It's been really busy at my end with sickness and adjusting to meds, fitting in part-time work, and attending films for this year's Melbourne International Film Festival.
I've been wearing my BPAL collection out a fair bit rather than testing. Good heavens, I have a *lot* of bottles!
Haven't been testing as much as I'd like as usual but here is a list of what I have used since I last updated this blog.
Pollution
Madame Tracy
Noche Buena 2007
Whoso List To Hunt
Berry Moon 2009
The Host of the Air
The Deserted Village
The Dole of the King's Daughter
Velvet Unicorn
Velvet Nudie
Velvet Bandito
Velvet Panther
Standouts for me are Madame Tracy, Whoso List To Hunt and Velvet Panther.
Off for more testing on this sacred day off from work!
I've had some time off work to do what it is I *really* like to do (poetry stuff, that which earns no money you understand...) and in the meantime have found some imps lying around that had yet to be tested. I really need to get back into the routine of testing, seeing as I still order LE decants!
Manners Among Men and Women in the Red Light District - a light woody scent. Slightly feminine, and very refined. The blonde wood is lovely because it's so light and melds so well with the apricot. Even with the apricot, I think this would be fantastic on a fellow. I don't think it has much throw on me, but this is due to personal body chemistry rather than the fragrance. I think on the right person this will sing beautifully.
The Music of Erich Zahn - all just dirty vetiver on me, I'm afraid. I did briefly test on a male friend and it was so much more rich and complex. But I am fond of BPAL's vetiver - it's very rich and reminds me of fragrant dirt or soil with a burnt aroma added in.
Litha 2009 - very, very floral. Most dominant is the honeysuckle. That does die down and it becomes more honeyed later on. I won't be keeping my decant.
Nyarlatholep - not really a big fan of ozonic scents, but this one I did quite like - probably because of the incense. That isn't quite enough for me in the end - the wateriness comes back and overpowers the incense. It's pretty nice as far as the oceanic scents go, for me.
Villain - this will be devastatingly debonair on a lad, but I quite like it on me, even though there isn't much throw. The lime is just gorgeous and it's a subtle fragrance that speaks volumes precisely because of its subtlety. Might be an excuse to get a new bedtime scent that's unisex...!
On my blog I've just reviewed a few Blooddrop fragrances from the most recent spring/summer 2009 collection.
Miss Mapleleaf's garden
They're fantastic, and Astrid is really lovely too.
A good male friend of mine was kind enough to let me test some BPALs on him so I decided to write up my observations, which you can read at the below link, if you please!
blog post comparing same BPALs on two different people
Fri 1/5
Geek - just a sniffie! Very heavy on the leather, then cedar, pine and such as listed. A nice gentlemanly, old-world fragrance. Wasn't I lucky to get to try!
Tue 26/5
Eanach Dhuin - LE decant. A sweet, feminine fragrance - however I do not find it conveys grief, as it's just too cheerful for me. One of the girlier ones I've liked.
The Ides of March 2009 - LE decant. I find this quite mind-clearing and clarifying. I didn't initially think anything of it, but I'm now rather drawn to it. Might take to work with me to help my mind stay focussed on things.
Been a long time since I had the chance to test fragrances but have a week off and thought I'd get around to trying some BPAL frimps I received.
Drink Me - I can't believe it, but this really does smell of roast meat, cherry tart and pineapple. The cherry's too fake for my nose, and pineapple I'm not generally too fond of. This one is more about appreciating Beth's artistry than something I'd wear personally.
Inferno - I like the BPALs with fewer rather than more notes. Though BPAL almond doesn't work so well on me, the neroli does. I only had enough for one trial in the imp I got; it's pretty nice but I wouldn't go out of my way to get another.
Seance - alas, instant hate. It has that awful fresh rose note that just clashes with my body chemistry and I have to wash this off, can't even wait to see if I eventually get the rosewood. Sigh.
Goblin - the benzoin doesn't seem so sweet, but I like the coconut - is much truer and savoury as the actual meat is in real life. Is quite nice to sample after Seance not liking me so much!
