla underneath at the end), I won't be wearing it enough to warrant having two bottles. So I'm selling one of them.   The deal? You can decide which one I sell! I have a full one, brand new from the Lab two weeks ago, which I haven't even opened, and I have my older one which is full to just above the label. See my Sale thread for prices so I don't seem like I'm trying to sell outside the Swaps forum (this is an FYI post!). The older one is cheaper, but the new one is obviously fuller and unused, and thus a little higher in price. I personally don't mind which one I sell, as there is no difference in smell that I can detect.   Take your pick, ladies!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

Alton Towers!

My boy is off to New York next week. Lucky him. Yes I am jealous! We've been talking about going to Alton Towers (a Six Flags type theme park) for a while, and we decided to go this week so we can go before the schools break up and it's full of kids.   We're going tomorrow! And not only that, but I get to stay at his place tonight (he's closer than I am to it) and go with him tomorrow. Yay! So I get to act like I'm 12 again. I love rollercoasters, and I used to go to the various theme parks all the time with my Dad when I was younger, but I haven't been for years. I'm so glad I'll get the chance again - and I'm so glad that I have a man who understands wanting to feel 12 again!
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

13 (July 2007)

A base of cocoa absolute and white chocolate with thirteen baneful and beneficial bits including vanilla bean, white ginger, orchid, golden peach, massoia bark, clove, honey, and starfruit.

Wet: Strangely, I can smell no chocolate at all. Although it is making my stomach rumble. May be subconscious?

Drydown: This smells very "department store perfume".

Dry: Yum! I smell edible! (I love foodies...) The chocolate has come out, but it's thankfully not overpowering (a la Candy Butcher) like I thought it would. The whole scent is rich and smooth - sweet cocoa over the rich fruit and vanilla. The scent reminds me of those special edition hot chocolate flavours that Cadburys released a few months back.

Dry (10 mins): It is official: My skin eats white chocolate. This reminds me quite a bit of Xanthe, with the bright fruits and slight "perfumey" tang. Perhaps a slightly less liberal application is called for. 13 isn't a top three scent for me, but it is a top ten! (Seeing as I only have thirteen bottles...)

Verdict: Slightly "perfumey", but a nice smooth fruit blend with something rich and creamy underneath.

Rating: 4/5

Review
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

...Third order. Heh.

Err. Whoops. I couldn't resist Samhain's siren call! I NEED a second bottle! So I ordered it, along with a bottle of Plunder to keep it company. Yay!  
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

..

Oh for gods' sake. Why doesn't he just admit he wants to be with her instead of me. It's blindingly obvious he enjoys her company more than mine.
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
 

..

I feel like the worst, most useless human being in the world. I am a drain on society. My boyfriend could do so, SO much better than me if he took the time. I can't do anything right. I drop things. I break things. I managed to slice my hand open with a screwdriver while adding a case fan to my PC, how the hell does someone who isn't utterly stupid manage that?   I want to crawl into a hole and seal it behind me and cry forever in the lonely darkness.
Jenesis

Jenesis

0
×