Limited Edition -- Halloween 2009
Pretty much just black cherry candy, here. And that's while it lasts, which isn't terribly long...then it just dissipates to nothing.
Category: Excolo
In the imp: Whoa, that grapefruit is aggressive! I could smell it as soon as I took the stopper out of the imp.
Wet: Very citrusy/fruity, though it quickly had a mellowness to it, which I am assuming was brought on by the tea.
Dry: This is a very fresh, clean, crisp scent; I detected the grapefruit throughout, and also fancied that I smelled the tea...like I was near a fresh, cold glass full of green tea on ice on a summer's day. It's really lovely! Unfortunately, I think my skin eated it, pretty much...it lasted the majority of the day, but now I have to get my nose to my wrist and huff forlornly to get any residual nummy smell. Strangely enough, now that it's been quite a while, I smell a sweet cherry scent, mostly.
Verdict: I like it, really I do. I wish that it came in some form of spray, though, or a lotion...it would be a really great scent to slather on in the summertime, when you're showing lots of skin.
What I liked: Citrus! Whee!!
What I didn't like: The fact that my skin seemed to slurp it up; it didn't throw very much. But hey, maybe in summertime, with short sleeves? I might have better luck.
Category: Bewitching Brews
Oddly enough, the main scent I got from this was...licorice. Weird! I'm trying to think what would make that strange combination to my nose...perhaps the bergamot mixed with the heliotrope, or the oakmoss.
All things considered, however, I did enjoy it; it was soft and delicate on me and had a beguiling femininity to it. It evokes an impish fae quite well in that regard.
It helped that I like bergamot, I think.
It smells slightly like generic perfume or cologne, but there is enough amber present to keep it interesting. Unfortunately, it turns very powdery fairly quickly...and while that's not necessarily bad, it's not really what I was looking for from this scent. Not for me.
Chrysanthemum, marigold, vanilla, and amber all mingle together to create a spicy, warm sort of vanilla-floral on my skin. It's a durable scent that treats me to delicious wafts of dry warmth. This is like the scent of pressed, dried flowers, given by a lover from long ago. Out of all of the Shungas, and indeed all the Lupercalia scents, this was definitely my favorite.
This is mostly white musk for me. There's a hint of coconut, but it's very light and fleeting. There's also an astringent, almost alcoholic quality to it that I've never detected in a BPAL blend before. Not sure what's to blame for that.
This scent wears very close to the skin. It seemed to fade pretty quickly.
This is a gorgeous floral blend -- like a big bouquet of freshly-cut flowers, all mingling together. I like my florals on the fresh, light, 'green' side, and would recommend this to others who are of the same mind.
Category: Excolo
Oh...oh yum. Sweet luscious fruity YUM.
Could be apple in there...could be pear...could also be some melon...definitely very moist, juicy scents, incredibly wet and tempting, with just a hint of florals -- is it sakura blossom that continues to make it so sweet? In any case, hot damn.
I don't get any spiciness from it at all...just lots of seductive sugary sweetness. I know now how hummingbirds feel.
Category -- Ars Draconis
For the first few minutes of wearing it, I'm treated to a smokey, resinous scent that is my holy grail of incense-like smells. And yet, like any good holy grail, it is quickly carried away by mysterious figures wearing samite, leaving me with the sweet and slightly fruity scent that I have now come to associate with BPAL's dragon's blood.
Every now and then, there is a pleasant, smoky sort of whuff to it...like a dragon breathing fragrant smoke out of its huge, powerful lungs as it slumbers, its heart beating but once per hour.
Definitely an interesting blend.
Category: Sin & Salvation
In the imp: A very heavy, dark scent reminiscent of incense.
Wet: It honestly smells like a really, thick, resin-based incense to me, with a floral sweetness around the edges. I'm not familiar at all with opium, but perhaps this is what's producting that? Very interesting.
Dry: It softens down pretty drastically to a leftover sort of flower scent. I'm wanting to associate that with the honeysuckle.
Verdict: This scent intrigues me even more now because I could have sworn that this was an 'incense' scent...but no, it's florals. Which is amusing because I was comparing it to other incense scents I've worn, and thinking that I'd found my happy medium there. My only criticism of this scent is that it didn't have the throw that I desired. It tends to last a while, though, and it's just lovely all-around as far as I'm concerned, even if it doesn't quite justify a bottle.