Djinn - more like a fresh, green forest burning than smoke, ashes and flames. Reminds me of winter and logfires burning.
Thorns - oh my, this is a surprise! Dragon's blood definitely but with something like burnt patchouli and maybe benzoin? I can't see myself wearing it but I've put it in the "retest" pile to make sure... It has very strong throw.
A sunny Sunday afternoon seemed a good time to start testing these pretties.
Christine - springtime blooms, seems to be quite a flowery blend. Am hoping for more of the vanilla orchid, as I do love that note so much. This reminds me of a very nice 80s fragrance from my childhood - can't quite remember which one.
Erik - this one tends to impress me easily at first, more so than the aforementioned. I love the leather, wood and kerosene. Who would think the latter note would work in such a blend? It does wonderfully.
Maud Ruthyn - BPAL, you are killing me. I'm wearing a rose-based fragrance that works on me. Usually BPAL rose hates my manky arse. I think it must be the rosehips, as well as the nectarine note. Going to try this again some other time, but so far, it's behaving unusually well on me. I'm stumped!
Silas Ruthyn - oh wow, this is bottle-worthy. Smoky opium is so hard to resist! This is just lovely. Yum.
I decided to test the BPTP roses first, because traditionally, BPAL rose doesn't like me...
White Rose - I cannot believe how heavenly this is. I can barely smell the rose, more the vanilla tea (yum!) and I think the orris. There is a hint of something fruity but it's not listed in the notes. If I had enough money, I'd be chasing down a bottle of this.
Red Rose - smoky goodness. The clove, Indian musk, tonka and tobacco make this just...wow. I can't believe how suited it is to my body chemistry! This is more of a nighttime blend as compared to the one above, which was more innocent. This is refined, more elegant. Am won over.
Earth Ox - smells like lychee sweets, and I happen to personally dislike lychees. I realise I am mad... It does smell a little like plum blossoms later on, but I shan't be keeping my decant.
Bony Moon - beautiful, and unisex too. I'm coming to appreciate these lunar oil based blends more with time. The cedar is not too much in this, and it's pretty easy for that note to overpower a blend. The white sandalwood is just gorgeous, nice and subtle.
Milk Chocolate Buttercream - more buttery version of Bliss to my nose. I'm not particularly fond of milk chocolate BPALs but this seems a little nicer than Bliss, which didn't like my body chemistry.
White Chocolate & Strawberry - the strawberry smells fake, as does the white chocolate, which is by its nature a very fake chocolate! I don't like strawberry flavouring in chocolate so it's not surprising that I don't like this.
White Chocolate & Sugared Violets - strangely enough this was stronger on the violets, but they didn't smell as sugared to me as in, say, Faith. I like sugared violets and much prefer Faith to this, where I could hardly smell the chocolate and sugariness.
White Chocolate, Marshmallow & Coconut - I can't smell the marshmallow and coconut in this at all...it smells a little alcoholic and not as yummy as the name suggested, sadly.
Dark Chocolate & Cherry - the cherry note is too artificial but I do like the dark chocolate in this. I wish the latter were stronger, to be honest.
Dark Chocolate & Pepper-Smoked Caramel - this is just fantastic, and wish it were permanent. It reminds me a bit of Arcana's Frilly Underpinnings. Pepper-smoked caramel is just a wonderful idea. It smells delicious and so complex! I may try to get a bottle of this! Easily my favourite out of the Chocolate Box scents!
Received several decants from the lovely 2sistersreviews on LJ. I'm going to test the ones I think I will like the least and see how I go from there. A few leaked and they smell heavenly! I'll probably love the Ode to Aphrodite ones!
I was extremely lucky to get some decants of:
Erik & Christine
Silas & Ruthyn
Jekyll & Hyde
Erik has leaked a little so I know what *he* smells like, but will be testing the others shortly.
Sadly, a lot of my BPAL is in boxes as yet unpacked - because I'm back at my folks' place and they are renovating, so they've asked me to only unpack bare minimum, sob sob!
