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BPAL Madness!

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A blog by theseagrows

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wishlists and info about me for switch witch.

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liked and disliked notes

notes i love (or mostly like):
oakmoss, violet, tea, tonka, leather, white musk, skin musk, red musk, black musk, neroli, amber, tobacco, carnation, orange blossom, orchid, incense, smoke, clove, benzoin, dirt, moss, opoponax, green tea, lime, stephanotis, chrysanthemum, oudh, saffron, iris/orris root, tuberose, honey, ylang ylang, honey, heliotrope.

notes that sometimes work:
rose, vanilla (bpal's), iris, wine, cherry, coconut, tea rose, berries, myrrh, sage, patchouli, sandalwood, bergamot, ylang ylang, lily, dragon's blood, lotus, orange, lemon, cinnamon, lavender, tuberose, vetiver, honey (bpal's), woods, champaca, ginger, nectarine, heliotrope, pomegranate, fig, pine (not very often), peony, sweet pea, almond, pumpkin, mint, sugar, grapefruit, lilac, jasmine, honeysuckle, milk, teak, coffee, caramel, oudh: bpal's black oudh doesn't seem to like me but the white and red varieties do.

notes i dislike:
cedar, frankincense (bpal's turns to pencil shavings on me, same for cedar, unless very subtle), peach, strawberry, plum, civet, chocolate (except DDLM), cake, milk, cassia, opium, poppy, cocoa, apple, rum, ozones/aquatics, dragon's blood, currant, eucalyptus, banana, blue musk, pomegranate, peony, sweet pea.
theseagrows

theseagrows

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13 nights of halloween swap questions

