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BPAL Madness!

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Reviews and other BPAL-related stuff

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Notes we like

Looking over reviews, trying to make a little sense of the notes we like/don't like, for future ordering reference.   Likes Apple (especially apple cider-type notes) Musk Tobacco Vanilla/Tonka Amber Leather Chocolate Almond/Buttercream Rum Spices Fig Pepper Honeysuckle Vetiver Sandalwood Ginger Clove   Dislikes Gardenia Violet Lavender (if strong) Rose (if strong; my skin tends to amp rose so it kills every other note) Almost anything super floral   Sometimes Work, Sometimes Don't Myrrh Jasmine
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Next Order (Already!)

So I got my first shipment of imps on Monday, and I've already got another order in. I sense a new addiction here....   Imps: Miskatonic University Havana Bewitched All Night Long Black Cat Snake Oil Dracul Nephilim The High Priest Not to Be Described Kumiho Bordello Whip Chakra set (Sahasrara, Ajna, Vishudda, Anahata, Manipura, Swadhisthana, Muladhara)   5ml Bottle: Good Omens: War   This is so much fun. I'm hooked.
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New order is here! Hence, reviews.

No. 93 ENGINEBeeswax candles reflect flickering light onto a brass-coated boiler engraved with the words "Solve Et Coagula". The gargantuan boiler sends torrents of steam into rigid pipes that exert force onto innumerable pistons and turbine blades. The motion is harnessed to propel energy into gargantuan cogs and gears that move liquid metals, herbs, and resins into a series of alembics.   Balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm, and white sage. I was really looking forward to this one, based on recommendations from some helpful forumites, and it did not disappoint. In the bottle, the beeswax is prominent, and other scents are a bit hard to distinguish. On, other notes make themselves known. Benzoin, saffron, maybe a little lemon balm. This scent is complex and lovely. I can see why it was so highly recommended.   DEEJohn Dee: master of science, alchemy and magic, Hermetic philosopher in the schools of Rosicrucian Christian Mysticism and Platonic-Pythagorean doctrine, and Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer, advisor, cryptologist and spy. With Edward Kelly, he created a field of study and work in Angelic Evocation, and isolated the Angelic language: Enochian. His scent is soft English leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woods. The tonka and leather are the strongest notes in the bottle. On, as it dries, I get more of the incense and parchment, and very subtle rosewood. This is awesome. Another winner recommended by CaffeinatedAngel (thanks!). This is going to be great on the hubby, too. We may need a bottle.   THE ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISMBronze gears spin inside a polished wooden case, and an entire universe dances within.   Teakwood, oak, black vanilla, and tobacco. This sounds right up my alley, but there's a note here — the teakwood? — that smells like the vet's office. I'm not sure if it's a particular medicine, or a pet shampoo vets use, or what, but it definitely smells subtly of vet's office. Otherwise, it's nice. The black vanilla and tobacco are great. I can't get past that, unfortunately.   Edit: I went home and fed my cats, and realized immediately what it is. There's a note in there that smells like Iams (which would explain the vet's office thing).   OThe scent of sexual obsession, slavery to sensual pleasure, and the undercurrent of innocence defiled utterly. Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla. Amber, honey and vanilla? Sign me up. This is very sexy indeed.   MME. MORIARTY, MISFORTUNE TELLERA colorless woman bursts from an elaborate gold and ruby tent and faints dead at your feet. Soft laughter emits from the dark entrance to the tent, and the scent of musk, black fruits and incense touches your senses. Looking up, you see that the sign hovering above the unconscious woman is adorned with images of the Major Arcana's Tower and reads: "Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller. No fate too grim, no future too bleak." A tiny woman with floor-length black dreadlocks walks out of the tent, stepping over the prone body. She is clothed in deep red wrappings, and is bedecked in golden ornaments bearing alchemical symbols and charms representing eternity, chance, and wisdom. She pauses, looks you over slowly, and then flicks a tarot card at your feet. Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum. Another scent I was really looking forward to trying, and she doesn't disappoint. In the bottle, I get musk, vanilla, a hint of patchouli maybe, and pomegranate. On wet, the musk and vanilla are most prominent, with a stronger patchouli presence and a subtle smokiness. As it dries, the pomegranate returns, the patchouli softens, and it's a lovely, complex blend. Very nice indeed.   CROWLEYNothing about him looked particularly demonic, at least by classical standards. No horns, no wings. Admittedly he was listening to a Best of Queen tape, but no conclusions should be drawn from this because all tapes left in a car for more than a fortnights metamorphose into Best of Queen albums. No particularly demonic thoughts were going through his head. In fact, he was wondering vaguely who Moey and Chandon were. Crowley had dark hair, and good cheekbones, and he was wearing snakeskin shoes, or at least presumably he was wearing shoes, and he could do really weird things with his tongue. And, whenever he forgot himself, he had a tendency to hiss. Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk. In the bottle, this is a really nice combination. It's mostly musk and lilac, with a hint of lemon rind and leather. On wet, the tobacco begins to come through, on top of the musk and lilac. As it dries, it becomes more complex as more of the subtler scents come out. I really like this one. Works great on both me and my hubby (although, admittedly, a wee bit better on him).   PERVERSIONThe perfect scent to wear to your next bondage ball, dungeon adventure or sojourn to your favorite pleasure dome. Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka. In the bottle, I get a lovely, sweet scent. Rum and tonka, with a tiny bit of leather and chardonnay. On wet, the tobacco begins to come through. Dry, it's very nice. Mostly rum and tonka, with those nice hints of tobacco and chardonnay.   LOVIATARThe Finnish Goddess of Agony, Torment and the joy found in inflicting pain on others. The Mistress of Torture, she has transformed in the modern era into the patron Goddess of Dominatrixes. The slap of slick, hot leather punctuates the warm, sensual embrace of black amber, red musk and dark, lascivious myrrh. Myrrh strikes again. In the bottle, this smells really nice. Leather and amber, with a bit of musk, mostly. When I first put it on, it's leathery with a touch of roses. Then the myrrh kicks in and it's just awful on me. I've got to learn to avoid it.   BLACK PHOENIXOur signature oil. A dark, languid scent. Promotes hedonistic tendencies and extreme self-love. You won't stop kissing mirrors for a month. This is really interesting and complex. In the bottle, I get a bit of green, pine-iness, but not in a Pine Sol sort of way. It's something dark and green and foresty. There's also a sweet, fruity scent that neither the hubby nor I can quite identify. On wet, it goes a bit soapy at first. As it dries, however, it returns to this dark, complex green-and-fruit scent. This is going to take some time to wear and think about.   SEVERINLeopold von Sacher-Masoch, the Father of Masochism and sexual surrender, had planned on writing six volumes of erotic literature entitled The Heritage of Cain. Only the first two volumes were completed, the more famous of the two being the notorious Venus in Furs. This novel tells the tale of a man, Severin, that enters into a relationship of slavery and increasingly debauched degradation with his mistress, Wanda. Dry black teas, Earl Gray, and leather. In the bottle, this has a lovely tea scent (I can definitely get the Earl Grey) with just a touch of leather. On both the hubby and me, it's mostly tea and lemon. It's a very nice scent, but not necessarily something either of us would wear. I like it, though. May keep it and use it to make scented candle tart things.   SUDHA SEGARANamed after the primordial ocean of milk where Lord Vishnu reclines upon the thousand-headed Naga. Sweet milk and warm, healing ginger with a touch of golden honey and our blend of Ambrosia. In the bottle, this definitely gives me milk and honey, with some lovely ginger. On, it's pretty much exactly the same. Very true to bottle scent. It's quite pretty, but not really stunning. I tend to prefer more complex scents.   AZATHOTHThe Daemon Sultan, Seething Nuclear Chaos ...that last amorphous blight of nethermost confusion which blasphemes and bubbles at the centre of all infinity — the boundless daemon-sultan Azathoth, whose name no lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin, monotonous whine of accursed flutes; to which detestable pounding and piping dance slowly, awkwardly, and absurdly the gigantic ultimate gods, the blind, voiceless, tenebrous, mindless Other Gods whose soul and messenger is the crawling chaos Nyarlathotep. Azathoth is the blind, idiot god who sits on a black throne at the center of Chaos. His scent is high-pitched and screeching, both impenetrably dark and searingly bright with the clarity of madness: tangerine, saffron, vetiver, black amber and cedarwood. In the bottle, this smells really interesting. It's an intriguing combination of notes. On, it just doesn't work for me. I think it's something about the combination of tangerine and saffron, or tangerine and cedar, that just doesn't work for me at all.   FRENCH LOVEA warm, soft, sexual blend. Sweet and alluring. Used to entice new lovers and add an aura of temptation and carnal sin to your environment. In the bottle, this seems like a sweet, nice scent. Unfortunately, on me it turns straight to powder. Headache-inducing powder.   And on that note, I stop testing for today. *goes to scrub off French Love and put on something non-headachey*
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My First BPAL Order