Again, on my blog proper.
http://www.snarkattack.info/gracenotes/200...ll-blood-drops/
Once I've moved house properly, more BPAL reviews and such to come!
Some good old-fashioned GC testing, people!
Devil's Claw - this truly is bright (yellow) and smoky black at the same time. How'd they manage that? Sadly, doesn't quite suit my body chemistry.
Wanton - ooh-er, rose attar likes me in this blend with sandalwood and patchouli. Holding onto my imp for further testing! It does smell of something else I've tried before in the Ars Amatoria I think. It's very Indian and sensual.
Tintagel - lavenderish vibe at first, then berries. I don't get all the notes listed but that's okay. Keeping imp for further testing.
Velvet - at first, this is the gentlest chocolate fragrance ever, but sadly goes sour. I guess it's to be expected as milk chocolate BPAL doesn't tend to like me.
Phantom Queen - floral - old-fashioned, clean florals. Apple blossom and meadowsweet love me, and it's just perfect for this summer day.
Magdalene - very sober blend - labdanum is a little too musty, and was worried that white roses wouldn't like me. Sadly, this has virtually no throw on me. It's a pretty quiet blend, but that's fine.
Vicomte de Valmont - very understated cologne. About half of the notes in this I love, and half hate me quite a bit. The sandalwood and musk are most prominent on me but the mint bothers me.
(We can has Obama, yea!)
Anyway, onto the fragrant stuff.
As received from Apple...
Buck Moon - not the usual Lunacy oil. I became more fond of lunar oil base last time in hospital and really like this one. It's more of a skin musk than an animalistic one, with a hint of forest scents. Also a little sweet and stays close to the skin upon drydown. It's beautiful in a dreamy way.
F5 - Reminds me a lot of Shanghai. I can imagine this would have been very popular when it came out. I really like it, uplifted me completely which was good as my mind was quite sluggish!
Les Anges Dechus - tobacco is lovely, but the other things that temper it on drydown means it's essentially not suited to me, which is a bit of a shame.
Keeping the first two, the latter will go in my "find new homes for" bag.
I don't really swap for imps often because it costs us Australians quite a lot to post out internationally. However I did swap recently with the lovely member Apple and acquired:
Les Anges Dechus
Buck Moon
F5
Am chuffed!
Also received a massive order from the Lab recently. More details to follow.
Have also started photographing my bottles in order to capture, and share the beauty of the labels. Haven't quite finished yet but will give the link to the appropriate album soon. Sadly the board won't let me upload them because it's been a bit temperamental of late.
...and ordered Agape and Dorian.
Also, recently arrived: Viranhotkantita & Peacocks. I've had those on my wishlist for quite some time and was lucky enough to acquire both. I've had some very good luck with my wishlist of late!
Reviews/testing to follow!
There has been lots of BPAL comings and goings in my life but recently I did diverge from the BPAL-scented path to test out some Villainess decants.
Not all of them are tested just yet, but if you do fancy reading what my thoughts are about the Villainess fragrance oils, you are directed to:
Villainess decant reviews
Some are missing, and I actually forgot to review the ones I got bottles of (Datura, Villainess, Retrograde) but when I get the decants that are missing, I'll add reviews of those too.
Have opened the shoebox where I am storing some yet-to-be-tried BPAL 5mLs. Am ashamed to say that the first one I've tested has been untested for so long...
Crypt Queen - a dark, fruity, slightly sinister blend. The darkness is tantalising, though I think it's suited to cold weather/night wear. Bit too intense for daytime/summertime. Amazing throw though. This is a finely crafted blend, make no mistake.
Et Lux Fuit - wow, this really is as sunny as they say. It's also a bit creamy, and has a different sunniness to it than, say, Sunflower. I put this on specifically because I need the cheer. Will get a fair bit of wear this summer I think!
Lune Noire - subtle. Upon application, I get the orchid, gardenia and pear. Stays close to the skin, but wow, how adorable this blend is! Not quite as dark as the name implies, quite light actually - in feel and in scent. Love.