What are your thoughts on yarn and handmade yarny things? i don't do anything with yarn myself and i am not especially intereted in yarny things...maybe something small? For bath and body products: do you have a bathtub or shower? i have both but i've been showering a lot more lately and have a bunch of bath oils i haven't been using, so shower stuff is probably best for now. Incense, y/n? yes! Would you like loose, fancy tea? yes! i love most teas except for very smoky teas. i like black tea the best 9chai, different flavors of chai, vanilla, earl grey, english or scottish breakfast, ginger peach) but also green, jasmine, etc. and i love trying new teas as well. What is your favorite fall activity? it doesn't get very fall-like here unfortunately, we get our warmest months up through october. i just love halloween in general, and sometimes we go to the dia de los muertos celebration-i love seeing the altars at the end. i like when the air gets crisp and the leaves change. I'm in Japan, anything specifically Japanese-y you want? nope, but i am open to things. Please briefly describe (color, style, preferred type of beads) or provide a picture of (if it is suitable), the type of necklace (if any) you would be interested in getting. If you do not like necklaces, what kinds of jewelry (if any) would you want to wear? sadly, i almost never wear necklaces anymore. the only thing i seem to wear anymore is rings and earrings. What about hot chocolate/malt drinks? i don't have a big sweet tooth but i like hot chocolate on occasion, i don't like malt though (like chocolate malts, right?) Solid perfume / lip balm? yes to both. Day of the Dead Stuff? sure! Does anything from this shop catch your eye? corpse bride, hedonistic, black honey, lucy chiffon, corset, the red queen's rage, caterpillar's smoking pipe and beguiling violette sound nice. Dear Pumpkin: Do you have aversions to any animals or insects? some bugs, yes. like maggots and cockroaches. to a lesser degree, worms. i hate spiders, but don't mind halloweeny spiders. How do you feel about canned foods like jams and things along those lines? i love jam! but i don't like cooked/mushy/non crunchy apples so maybe not anything apple-y. i also dislike honey, though i sometimes use it in cooking where i can't taste it. Do you have a favourite colour scheme? black and dark jewel tones, like black/blood red, black/emerald, black/teal, black/plum, black/silver, black/gold. i also love grey or black/grey. How do you feel about stickers (and stationery in general)? love them! but i already have a lot of this stuff, but maybe a little bit would be ok. How do we feel about fibercrafting (knit, crochet, etc.)? wearables? crafted critters? If you would like a scarf or something similar, would you like it to be themed, like fall colors, or have a skull or other halloweenie motif/border? critters for my cat would be welcome. i don't really wear stuff like this though. What makes you feel pampered? a nice facial mask, fancy tea, baths, perfume of course! New Question! We've covered what critters you don't like, but what about the critters that you DO like? What are your favorite animals/creatures, real or imagined? cats (especially black or grey ones), sea otters, horses, foxes, lop eared bunnies, wolves, goats, many birds.   I have a dumb question! I know it's a big joke that we get everything five years later than everyone else in the world, but is there anything specifically Canadian you'd like? Maple things, chocolate bars, or any of our creepy chip flavours? i don't know anything about canadian chips to be honest, so i'd have to research that further i don't have a big sweet tooth, but i wouldn't mind trying some maple/chocolate stuff. A new question from me: While I am stalking the restock of the Rice Pudding hot process soap, does anything from Paintbox Soapworks catch your eye? i tried some of their soap a looong time ago. i'd be keen on trying new stuff, like mandika hot process soap, and glycerin soaps in blackbird, gingermilk, lavender truffle, the bees lament, and the pink sand cold process bar.   Is there is any TAZO tea you have a hankering for? Zen, Awake, Passion, China Green Tips, Vanilla Roibois, Calm, Refresh? (tea bags in a tin) i haven't had any TAZO in a long time, but i remember liking it. the apricot vanilla creme sounds quite good. and any caffeinated chais and earl greys. How about any Teavana tea? (loose leaf) i love their earl grey creme, and i'd also like to try javana mate, black dragon pearls, and capital of heaven. How about Starbucks coffee beans? If so, ground (and for what kind of filter) or whole bean? no thank you on any and all starbucks coffee. Coffee/tea travel mugs or ceramic home mugs? no thanks, i already have enough. except i just remembered i added one on my etsy wishlist recently, though. eta: that wasn't a hint or anything! i realize now it looks like it was, but it wasn't. just trying to NOT be contradictory or confusing. basically i would be happy with one but don't NEED one. sorry for any confusion there. Coffee maker (french press) or tea steeper? neither, thank you. Anything else from Starbucks/Teavana? Syrups, honey, whatever? nope.   How would you feel about a gently-used card game? For example, something I may have purchased several years ago and maybe played with my daughter *twice* before she became a moody teenager, and too cool for card and/or board games? sure.   Alcoholic beverages in your goodies-- yay or nay-- if yay, what kind? sure! i love wine, whiskey and gin the best. i am interested in trying liqueurs too. i just don't like sweet stuff or vodka. CANDY CORN--- YAY OR NAY? yes!   Name at least one thing that you really wouldn't like to receive in your package. anything that sets off trypophobia, but that's probably kind of difficult to do.   I have eyeshadow pigments which have been decanted from--as in the powder tapped out into another container,never used directly. (I don't use very much makeup, though I love it, so I keep shadow pigments clean so I can safely share.) Would a jar of pigment handled thus bother you or are you ok with cosmetic-type stuff that has not been directly touched? sure, i have been meaning to start wearing eyeshadow more again.   For those with fiber allergies, is it ok if you get, say, an ornament/amigur-whatsit yarn thing that has wool in the blend, as long as it's not something to be worn? Also, because I don't know, do people with wool allergies generally also have sensitivity to other fibers like alpaca? i think wool can make me itch if it's really scratchy, but an ornament type thing would be fine.   Dearist Pumpkin- do you have a preference of edible/drinkable vs. non edible items in your package? Would you prefer your package heavier on one side or the other? hmm i do love edibles, but maybe not as the majority. however, i do love edibles, so i'm not too picky on this Any guilty pleasures? TV show you're embarassed to admit you like? Musical group/preference that seems out-of-place for you? i consider the urban fantasy/mystery type books i read as kinda guilty pleasures- kelley armstrong, diana rowland, karin slaughter. guilty pleasure tv shows...drop dead diva, my little pony friendship is magic, the gordon ramsay shows, netflix makes it so easy to watch things i never would've watched otherwise, haha. i like a lot of music, from the sublime to the dark to the absurd and i also like a lot of "cheesy" stuff, like 70s/80s lite rock 80s hair metal and dancey/pop/r&b late 80s/90s stuff...(childhood memories!) nothing real recent though...   And now, a new question: to sort of piggy-back onto the question about small kitchen items, do you like to bake or cook, and if yes, are there any special ingredients, spices, or decorations for baked goods (like sprinkles in seasonal shapes or those decorative picks you put on top of cupcakes, for instance) that you would like? hmm, i KNOW i need some spices but can't remember which one until i actually get to a recipe that calls for it, but i looked over a list of spices and i could probably use chili powder, paprika, curry powder, marjoram, turmeric and tarragon. i don't bake much so don't really need baking supplies. Hey, Pumpkin! How do you feel about lounge pants/pajama pants? i love them but i would rather buy them myself. Another question! Do you have long, medium, or short hair? What kids of hair accessories do you like to use? was long, now it's kind of medium. i wear it down most days. i do put it up when i'm home though, and could always use more of those 6-pronged claw clips (in black or dark colors) because mine are always breaking. i like the medium sized ones because i have fine hair and if they're too big my hair just falls out of them. like this! http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/scunci-no-slip-grip-chunky-claw-clips/ID=prod6099218-product   If I were going to the mountains tomorrow, for the apple harvest, would you wanted some dehydrated apple rings???   hmm maybe. i don't recall having them before.   If you have an Etsy favorites list, are all of the things on the list things you'd be happy to get, or are some of them gift ideas for other people, or stuff that you've already bought and loved but don't need more of, or for any reason not something you'd want to get in this swap? they are all things i am interested in as far as i can remember! Are there any scents from the Lilith update you would like ? Any other you are looking for ? there are a few yes, but i already got in a decant circle!
theseagrows

theseagrows

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notes on notes.

sometimes i forget the description of a note, or it's new to me, so i am saving them here for my own reference.

ambrette seed

the seeds have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance similar to that of musk.

