samarablackcat

#23 (where's the Roman Numerals?) Love the Chaos Star...another fantastic alicia_stardust original, woohoo! Amber 23 reminds me of Calico Jack and Mary Read...not as "biting", with the wind whipping at your face, but more of a sultry, summer evening on the beach, waiting for sunset, with the smell of the ocean (specifically the Gulf before the oil spill) and the sun on your skin. Very gender neutral and warm. Amber as a supporting player, with sea air, kelp or seaweed, perhaps a little salt water splashed on warm skin. Right up my alley as an aquatic fan!

So excited to try this! In the bottle, it smells like...pancake syrup? Thick, super sweet...molasses? Brown sugar? Caramel? The oil itself is a nice golden brown color, lighter in color than Panther Moon but the same tone. A thicker oil, and it takes a long time to dry. Very resinous smell; deep, almost burnt. Definitely spices, but not your sugar and spice and everything nice, but more obscure, less utilized spices...very exotic. Yesterday, I got the impression of the desert, but very specifically the Sahara. Images of pyramids and their mysterious findings...a sarcophagus and all the items sent along to ensure a safe passage to the Underworld and life beyond. Today I am envisioning a ship at sea with valuable textiles packaged in wooden boxes, sprinkled with spices to preserve and protect the contents ( I know historically patchouli was used for this purpose, but there is none in this scent). Myrrh keeps popping into my head; not sure why. A slight dryness, a deep resinous base. Peppery, biting at the nose. An ancient mystery, buried for thousands of years only recently discovered and shared with the world. Something in this has a dusty smell, giving me the impression of old. Sandalwood, orris perhaps. I went to my spice cabinet to search for what this reminds me of, and I cannot find what this scent reminds me of. Coriander is close, but still too sweet.. I am still not sure about Ma'at. Very exotic and ancient, it has stirred some memory in me that will keep me searching for answers, because I think the secret ingredient would be great in a rub for chicken or ribs, and perhaps in rice...maybe the ship from Africa met a storm in the Caribbean and all the ingredient were washed up on shore. It certainly has stirred my memory.

In the vial...Juicy Fruit gum, with a tad of cinnamon sprinkled on it. And somewhere, a whisper of patchouli. Wet, it's all dragon's blood, with a waft of spearmint underneath And as it dries, cinnamon and dragon's blood.

This version is more to my liking than the released version, in which the lavender is harsh and there is too much vanilla. It keeps me awake and is very loud, the opposite of its intent. This version, however, is soft and gentle. I prefer this to the released version, but will stick to a lavender sachet or oil for my restless nights.

OK, I am not a foodie at all, so here goes... I could almost swear there is caramel in this, as in the imp I get ewww. But It appears I am wrong. Sugar and cinnamon, not strong as in get it off me now, but more like making cinnamon sugar for your toast, sprinkled on top of a lot of butter (real butter, not margarine). The smell of these baking in the oven, over a coffee cake's crumbled topping. Not scary at all , hiding under the bed, well, except for all those calories . I still don't want to smell like food, but I am glad I tried this. Not anywhere near as fatal as I thought, lol. But I do want to go bake a coffe cake!

By the time the Cobwebs III box arrived, this was just a sniffie . I get honeyed musk with pale florals behind it. Resinous. Elusive. Damn.

I almost didn't try this after sniffing, but something said "Dooo eeet!" and I am so glad I did. It must be teak wood, as this reminds me of Antikythera Mechanism a lot, but there is an added ingredient that turns a tad powdery. A very close relative of AM for sure!

I guess my nose is broken! From this scent first I get lime (what is it with me? all of the protos I have been testing sing lime to me!) and musk. As it dries, a white floral appears; soft, gentle. Also lurking underneath a slight whisper of benzoin or mint; which, I cannot discern. I keep sniffing to see what other hidden treasures lay within.