After years (literally) of dragging my feet and indecision over what scents to try, I finally ordered my first imps from BPAL on June 22. They arrived on Monday, July 7, and my husband Ben and I had a fun evening trying them out. Here are our thoughts.   Bastet Bast, Ubasti, Ailuros, Ba-en-Aset. Represented as both a domestic cat and a fierce lioness, she truly evidences traits of both. She is the Mother of All Cats, Goddess of Sensuality, Fertility, and a guardian and protector of women. She is also one of the Eyes of Ra, and in that aspect is an Avenging Goddess, seeking retribution and punishing enemies of her people. Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus. Nice. Musky and herby. Definitely smell the musk, almond and cardamom. Gonna watch this one and smell as it develops. I think I like this one a little more than Ben does, but it's probably the next one I'll try all day.   Black Lotus Born in the shadows of a Temple to Set, this corrupted Egyptian scent evokes images of black pyramids, river demons, and bleak, deadly desert sands. Black lotus flower, amber, myrrh and sandalwood. Very feminine. Lavender is a little over-the-top, but will soften with wearing. Pretty. Would be better without so much lavender. Again, though, it's nice, and I think that will soften once it's been on for a little while.   Bliss A shot of pure, self-indulgent euphoria! A scent that is very, very wicked in its own way: the serotonin-slathered scent of pure milk chocolate. I really (really) like this scent, but Ben's not so crazy about it. Too foodie for his taste, though not objectionable (i.e., he wouldn't refuse to sit next to me or anything). Very almond-y, which is nice.   DeSade The essence of pleasure heightened by pain: the raw scent of leather. Smells really nice on Ben. Very leathery indeed, but there's a bit of a nuttiness too.   Fascinum Hic habitat felicitas! The penis was a potent and popular symbol of good fortune, strength, power, and fertility in ancient Rome. Images of phalluses adorned Roman homes and shops, bringing the positive energy that the symbol represents into the lives of the inhabitants. A freebie. Smells like cedar and something sweet. Maybe cloves? Too potpourri-like for our taste.   Florence The pearl of the Italian Renaissance. Elegant iris, bright berries, gilded amber and velvety spices. Romantic and fruity, with a bit of earthiness. A hint of delicious spices. We're pretty fond of this, although it actually works better on Ben. I'm actually wearing this today, and sadly, it smells too powdery on me.   Grog Arrr! Avast ye, matey! This be the scent of pirate rum! Freebie. Whew! Definitely smells like spiced rum. It's actually pretty nice, but I wouldn't wear this to work (unless I worked in a bar).   Hecate Magnificent three-faced Goddess of Magic, the Dark Moon and the Crossroads. She is the Mother of Witches, and the midnight baying of hounds is her paean. Her compassion is evidenced in her role as Psychopomp for Persephone, and her wrath manifests as Medea's revenge. Deep, buttery almond layered over myrrh and dark musk. Very almond-y, with some pine. The almond is great, although the pine is not so much. It makes it smell a little soapy. Must be the myrrh. Still, we like this one.   Hellcat A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond. Definitely can smell the almond and rum. It smells very much as advertised in the bottle, but on me, it's intriguingly strawberry cheesecake like. A fun scent. We like this one a lot.   Hellfire A scent celebrating Sir Francis Dashwood's Order of the Knights of St. Francis of Wycombe, also known as the Hellfire Club. A swirl of pipe tobacco, hot leather, ambergris, dark musk and the lingering incense smoke from their Black Mass. Men take note: this one's for you. One of the most complex scents of the first order. Awesome! Definitely can smell the tobacco (high quality, moist tobacco) and incense smoke. Love this one.   Iambe Daughter of Pan and Echo and dear friend to Demeter. When Demeter was mourning the abduction of her daughter, Iambe was the only creature in heaven and earth that was able to lend cheer and laughter to the grieving mother. Her scent is one of comfort, beauty and joy: Sudanese amber, patchouli, rose, gardenia, gladiola and white tea. Freebie. Don't like this one. Ben says it's too baby powder-y. I think it smells medicinal. Way too flowery for my personal taste.   Kali Kali, the Black One, is the fearless Goddess of Destruction, Creation, Energy [in her Shakti aspect] and Dissolution. Also named Kaliratri [black Night] and Kalikamata [black Earth-Mother], she is the fiercest aspect of Devi, the supreme mother goddess. Kali is a protector Goddess, the destroyer of evil spirits and guardian of the faithful. She, along with her consort Shiva, represent the unending cycle of death and birth, sexual union, creation and destruction. Kali annihilates ignorance, maintains the natural order of the world, and blesses those who strive for spiritual awareness and knowledge of true holiness with infinite tenderness and motherly love. The constant, unending Work of Creation is called the "The Play of Kali". This perfume is a blend of the sacred blooms of cassia, hibiscus, musk rose, Himalayan wild tulip, lotus and osmanthus swirled with offertory dark chocolate, red wine, tobacco, balsam and honey. Complex and sexy. Ben really likes this one (on me). It's got body, but also has a honeysuckle scent. A little dirty, with the chocolate, tobacco and wine scents. This one is a winner.   Kitsune-Tsuki Kitsune-Tsuki are malevolent Japanese spirits, akin to western werebeasts: women are possessed by the spirits of foxes, who compel them to perform acts of wickedness and mischief. Asian plum, orchid, daffodil, jasmine and white musk. A very feminine scent. Delicate, elegant and glamorous. Brings to mind high fashion. I would wear this on dress-up occasions, not everyday. We definitely like this one, though.   Rosalind Dew-covered berries and fresh green grasses with a faint breath of spring flowers. Freebie. Not bad. A very green scent. A little soapy, though.   Schrödinger's Cat One can even set up quite ridiculous cases. A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following diabolical device (which must be secured against direct interference by the cat): in a Geiger counter there is a tiny bit of radioactive substance, so small that perhaps in the course of one hour one of the atoms decays, but also, with equal probability, perhaps none; if it happens, the counter tube discharges and through a relay releases a hammer which shatters a small flask of hydrocyanic acid. If one has left this entire system to itself for an hour, one would say that the cat still lives if meanwhile no atom has decayed. The first atomic decay would have poisoned it. The Psi function for the entire system would express this by having in it the living and the dead cat (pardon the expression) mixed or smeared out in equal parts. It is typical of these cases that an indeterminacy originally restricted to the atomic domain becomes transformed into macroscopic indeterminacy, which can then be resolved by direct observation. That prevents us from so naively accepting as valid a "blurred model" for representing reality. In itself it would not embody anything unclear or contradictory. There is a difference between a shaky or out-of-focus photograph and a snapshot of clouds and fog banks.  A paradoxical scent experiment! — tangerine, sugared lime, pink grapefruit, oakmoss, lavender, zdravetz, and chocolate peppermint.   No cats were mistreated during the formulation of this paradox, or in the process of creating this perfume. Very complex. On me, the grapefruit scent is strong (and grapefruit isn't a very good body scent, in my opinion; it smells too much like sweat). It's a really neat scent, though. This would make a great scented candle or bubble bath.   Wrath A scent aflame with rage, swirling in the red haze of hatred: dragon's blood spiked with black pepper, clove, and cinnamon. This is kind of neat; for one thing, it's actually a reddish color. Very complex. You can definitely smell the cinnamon and clove. There's a bit too much clove, which makes it smell a little medicinal, and a LOT of cinnamon. It actually burns my nose. This is another one that I like, but not to wear. It would make a great scented candle, especially for fall and winter.
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More reviews from my new order

All Night LongAs if the name didn't spell it out for you. This blend relieves all sexual inhibitions by simultaneously relaxing and arousing. In the bottle, I get musk and spices, maybe a little patchouli. On my skin wet, there's less of the patchouli and more musk. Dry, it's mostly spices and muskiness, with a slight sharp scent. Maybe ginger. This gets nicer the longer it's on. I like it, but unfortunately Ben (my hubby) doesn't for some reason.   Calico JackSea air, driftwood, waterlogged kelp, and the memory of plundered spices sprayed over worn leathers, rough musk, and the salty wooden floorboards of the Revenge. In the bottle, I get leather, tobacco and mint from this, with a hint of woodsiness. On wet, it smells a little bit soapy and maybe too masculine. As it dries, it's more tobacco-y. I can't decide if this is too masculine for me or not. Ben likes it, though; he says it smells "very natural." He hasn't tried it yet, but I think it will be really nice on him. I like it too, though.   HavanaDate palm, dried tobacco, snakeroot, and leather. In the bottle, this is all tobacco and mojitos to me, with a hint of a very natural, herb-y smell. On my skin, it maintains this scent pretty consistently. The longer this is on, the more I like it. It's sexy and fun. Definitely a winner for me. I think it will be awesome on Ben, too. I'll probably get him to try this one tomorrow.   KumihoNine-tailed fox demon of Korean lore who transforms into the visage of an irresistible beauty in order to seduce men and lead them to their doom. A sharp, biting blend of crisp white tea and ginger. In the bottle, this has the sharp, refreshing scent of ginger and fresh lime peel. On my skin wet, it smells pretty consistently like that too. Sadly, Kumiho completely disappears on me as soon as it dries. Bummer! Will have to look for another use on the forums.   DraculNamed in honor of Vlad III, Tepes, of the Order of the Dragon. Black musk, tobacco, fir, balsam of peru, cumin, bitter clove, crushed mint, and orange blossom. In the bottle, I get pepper, spices, a hint of tobacco, extra dark chocolate (like 80% cacao - maybe that's the bitter clove?) and mint. On wet, the tobacco smells a bit stronger. Once dry, this is very well integrated and complex. It's difficult to pin down, although all the notes I get out of the bottle are still there, plus a hint of the musk. This one smells great on both me and Ben. We love this one!
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More Possets reviews

