In the Imp: Pine, slush, a faint trace of spicy dirt...
On wet: Pine, slush, and a more pronounced sweet n' spicy dirt - like someone's chewing gum in the middle of a snowy, slightly muddy forest trail.
Drydown: Pine, slush, a powder puff of light spice, and something else underneath - something...pink? Maybe there's a hint of carnation in here? I was thinking bubblegum at first, but some of the Lab's carnation notes (Pink Moon 07, especially) go spicy pink Bazooka gum on me. Hmm...as the minutes tick by, it's starting to veer into burnt berry territory - or berry garbage? Either way, this is not really doing it for me.
Overall: I pulled this decant out for retesting purposes, to see if I should snag this year's version, but it's not wearing very nicely with my skin chemistry. Not biggie, though, I've got Talvikuu, Snow-Flakes, and The Snow Storm to see to my snowy needs. 2/5
In the bottle: Super dark, super rich, medicinal fruit cough syrup.
On wet: Ooooh...delicious apricot simmered in sweet musk. Decadent and candylicious.
Drydown: There was a brief, worrisome moment of "omg, EVIL PLASTIC!" but that seems to have faded. Now I'm getting a sweet, lightly fruited musk with a vague brandied undertone. I also keep getting these odd hits of...violet candy? Whenever it registers, I'm reminded of Psychological Horror, even though they're nothing alike in terms of notes or "feel". Weird.
Overall: I like this blend! It's not as smooth as I would like - especially when compared to the gorgeous released version - but I think that age will help with that. Fruit and musk and sweet stuff grounded with a smidge of something darker are favourites in my scent stable, so I think this proto - which hits all those marks - will eventually do very well for itself. Until it has a chance to soften those rough edges, though, it rates a 3/5.
In the imp: Supa' Spicy! Cinnamon, specifically.
On wet: Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon...with just a *hint* of tea.
Drydown: Mmm...still predominantly cinnamon-yum, but the sweet, grounding scent of sandalwood has finally emerged. It takes a few minutes, but clove shows up next, followed by nutmeg, then the vaguely sweetish allspice. Not getting tobacco or peppercorn - and even the tea seems to have been overshadowed by the main spices - but I'm sure they're all in there, adding their deliciousness to the mix.
Overall: This is one of the most fab spice scents I've ever encountered. It's dry, intense, wonderfully warm, authentic, and all together wearable - no generic candle or potpourri smell going on over here! I can see this being worn all by itself on cold days, or layered under something else to kick up the heat a notch. Excellent addition to the spicy love line-up. 4/5
In the bottle: very similar to the released version, but there's a hint of something lighter/sweeter swirled into the mix. Interesting...
On wet: Sweet vanilla with a fruity sparkle - creamy and smooth. Definitely not the heavy, heady red musk n' fruit combo I'm used to!
Drydown: It's kinda difficult to get this scent sniffed out accurately - it's faded down so much! What I can smell is a much softer, lighter version of my favourite Misfortune Teller - like someone's added a few drops of the released blend to a bottle of creamy vanilla. The red musk and fruitiness is still present, but not as prominent, and there's a much sweeter edge to both. I'm not certain - it could be the way my nose is interpreting the mix of components - but I'm catching a hint of leather and possibly something resiny, too. Hmm...the longer it dries, the heavier/richer it gets.
Overall: M. Moriarty is my favourite scent and has been for quite some time now. Mlle. Lilith is a close second. They're similar in feel, but serve the many different moods I have. When I want something close to either released version - but NOT a released version (gotta love those annoyingly indecisive days, lol) - then this proto will be a great option, especially once it's had a chance to age into the glorious deliciousness I know it will become. Currently a 4/5 and a keeper.
In the imp: YUM! Sweet mandarin. A tip of the hat to those of you who mention the gummy bear connection - it's a *dead on* description, lol!
On wet: Fizzy, fruity, orange-y. Yes, it's reminiscent of Tang orange drink.