I concur...this starts off as lavender in the imp, so much so that I thought it was just lavender, but the second it hits my skin this unfolds into something fabulous...girly, sweet but not cloying, floral but not heady. Not my typical type of scent (I prefer scents of a darker nature) but I find myself wishing for a decant of my own to test further. I would love to see some version of this in Somnium

PL 176 smells exactly like peeling an orange, with the droplets of juice spraying in the air, filling your space with a refreshing scent. And for once, an orange blend that doesn't go powdery on me. Although, I could have sworn that it was lime when I first smelled it. Silly nose!

Wow. Just wow. Much silkier and smoother that the other oils I have tried from the Post. I primarily use this as an after-shower oil, although I will definitely be using this in the tub as well. It is everything I love about Snake Oil and more. It reminds me of fresh Snake Oil, all sweet with the promise of depth upon aging. It fills my personal space, lingering on my skin for a long time (applied yesterday afternoon; still wafting gently twenty hours later). Skin is still as smooth as when first applied...and that's saying something! No need for applying and reapplying lotion throughout the day. I am very pleased with this overall and hope that this will become a part of the regular catalog. After only one use, I cannot imagine this not being part of my daily routine. Thanks for making a fantastic product!

Oh my...that is exquisite! Thank you!

I had a Freudian slip last night at work...I called bpal BUY-PAL. Which it totally is

This is more than I had hoped for. I get more green, no vanilla that I am aware of, and if there is leather here, it's hiding... There is something oddly familiar in this scent, almost old books that have been weathered in an ancient barn, kept dry by the hay but still affected by dampness. But no dust, thankfully; to me that usually means orris, which, of late does bad things on me. Yes, I definitely get the recently unearthed bit. Reminds me of being a child, foraging through old, deserted barns, covered with vines, finding old magazines and books, forgotten and aged by wind, dust and water. Summer excursions, with the sun warm; pulling away the weeds to reveal hidden treasures. The green/brown resin that is left on your hands after pulling the weeds away. Almost resinous, no, more herbaceous. An occasional whisper of what I think is vanilla. I am certain that this will only get better with age. So evocative in its youth, this will grow into a seductive scent.

I have been putting off buying a bottle of Oya, but now is a good time to add her to my cart. Oh please, let it be the more plummy one and not as herbally(but if it is, I guess it could wing its way to tartchef, lol). FWIW, I don't get almond (although it may be as my nose confuses cherry and almond while wet) and it dries to a nice plum/light incense.

Chrysanthemum Moon, Snake Oil and some of the Snake Pit: Temple Viper and King Cobra. Prospero and Makhanitis. I prefer heavy scents, in part due to their lasting power. And yes, at least on me, fresh Snake Oil lasts forever. And here's a bpal truism: if you don't like a scent, or if it has Notes of Doom TM, it will not go away (Samhainphobia, I'm looking at you)

In the decant, rich cacao. Wet, more rich cacao with a tad of something thrown in to sweeten the mixture. This is really good! I am not a chocolate/cacao/foodie person at all. And black musk? Drying, the cacoa takes the background as the musk and tobacco do the dance of seduction...warm, schexy and just a little sweet. Oh, you temptuous vixen, swirling in clouds of nom nom nom without ever being foodie. A definite winner, and a total surprise for me. Will be looking for more scents with tobacco absolute in the future.

Wet, I get a sweet, green smell, not like grass, more herbal, and something that reminds me of lemon, a fresh scent, per se, not tart. And yet in the background is...acetone? And incense... light, wafting, but sharp. Reminds me as it dries of No. 93 Engine...must be the opobalsamum. A very herbaceous scent, and morphed into a scent very reminiscent of the forest. Intriguing.

Since Orobot, I am a sucker with anything with Terebith pine. Wet, the smells reminds me Illustrated Woman. Remember when you first got your bottle? The smell of the pine pitch? This starts off reminding me of that pine pitch. But as it dries, the pitch mellows; mixing with the Terebith pine gives it just a touch of sweetness. The clove adds a nice, sharp edge, but not so sharp you get cut. So far, this is by far my favorite Yule this year. I have found that I do quite well with fewer ingredients, and Gacela of the Dark Death does not disappoint. Simple, spicy and a touch of sweetness. Melancholy but hopeful.