The Girls Love Pink Pepper
The first in The Girls Love series of Honey scents, The Girls Love Pink Pepper is really a gorgeous blending of honey and that woody but feminine scent. This is PINK pepper and it dances beautifully with that deep from the comb honey and other secret ingredients within the blend. I am very very proud of this one, and if you can only afford one of The Girls, make it The Girls Love Pink Pepper.
In the imp and on wet, wow, is this ever pink pepper. As it dries, the pepper softens and the honey begins to come through. Dry, it's a really lovely honey scent with a very soft peppery spice.

The Girls Love Limeys
A really and truly beautiful pairing of honey and lime and secret ingredients, just like bees make. It is a real beauty again. Tart and sweet at the same time, a tiny bit spicy and full of life. And, Yes, the word "limeys" is doing double duty!
In the imp and on wet, this is a very limey, pretty scent. Dry, it's a nice blend of lime and honey.

Frou-Frou
This perfume is a tribute to the beautiful wistful girl at the bar of the Folies Bergere painted by Edouard Manet. Her mystery among the citizens of the demi-monde and the flowers on the bar and in her bodice are a symbol of the ironies of modern life. This scent brings back the charm of the countryside to the great indoors. A gentle floral unapologetically feminine and classic. Characteristics: floral, perfumy, scent locket, feminine, long lasting.
Soft florals blended with vanilla cream. Not my usual style, but it's actually very nice. Reminds me a little bit of Black Lace, only more floral.

Fabienne
I don't have a description for this one.
Beeswax and damp wool, with a bit of tea. It reminds me strongly of Ichabod Crane. I'm not too crazy about this one.

Western Hills
All the snap and giggle of Cincinnati's perpetual land of youth, where all the boys are football heros and all the girls are pretty. Western Hills folk know how to have a good time, and there is great comfort over there as well. Nothing is quite so snuggly as a Western Hills Christmas, the children get more candy at Halloween, and the Fourth of July is more brilliant over there. Western Hills is a sweet but daring rendition of that part of Cincinnati. Like the real thing, it's sporty, foody, rich and robust but with a heartbreaking familiarity like what you feel when you go home again. A high risk scent which I feel I pulled off with aplomb. Characteristics: foody, sporty, cutting edge, unisex.
Popcorn, vanilla and a touch of candy corn.


Celadon Green
The placid, cool, and unflappable mien of a truly refreshing friend, Celadon Green radiates your serene confidence as it gives you a secret stop gap against the day's travails. This is precisely the scent that you need when you need a cool breeze to blow through hot times. Greenery, and crunchy lushness in spots where others wilt. That's Celadon Green. Characteristics: green, light, long lasting, dry, refreshing, scent locket, home scent, unisex, cooling, summer scent.

A soft swirl of mint, vanilla sugar and a hint of beeswax.
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Midnight Kiss & Blood Kiss

I picked up a couple of new scents from eBay, Midnight Kiss and Blood Kiss. I like them both pretty well.   Midnight KissEternal desire, unquenchable passion: red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine. In the bottle, smells strongly of cocoa, almost chocolate syrup, and smoke. Can definitely smell the musk and patchouli. On my skin, it's a much softer chocolate-y smell. A little smoky. A little wine-y. Kind of like body incense. A keeper.   Blood KissLush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk. Musk and clove. A little bit of a pot smell. It smells better on Ben than me. On my skin, it doesn't smell nice at first, but gets better after a few minutes, a little cinnamon once it dries a bit. Doesn't last long, though.
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Just got these LE/unimpable decants (and a frimp)

BILQUISThe Queen of Sheba, half-demon, they said, on her father's side, witch woman, wise woman, and queen, who ruled Sheba when Sheba was the richest land there ever was, when its spices and its gems and scented woods were taken by boat and camel-back to the corners of the earth, who was worshipped even when she was alive, worshipped as a living goddess by the wisest of kings, stands on the sidewalk of Sunset Boulevard at 2:00 A.M. staring blankly out at traffic like a slutty plastic bride on a black-and-neon wedding cake. She stands as if she owns the sidewalk and the night that surrounds her.   Honey, myrrh, lily of the valley, rose otto, fig leaf, almond, ambrette, red apple, and warm musk. In the bottle, this is spicy, with honey and almond. There's also a bit of green that I think may be the fig leaf, and something else. The ambrette? On wet, the myrrh comes out a bit, but not overwhelmingly so. It's still mostly a spicy/honey/almond scent. Dry, the rose comes out, but surprisingly, it's not bad. This is really nice.   OCTOBERAy, thou art welcome, heaven's delicious breath! When woods begin to wear the crimson leaf, And suns grow meek, and the meek suns grow brief And the year smiles as it draws near its death. Wind of the sunny south! oh, still delay In the gay woods and in the golden air, Like to a good old age released from care, Journeying, in long serenity, away. In such a bright, late quiet, would that I Might wear out life like thee, 'mid bowers and brooks And dearer yet, the sunshine of kind looks, And music of kind voices ever nigh; And when my last sand twinkled in the glass, Pass silently from men, as thou dost pass.   Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air. In the bottle, this smells like sap and smoke. On wet, it's pretty much the same. Green and a bit smoky. As it dries, the pine sap softens a bit. Dry, it's really nice. Very fall.   BONFIRE NIGHTGuy Fawkes, Guy; Stick him up on high! Hang him on a lamp post And there let him die! Guy, Guy, Guy! Poke Him in the eye! Put him on the fire, And there let him die! Burn his body from his head: Then you'll say Guy Fawkes is dead! Hip, Hip, Hooray!   Beer, woodsmoke, tar, and treacle. In the bottle, I get smoke, a bit of beer and treacly sweetness. Wet, it's very similar, but warmer and musky. Dry, this is really nice. The scents are very well integrated. Smoky-sweet autumn joy.   I've got to get one of the room sprays from BPTP.   OGUNOgun is the Master of Iron, Lord of the Knife, the Toolmaker, the Supreme Hunter, the God of War. He is primal instinct, energy and motion, strife and resolution, effort and perspiration, locomotion, force, contraction and expansion. He is the lord of all mines and mineral wealth, and his energy is expressed in the transformation of sandstone into marble and carbon into diamonds. His control over transformation transcends this into the metaphorical: Ogun helps to shape the spirit, and hone it into something finer, and He compels us to look deep inside ourselves, searching for our true potential. He is physical might, ruler of the heart, giver of courage and sustainer of war, and is the bond that men fashion with one another during battle. He is gunpowder. Ogun is responsible for teaching mankind to fashion tools and weapons from iron, and his primary implements are the anvil, hammer, machete, rake, hoe, shovel, pick and pry. His favored animal is the dog, who shares his loyalty and unflagging strength. Ogun’s ofrenda is heavy and dark cigar tobacco, gin and juniper, melon, chili pepper and a touch of honey. In the bottle, gin and juniper are the strongest notes, with maybe a hint of the melon and a bit of chili. On wet, it's pretty much the same. It's pretty and interesting. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work on me once it dries. The gin, juniper and tobacco combine in a way that smells like sweat.
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July LE order

Ordered Sturgeon Moon, Penumbra and Chaos Theory IV yesterday.   I am HUGE Gaiman fan, and soooooo looking forward to Snow Glass Apples. *eep*
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July 2008 LE's (and some frimps)