What I liked: It combined sweetness with the smoky quality that I love about incense, and yet had a nice, thick, sticky body to it, as well.
What I didn't like: I want to reek, dammit! In the good way! I'm strange.
I'm scratching my head about the vetiver. Maybe that wasn't the problem with Alecto, then? Because I didn't detect anything sour about this, at all. I'm just not sure. It's really a shame about Alecto, because I really liked the leafy quality that it had...but it made me smell like I was on my period or something. Ick.
I'm tending to ramble today, apparently.
Limited Edition -- Halloween 2009
When it's initially applied, there's a warm, slick buttery smell to it. This quickly wears off, as the rose and sandalwood come out and assert themselves. It becomes a beautifully-balanced rose-and-spice/wood/incense sort of scent. Yep, I'm going to totally kick myself for not going ahead and getting a bottle...this is what Rose Cross *should* have been on me. Really, really nice.
Limited Edition -- Halloween 2009
A wee, meek whiff of butter, and then spicy leaves like whoa. Lots of tomato leaf and rosemary to this one, with maybe a touch of mint. Actually, now that I think of it, this is a lot like going down to the garden to get your pumpkin -- there are lots of stems and vines and leaves covered with that strange, horny sort of velvet that tomato leaves have, all dotted with this morning's rain. Definitely a fun change.
A light, bright, cheerful peach scent. It actually reminded me a bit of Aglaia, only without the deep musk and amber notes that made it a little overpowering and cloying. This scent hugs the skin, doesn't give much throw, and seems to wear off fairly quickly, which is diappointing, but it's definitely a charming scent while it lasts.
October 2008 Lunacy
This was actually the first lunacy that I ever purchased, and it was a really great choice.
Initially, I get a light, sort of tart citrus scent -- definitely grapefruit, there. As it dries, it quickly picks up...a sort of body and depth, from the violet leaf and other, darker notes, while the citrus notes keep it sweet and feminine. This is a beautiful, rich, classy perfume, not entirely woeful to me; more like the air of a mourning widow who is determined to keep her head held high and keep carrying on. There's a sort of sad determination to it, as well as a hopeful appreciation for the beauty of life in the here and now. Truly gorgeous.
Category: Excolo
Upon first whiff, it smells very sweet -- deliciously sweet to me, as if I'm smelling a bag of good, pipe-quality tobacco. Then the bay kicks in, giving a strident, not-quite-sour edge to it. Over time, it gives the impression of faint whiffs of booze and tobacco; it combines all the scents you'd expect to find on your long-lost Uncle, the ne'eer-do-well that likes to take long trips to exotic locales and then saunter back into your life to regale you with intriguing yet slightly menacing stories of his travels.
Bay leaf is an interesting thing. Used to flavor a dish, it imparts a very nice, hearty flavor. If you forget to take that leaf out and happen to get a good taste of the thing itself, though -- yowza. Not nearly as pleasant. And, unfortunately, though Baron Samedi has that delicious, evocative air to it, ultimately he is like sucking on a bay leaf -- just too pungeant, too sharp around the edges. Not my thing.
This scent is not for me, yet somehow I think I would like smelling it on someone else. Once you have that degree of seperation, this blend becomes a lot more tolerable; it's a bit like settling into Uncle's chair after he's gone off for more sinister adventures somewhere, revelling in the scent he's left behind, and breathing a sigh of relief that he's gone.
Category: Bewitching Brews
At first I wasn't sure about this one, because the sweet berry note was throwing me off quite a bit. As much as I like sweet things, the berry notes usually feel too thick and sappy for my liking. For instance, Baneberry was just too in-your-face with the berry, and Akuma was sickeningly candy-sweet. Fortunately, later on Bewitched became more balanced by the herbal elements, and smelled like someone who's been working in their herb garden, with just a hint of otherworldly sweetness thrown in for good measure. It was much more pleasant, then! I would nudge people who don't usually like strong berry scents toward this one, as I feel the herbs and musk really help to ground it well.
