agnusdei

Check out the Beyond Perfume section of the BPAL Chatter forum if you haven't already. There are a few pinned threads with all sorts of discussion on methods, retailers, and etc for making roller bottles (& pretty much anything else you could want to do with your oils).

Bengal is one of those scents where you know from the second you see the notes that it’s going to be absolutely perfect for you, and it is. Every one of the notes here are favorites of mine, I don’t even think the idea of it not working for me ever crossed my mind. Skin musk and honey are a delicious duo that can do no wrong on my skin, and their presence in Bengal is no exception. It starts out with a beautiful layer of thick golden honey, deep and sweet. The balance the honey has with the skin musk is apparent right away, with the musk tempering the honey and giving it a weightless second-skin quality that keeps it from being too sweet. It’s just on the edge of richly decadent but at the same time there’s a glowing translucency that makes this scent seem so personal as well. The spices are noticeable from the beginning but it takes a few minutes for them to warm up to my skin. The cinnamon bark is the strongest, followed by the pepper and ginger and then just a hint of clove. Their dryness helps to cut the sticky sweet honey just a bit as well as shaking up the blend with their lovely spiciness. The spices stay prominent for the rest of wear, with an aura of honey backing them up. This is a chai scent for sure, but a deep, creamy chai with more than just a drizzle of honey. Wearing Bengal today actually prompted the boy & I to go to Starbucks and get a chai latte with a couple pumps of honey syrup, which tasted a whole lot like this smells. Bengal is a gorgeous and uplifting scent, a perfect marriage of sweet and spice. I am all about hot & fiery scents and Bengal is spicy enough to appease the part of me that wants to get my senses obliterated in an onslaught of spiciness but with a perfect base of sweet musky honey because dammit I’m still a delicate sweet-loving little girl too. I love love love this.

Just adding another recommendation for The Smiling Spider, it's the most true clove BPAL I've tried with just a bit of woodsy smokiness to it as well. It smells pretty much exactly like smoking a clove cigarette to me, and a lot of the reviews for it mention the same. It doesn't have the hint of leather you're after, but it's a perfect starting point for some layerin', I think.

When wet, Queen Alice is mostly spicy apple cider, bubbly and just a tad fizzy. There’s a hint of treacle and something floral peeking out, and the wooly wine makes a tiny appearance as well. It’s sweet but the cider has a crisp element to it that keeps the blend from feeling too heavily sugared. As it has time to settle the cider softens and makes way for the amber and florals. There’s still a spiced element to this scent but it’s now joined by a gentle and softly powdery amber and a bouquet of carnations & posies. The carnation note is definitely present but it’s quieter and more refined compared to the bold carnation found in Alice. It’s a little spicier too, thanks to the cider, which gives it a sort of cinnamon-like feel. I think Queen Alice has just the right amount of similarity to Alice; they share a youthful softness that makes them relatable, but Queen Alice is so delightfully strange and unique. eta: After I wrote this I put on more of the Queen, went out for a while, and then proceeded to realize that hey, I really really freakin' love this. It dries to such an oddly whimsical mix of amber, carnation, and all the spiced elements from the cider, with magnificent throw to boot. To amend my previous review, I will most definitely be needing a bottle to add to the carnation fest that is my BPAL box.

I can't help you with the last two, but I do love me some Saw-Scaled Viper so I'll throw in a third opinion on that. On me it's one of the most (if not the most) spicy blend I've tried, it's the only cinnamon ballsy enough to actually burn my neck if I apply it there (and I've tried a lot of spicy BPALs with no such reaction). I'm sure there is someone else who could be of more help in this particular area, but I personally can't tell much of a difference between cinnamon and cassia in most blends. From what I understand the two are related, and I've seen cassia likened to a stronger version of cinnamon. In SSV particularly, I really only get a ginger note and a cinnamon/cassia note to the spiciness, so yes in my opinion the cinnamon does pop. It's particularly good aged a couple of months too, the ginger becomes less sharp and backs down a little, so more cinnamony goodness.

Spicy cat tea, yay! Bakeneko at first is a mix of amber musk, spices, and tea with a squirt of tangerine. The amber musk has that definitively ‘feline’ essence that I get from things like The Lion & Leo, which is affectionately known as ‘cat amber’ over here. It’s toasty and golden with a cozy fur-like quality, which together with the tangerine gives this blend a distinctly ‘orange’ feel. The tea leaf is lacking any sweetness and as such reads as slightly sharp, though it becomes much gentler as it warms up on my skin and gets a chance to mingle with the other notes. At this point Bakeneko becomes an absolute dream, freshly brewed tea and crisp tangerine sweetened by a touch of cherry blossom and rounded out with a kick of tasty spices. This kitty has a soft and inviting underbelly of subtle sweetness but is also just musky and spicy enough to remind you that, like all cats, it is more than a little evil and is probably going to bite you if you get too friendly with its delicious tea belly. Bakeneko is the perfect scent for lazing around, it's snug and comforting and will not hesitate to use its lazy cat powers to will you into passing out in a patch of sun.