I ordered the July LE's, and they arrived Saturday. In addition to Chaos Theory IV, Sturgeon Moon and Penumbra, the labbies sent frimps of The Lion, Ouija, The Bow and Crown of Conquest, Alecto, Succubus and Twilight. Here are reviews of a few of those, plus Salome, which I recently got from an eBay order.   CHAOS THEORY IV: THE EDGE OF CHAOSEach bottle of Chaos Theory is truly unique, a fragrant fractal, and exercise in the joy of chance and uncertainty! Each is a one-of-a-kind, utterly random combination of scents, the composition of which is based on whim, mood and gut instinct. In the bottle, this one smells very strong. Clove, and maybe a bit of menthol smell. Pepper. It's very complex. On me, it's pretty harsh at first, but softens once it's dry. Again, complex and hard to describe, but it seems a bit masculine for me. Going to try it out on the hubby.   STURGEON MOONA month of bounty, when the fish are plentiful and the corn grows high. This is the scent of breezes passing over the Great Lakes, mingling gently with traditional lunar herbs.   Sandy shores and sweet fresh water, lichen, green algae, and whitestem pondweed, with benzoin, cyclamen, moonlit musk, cucumber, blue poppy, and agave. In the bottle, I get some very interesting citrus. Starfruit? It's not quite grapefruit. Cucumber, agave and a tiny bit of light musk. On, it's very citrusy. The cucumber and agave are much more subtle, but the underlying musk does come through. This one is pretty nice. It's lighter and fresher than my usual style, but it's really nice for summer.   PENUMBRAThe observer's space within a partial eclipse.   Rich purple musk, moonflower, red sandalwood, black amber, oakmoss, copal, lavender, neroli, tobacco, and pomegranate. In the bottle, very pretty. Definitely get the purple musk and.... maybe lilac? Must be the moonflower. On, the musk softens and it smells fruity and sweeter. I think that's the pomegranate. It reminds me of Bordello, only muskier and less boldly fruity (definitely no bubblegum here). The tobacco comes through subtly, too. Very nice. I like it.   THE LIONThe dry, glorious warmth of the Savannah. A golden, spiced amber, proud, regal and ferocious. This was on my wish list, and I was so excited when I saw the frimp. In the bottle, it smells wonderful. Warm vanilla and exotic spices. As the lab description says, it just smells warm and golden. On wet, even spicier, with that wonderful vanilla under it. Sexy! Ten minutes later: NOOOOOOO! Baby powder. Sigh.   OUIJALush parlor rooms draped in thick velvets and gilded in gold, unearthly whispering in the distance, fleeting flashes of wraithlike figures rushing just outside your vision, the chill of a phantom presence brushing by your cheek, the inscrutable knowledge that disembodied eyes are peering at you from darkened corners… this is the essence of Victorian-era spiritualism: rosewood, oak and teak notes with wispy blue lilac, tea rose, dried white rose and ethereal osmanthus. In the bottle, this one seems interesting. Exotic and a little dark, although a bit floral for my taste. On, it smells exactly like Mrs. Meyers Clean Day geranium-scented cleaning products. These are great for cleaning my bathroom and kitchen, but I don't want to smell like them.   SALOMÉAnd when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.   And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.   A scent that is both coquettish and sinister. Exotic and lush, brimming with grace and viciousness: almond with star jasmine, oakmoss, red sandalwood and Egyptian musk. In the bottle, this smells very true to the description. I get plenty of almond, layered with lovely jasmine and musk. It smells wonderful. Unfortunately, on me, it smells just awful. The almond disappears, and the jasmine becomes overpowering and harsh, with a sort of herbal scent like sage. Definitely not for me. Off to the swap list.
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Inferno

INFERNOThe Dark Side of Fire: cinnamon, bitter almond, and neroli. Heavily spiced, torrid, and possibly conflagrant. After reading the reviews of Inferno, I tested this one carefully. Luckily for me, I don't seem to have a problem with the cinnamon. In the bottle (and on wet), this is definitely an inferno. Like red hots. Once I give it awhile to dry, however, it mellows considerably and I get this nice cinnamon-almond-smoke scent. I like it.
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Halloweenies! (and more)

ZOMG! My first BPAL Halloween, and everything is so awesome! I'm so happy about the Sleepy Hollow scents. It's always been a favorite story of mine. I've already placed an order....   Ok, I went a little crazy here, but managed to hold off a *tiny* bit.   Harvest Moon Hellhound on My Trail Chant d'Automne Huesos de Santo Samhain 2008 Sugar Skull 2008 Brom Bones Fearful Pleasure Gunpowder Ichabod Crane The Hessian of the Hollow The Witching Time of Night   I really want the Pumpkin Patch, and a few others too, but I'm hoping I can pick those up sometime between now and November. My wallet's already crying here.   I can't wait to try these!   Also, looks like I should be getting the CnS for an order I placed on 8/4 soon too, to wit:   5mls Mme. Moriarty Dracul Crowley   Imps Queen of Sheba O Perversion Dee Sudha Segara No. 93 Engine The Antikythera Mechanism Severin Black Phoenix Loviatar Cockaigne Cthulu   *Cough* So um, yeah. Bad Cam. Think I'll be holding off on the Pumpkin Patch, etc. (or anything else) until October or so... unless the Gaiman lockets go live between now and then...
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Halloweenies have landed! And a CD locket! All in one day!

My Halloweenie order arrived today!   Harvest Moon, Hellhound On My Trail, Chant d'Automne, Huesos de Santo, Sugar Skull, Samhain, Brom Bones, Fearful Pleasure, Gunpowder, Ichabod Crane, The Hessian of the Hollow and The Witching Time of Night.   Plus my replacement bottle of SGA for the one stolen by someone in the post office.   These are so right up my alley. I love fall, and autumn scents.   AND... my CD locket from BPTP came today too. It is beautiful! I love it.   Not surprisingly, given the size of my order, I got a ton of frimps from the lab. 20, to be exact. Plus 6 from the post. Of the 26, only one was a scent I had tried before, and there were only two pairs (two Queen Gertrudes and two Wantons).   Looks like I've got a LOT of sniffing to do.   Oh! And I will soon have Halloweenie decants, once I try them all and decide which ones I'm willing to decant, and which I want to hoard.
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Halloweenie Reviews