cistus
Cistus essential oil is distilled from the rock rose plant, which is native to the Mediterranean region. It is more woody and herbaceous with a less-amber like aroma than labdanum, which is produced from the same plant. Cistus is used often in oriental and chypre fragrances.

elemi
Canarium luzonicum, commonly known as elemi, is a tree native to the Philippines, and an oleoresin harvested from it. Elemi resin is a pale yellow substance, of honey-like consistency. Aromatic elemi oil is steam distilled from the resin. It is a fragrant resin with a sharp pine and lemon-like scent.

hyssop
minty, green, honey-like. herbaceous.
theseagrows

theseagrows

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tastes change over time- impressions while going through my perfume in order to pare down.

this week i started trying imps that i haven't tried in a long time, to see how much i really want to keep them. just recording my impressions here for my own knowledge.

tuesday, 8-13-13: our lady of pain: do like the orchid in this, like it better when smelled close up, but wafting around me it's mostly patchouli. swap.

8-14-13: kaidan: nice, but a bit too fruity and unremarkable on me. swap.

8-15-13: sybil: nice dusky, rosy scent, that turns very floral-oriental, but i have a lot of these. undecided.

8-18-13: dysopes tenius: a recent LE i recently tested, but i liked it better the first time. this time it's too aquatic or sweet for my tastes. i am kind of tempted to keep it because i originally liked it, but now i'm not feeling it... swap.

8-19-13: the loosening of the obi: still love this one. it's perfect for spring or summer, it smells beautiful. the rice wine isn't too sweet and the notes blend seamlessly into a beautiful pale white blend. in fact, i wouldn't mind having a bottle of this. keep.

8-20-13: peacock queen: pure beautiful rose. this smells great on me. rose, especially this rose, seems to love my skin chemistry. reminiscent of a soft tea rose once it's been on for a few hours. keep.

8-21-13: thoos: this becomes almost pure white musk on me, with a hint of cypress. only a hint of tangerine at the beginning. i like it, but it's kind of simple, at least on my skin. i'd prefer something with more elements...i tend to like my white musks mixed with florals, like pele. swap.

8-26-13: sapphics: still love this one as much as i ever did! close to the skin and sexy in a soft, warm enveloping way. keep.

9-11-13: l'essence de l'ardeur: when i first put this on, i was kind of 'meh' about it-it was a bit too foody for me, mostly chocolate, pomegranate and nutmeg, but now that i't's been on my skin for about 2 hours, it's much less foody and more sexy, mostly vanilla and champaca. i like this, but i'm not sure if it's remarkable enough to keep. swap.

9-30-13: waltz of the flowers: another pale white floral scent. i have really come to love these. this is mostly white musk, madonna lily and vanilla, i think. really nice and soft and a bit comforting. keep.

12-5-13: motley 2009: well it's been awhile since i've done the pare down. i've been doing LEs because i have tons of LE decants, as compared to GCs. i should do some GCs too though. anyway, yeah this one can be swapped. it's kind of nice, but not remarkable or anything-kind of a soft fruity musk. swap.

12-18-13: nevar: a recent LE acquisition, but i remain very undecided whether i should keep this or swap it so i am re-trying it once more in order to make a decision. i thought about this and it is VERY nice and i very much want to keep it, but i have Too Much Perfume and more interesting scents in the same vein. swap.

12-30-13: haloes: mmm what a lovely scent. i haven't even looked at the notes yet, but this is one of those nice, close to the skin vanilla-musk scents that i love. i checked the notes and this has quite a few, (Oak, tonka, vanilla, white sandalwood, lily of the valley, white ginger, amber, and apricot.) but it's mostly vanilla, ginger and amber on me. keep.

1-29-14: a wonderful light: this scent and it's name completely slipped my mind, when i reached in the LE imp box and took it out. it's nice, a warm musky scent that ends up with a bit of plasticness after about an hour that i associate with foody scents. it's very pretty, but i have similar scents that honestly work better on me. swap.

8-2-14: yay the forum is back up and now i've been going through my small collection of GC imps and i've found i have a few discontinued scents.

queen: i used to really like this but now i find it semi interesting but not really anything i would wear much anymore. swap.

oya: there's something a bit sharp backing the sweetness of the plum in this. it almost gives me a headache. it's very strong and my skin is amping that sweetness so high. way too strong for me, and then the plum goes plasticky, as usual. swap.

thalia: strong, sweet and fruity. my skin seems to amp up plumeria to insane degrees. much too sweet for me. swap.

antony: soft lemony herbal and resiny scent. my memory may be failing me, but it makes me think of jean nate. maybe it's a more masculine jean nate? kind of nice but i'd never wear this. it goes pretty soapy. swap.

8-3-14
bensiabel: got a frimp with a recent lab purchase and thought i'd try it again. it's all lilac and leather, with the lilac strongest. the lilac note is often too strong and not my cup of tea. swap.

the dormouse: i've got 2 very aged imps of this scent. it's light and pretty then after it dries gets a bit more depth. it's soooo nice revisiting these GCs because a lot of them were my first brushes with bpal i do like this but won't wear it much, so it would do better to pass it along. swap.

whip: this is one of those scents that i always wanted to work on me but it never seemed to work. (wanda worked better than whip for some reason.) i am re-trying an aged imp though, to see if things have changed at all. it hasn't changed but it is a confusing scent for me. one minute the rose gets a sourness (which sometimes happens with me and rose sometimes) and then it smells just fine. i think this is one where i just have to go through a sour period to get to the good stuff. but it does continue to go back and forth between sour and not. swap the new one, keep the aged one.