Drydown: Sweet n' simple. Fig on the bottom, mandarin on top. I can't decide if I smell more like candy, or a really, REALLY good bath product!
Overall: I don't know if I'd wear this very often, but it's definitely cheerful and lovely and huffable. Suitable for any occasion, and more than appropriate for any age group - especially the wee BPAL addicts-in-training. A fun 3/5.
(I'm thinking I may layer this with Plunder for some spicy orange tea goodness!!)
In the imp: Whew! That's some strong muguet! When you get past the LotV attack, the scent underneath is very bright and sweet.
On wet: Hmm, it's softly floral once applied. The chamomile is present as well, coming across as a slightly honeyed, grassy-type smell. I can definitely understand the banana references, though - I'm getting a hint of that, too.
Drydown: Sweet, almost jarring florals. Something vaguely dusty - usually I attribute this to orchids, but I'm not seeing any in the listed notes. Perhaps a sneaky mystery orchid? Or maybe there's another flower that gives off the same powdery-dusty vibe? The chamomile is working underneath the flowery jumble, putting out a smooth, sweet, almost golden calmness to ground the crazy. I'm sad to say it's not enough...
Overall: I'd always wanted to try this blend - I'm mad for chamomile, violets, and autumn leaves. The other floral aspects usually perform well against my skin chemistry, too. For whatever reason, this mix of notes doesn't want to play nice on me - it just wants to alternate between "bananas gone wild" and sweeet n' dusty floral overload. 2/5
In the imp: Rich n' fruity, sweet and dark - YUM!
On wet: Very sweet - almost a "high-pitched" sweetness, for lack of a better description. The fruit is kinda hanging in the background, as is something vaguely peanut-patchouli and...something else I can't quite identify - maybe the Siamese benzoin? Maybe the mahogany? Hmm...not sure. Whatever it is, it's coming across as almost...fuzzy? Weird!
Drydown: Still so incredibly sweet - like candied fruit syrup's been poured over my arm. There's a tinge of sourness every now and then - perhaps from the pomegranate? It usually doesn't like me, so that's my guess. Could be the raspberry, too - I've only ever experienced it in Akuma (not a winner on me, sadly), so I'm not that familiar with how it might play with my skin chemistry. The patch/frank/benzoin/wood are just kinda letting those crazy-sweet fruity notes go wild while they cling close to my wrist. Sniffing up close is a bit overwhelming for my nose (yes, it's that sweet and busy), but waving my arm around *in front* of my nose, letting the scent sorta drift together in distant harmony - wow. WOW. Just gorgeous.
Overall: If you haven't already guessed, this is a *seriously* uber sweet blend (according to my sniffer), and not a scent to be slathered willy-nilly! It's a beauty, true - but a *potent* beauty. Very reminiscent of my favourite, Ms. Moriarty, and full of plummy goodness, so will likely be snagging a bottle before CD's departure. Mmm...can't wait to smell her after she's aged for a few months. 4/5
In the bottle: Light tea and gorgeous mandarin.
On wet: Sugared mandarin and both musks - they all smell fantastic together!
Drydown: Lovely tea, rose and mandarin, vanilla, musk, poppy, even the violets! All of the notes have hit my radar at one point or another (except the opoponax, which I think is grounding everything and isn't as noticeable - fine by me since I'm not a huge fan), and they've since combined into this light, sophisticated melange of gentle, sweet, fruity-floral-musky goodness.
Overall: High end yet wearable. Appropriate for any occasion. Perfect for those who've been craving a good fruity-tea scent - like me! Absolutely delicious, and an easy 4/5.
In the bottle: Figgy, blueberry musk!
On wet: Light honey, something herbal - kinda perfumey, but very pretty.
Drydown: It's taken a little while, but musky berries have finally become the order of the day! Still a bit perfumey, still quite honey-sweet, but definitely a nose-to-skin scent. The blueberries are the dominant component, right up there with the figged-out musk. Honey is keeping things sugared up nicely. The poor raspberries are indistinct for most of the time, but there *is* the tiniest swirl of something red hugging the scent's edge - I imagine that's them.