Samhain (2008)Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. In the bottle, I get mostly spices -- allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove -- and a bit of bright, fresh apple. Can something smell crisp? It smells like very crisp apples. On wet, the scent of the spices is pretty strong at first, with apples in the background and a bit of smoke coming through. Dry, this is really lovely. All the scents are well integrated, with nothing really overpowering any of the other notes. I get apples, smoke, and the aforementioned spices. It's very autumny and awesome. I love this.   Fearful PleasureAnother of his sources of fearful pleasure was, to pass long winter evenings with the old Dutch wives, as they sat spinning by the fire, with a row of apples roasting and spluttering along the hearth, and listen to their marvellous tales of ghosts and goblins, and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or galloping Hessian of the Hollow, as they sometimes called him. He would delight them equally by his anecdotes of witchcraft, and of the direful omens and portentous sights and sounds in the air, which prevailed in the earlier times of Connecticut; and would frighten them woefully with speculations upon comets and shooting stars; and with the alarming fact that the world did absolutely turn round, and that they were half the time topsy-turvy!   Dried orange peels floating in simmering cider, roasted apples, smoldering firewood, chimney smoke, sassafras beer, warm hawthorn wood, and oakmoss. In the bottle, this is pure apple cider. Apples, cinnamon, cloves, with a bit of orange peel. On wet, I get pretty much the same thing. Once it begins to dry, the smokiness comes out, with maybe a hint of a mossy green scent. This is really wonderful. I love apple cider scents, and this is everything I hoped it would be.   Sugar SkullVibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. In the bottle, this definitely smells like sugar, but not straight-up sugar. Like caramel or toffee. It has a deep, slightly smoky scent. On wet, it's much the same, but a slight spiciness begins to come out. Once dry, this is really awesome. Dark, smoky sugar with a hint of subtle spices. Love it!   Huesos de SantoOn All Saints Day, Spanish families visit their loved ones in the cemeteries, keeping vigil throughout the evening, saying prayers for the dead. Family burial plots are cleaned and tended, and graves are adorned with gladiolas, chrysanthemums, and roses. Bone-shaped pastries called Saint's Bones, or the Bones of the Holy, are baked and shared in honor of the souls in Purgatory, and to remind us of those who no longer share our repast, but with whom we one day hope to be reunited with again.   Orange-glazed cake, dotted with anise seed, and filled with custard, set beside a bouquet of celebratory funeral flowers. In the bottle, this smells like spicy creamsicles. On wet, I still get the creamsicle scent, but the spices and a hint of smoke are more apparent. As it dries, the anise seed begins to come out, and I get a very subtle scent like slightly burned popcorn (but not in a bad way). This is nice. I like it.   Harvest MoonHarvest Moon is celebrated in almost every culture, and the bounty of the season is marked in a myriad of ways. Harvest Moon touches the Equinox, the festival of Janus, the culmination of Homowo, the "crying of the neck" in Cornwall, and the Women's Festival of the Moon. This is a day that celebrates abundance and beauty, fertility and progress, and the light of this full moon blesses new undertakings and reunites lost loves.   The Harvest Moon, by definition, is the Full Moon that falls closest to the Autumnal Equinox, and thus, it shares some of that Sabbat's characteristics. This Full Moon was thus named because it rises within half an hour of the sun's setting, in the Northern Hemisphere, and at this time farmers are able to work longer into the night by the light of this Moon. As the year draws to a close, the Full Moon rises an average of fifty minutes later each night, with the exception of a few nights surrounding the Harvest Moon, which only rises 10-30 minutes later. This moon is also, to the human eye, the fullest and largest of the year's Moons, hanging gloriously huge, yellow and low in the night sky, and many lunar illusions play tricks our eyes at this time.   The Harvest ushers in many celebrations, including the Equinox and the Festival of Janus, God of Doors. Janus is the Roman Lord of Gateways, beginnings and endings, and transitions. Thus, the Harvest Moon is a time for blessing new ventures, the onset of new and progressive phases in one's life, and rites of passage into adulthood. This time of year also marks one of the Festivals of Dionysus, Lord of Ecstasy and the Vine.   This Harvest lunacy combines the autumnal scents of balsam fir, cedar, juniper berry, clove, saffron, damson plum, sage, black cherry, and fennel with the crushed wine grapes of Dionysus and Janus' lingum aloes. In the bottle, I dried, wet leaves, pine and smoke. On wet, it's a little too much pine at first. There's some spiciness as well -- maybe allspice? The longer it's on, however, the more the leaves and smoke begin to come through. Once this is really dry, it's very nice. The pine scent settles down to something manageable and pleasant. I like it.   Hellhound On My Trail… blues falling down like hail And the day keeps on remindin' me, there's a hellhound on my trail …   August 16th marks the day the Devil came to call on the King of the Delta Blues.   Bay rum, bourbon vanilla, galangal, hyssop, High John the Conqueror root, tobacco, life everlasting, and brimstone. In the bottle, the bourbon vanilla is quite strong. I can also smell the bay rum and a bit of brimstone. On wet, it's pretty much the same, though I start to get a hint of muskiness. Dry, this is really great. Boozy tobacco and brimstone goodness. It smells especially nice on my hubby.   Chant d'AutomneI Soon we will sink in the frigid darkness Good-bye, brightness of our too short summers! I already hear the fall in distress Of the wood falling in the paved courtyard.   Winter will invade my being: anger, Hatred, chills, horror, hard and forced labor, And, like the sun in its iced inferno, My heart is but a red and frozen floe.   I hear with shudders each weak limb that falls. The scaffold will have no louder echo. My spirit is like a tower that yields Under the tireless and heavy ram blow.   It seems, lulled by this monotonous sound, Somewhere a coffin is hastily nailed, For whom? Summer yesterday, autumn now! This mysterious noise sounds like a farewell.   II I love the greenish light of your long eyes, Sweet beauty, but all is bitter today. Nothing, not love, the boudoir or the hearth Is dearer than the sunshine on the sea.   Still love me, tender heart! Be a mother Even to the ingrate, to the wicked, Lover, sister, ephemeral sweetness Of fall's glory or of the setting sun.   Short-lived task! The tomb awaits, merciless. Ah! Let me, my head resting on your knees, Savor, regretting the white hot summer, The autumn's last rays yellow and tender.   The scent of the year's fall and the setting sun, ominous and foreboding: dried leaves, charred wood, blood musk, amber, khus, and Nicotiana tabacum. In the bottle, I get a nice scent of charred wood, leaves and tobacco. On wet, I get smoke, char, leaves, tobacco and something very heavy and flowery/powdery. This does not bode well. I waited for this to dry, but that heavy scent just doesn't go away, and it doesn't work for me. Bummer.   Brom BonesAmong these the most formidable was a burly, roaring, roystering blade, of the name of Abraham, or, according to the Dutch abbreviation, Brom Van Brunt, the hero of the country round, which rang with his feats of strength and hardihood. He was broad-shouldered and double-jointed, with short curly black hair, and a bluff, but not unpleasant countenance, having a mingled air of fun and arrogance. From his Herculean frame and great powers of limb, he had received the nickname of BROM BONES, by which he was universally known. He was famed for great knowledge and skill in horsemanship, being as dexterous on horseback as a Tartar.   He was foremost at all races and cock-fights; and, with the ascendancy which bodily strength acquires in rustic life, was the umpire in all disputes, setting his hat on one side, and giving his decisions with an air and tone admitting of no gainsay or appeal. He was always ready for either a fight or a frolic; but had more mischief than ill-will in his composition; and, with all his overbearing roughness, there was a strong dash of waggish good humor at bottom. He had three or four boon companions, who regarded him as their model, and at the head of whom he scoured the country, attending every scene of feud or merriment for miles round. In cold weather he was distinguished by a fur cap, surmounted with a flaunting fox's tail; and when the folks at a country gathering descried this well-known crest at a distance, whisking about among a squad of hard riders, they always stood by for a squall. Sometimes his crew would be heard dashing along past the farmhouses at midnight, with whoop and halloo, like a troop of Don Cossacks; and the old dames, startled out of their sleep, would listen for a moment till the hurry-scurry had clattered by, and then exclaim, "Ay, there goes Brom Bones and his gang!" The neighbors looked upon him with a mixture of awe, admiration, and good will; and when any madcap prank, or rustic brawl, occurred in the vicinity, always shook their heads, and warranted Brom Bones was at the bottom of it.   The butchest, manliest of musks covered in well-worn leather. In the bottle, I get leather with a hint of musk. On wet, it's mostly leather. As it dries, it's a lovely leather and musk scent, yet somehow manages to smell clean as well. I LOVE this on my husband. It's perfect.   GunpowderThat he might make his appearance before his mistress in the true style of a cavalier, he borrowed a horse from the farmer with whom he was domiciliated, a choleric old Dutchman, of the name of Hans Van Ripper, and, thus gallantly mounted, issued forth, like a knight-errant in quest of adventures. But it is meet I should, in the true spirit of romantic story, give some account of the looks and equipments of my hero and his steed. The animal he bestrode was a broken-down plough-horse, that had outlived almost every thing but his viciousness. He was gaunt and shagged, with a ewe neck and a head like a hammer; his rusty mane and tail were tangled and knotted with burrs; one eye had lost its pupil, and was glaring and spectral; but the other had the gleam of a genuine devil in it. Still he must have had fire and mettle in his day, if we may judge from the name he bore of Gunpowder. He had, in fact, been a favorite steed of his master's, the choleric Van Ripper, who was a furious rider, and had infused, very probably, some of his own spirit into the animal; for, old and broken-down as he looked, there was more of the lurking devil in him than in any young filly in the country.   Carrot peelings, hay, chaff, molasses, maple oats, red apples, stable wood, and musk. In the bottle, this smells very edible. It's carrots and hay with a lot of molasses and maple oats. On wet, it's pretty much the same, but the musk also begins to come through. Dry, it's pretty much the same again. This is very nice; it smells warm and cozy. It's comforting. Unfortunately, it's not a scent I would wear, much as I love foodie scents. I may try this in an oil burner or something, though.   Ichabod CraneThe cognomen of Crane was not inapplicable to his person. He was tall, but exceedingly lank, with narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves, feet that might have served for shovels, and his whole frame most loosely hung together. His head was small, and flat at top, with huge ears, large green glassy eyes, and a long snipe nose, so that it looked like a weather-cock, perched upon his spindle neck, to tell which way the wind blew. To see him striding along the profile of a hill on a windy day, with his clothes bagging and fluttering about him one might have mistaken him for the genius of famine descending upon the earth, or some scarecrow eloped from a cornfield.   . . .   From his half itinerant life, also, he was a kind of travelling gazette, carrying the whole budget of local gossip from house to house; so that his appearance was always greeted with satisfaction. He was, moreover, esteemed by the women as a man of great erudition, for he had read several books quite through, and was a perfect master of Cotton Mather's history of New England Witchcraft, in which, by the way, he most firmly and potently believed.   He was, in fact, an odd mixture of small shrewdness and simple credulity. His appetite for the marvellous, and his powers of digesting it, were equally extraordinary; and both had been increased by his residence in this spellbound region. No tale was too gross or monstrous for his capacious swallow. It was often his delight, after his school was dismissed in the afternoon, to stretch himself on the rich bed of clover, bordering the little brook that whimpered by his school-house, and there con over old Mather's direful tales, until the gathering dusk of the evening made the printed page a mere mist before his eyes. Then, as he wended his way, by swamp and stream and awful woodland, to the farmhouse where he happened to be quartered, every sound of nature, at that witching hour, fluttered his excited imagination: the moan of the whip-poor-will from the hill-side; the boding cry of the tree-toad, that harbinger of storm; the dreary hooting of the screech-owl, or the sudden rustling in the thicket of birds frightened from their roost. The fire-flies, too, which sparkled most vividly in the darkest places, now and then startled him, as one of uncommon brightness would stream across his path; and if, by chance, a huge blockhead of a beetle came winging his blundering flight against him, the poor varlet was ready to give up the ghost, with the idea that he was struck with a witch's token. His only resource on such occasions, either to drown thought, or drive away evil spirits, was to sing psalm tunes;-and the good people of Sleepy Hollow, as they sat by their doors of an evening, were often filled with awe, at hearing his nasal melody, "in linked sweetness long drawn out," floating from the distant hill, or along the dusky road.   Dusty black wool, tea with cream, black pepper, muguet, and beeswax candle drippings. In the bottle, there's a very strong beeswax scent, with a hint of tea. On wet, I get beeswax, tea and pepper. There's sort of a popcorn scent. Dry, it's strongly beeswax, with cream, pepper and a hint of tea. I really like this, but unfortunately my hubby thinks it smells a little like pee, so I won't be wearing this much.   The Hessian of the HollowThe dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball, in some nameless battle during the revolutionary war; and who is ever and anon seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind. His haunts are not confined to the valley, but extend at times to the adjacent roads, and especially to the vicinity of a church at no great distance. Indeed, certain of the most authentic historians of those parts, who have been careful in collecting and collating the floating facts concerning this spectre, allege that the body of the trooper, having been buried in the church-yard, the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head; and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow, like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the church-yard before daybreak.   Such is the general purport of this legendary superstition, which has furnished materials for many a wild story in that region of shadows; and the spectre is known, at all the country firesides, by the name of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.   Grave moss and bone-white sandalwood, with vetiver, gunpowder, artillery shrapnel, and blood. This smells great. The scents are very well integrated and difficult to differentiate. I definitely get the blood, sandalwood and vetiver notes, maybe a hint of something metallic. I really like this one.   The Witching Time of NightIt was the very witching time of night that Ichabod, heavy-hearted and crest-fallen, pursued his travel homewards, along the sides of the lofty hills which rise above Tarry Town, and which he had traversed so cheerily in the afternoon. The hour was dismal as himself. Far below him, the Tappan Zee spread its dusky and indistinct waste of waters, with here and there the tall mast of a sloop, riding quietly at anchor under the land. In the dead hush of midnight, he could even hear the barking of the watch dog from the opposite shore of the Hudson; but it was so vague and faint as only to give an idea of his distance from this faithful companion of man. Now and then, too, the long-drawn crowing of a cock, accidentally awakened, would sound far, far off from some farmhouse away among the hills-but it was like a dreaming sound in his ear. No signs of life occurred near him, but occasionally the melancholy chirp of a cricket, or perhaps the guttural twang of a bull-frog, from a neighboring marsh, as if sleeping uncomfortably, and turning suddenly in his bed.   Moonflower, night-blooming cereus, white hellebore, English ivy, monkshood, angel's trumpet, oleander, and eastern hemlock. In the bottle, this smells really lovely. Green and floral in the soft, not-too-sweet way that I like. It does smell like the outdoors at night. Unfortunately, on me, it just smells a little too soapy. Bummer.
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Graveyard Dirt & some frimp reviews