Wow! Wet, this starts off with the scent of red peppers that have been taken out of the freezer, still frozen, and chopped. Something a little sweet starts to pop out. As this dries, the sweet rounds out, playing with the musk. This scent is the red color of a not-quite-ripe-pepper. I am not sure what camilla smells like, but it must be what is giving this the roundness. The multi-colored musks are very gentle, more like a skin musk, but yet, and I don't know how she does it, shimmery. Vibrating. Very alive. I agree with the reviewers who felt this is more of a spring rain or early autumn scent. Not winter, not yet... eta: As this dries, this becomes a soft floral, very sweet and no peppers to be found. Very feminine. I am anxious to see if the musks emerge as this ages.

The First Soft Snow is not a soft snow at all. It's a sharp, piercing cold which has frozen the narcissus, covered in ice, its beauty hidden under the ice.

To accentuate those recommended scents in a soap form ... Have you tried Grundy by Villainess? To me, her soap seem the perfect complement to many BPAL scents. Here is the description form her website: Grundy:Swamp moss and fresh-turned earth with a ruthless heart of vetiver, and a distinguished splash of bay rum. Not as dark as it sounds, and its perfect for layering soap (and lotion) with bpal scents. Yorick and Graveyard Dirt are perfect with Grundy. Try searching for the Haunted House Halloweenies from 07, especially The Twisted Oak Tree (Blackened, rotted oak wood blanketed in moss and choked by a cloak of grasping ivy.) HTH

Pirate Moon and The Phoenix were both forum-only scents for Beth and Ted's wedding, October 31, 2007. A little piece of bpal history Avast thar! On Octobree th' 31st, Pirate Moon be hangin' high in th' sky! Mad Bess Moriarty, Scourge o` th' Se`en Seas, an' Captain T.J. Barrial wi' be joinin' the'r spirits in unholy matrimony! This scent be created t' commemorate th' union o' these two scurrilous sea dogs. So, splice th' mainbrace an' get thee loaded t' th' gunwales, me buckos, 'tis a time o' celebration! Red musk, ambergris, coconut palm, red sandalwood, balsam, date, warm leather, tobacco, ebony, lingum vitae wood, pandanus grass, an' a touch o' lime. 20 Dubloons, ya swabbie! and This naval galleon was boarded and commandeered in 1713 on the order of Mad Bess Moriarty, along with a fat fleet of ships bearing precious oils, rare resins, and exotic spices. Once the vessels were secured, Mad Bess selected the finest, fittest galleon from the ships that they had acquired, and chose it to be her flagship. Her crew set to work knocking down the cabins, making the ship flush fore and aft, and painting her low sides were painted black, with one thin riband of orange. They prepared black colors, and set bloodshot, glaring occuli along the entirety of the hull. A new figurehead was carved in the shape of a flame-wreathed, screaming bird, and the ship was sanctified with wine, rum, and the blood of their enemies. Mounted with 52 guns, and manned with the fiercest pirates to sail the Seven Seas, she was rechristened "the Phoenix". Sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil.

Where is the fruit? Oh you have forsaken me, and this lovely tribute to Pomona sadly is all acetone, all the time. So sad. I had such high hopes for this one. Alas, we were not meant to be together, you and I.

Roses. But not freshly cut, juicy with a drop of dew on them (think Rose Red). Roses, as they have been drying for a few months. Dry skeletons of their former selves. Sitting in a vase that has also collected some dust, as they are too fragile to clean without falling apart. Something in here reminds me of Parlement of Foules. White rose and soft resins. Not picking up the neroli or orris, per se, but I am sure the dustiness is the orris. I am hoping as it ages the sandalwood and patchouli will help to keep this from screaming floral, and will come out a tad more. Brings to mind an antique vanity with dried rose potpourri strewn in the drawers. The Song "Dead Flowers" by The Rolling Stones keeps playing in my head.