Overall: A really lovely blend! The honey-musk-fig-berry combo works extremely well, and each note (with the exception of the elusive raspberry) is quite pronounced. I expect this will age fabulously, with the berries becoming even more obvious - just like Crawdad Dream did, much to my delight! - so I will definitely be hanging on to my bottle. 3.5/5
LXV - 65
In the bottle: Dorian cake, pure and simple.
On wet: Dorian cake...morphing almost immediately into musky-is that fruit?-cakey-spicy-something else I can't describe-Dorian. Hmmm....not sure if I'm going to like this.
Drydown: Dorian spice cake. It's mellow, skin-hugging, and the first "clean foodie" blend I think I've ever come across. Dorian balances out the foodier aspects so that it doesn't get too cloying or overwhelming (most food-based scents are both according to my nose), and the spicy cake element helps to warm up Mr. D's much cooler, fresher side. The vanilla-sweetness amps considerably as time passes, but the spice lingers just underneath that frosting-like layer, keeping it from getting out of hand. And I'm *still* wondering if I'm catching whiffs of some kind of mystery fruit?! It's not lemon - whenever my nose detects it, my mind flashes to a red/pink fruit - but it's gone before I can latch on to what it could possibly be.
Overall: Not sure how I feel about this one so far - I absolutely love Dorian, but not so much with the spiced pastry he's got tucked away in his pocket. Overt food scents tend to make me queasy, but this one isn't hitting my ick buttons (yet), and I've kept every Chaos Theory blend I've ever ordered to date - adopting this fellow out without giving him a chance to age would seem kinda cruel. So, I guess he'll stick around until I get to know him better!
In the bottle: Dorian peeks out first, followed by the darker, sweeter Snake Oil. Lavender clings to both. Lovely.
On wet: Sweet, powdery, slightly herbal. Bit of a jumble that's trying to settle down, but still lovely.
Drydown: Dorian's wearing a sprig of fennel-wrapped lavender pinned to the lapel of his vanilla-cream suit. Snake Oil swirls like a slinky, syrupy river of lightly spiced warmth beneath him. Picking up all the extra notes except the lily of the valley - I think it's adding to the creamy sweetness, just not as obviously as the other toss-ins. As I expected, this is good, *good* stuff. YUM.
Overall: Much love for this blend which has brought together two of my fave BPAL scents of all time. The lavender, fennel, and vanilla flower tweak them up to the next notch of awesomeness - adding just enough variance so that LV stands as a unique fragrance in its own right. It's a 4/5 right now, but I'm thinking that a little age will push this puppy into the 5/5 realm.
In the imp: Sweet, unidentifiable fruit, and something almost cleaner-ish.
On wet: Fruit syrup - the kind that you get from canned fruit cocktail. Lightly sweet and pourably slick.
Drydown: I'm mostly smelling musk, maybe whatever the "serpentine green herbs" are, a touch of the lemon/lime combo every once in a while (not very prominent at all), and something dry and spicy-hazy underneath it all - I'm assuming that's the snakeskin. Weirdly evocative! The fruity vibes from the initial application vanished after just a minute or two, but the further it dries, the more currant I seem to get - wonderful! I love Beth's currant notes, so I'm really glad they make a more obvious appearance!
Overall: The list of notes sound like they were made for me - lemon, lime, musk, currant - but it takes a *long* time for these superstars to actually wake up and shine on my skin. I didn't care for the wet-to-dry stages that much, and the later drydown - which I really, *really* like - was super faint and didn't seem to have much throw. I agree with posters before me who mention the 51 comparison. 51 is one of my favourite light musk/fruity blends, and Serpents definitely heads in the same direction the longer it sits on my skin. Even still, it's huffably addictive (my nose is mashed against my wrist even now), so it's quite possibly bottle-worthy in the future. 3.5/5
In the imp: Pollen-y honey and something oddly astringent.