Category: Limited Edition -- Halloween 2008
As many others have said: OMG YUMMY. Admittedly, it did take me a day or so to warm up to it, but once the full brunt of orange custardy cake goodness seeped into my system, I was hard-pressed not to just sit in a corner and lick myself for hours. I had been afraid of the floral notes, but I never really detected them at all. It just smells like moist, delicious, orange-glazed cake, and that is definitely good enough for me. Foodie fans must procure themselves a bottle of this.
Category: Limited Editions -- Halloween 2008 -- Sleepy Hollow
I get a LOT of maple and oats out of this, with little side-hints of carrot. It's a delicious, pleasant, warm, comforting scent, but unfortunately the throw is minimal -- if there's musk, I really can't detect any -- and staying power is so-so. I will treasure what's left of my imp, but I don't feel that I need any more than that.
Upon first application, it smelled like what I fancy an old-fashioned licorice candy would smell like: vaguely bitter, but with enough sweetness in its scent to lure one in for a tooth-achingly good time. I actually envision a licorice-flavored 'coal' candy with this one.
It is decent staying power and throw, and is pleasantly-sweet throughout; I can definitely pick out the licorice and leather notes. The coal dust makes it just a tad dry or powdery around the edges, without the whole thing crumbling into powderiness. It's very interesting, but an imp is most likely enough for me.
Limited Editions -- Halloween 2009
Crisp, green, slightly juicy apple, paired with the tang of rum and with a wee bit of slightly-toasted caramel (with perhaps some nuts on it). It's a really fun initial whiff; unfortunately, it dissipates pretty quickly on me.
Category: Diabolus
I really wanted to like this one, both for the name and ingredients! All I get is pine trees and eucalyptus, though, and it's not even that awesome. It could have been the heat and sweat, but even with trying to slather it, the scent just disappears. So sad.
Category: Excolo
In the imp: Very herbal and 'green'.
Wet: Very strident and medicinal in tone. As time passed, it morphed into a really musty, sour odor; perhaps that's the vetiver? I've never worn anything with vetiver in it before, so I'm hesitant to pass judgement right away, but whichever component was at fault, it was not a very nice smell.
Dry: I was definitely throwing something sour and nasty. Which is a shame, because if I sniffed up close to my skin, I could smell the leafy components of it perfectly, as if I were bending low into a garden and letting the leaves brush my cheeks. If it *all* had ended up smelling like that, I would have liked it a *lot* more, as that particular feeling was lovely.
Verdict: I'm going to have to pass on this one.
What I liked: That leafy scent; I'll try to keep an eye out for scents with olive leaf and see if that evokes a similiar feeling.
What I didn't like: That musty nastiness. I'll have to keep an eye out for vetiver, as well, and see if that was the culprit.
Category: Limited Editions -- Lupercalia 2007
I received this as a decant from my Switch Witch.
This...is sex and decadence in a bottle. The earthy pleasures of opium, tobacco leaf, and liquor -- yes, liquor! I'm wanting to say bourbon -- are all I can detect, and it is AWESOME. It's as if someone had captured the essence of a long night in a bawdy bar, sans the less alluring scents of, say, sweat and actual tobacco *smoke*, and put it in a bottle.
If you want to smell like you've been out all night partying, with the smug satisfaction of not having a hangover, then wear this. And don't be afraid to slather it.
YUM.
Man...what a flippin' cocktease.
I get a brief, teasing whiff of orange, and then a pine branch smacks me in the noggin. But I like the orange...so I keep coming back to sniff again...and keep getting pine needles shoved up my nose. And then amber and incense come around afterward to douse my wounds in a medicinal bath, and prep me for round 7,531 of this endless cycle.
It's an exercise in sadomasochism for me.
I can see right away why this one is popular. It's dark and resinous, redolent with patchouli and spices and musk. I personally get a hell of a lot more 'incense' than 'vanilla' with this one, though I can also sense the vanilla; it wafts up every now and then in teasing little strokes, like a beckoning finger.
I'm probably going to really really really really really hate myself for not getting a bottle, because I have a feeling it's going to age REALLY well. Honestly cannot decide if I want to trade it or keep it. Swaps only, probably, if I get rid of it.