8-4-14
shoggoth: an old summer favorite. similar to tarot: the star (which i have a bottle of) i prefer the star, but don't wear these types of scents often anyway. i have just an aged partial imp left and it's nice on a warm day. keep.

8-7-14
delight and consternation: yep still really like this. soft and slightly creamy and foody it's almost banana-y and i hate bananas but i like this. like banana creme brulee. i looked up the notes and i guess it's chocolate custard and rose/lemon. what do i know?! i don't wear a lot of foody scents. this is nice though, so keep.

8-11-14
penis admiration: this scent is so soft that my skin eats it up but it's basically a slightly sweet and woody vanilla lilac. very pretty, but just so subtle and fades fast. only have less than an imp left, so keep.

9-7-14
flowering chrysanthemums: starts out all pretty amber and mums. later on it gets a slightly plasticky thing but it's so subtle that it's not much of an issue. turns into a chrysanthemum incense scent. so pretty. keep.

9-8-14
blossoms in springtime: such a beautiful scent. i could see myself wearing this more often...maybe i need to get more (?) keep.

9-19-14
shub-niggurath: starts out fall-like and foody. not extremely foody, but still too foody for me. swap.

10-17-14
mrs. grose: i wore this today and spilled some on my dress so it was really strong. i love carnation-rose scents, but at first i kept thinking "this is too candle-y smelling for me, but then later in the day it was gooorgeous and i decided i couldn't give it up. keep for now. i should re-try maiden, klara, mrs. grose, etc all at once as i am really trying to pare down.

sarah: too aquatic. kind of a novelty for me but it's headache inducing and not something i would wear more than once every 3-5 years. swap.

opuhi: i should probaaably get rid of this because it's nice but not amazing. but it is a comfort scent, which i tend to like. i need to just bite the bullet and sell/swap it tho. swap.

10-22-14
chrysanthemum moon: i haven't worn this in ages. i remember loving it but i rarely wear it and my tastes have changed over time. it's a pretty and kind of ...dusty, for lack of a better word chrysanthemum, with maybe some tea? i like this but i don't love it, but it's so unique too. undecided.

2-3-15
vasilissa- a nice, soft slightly cakey/sweet scent. nice but not wonderful on me so swap.

jareth- i tried this again recently and at first it was kinda masculine, but the type of masculine that i like to wear and then it turned beautiful and convinced me that i still do need a bottle of this! keep.

7-28-15:
l'heure verte- i dipped into my LE decant box which is overflowing and needs to be pared down. i like this one, it smells like a soft sugary rose and incense. it is not overly anise-y, which is nice. i like anise sometimes, but prefer this kind of absinthe, i think. i am wearing this on a warm day...nice scent for a warm day, and luckily the lilac is behaving. keep and finish it off, not much left.

8-12-15:
the governess- this is a yule scent, but i am wearing it on a warm summer day. it's perfect for spring or summer, and has the same feel as the mouse's long and sad tale. that soft tea and powderiness in the scent. i have less than an imp left. keep.

8-14-15:
ashultum- i still love this one! so pretty and nice in all seasons. keep.

8-18-15: on the balcony- i'd completely forgotten about this one but when i sniffed it i thought of lucy, kissed so i re-tried that too, which i actually have a bottle of. on the balcony is pretty and of the few somewhat-aquatics i can wear. i saw somewhat because it's not really that aquatic...it's more of that cool marble note the lab uses. anyway, lucy kissed is deeper, darker and woodier but they kind of have a similar feel in a way. i still prefer lucy, kissed though. swap.

1-9-16:
a companion of the same nature- i like this even better than the first time. it's a sophisticated amber-mum-rose and i love it. it reminds me a lot of some commercial perfumes i like...may even have to get a bottle. keep.

black taffeta- this smells kind of dry, smoky and slightly head-shop at first. i guess that's the patchouli? i didn't seem to have that impression last time either. there's something almost chocolaty in this. i dunno, it's not really wowing me this time. it's ok but i have so much perfume. swap.

tombeur- one of those "sexy red musk" blends that i love (but have so many of.) it's one of the lighter, cleaner red musks starting out. it has lavender and florals but it's mostly red musk. i dont think i need to keep this one. swap.

cicuta- smoky rose. loving it already...yep. it dries down to a smoky, rosy candlewax. very me. keep.

o love and time of sin- rose with red musk and something softly earthy-musky. i like this, but it's wowing me less then when i first tried it so far. swap.

unseelie- smells like soft herbs, very soft florals and something herbal, almost minty, but less strong. there's something underlying that's a bit medicinal too. this is ok but it's so soft i can hardly smell it. swap.

perchta- starts off snowy. then i get the florals. it's iris-y or orris rooty and soft for the most part. it's a pretty snowy floral but i just won't wear it much and have other similar scents i'd wear more. swap.