On wet: Chamomile, a smidge of sweetness - but it's SO light! I can barely smell anything, and I slathered my wrist up good! I hope it intensifies as it dries down...
Drydown: Still pretty faint, which gives me massive sadface 'cause I not only LOVE chamomile, but have wanted a honeyed-cham scent *forever*. What I *am* able to smell, however, is exactly that - gentle, bee-kissed chamomile. It's sweet, delicately herbal, and makes me feel clean, cozy and safe. Not getting any tonka or hyssop specifically, but I'm sure they're lending themselves to sweetening things up and grounding everything. And I agree with some of the previous posters - the further this dries, the more it smells like O without the amber.
Overall: I'm hoping this scent will get more intense as it ages - especially the chamomile. Other than that, I quite like it! It's soft, sweet, and comforting. I will definitely be grabbing a bottle if my imp ages the way I'm hoping it will. 4/5
In the bottle: Light, smooth, *clean* musk.
On wet: Soooo soft! Sweet, almost soapy, incredibly faint.
Drydown: Sweet, clean powder - instantly evokes a "vintage" feel - like I'd find a bottle of this on a movie star's dressing table back in the 50's. Definitely getting an amber vibe now, too, which I'm not 100% crazy about (amber and I do not click, unfortunately).
Overall: I was really enjoying the soft, almost candy-like muskiness of the wet stage, but the drydown didn't quite work with my skin chemistry. We'll see what happens as it ages. Currently, it's a 3/5 for me.
In the imp: Mmm...really high-end shampoo.
On wet: Clean, clean, clean! Watery, with just a hint of something floral - again, it brings to mind some gorgeously expensive bath product. Niiiiice!
Drydown: This is *so* clean, so cool, so fresh, it's like I'm in taking a bubble bath. In a lake. While it's raining ever so softly. And pale flowers are floating all around. And the breeze is mild and equally fragrant. Very pretty and evocative...though a tad too perfumey for my taste, heh. The peach eventually peeps out from beneath all those blossoms and well-blended notes, but it's majorly overshadowed by the primary players.
Overall: Quite a heady fragrance, though it maintains a lightness that's very appealing. Reminds me quite a bit of 51 - in feeling, rather than scent similarity. Both are glittery, perfumey, floral-fruit-white resin compositions, and I think both could pass for complex commercial scents (in a good way, mind). Not sure if a bottle is in my future, as I already have 51 to see to this particular olfactory niche, but I will absolutely be keeping and using my imp. 3/5
In the imp: An almost effervescent - yet resiny - pine!
On wet: Sweet pine at first, but then the scent begins to deepen and grow more complex within seconds. Patchouli and musk come to the forefront next...
Drydown: Sweetness from the skin musk, vanilla, and honey (perhaps the Indian resins, too), smokiness from the tobacco, an earthy swirl from the patchouli, and that almost jarring green sap vibe from the pine pitch. Every note is apparent, but the overall scent I'm getting is sweet, rich, slightly dirty musk with a juniper garnish. Colour impressions: shimmering gold with a bold streak of silvery-sage green through the center.
Overall: This might be a touch overwhelming on me. Maybe if the pine was a smidge less glaring, or the musk not quite so sweet, I could see this being perfection on my skin. As it stands now, I'm willing to let it age, see if it calms down a bit before making any rash decisions. It really is a *lovely* fragrance wafting from me at present, here's hoping it just gets better with a little time! A (temporary?) 3/5.
In the bottle: Mmm...candied violets that've been smooshed into a delectable powder.
On wet: YUM! Still getting that sweet musk/candied violet - which is actually going more candied rose the longer I sniff - combo. Absolutely delicious!