GRAVEYARD DIRT (2008)A tribute to a somewhat nefarious and truly notorious ingredient in New Orleans spellcrafting. It is employed in hoodoo rootwork for various reasons, primarily in spells of protection, "tricking" your enemies, binding, and even love magick. The graves are chosen based on the type of working, and are determined by the type of spirit that lies there and the manner of their demise. Payment is always required in the form of offerings to the deceased. This is the scent of pure graveyard dust, spattered with grave loam and dusted lightly with tombstone moss. Yep, this smells like dirt all right. It's a crazy rich, complex scent unlike anything else I've sniffed... aside from dirt. Wow. I like it.   HORREUR SYMPATHIQUEFrom livid skies that, without end, As stormy as your future roll, What thoughts into your empty soul (Answer me, libertine!) descend?   — Insatiable yet for all That turns on darkness, doom, or dice, I'll not, like Ovid, mourn my fall, Chased from the Latin paradise.   Skies, torn like seacoasts by the storm! In you I see my pride take form, And the huge clouds that rush in streams   Are the black hearses of my dreams, And your red rays reflect the hell, In which my heart is pleased to dwell.   The perfume of a hellbound soul, gleefully lost to iniquity: blood musk, golden honey, thick black wine, champagne grapes, tobacco flower, plum blossom, tonka bean, oakmoss, carnation, benzoin, opoponax, and sugar cane. In the bottle, I get musk, honey, wine, carnation, plum and sugar cane. It's crazy and interesting. On wet, it's mostly the same, although the musk is deepier, dirtier. Dry, this goes sickly-sweet and too floral for my taste.   HAUNTEDA mournful, poignant scent, thick with foreboding. Soft golden amber darkened with a touch of murky black musk. In the bottle, this has a sharp scent overlying the softness of the amber and musk. On wet, it still has that sharpness, although the musk deepens. Sadly, once dry, the sharpness disappears and it goes straight to powder.   JEZIRAT AL TENNYNThe Dragon’s Isle: smoke and fire, earth and wind. The rage of the elements blasting over a primordial paradise. In the bottle, I can smell charcoal, dirt and air. On wet, I get those, plus a hint of musk. Once dry, this is a very herbal scent. A bit of rosemary, dill, maybe chives? It's a lot of herbs. It's not bad, but I don't think it's something I'd reach for often.   NUITShe is the Goddess of the Sky, one of the Ennead, daughter of the air [shu] and water [Tefnut], lover of Geb and Hadit, the Eternal Mother, and the Receiver, Reviver and Protector of the Dead, whose loving, divine embrace shields our souls from annihilation. She is love, rapture, splendor, continuous and eternal birth and rebirth, infinite space, and the “the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night”. Nuit is Earth’s guardian, and shields her lover and her mortal children from the primeval chaos that threatens Existence. Her perfume is starry and crystalline, a jewel-clad and glittering paean to night: dazzling white musks, white rose and night-blooming jasmine with the soft moss of moonlit meadows, a waft of Egyptian incense, and a gentle breath of moonflower. In the bottle, this is way too floral for my taste, strongly rose, jasmine and moonflower. On wet, it's pretty much the same. Once dry, it turns into floral soap. Not one for me.   KURUKULLAThe Tibetan goddess of love and wealth. Her scent is a harmonious, sweet, enchanting blend of three lotus blooms and three roses. In the bottle, the florals are very sweet. Definitely lotus and rose. On wet, it's the same, although I get a slightly alcoholic note. It smells like sweet cocktails. Once dry, this is actually kind of nice, but it's just a little too sweet for my taste.   DRAGON'S EYEA piercing, radiant perfume: dragon's blood resin, lily of the valley, lilac and galbanum. In the bottle, I can smell dragon's blood and lilac. On wet, I get dragon's blood, lilac and a bit of warm musk. It's pretty nice. Unfortunately, once it dries, it goes straight to powder.   XIUHTECUHTLIPatron of the Aztec pantheon, he is the personification of light within darkness, warmth in the cold, and life in, and after, death. He is a creative and destructive God of Fire and Light, and is appeased only by sacrifice, trial, and the slaughter of his people's enemies. Copal, plumeria and sweet orange and the smoke of South American incense and crushed jungle blooms. In the bottle, I get oranges, plumeria and a hint of incense. On wet, I can smell those scents, plus a hint of smoke, and the resiny copal begins to come out. It's not bad, but once dry, it's a bit too orangey and too floral for me.   QUEEN GERTRUDEImperial violet softened by wisteria and chrysanthemum, but edged with the regal iciness of delphinium. This is way too floral for me. In the bottle, I get violets and wisteria. It smells pretty. On me, however, violet just doesn't work. It's way too heavy and cloying.   THE KNAVE OF HEARTS'Herald, read the accusation!' said the King.   On this the White Rabbit blew three blasts on the trumpet, and then unrolled the parchment scroll, and read as follows:--   'The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, All on a summer day: The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts, And took them quite away!'   Crushed roses and blackcurrant tarts. In the bottle, I get a lovely pie scent. Dark berries and sweet, warm crust. On wet, it's much the same, with a hint of rose and some added spiciness. Once dry, it's not bad. The rose is a bit stronger than I'd like, but the warm, spicy-berry pie scent is great.   OMENDeep, mysterious, and full of dark portents: oakmoss, juniper berry, myrrh and patchouli. In the bottle, it's much as described: juniper, myrrh and patchouli. On wet, the juniper is very strong. Once dry, this is nice. A lovely, smoky scent comes through. The juniper softens, and it's well integrated with the myrrh and patchouli. Not bad at all. Definitely one of the outdoorsy scents that I can actually wear.   NOCNITSAAlso known as Krisky, Plaksy and Gorska Makua, she is a nightmare spirit, the Night Hag of the Woods, who haunts Polish, Russian, Bulgarian and Slovak children during the darkest hours. The only protection against her torments is a circle drawn around a child’s cradle with a knife, or an axe or protective poppet hidden under the floorboards beneath where a child sleeps. Her scent is that of a lightless fir wood, nighttime air, wet forest mosses and upturned earth. In the bottle, I get fir trees, cold air and damp earth, with a hint of sweetness. On wet, the pine softens. It's more earthy, but clean, and the nice sweet scent remains. Sadly, this goes a bit too soapy on the drydown.   Y'HA-NTHLEIWe shall swim out to that brooding reef in the sea and dive down through black abysses to Cyclopean and many-columned Y'ha-nthlei, and in that lair of the Deep Ones we shall dwell amidst wonder and glory for ever.   A great undersea metropolis located below Devil's Reef. A swirling, lightless, effervescent scent: the deepest marine notes with bergamot, eucalyptus and foamy ambergris. This is way too oceany for my taste, and I'm not wild about eucalyptus as something to wear. Doesn't quite work.   MOSCOWA rich, bold blend of imperial rose, carnation, lush jasmine, lily of the valley, dark musk, amber, bergamot and gilded tangerine. Way too many florals and too much tangerine (another scent I'm not crazy about wearing). The musk and amber just aren't enough to balance it. Not for me.   WANTONFeminine sexuality in it's rawest form. Palmarosa, red sandalwood, attar of rose, patchouli. Way, waaaaay too much rose. On me, it's completely overpowering.   ZEPHYRA gentle white scent, breezes laced with the scent of springtime blooms and citrus. Lemon, lemon verbena, neroli, white musk, white florals, white sandalwood, China musk, bergamot and a drop of vanilla. The florals in this are too heavy, and the citrus is too sweaty-smelling on me. Not for me.   ETERNALThough they go mad they shall be sane, Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again; Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion.   Stephanotis, cyclamen, heliotrope, white rose and gardenia. In the bottle, I get light, pretty florals. It might work for me. Sadly, it has gardenia, which almost never works for me. On, it's heavy and funereal.   ULTRAVIOLETElectrifying, mechanized and chilly -- the scent of crushed blooms strewn on cold metal. Lush violet and neroli spiked hard with eucalyptus and a sliver of mint. Oh, dear lord. This is so awful on me. In the bottle, it's violet and mint. Once on, it goes wild. It's heavy menthol, like Vick's with flowers. Not a winner for me.   TO A WOMANThy fatal shafts unerring move, I bow before thine altar, Love. I feel thy soft resistless flame Glide swift through all my vital frame.   For while I gaze my bosom glows, My blood in tides impetuous flows; Hope, fear, and joy alternate roll, And floods of transports whelm my soul.   My faltering tongue attempts in vain In soothing murmurs to complain; My tongue some secret magic ties, My murmurs sink in broken sighs.   Condemned to nurse eternal care, And ever drop the silent tear, Unheard I mourn, unknown I sigh, Unfriended live, unpitied die.   Benzoin, cassis bud, patchouli, rose otto, and petitgrain. Ugh. To me, this smells weird, bitter and vaguely medicinal. On, it's pretty terrible. Is it the petitgrain? The cassis bud? I don't think I've tried anything with either of those notes before, and there's definitely something in this that doesn't work for me at all.   LA BELLA DONNA DELLA MIA MENTEMy limbs are wasted with a flame, My feet are sore with traveling, For, calling on my Lady's name, My lips have now forgot to sing.   O Linnet in the wild-rose brake Strain for my Love thy melody, O Lark sing louder for love's sake, My gentle Lady passeth by.   She is too fair for any man To see or hold his heart's delight, Fairer than Queen or courtesan Or moonlit water in the night.   Her hair is bound with myrtle leaves, (Green leaves upon her golden hair!) Green grasses through the yellow sheaves Of autumn corn are not more fair.   Her little lips, more made to kiss Than to cry bitterly for pain, Are tremulous as brook-water is, Or roses after evening rain.   Her neck is like white melilote Flushing for pleasure of the sun, The throbbing of the linnet's throat Is not so sweet to look upon.   As a pomegranate, cut in twain, White-seeded, is her crimson mouth, Her cheeks are as the fading stain Where the peach reddens to the south.   O twining hands! O delicate White body made for love and pain! O House of love! O desolate Pale flower beaten by the rain!   Soft, lush myrtle and dry, sweet melilot with wild rose, pomegranate juice and peach blossom against a background of deep aquatic notes and a twirl of melancholy autumn breezes. In the bottle, this is so pretty. Peaches, pomegranate and autumn leaves. On my skin, unfortunately, it turns immediately into soapy florals. Sigh.
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Got my big order today