albedo v5- i remember liking this. ok it's a coconut-lemon, in the same vein of tarot: the star but with lemon instead of lime and it's softer. then some florals come out. it's soft and tropical. very pretty but not sure i need to keep this. swap.
1-10-16:
day of the skulls- hmm this is alright. it's a watery cocoa-y floral. i probably will like the drydown but this is one where the opening is just too much of something i dislike-it's cloying on me, just too sweet i think. after awhile it is less sweet but something on this is just turning bad on me. swap.

tattered lace- starts off smelling very classic- dry opium i think. there is definitely a wetness to this, but not aquatic (tea, etc). it's pretty subtle, i have to really get close and i can still hardly smell it. it does bloom after this though and it's a nice scent. it gets more vanilla-y and now i love it. keep.

o daughter and death of priapus- incensy orchid. this is nice and the type of scent i like but i have others that i like better. swap.
the tears of lilith- cloying wine and honey. not liking this one too much. yeah it just smells like bubblegum. swap.

three gorgons- starts off with soft spice and amber. it's pretty at the beginning. i love amber scents so this is doing it for me so far. after a few minutes i smell vetiver very slightly and it's even better now there's a hint of the tobacco and orange but not much. this is a wonderful amber... keep.

wolf spider- starts off dry coconut/patchouli with tobacco. reminds me of petrichor with coconut! it's earthy, but has a lightness from the white musk and coconut. the white musk is a prominent backing note. though that settles down and becomes mostly patchouli-coconut. it's nice but not really something i would wear much. swap.

the raptures and roses of vice- starts off as a mixed up floral scent, maybe mostly magnolia at this stage? (also the scent description is wrong on my decant.) after a few minutes, i think im getting roses, musk and coconut. honestly, i'm not really feeling this. i love rose scents, have a lot of them but this one just isn't wowing me in this combination. it does have a vintage/classic feel so i am sort of intrigued with it, but i think it's just too strong for me in a way. swap.

spawn of the she-demon- one of those red musk scents but it's lighter and fruitier. smells like cough syrup for a bit, then gets better, but i'm not really feeling it. swap.

1-12-16:
spirit board- i think i'm getting woods and bois de rose at first. it's nice. then the lilac and tea are getting more prominent, still nice, but at this point i'm not so sure about this being one i'd wear a lot. i think i'm clinging to the love of the imagery...at least at this point. it does get even better, more warm but i just don't know if i need this. have so many similar/better scents. swap.

1-20-16:
klara- i wanted a soft comforting type scent today so i tried klara, which i haven't worn in awhile. i actually have a bottle of this, wasn't expecting to reconsider keeping it, but i am. i do really like it, but i have a lot of carnation scents and it lacks some oomph. i think perhaps it can be swapped because i still have maiden, pink moon 07. etc. swap.

4-30-16:
oisin- white musk and soft flowers (like wildflowers) like the description says, but somehow more. i just like this more than i should. my imp is almost gone, so i shall finish it off soon. keep.

raven moon 2012- this is smoky patchouli and vanilla with a bright blue musk type of thing. it's pretty but not amazing on me and i don't need more scents like this. swap.

antique- a woody and watery scent. it's just ok and i am not really feeling this at all. though it does get much nicer later, i don't need to keep it as i have other similar scents. swap.

honey moon (i think original, but don't know what year that was, 2005?)- i smell a herbal ginger-y honey. alright so far, a bit sweet and kind of syrupy. i get a slight pencil shaving thing not sure why...but this is underwhelming, swap.

contemplating the moon through an open window- whoa this is fruity and soapy at first, like dishwashing soap kind of! not the usual kind of soapy but soapy nonetheless. it turns to powdery soapy, it's very odd and not that great on me, though i like it more with the tuberose, it's just kind of odd. swap.

usher- light, white musky tea and citrussy. has that underlying wateriness of some older bpals which come to mind- the unicorn and some of the older tea scents. it's alright but i don't need it. swap.

5-1-16:
unveil the grace in thine eyes- a pretty, soft amber and soft musk with ambergris. i love all these notes, keep.

witch dance- red musky and autumnal, kind has that fruity candle smell i'm not that fond of...or it smells like cider. this is so red musky but it's just too halloween-y for me. swap.

dolly kei- it starts with tobacco which smells watery, i don't know how or why but recent bpal's with tobacco all do this on me, so there you have it. i think i get some myrrh too. it's kind of dusty yet wet, hard to explain. it becomes sort of...toasty. not feeling it. swap.

miss ida- ahh starts off with beeeeautiful creamy gardenia and some jasmine. mostly gardenia. if it stays like this it's a keeper. similar to fracas, which i wore today, coincidentally. it's like fracas with vanilla and no tuberose, but truly is reminiscent with that creamy thing! it's a perfect summer scent, and in fact i should probably get a bottle someday...ends up smelling just.like.fracas. keep.

calligraphy practice- it starts off herbal + woody i think. kinda soapy in an astringent/irish spring way but not that strong. it gets more herbaceous and leafy. just too herbal/meh on me. swap.