Drydown: Loving this. Smells like a bolder Tushnamatay that's been dusted with sweet candy powder. What an amazing blend. As others have mentioned, there definitely is something *else* underneath all those good notes, something I can't quite put my finger on, and it does indeed smell "off". Not in an icky way, mind, just something...sharp? biting? metallic?...that kind of peeps out from beneath that powder puff of yumness every now and then - especially when I get in close for a good whiff. I quite like it.
Overall: I'm a fan of sweet powdery-musky stuff, so this scent definitely works for me - it's got great throw, too. An easy 4/5.
In the bottle: Caramelized sugar - almost maple-y.
On wet: Maple sugar and something decidedly RED n' FRUITY! Quite a jarring combination.
Drydown: Sweet, red berry jam. Thick and gloppy. Caramel sugar is glowing underneath. The entire effect is almost...hazy, if that makes sense - like there's this vapour trail of heavy, goo-ified, sugar-berry NOMness wafting up from my skin. It's absolutely *incredible*.
Overall: I all but cried when I heard the preliminary reports on this scent - that one of my all-time favourite concepts was going to be a *gasp* FOODIE blend! - not quite what an anti-foodie like me had been hoping for. With much trepidation and little optimism, I ordered ZA anyway...and I am SO glad I did! YES, it's a foodie scent, and YES, it's super sweet, but holy smokes, does it ever smell GOOD! And it actually works on my skin! I don't forsee slathering it on *every day* or anything, but it's definitely wearable, it's totally fun, and my nose can't seem to get enough of it! DELICIOUS! 4.5/5
In the bottle: Sweetness, a touch of something clean and herbal.
On wet: Still clean, sweet, and herbal. Definitely picking up on the tobacco flower (which used to be my favourite home fragrance from The Body Shop some years back). Very nice so far!
Drydown: Lightly perfumey. The bright, citrussy bergamot (which I love), the smooth, sweet, candy-like angelica, and the tobacco flower are dominating this blend. Underneath, I can detect a smidge of woody sage - possibly a teeny shot of the frankincense. No ginger yet, or anything that's yelling "fig" or "olive blossom" - though I'm sure the latter two are mixed up with all that sweet, floral goodness. The benzoin is also, thankfully, absent at the moment (it doesn't like me, sadly).
Overall: A very pleasant floral-herbal scent. It's heady but light, complex but not over the top, sweet and fresh with just a little herbal darkness to ground everything perfectly. Wearable and lovely. 3/5
In the imp: Effervescent - like Sprite! Immediately puts me in mind of Talvikuu.
On wet: That fizzy soda yum is still prominent, though there's something almost creamy underneath.
Drydown: Pine-Sprite Creamsicle - and I'm getting the faintest, *faintest* whiff of something sour every now and then. Not sure where that's coming from...
Overall: Not a bad blend (aside from that weird mystery sourness), but when it comes to snowy/piney/slushy scents, my nose belongs to Talvikuu and The Snow Storm. 2.5/5
Samhain 2005
In the bottle: Deliciously dark apples, spices, and an almost medicinal smokiness.
On wet: A mish-mash of notes trying to sort themselves out - though the damp, smoky forest and spices are definitely taking center stage at the moment.
Drydown: Spiced patchouli and a hint of warm apple one minute, a sliver of pine trees and distant bonfire the next. Not too foody, not too dark, not too spicy - it's simply the most perfect autumn evening, bottled for your pleasure.
Overall: Samhain 05 has the distinction of being my first - first bottle purchase in my first Lab order, and the first blend I ever fell in love with. It's aged beautifully, and is still one of the most evocative, glorious scents I've ever experienced in my life (next to my other memory-stirring beloved, Sleepy Moon). Whenever I need a bit of autumn-come-early, or I'm feeling down, a little dab of this makes me feel like all's right with the world - especially since it's connected to the many incredible autumnal memories I've made over the past couple of years (like my October wedding and the anniversaries that followed).
An easy 5/5, with extra gold stars for good measure. Absolute perfection.
In the bottle: Mmm...sweet, sweet apple cider. It's that same Golden Delicious apple note I get from Harvest Moon 06 (even though it's red apple listed in both blends - to me, it's very golden).