Ordered: 7/9 CnS: 7/16 Arrived: 7/19   (Bless those speedy labbies!)   Imps: Miskatonic University Havana Bewitched All Night Long Black Cat Snake Oil Dracul Nephilim The High Priest Not to Be Described Kumiho Bordello Whip Chakra set (Sahasrara, Ajna, Vishudda, Anahata, Manipura, Swadhisthana, Muladhara)   5ml Bottle: Good Omens: War   Frimps: Masabakes Languor Dorian Calico Jack Shoggoth Oberon Queen Alice All Night Long Iambe   The labbies were very generous with the frimps. Thanks, guys! I am currently sniffing myself into oblivion, lol.
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For Swap - August 2008

I have the following for swap, some that don't love me and some that I've bought bottles of. These have only been tested once or twice. All are stored in a cool, dark place, in a climate-controlled, non-smoking home.   This is my wish list, but I'm open to suggestions and would be willing to swap for something non-wishlist if there's something you think I might like. Here is a link to specific notes that I like/dislike.   If you want to buy: I will sell LE/Unimpable decants for $2, GC imps for $1, or take the GC lot for $15. Chant d'Automne is $17. Sturgeon Moon is $16. Hony Mone is $18.   PM me if you're interested. Thanks!   Bottles Chant d'Automne (Halloweenie 2008, full) Sturgeon Moon (full to just below the top of the label) Hony Mone (full to just below the top of the label)   Halloweenie 2008 Decants Harvest Moon Hellhound On My Trail Huesos de Santo Gunpowder Ichabod Crane The Hessian of the Hollow The Witching Time of Night   Other Limited/Unimpable Decants Blood Garden Chaos Theory III Chaos Theory IV Crowley Hony Mone L'Autunno Lune Noir Luperci (2008) Lydia Mama-Ji (*note: this is a lab imp ordered from CBLDF, not a decant) Midnight Kiss Mme. Moriarty Mr. Ibis (*note: this is a lab imp ordered from CBLDF, not a decant) Mr. Jacquel (*note: this is a lab imp ordered from CBLDF, not a decant) Schwarzer Mond (2008) Sturgeon Moon The Illustrated Woman Vampire Tears War Western Diamondback   GC Imps & Decants Full to the top of the label or just below, unless otherwise noted. Azathoth Bitch (decant) Caliban Crossroads (label is a bit oil stained) Cthulu Deathcap (decant) Djinn (decant) The Dodo Dorian (decant) Dragon's Eye Eternal Florence Grog Haunted Horreur Sympathique Hymn Inferno (decant) The Isles of Demons Jezirat Al Tennyn Kurukulla La Bella Donna Mia Mente Ladon Languor Maiden Masabakes Moscow Nanshe Nocnitsa Nuit The Obsidian Widow Penitence Queen Gertrude (x2) Santa Eularia des Riu Severin Shoggoth Swank Tavern of Hell Thanatos To a Woman Twilight Ultraviolet Wanton Wrath Xiuhtecuhtli Y'ha-nthelei Zephyr
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Eek! Stuff

My triple dagger yoga pants and brimstone locket came in the mail today.   This is my first BPTP order, and I am in love. The yoga pants are perfect, soft cotton with exactly the right amount of stretch. Can't wait to wear them to class on Tuesday.   And the locket! The locket! ZOMG, it's even better than I imagined. I'm so happy.   Puddin included a bunch of frimps too, including two I've been dying to try, Queen of Sheba and Dragon Tears.   Also, I bought the L'Autunno set from Maidenhell on eBay, and that came today too! Again, I am in love. I may have a new favorite scent. My hubby and I both are crazy about it. We love fall (we got married last October, the date chosen because it's our favorite season). Maidenhell also included a sample of Villainess Autumn Gala soap. I've been dying to try Villainess, and it smells wonderful, so I can't wait to take a shower.   All in all, a fabulous day. Anyway, now I'm off to the weekly wine tasting at our local wine shop.
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eBay Order Benefits Blind Cats

I won an auction today on eBay for a 5ml bottle of Inferno, 10% of the proceeds to benefit Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc. in St. Pauls, NC, through eBay's Giving Works program.   I visited the BCRS website, and oh my. This is a wonderful organization. If you go to their "Meet the Cats" page, there are some wonderful stories, but be prepared with a box of Kleenex close by. Some of these are sad, sad stories (although they have a happy ending). I wish 100% of the auction went to this organization, and I plan to donate to them as soon as I am able.   If you see any other auctions that benefit Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary, please consider bidding (here is a link to a list of eBay auctions that benefit BCRS). You can also just visit their website and click the "Donate" button. These seem like truly good people doing wonderful things for blind cats.
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Crossroads & Fruitcake

CROSSROADSThe forks of the road: an in-between place, sacred and tangibly magickal in innumerable cultures and faiths. This scent is dark with mystery, taut with power. A chill twilit garden of blooms over dry earth and mosses, heavily laden with incense and offertory herbs. In the bottle, this smells so lovely. Florals, but not in the super-sweet way that I don't like, herbs and incense. Yay! Unfortunately, on me it just turns to soap and a perfume-y smell that's not very nice. Oh, well.   FRUITCAKEUnreleased gift-with-purchase, December 2007. Received this as a frimp with a swap. In the imp and on wet, it smells exactly like fruitcake. On wet, the alcoholic note of fruitcake is particularly strong. As it dries, that softens up a bit and it's this lovely, boozey-fruity scent. I like it.
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CnS!