illustrated woman- astringent and green at first...even more irish spring than recent previous mention. it's like masculine shaving cream actually and it stays that way for the most part. eta: it gets better later but probably still not very "me". swap.

buck moon 2005- the "herbs and air" are apparent first- light like wildflowers and grass. then i get that animalic thing that i remember so cleary back when i tried this...i think it's similar to what became the mushroom note (?) then it gets quite musky! i do like this but would rarely wear it so swap. drydown is actually so pretty keep.

haute macabre- (i keep retrying this and cannot make up my mind on it!) here we go again...smells like a nice oaky vanilla at first, pretty. the leather comes in and is nice too, and it's a new, more masculine leather. more green patchouli later on, still nice. don't love it as much as the other HM scents i have but it is nice. it smells very similar to one of them, if i am remembering correctly. keep. drydown actually turns to sour woods. swap.

5-2-16-
the grindhouse- oh wow, this is amazing at first. forgot how good this is. it's been a long time. a creamy tropical floral, kind of like the recently retested miss ida, but with the addition of red musk. intoxicating. keep.

anactoria- starts out more soapy than i recall. it's a kush-y musk. it's alright but i don't like it as much as i used to. swap.

i loved you at first: but afterwards your love- a nice floral but not amazing at first. blooms to a nice rose-tuberose, notes which i love but in this it seems like just too much. swap.

mars ultor- slightly foody musky resiny masculinity is my first impression. good and but not sure i need to smell like it, so i will wait. it's pretty traditionally masculine. maybe i should try this on d. BUT after about 20 minutes, THIS IS GORGEOUS. keep.

alma venus- hay like and floral and light. no idea what notes are here. ohhh yes of course neroli/orange blossom and a bunch of ambery honey goodness. oh and beeswax. ohh a honey/beeswax that works for me, which is rare. keep.

feed me and fill me with pleasure- ambery stuff with a hint of dirtiness from patchouli. it gets dirtier and slightly less pleasant. this should be better than it is, somehow but patchouli is hit or miss so swap.

giallo- i used to have a bottle of this! this is a decant. on first application it smells like elmer's glue, wtf. then i get some florals, ok, not so bad. it's a nice floral scent now, not what i think of when i think of giallo but that's ok. i'm probably just attached to the scent for psychological reasons. it's kind of shampoo-y, then it gets sort of woody-foody? i think there are just too many notes here or something. swap.

the vampire bride- i think i had a bottle of this once. it's cold and icy at first, yep. with violet leaf. fresh. wow this isn't how i remembered at all, yet again. kinda purple yet cold <--- great description i know. ok so this is pretty and nice but it's not really amazing on my skin and i am paring down greatly so swap.

5-4-16-
king cobra (original)- it does that snake oil powdery thing and i can't smell much else though it does work better than snake oil on me. it's nice but i have so many like this, i don't need this one too. swap.

question mark- it's pretty and orangey and a little bit foody-spicy. guess that's cinnamon. it's a bit masculine. i dunno, it's not wowing me and i am paring down so swap.

blacker than the raven wings of midnight- this is starting weird. something sort of hay like and sour. also some florals i think? then i get mostly black tea which almost smells plummy but not quite. a nice tea scent but nothing i need. swap.

mircalla, countess karnstein- it's been ages since i tried this. it starts off smoky and a slight weird burnt smell, almost like burning food of some sort?! combined with a cooler musk. it's red musk with a coolness now. it's warm and cold. i don't like it as much as i used to, tastes do change! swap.

a moment in time- oh i remember really loving this one, as a comforting scent. the lavender and vanilla is gorgeous right off. the woodiness here is gorgeous too. ah yes a total keeper, i can tell already. keep.

hope and fear set free- i sold my bottle of this because i loved the drydown but the first 20 minutes are just weird due to my skin's hatred of bpal's frankincense note. yep it's weird and pencil-shavy. i do love the bourbon vanilla note though, which is why i opted to keep this decant, but not sure it's worth the beginning just for that. swap.

in templum dei- another frankincense scent. it's just kind of gold and resiny with a bit of a cola thing. again, the frankincense is just too much for me. swap.

9-22-16:
cabaret goth- still amazing. last time i wore this i wasn't so sure about it, but it's a warm september day and it smells a m a z i n g. keep.

10-26-15:
death and life completed- trying this for the first time in a looong time. it's a perfumy green amber. it starts with florals and greenery then some carnation, adding a bit of spice, along with amber to ground it. it actually gets very floral-with daisy being pretty prominent. i think my tastes as well as my sense of notes has changed in all the years i've tried this, back when i really loved it. possibly my skin chemistry too, but this is not how i remember it. it's much more bright/floral than ambery as my memory served. i do like this but not nearly as much as i thought i did. swap.

1-8-17
the infernal lover (non-red musk version): i get that slightly milky note this time, don't remember ever getting that before. it's either me or my skin chemistry. i am not as wowed by this as i used to be... swap. (swapped this and found out i had some watered-down version! i had no idea because i had only had this bottle. i did like the scent but am wondering what i missed out on now.)

the girl: soft woody vanilla with soft floral and spicy hints. still beautiful. keep.