On wet: Instant spice, a dash of wood, the smokiness of myrrh, peppery-creamy carnation, and something that makes me think of (oddly enough) fresh, cool water lingering around the edges.
Drydown: Spice - including that fantastic peppered cream of the carnation - is still the most prominent aspect of this blend. The subtle, sweet earthiness of fig is detectable, though, as are the occasional whiffs of those sparkling golden apples. The wood, myrrh, smoke, musk, and patch are all sticking close to my skin, and, depending on where my nose is at any given time, I get bits and bites of each to varying degrees - really lovely. No toasted almond to be found. I'm thinking it got buried under all the other smoky/woody stuff.
Overall: Another delightful autumn scent to add to my collection - like the love child of spicy-woody-smoky-dry Chrysanthemum Moon, and the spiced apple-patchouli goodness of Samhain (with a dash of happy-apple influence from cousin Harvest Moon 06). I'd have preferred a *wee* bit more fruit to contrast with all that spiced smoke, but that's a small thing against everything else I enjoyed about this blend. And who knows what will come with some age? I'm betting it'll be even more incredible next year! 4/5
In the bottle: Mmm...sweet n' lightly creamy. The colour "pink" instantly popped into my head while I sniffed this - that, and thought that this would be the *best* bubble bath/bath oil scent evah!
On wet: Sweeet! Powdery! Candy-like! YUM!
Drydown: Still mostly sweet, candy-licious powder, though I'm detecting something almost spicy underneath - peppery carnations finally making an appearance, if I'm not mistaken. Then there's the honey and frankincense adding this insanely edible, golden depth to balance out the sugary, milky florals - SOOOO GOOOOD! Freaking *gorgeous* stuff, seriously.
Overall: Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from this blend - I mean, honeyed milk and baby powder? For reals? - but I figured I'd give it a try since I love carnations and creamy florals like Alice. Am I ever glad I did! This is absolutely WONDERFUL - easily my favourite baby blend of the bunch. Well done, Beth!! 5/5
MCLXXI - 1171
In the bottle: Caramel or dark sugar, something fruity and fresh.
On wet: Almost instantly, that drizzle of sugary caramel gives way to...uh, herbal bubblegum?? I *think* that's what I'm smelling, but damn, is it ever sharp and weird. And now it's going kinda chemical, like...burning bleach.
Drydown: I still don't know what I'm smelling, but thankfully there's some light caramel-fruit sweetness returning to the forefront. I'm still picking up on what I can only describe as bubblebum, but it's now a supporting note in this strange blend, and no longer horribly offensive. The longer it dries, the more intense the sweet, candied fruit becomes - I'm thinking it might be red plum.
Overall: Out of the 8 CTs that've come my way (4 this round, 4 last), this is the first and only bottle that I really, *really* didn't like. I even had a no-swap policy in place specifically for any CT purchases 'cause they were all unique and made for me, right? But in this case, I think I'll have to bend the rules a bit. This odd duck (odd with my chemistry, at any rate) will almost certainly never see the light of day, and that's no life for *any* BPAL fragrance. I'll have to find it a new home.
In the bottle: Blueberries!
On wet: Blueberries instantly give way to tea and the currant - no problem, I love them, too!
Drydown: Powdery lemon? Where is this coming from? This odd stage lasts for several long minutes, then the blueberries return with the tea in tow. Ginger lingers on the sidelines, as does the vanilla and currant. The musk is developing slowly - darkly sweet, vaguely leathery, working (surprisingly!) well with the berries/tea combo. Not picking up the benzoin (good - not a favourite), or the squash blossom/coriander.
Overall: Another good fruit-tea-musk combo for me! I'm not even very interested in blueberry as a scent to wear, but it's really nice with the supporting notes in this blend - and it's incredibly fresh/realistic! A unique addition to my BPAL box, and a nice change of pace from what I usually wear. 4/5