Chintamani-Dhupa - heavy and incensish as promised though I swear I get unsweetened cardamom from it too. These blends tend to work well with my skin chemistry (is it because I'm part Indian?). It is indeed sensual.
When I first started trying BPAL at the end of 2005, I told myself I would try to test all of the (now) Ars Amatoria category. So this year, I'm going to keep trying to achieve that, and add another category - Mad Tea Party.
I've done pretty well to try all of the Carnaval Diabolique thus far, Salons 1 & 3.
The GC really is fantastic but I seem to get sucked into the LEs, which I must say is annoying. I'm going to be much more picky about what LEs I order and test more of the GCs.
I managed to test a whole bunch of Salon fragrances while I was in hospital, but there are still a few I've not had the pleasure to try. So thought I'd get them out of the way.
Cloister Graveyard in the Snow - this is the BPAL 'chill' or winter note to a tee. I don't get so much of the ozone or musks, just mint, really.
Death of the Grave Digger - the BPAL chill note, dirt, then opoponax and myrrh. I like the opoponax and myrrh, and this is an artful blend but not something I'd wear as a personal fragrance.
Silence - a clean floral scent. I've tested a few Salons & LEs that remind me of this already. It's quite a typical perfumey scent in a way.
Three Brides - Moroccan rose is nice, and sweet. The sandalwood in this is earthier and deeper than the one in Silence, I quite like this fragrance. Suits my body chemistry a bit better because it's not so 'clean'. A warmer version of Silence, I think.
The Fox Woman Kuzonoha Leaving Her Child - thought this would be nicer on me, but has little throw. I can smell mainly white tea and wisteria. Don't think I'll be keeping my imp.
Thu 2/1/09 imp testing. Well, mainly the first two imps, but the rest are ones I think the male persuasion could wear very easily.
Dorian - bliss. I must have a bottle. Why is this so damn good!
Wilde - what a lovely, refined olde-world blend. Not something I'd wear, but I do very much like it. Would love to try it on a lad.
The Dormouse - this is very light on my skin. Takes a while for it to become truly fragrant and can smell green and lemon teas. Gets floral when it's dry. Definitely keeping my imp.
Tezcatlipoca - cocoa, then patchouli, leather, incense and something floral. After that's all faded, left with something quite fecal in a pungent jasmine sort of way.
Tweedledum - sweet at first with the fig then freshens up because of the green, unripe mango and green tea. Becomes musty on drydown with the patchouli. I prefer this upon initial application.
Tweedledee - quite feminine, and strangely, almost foody. I love kumquats as I grew up drinking a drink based on them, and white tea, white pepper and orange blossom are all so subtle! A refreshing scent.
Bloodlust - dragon's blood loves me a lot more since I changed meds. This smells amazing, musky and floral, oddly enough.
Lust - dark, manly. Strong and a lot less sweeter than Bloodlust.
And the first imp tested for the new year is...
Brisingamen - lovely, dreamy ambers and a hint of floral. Something doesn't sit quite right on my skin, sadly. This is odd, given that usually ambers love me.
Casanova - dismissed it at first because the lavender was too strong, but I actually really like it now that it's warmed up on me a little.
I just realised that I got an extra bottle of Snow White because the decanter I bought Yule decants from sent me it instead of Snow Bunny!
So, I had an excuse for another order...
Water of Notre Dame
Dove's Heart
Bezoar
Snow Bunny
Beaverversary
Earth Phoenix
Yep, all 5mLs.
I need more 5mLs like I need a shot in the head...sheesh *grin*.
Flower Moon - just got enough to test this, and wow, it's gorgeous. Quite girlie. I think I love tulips and daffodils (actually, have always loved daffodils from an early age - reminds me of my childhood in England). Would definitely try to get a bottle.
Cordelia - these Asiatic blends tend to suit me - except the lemon! Drat. I love all of the notes, but that seems to be a tad too strong on me. I'll retest one day in the hope that it's died down a bit.
Miskatonic University - Irish coffee incarnate. I don't like it...yeah, I know, not a popular view, but I don't tend to like foody, sweet scents generally speaking. Can't believe how true this is though.