2-21-18:
re trying tattered lace: still very pretty like i said above, but not sure i really need to keep it at this point, waffling for now. decided to swap, since not absolute love.

2-22-18:
embracing komachi: oh i love this more than i remembered, it's just SO subtle. added to bottle wishlist anyhow. keep.

2-23-18:
bestla: very very nice. the oudh is a bit weird at first but not too bad. the drydown is gorgeous (tempted to add to bottle wishlist but i think i have other scents that are similar.) will keep my decant though.

2-27-18:
the bride: this one is ok but it's kind of underwhelming and gets mildly plasticky. i do like the magnolia, just not sure about wearing this because it's very soft and seems like mostly base notes. swap.

2-28-18:
against idleness and mischief: got a frimp, so figured i'd re-try it. a dusty honey scent with a hint of green. i think the dusty/green part is chamomile. i used to not be able to wear bpal's honey note, but i am finding more scents that i love with it. in this scent the honey note works, but the chamomile seems a bit medicinal. swap

3-1-18:
entertaining the heian court maiden: i do like this one but it's just too linear and simple, i guess. pretty but not something i think i'd reach for. i have other honey scents i like more. eta: later on, after about 3 hours on the skin, im loving it. it's still very subtle though. undecided. but likely keep.

3-6-18:
kneel down fair love and feel thyself with tears- this smells very floral and classic, a bit understated yet a sweeter floral. i like this but it's not a love-don't think i need to keep this one. eta: later on i began to like it more and realized it smells like natori perfume and also is reminiscent of juliet has a gun- citizen queen. i have a bottle of natori and a sample of citizen queen, but this would be a nice more understated option. still, i think i'll swap

3-11-18:
the lady of shallott- received as a frimp and it's been years since i tried it. i tend to not like aquatics, but i kind of like this scent-it's sweet, subtle and clean. it would be rare for me to rare this, but i might on occasion. reminds me of acqua di gio which i wore in HS or college. also shampoo-y nice but probably best to swap.

hollywood babylon- same as above, with a frimp and hadn't tried for years! it's sweet cherry candy at first. then vanilla comes out within 5 minutes. this is very sweet-far more sweet and fruity than scents i usually wear. i get strawberry and heliotrope next. i'm liking it more as the cherry calms down. still, just too sweet for me. swap.

3-12-18:
received a frimp of hellfire...curious to try it again. it's kind of dank and spicy at first. i think i am mostly getting the musk? maybe some ambergris, because there is something slightly watery but not in an aquatic way at all. i think i get tobacco and that's it. swap.

4-13-18:
laura belle mcdaniel- way smoky in the beginning, for at least 20-30 minutes. it is a really nice scent and i like it a lot but not sure i really need to keep my bottle, because i have similar scents i like better and it seems to fade fast. swap.

7-10-18:
i've been going through my GC imp box, which i tend not to wear as my bottles and LEs for some reason in order to pare down/re-try. several days are listed here.

prunella (discontinued): ok, and one of the few plum scents that works on me, but i'm definitely not going to wear this much. swap.

eclipse: i thought i remember really liking this when i re-tried it in the past year, but i'm not liking it now. it gets a sort of funereal powdery thing happening on the drydown (which sounds good) but which i'm not too fond of. swap.

tamora: i wanted to keep one peach scent that i semi-liked and this was it. however i re-tried and it's not compelling enough to me. swap.

zephyr: eh, it's alright, i tend to not like it at first. the drydown is gorgeous, but i don't know that i need to keep it. swap.

pele: way more white musk than i can handle. pele was one of my first BPAL loves, but alas tastes and skin chemistry have changed. swap.

othello: ok, out of this whole bunch, this was the winner. it's so much more complex than the descrption. an absolutely beautiful rose scent...i may need a bottle someday. keep.

the butterfly: a pretty scent, very nice drydown but the drydown is so similar to others, i don't need to keep it. swap.

7.11.18:
ya te vo (discontinued): pretty herbal. a bit spicy. not terrible, but won't wear it. swap.

7.12.18:
Tenochtitlan: kind of nice, but underwhelming and far too subtle. ok, my thoughts changed a bit on this throughout the day. this bloomed on my skin and got to be very pretty actually! still, i feel like i have similar scents. swap.

7.13.18:
Love Lies Bleeding: i must say, i'm pretty underwhelmed by this and it's too sweet for me. swap.

7.16.18:
hymn to proserpine: one of the few fruity scents i like. it's very unisex. just has no sillage. swap.
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collection of non-bpal bottles.

non BPAL stash...