Just got the CnS for my first order from Black Phoenix Trading Post:   Triple Dagger Yoga Pants Brimstone Locket   Eeek!   Got the CnS last night, so it should be here by Friday or Saturday I think.
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Chaos Theory IV update!

Asked my husband to try Chaos Theory IV (CLII) today, and as I suspected, it totally works for him. My bottle is quite masculine, with quite a bit of leather and tobacco, as well as cinnamon and other spices. Very nice.
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All Night Long and Twilight

ALL NIGHT LONGAs if the name didn't spell it out for you. This blend relieves all sexual inhibitions by simultaneously relaxing and arousing. I really wanted to like this one, so I gave it a couple of tries. In the bottle, I get a lot of cinnamon, and maybe a little cedar. The combination is nice. On me, however, it's not very nice. While I still get the cinnamon, it's underlaid by this powderiness that's just not cool.   TWILIGHTAn enigmatic, otherworldly scent, brimming with power and mystery. Lavender and jasmine, with a touch of glowing honeysuckle. In the bottle, you definitely get lavendar and jasmine. It's very pretty. On me, however, it just smells like Pine Sol.   Anyone want to trade for either of these?
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Alecto

ALECTOUnceasing In Anger Olive leaf, raspberry leaf, vetiver and cedarwood. This is a very outdoorsy, natural scent. I can definitely smell the olive leaf and raspberry leaf, and just a hint of the cedarwood. The combination of scents is very autumnal, like apples and hay. Very nice.
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A few reviews from my 7/9 order

WarShe finished the drink, hefted the sword over one shoulder, and looked around at the puzzled factions, who now encircled her completely. 'Sorry to run out on you, chaps,' she said. 'Would love to stay and get to know you better.'   The men in the room suddenly realized they didn't want to know her better. She was beautiful, but she was beautiful in the way a forest fire was beautiful: something to be admired from a distance, but not up close.   And she held her sword, and she smiled like a knife.   Red ginger, black spices, patchouli, honeysuckle, and three blood-soaked red musks. This smells very strongly of pepper and ginger in the bottle. On, it starts to soften once it dries. Give it a few minutes, and I still smell the pepper and ginger topnotes, but there's an underlying sweetness. It's a little bit almondy, maybe. It's very nice once it chills out a bit on my skin. I actually like it quite a lot. It's very complex and interesting.   Queen AliceAt this moment the door was flung open, and a shrill voice was heard singing:   'To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said "I've a sceptre in hand, I've a crown on my head. Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be Come and dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen, and me!"' And hundreds of voices joined in the chorus: 'Then fill up the glasses as quick as you can, And sprinkle the table with buttons and bran: Put cats in the coffee, and mice in the tea — And welcome Queen Alice with thirty-times-three!'   Then followed a confused noise of cheering, and Alice thought to herself `Thirty times three makes ninety. I wonder if any one's counting?' In a minute there was silence again, and the same shrill voice sang another verse:   '"O Looking-Glass creatures," quoth Alice, "draw near! 'Tis an honour to see me, a favour to hear: 'Tis a privilege high to have dinner and tea Along with the Red Queen, the White Queen, and me!"' Then came the chorus again: 'Then fill up the glasses with treacle and ink, Or anything else that is pleasant to drink: Mix sand with the cider, and wool with the wine — And welcome Queen Alice with ninety-times-nine!'   Carnation, posies, and white amber with a hint of inky treacle, sandy cider, and wooly wine. In the bottle, I get a strong (pleasant) apple scent. On, it's apples and mint. Once it dries, this very nice, musky sort of undertone develops. Very feminine and nice. I like this one.   ShoggothIt was a terrible, indescribable thing vaster than any subway train – a shapeless congerie of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and un-forming as pustules of greenish light all over the tunnel-filling front that bore down upon us, crushing the frantic penguins and slithering over the glistening floor that it and its kind had swept so evilly free of all litter.   An amorphous, radiant, incandescent scent. Ever changing, protoplasmic and primordial: white amber, green coconut meat, iris, palmarosa, Chinese peony, lime, water lily, snowdrop, muguet, lemongrass, osmanthus, wisteria, glassy musk, and hinoki. In the bottle, it has a licorice-y smell, but on me, it smells musky and complex, with a pleasant citrus note. Nice.   Miskatonic UniversityA venerable New England university, whose vast library holds many rare, diabolical and obscure arcane works, including one of the few surviving legitimate copies of the Necronomicon. Home to innumerable scholars of the esoteric and the occult, and the notorious Dr. Herbert West.   The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls. I was really looking forward to this one, and it didn't disappoint. In the bottle, it's complete and total Irish coffee. My hubby also got a caramel popcorn sort of scent. On my skin wet, I can also begin to smell some nice tobacco notes. Once it dries, the whiskey softens and I get this nice, tobacco-whiskey-coffee combination that sort of reminds you of a nice cigar shop. It's complex and interesting. I think the hubby and I will both be able to wear this one. I love it.   WhipAgony and ecstasy: black leather and damp red rose. Exactly as advertised right out of the bottle. Leather and roses. I like it. On my skin, however, you can mostly just smell the roses, and I'm not sure I really want to smell like roses. Unsure about this one. Will try again and see how it does over the course of the day.   BordelloA decadent, deep perfume, lusty and luxuriant. The scent evokes images of velvet-lined Old West cathouses, tightly laced corsets, rustling petticoats and coquettish snarls of pleasure. Bawdy plum with amaretto, burgundy wine and black currant. Very fruity in the bottle and wet on skin. First thoughts: wow, this is a fun scent. As it dries, I start to get a bubblegum smell. Once it dries, however, there's more of an underlying musk, but it's still really fruity. This is a fun scent. I like it.   Black CatA very tricky kitty, indeed. Used most often as a key to bringing back the joy one needs to have in life in order for living to feel worthwhile. Brings back a sense of delight in simple pleasures, and creates a surge of childlike curiosity and a youthful sense of fun. This blend can also be used to reverse troublesome lesser crossings, create a playful air of catlike sexuality, and, because cats will be cats, it can also be used to throw minor, irritating or bothersome hexes, causing small amounts of chaos and disruption to your foes. To me, this smells exactly like a local natural foods market called Harvest Moon. It has a sort of minty/menthol scent, combined with patchouli and maybe a little licorice and/or eucalytus.   Snake OilBy far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla. Oh, wow. I think we have a new favorite here. This scent is pure sex. It's very complicated, difficult to say exactly what it smells like, but it is hot. Smells even better on than it does in the bottle. The hubby definitely approves. Excellent.   BewitchedDeep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk. In the bottle, this smells like musk and licorice. On me, at first the licorice is a little strong. As it dries, the musk comes back, and it smells just like absinthe. Once it's been on for a few minutes, it's very nice. I like this one.   MasabakesMasabakes is a Cantabrian demoness that governs lustfulness and lechery. In order to tempt virgins to corruption she employs the aid of her lackey, the imp Tentirujo. Under the cover of magickal invisibility, the imp caresses maidens with mandrake root, instilling uncontrollable passion and wantonness in the unsuspecting girls. Thick black currant with the darkest, deepest myrrh, a drop of bitter mimosa and the slightest touch of mandrake dust. Pepper, smoke and menthol. This smells way too much like Hall's cough drops or Vick's Vapo Rub to me. This one is definitely not for me.   DorianThe only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself. 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. In the bottle, I get pepper, musk and something sweet (the sugared vanilla). This one is soft and feminine. On me, it's musk, pepper and spice, with that soft, underlying sweetness. I really like this one.   That's all I've tried for now. More reviews to come.
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