ALKEMIA
bohémiens en voyage
madam pearl

ARCANA
queen crossbones

AVA LUXE
tuberose diabolique

COBALT BLENDS
chalice noir

HAUS OF GLOI
cozy honey

NOCTURNE ALCHEMY
gift of isis (partial)
hathor Y (partial)
queen incense (partial)
white goddess (partial)
POESIE PERFUME
Lady Disdain

POSSETS
fascinator

SOLSTICE SCENTS
manor
nightgown

VIOLETTE MARKET
angora (dram, vintage VM)
new year's baby 2009 (dram, vintage VM)
creamed (dram, vintage VM)
dainty cake (dram, vintage VM)
nymph (dram, vintage VM)
queen cake (dram, vintage VM)
st. paul's churchyard
snow baby (dram, vintage VM)
swoon (dram, vintage VM)

MISC.
barbara orbison pretty woman
bottega veneta (mini)
the body shop moringa
dana tabu (mini)
dior poison (mini)
diptyque benjoin boheme
diptyque eau duelle
DSH pandora
etat libre d'orange jasmin et cigarette
etat libre d'orange like this
ginestet botrytis
jeanne arthes guipure and silk
jeanne arthes sultane noir velour
john galliano
lancome poeme (mini)
lancome tresor (vintage)
l'occitane ambre (vintage)
l'occitane eau d'iparie (vintage)
lolita lempicka
MAC MV3 (x2)
montale aoud queen roses
natori
pacifica persian rose (solid)
pacifica tahitian gardenia
queen latifah queen
robert piguet bandit
robert piguet fracas
reminiscence vanille
sage machado onyx
serge lutens chergui
smell bent siberian shewolf
soap plant white patchouli flower
sonya rykiel rykiel woman
thierry mugler angel (mini)
versace crystal noir (mini)
versace dreamer
victoria's secret cashmere vanilla jasmine
yves rocher iris noir (mini)
yves rocher nuit d'orchidee (vintage mini)
yves rocher purple lilac
yves rocher rose absolue (mini)
yves rocher rose ispahan (mini)
yves rocher rose fraiche
yves rocher shafali (mini)
yves rocher voile d'ambre (full size and mini)
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collection.

LE 5mls
abhisarika
aeronwen
amber and lace
as above
bakeneko
benevolent triple conjunction
blossoms in springtime
countermagick
deathrock
delight and consternation (x2)
dia
dolce stil nuovo
the ecstasy of passion
edith cushing
the emathides
eve (OLLA) (x2)
fleurette's purple snails
fulvous snow
the girl
gypsy queen
harper (partial)
harvest moon 2013
hesiod's phoenix
hope
imaginer
leather phoenix
love in the asylum
lucy, kissed
madam lou
maiden v2
midnight on the midway
miss ida
monk and actor
paysage
pediophobia
a phantasmagoria: scene - conjuring up an armed skeleton
pink moon 2007
sapphics
snake charmer, first resurrection
snake charmer, second resurrection
snake's kiss
snake skin
so below
spider witch
tabella
thirteen (october 2006, orange label)
this wan white humming hive
vain sorceress
vamp.goth
venus genetrix
venustas

GC 5mls
black pearl
the bow and crown of conquest (on loan to my boyfriend for an indefinite amount of time)
dorian
glasgow
lady una
lamia
maiden
neutral (RPG)
TKO
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saved from beauty secrets thread for my own reference

Pure rosehip oil. I rub it on my face every morning and night, and it keeps my skin soft and glowy. Lightly dab tea-tree& lavender oil on the dark circles on your lower orbital bones before bed. Take vitamins, including a multi/daily, at least 600 mg Calcium and a Flax/Fish/Borage oil capsule, or just Flax and Borage if you're vegetarian/vegan. olive oil, so good on hair, I like to use it once a week as a really intensive mask, I wrap my head in clingfilm and a hot towel and leave it an hour. flat beer, makes for very shiny hair. for shampooing less: I wash it with a conditioner, that has absolutely no silicones in it (they build up in the hair). I massage it really well into the scalp and the I rinse it off. I didn't go from washing every day to washing once a week at once; I gradually weaned myself off it (diluting shampoo with water first, and then stretching the number of days I could go without. Also, a cup or so of powdered milk in very hot bath water makes my skin super soft. I think it's the lactic acid in the milk, but I'm just guessing. Regardless, it really works! Daily Vitamin E with either Evening Primrose Oil or Black Current Seed Oil - the most skin compliments I've ever gotten are when I use these regularly. Baking soda to whiten your teeth.Just dip your wet toothbrush in a cup full of soda,and brush your teeth,then rinse and use your regular toothpaste. salux washcloth: I googled (in Korean) the ddae soap I mentioned a page or so back, and I found out the correct way to use it: soap up normally, then WAIT 5 or so minutes, then scrub down with Salux/Italy Towel. aspirin mask: take five or six plain aspirin (no coating) and drizzle a little witch hazel onto them (helps them dissolve easier... suppose you could use water, but I like the toning of the WH). Then pop a vitamin e capsule, mix in a couple drops of jojoba (or preferred type) of oil, and a smudge of honey. Layer on your face, leave for 20 minutes, then rinse off with a warm wash cloth. Glowing soft skin and smaller pores! pineapple mask: I like the pineapple method myself for soft skin. =) Mashed pineapple chunks, a little yogurt, some honey, voila! Instant glycolic(?) acid mask that gently exfoliates and leaves baby-butt soft skin. It's basically a smoothie for your face for face: Primrose Oil and Blackcurrant Oils are good also.
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