In the imp and wet: helllooo cedar. The Clod and the Pebble is powerfully woodsy with the smallest touch of patchouli and spices. After a few minutes the cedar thankfully tones down and the blend becomes less sharp and a little sweeter. I can smell the rose otto now, and the nutmeg distances itself from the woods just enough to compliment the gentleness of the rose with a little spice. the patchouli is there as well, deepening the other notes with a slightly gritty, earthen feel. The cedar is still present at this stage but it's more balanced instead of hogging the spotlight. This blend is very dry, almost to the point of stinging my nose a bit when I smell it up close, even after its had time to settle on my skin. I was hoping for something spicier (alas, clove never shows up on me) and a little more inviting, but I fear the fact that cedar isn't one of my favorite notes makes this a no-go for me. It would be lovely on someone who lives for dry woods and earth, but unfortunately that person is not me.

Oh yum, Chimera smells like a cinnamon confection to me. It comes on thick and sticky sweet with a warm dose of spice, a fantastically creamy and rounded scent. I’d swear there was vanilla or honey in this if I didn’t have the description handy; it has that same rich foamy vanilla cream note as Love’s Philosophy, only dusted with cinnamon and with just a touch of incense for added depth. It’s simultaneously comforting, uplifting, and a little decadent… I can see this becoming a favorite of mine for sure. eta: So after having Chimera on for a few hours I've made a surprising and delicious discovery! Faded Chimera smells remarkably similar to faded Hod on my skin. There's a slight difference, of course, but they both have the same gently spicy + warm & creamy vibe. Now I'm even more excited that I have a 5ml of Chimera on the way!

Osmanthus, honey, golden musk, vanilla flower, and ginger. In the imp Harikata smells beautiful to me, like sticky drops of honey over swirling musk and sweet flowers. There’s just a touch of ginger, but it’s a soft ginger that’s a far cry from the crisp spiciness that it can be. The notes come together to create a blend that’s deep and sweet but with a simplicity that’s utterly charming. But then, just when I’m lulled into a false sense of security, a mystery note surfaces that wants nothing more than to turn Harikata into an alcohol-laden body spray scented with Generic Sharp Floral. I can only assume the osmanthus is behind this, as this is my first encounter with it and all the rest of the notes I get along fabulously with. I usually have remarkably agreeable skin chemistry so I’m not sure what’s up, I guess I’ll have to revisit this and hope a little aging does the trick.

Anactoria is soft and light to me, an incredibly gentle and understated scent. I can pick out the honey, amber, and musk, but the rest of the notes are hidden under the pale blur of the former three. If I really search I can detect something smoky, sweet, and slightly grassy deep within the smooth honey musk, but I can’t pinpoint it as any one note in particular. This is a total skin scent on me, with a clean and gently powdery quality that reads as just an amplification of the scent of my own skin. In fact, Anactoria is one of the lightest BPAL scents I’ve worn and I can only really smell it when my nose is pressed to my wrist. The scent itself is lovely, but it's so darn delicate - I wish it had more presence on my skin so I could fully enjoy it.

Love's Philosophy smells like vanilla cream in the imp, but with a bite of something I can't place that smells a little... off? I can see where other's got mint/wintergreen as there is certainly a cooling quality present, though I'm assuming it's just the saffron being a little strange. Thankfully any funky business disappears once it's been on my skin for a few minutes, as which point it becomes a delectable foamy vanilla with just a touch of saffron. This is no doubt the lovely cream soda aroma that's been mentioned, it's sweet and smooth and utterly addicting to sniff. Things just get better from here on out as the vanilla develops into the most rich and true heavy whipping cream type scent. There's nothing fake or plasticy on my skin, just deliciously thick frothy peaks of vanilla cream adorned with saffron, yum! It's still going strong after a few hours, and when it finally does fade it's into the same sugared vanilla scent that remains on my wrists the morning after falling asleep wearing Snake Oil. I always think I'm not much for the foody scents, but then things like this keep coming along to throw me for a loop. Love's Philosophy is everything I'd want in a dessert type scent without any of the cloying sweetness I would expect from something that's been described as smelling of buttercream frosting. It's amazingly delicious and I can see it layering fantastically with some of the residents of my perfume box to add an extra oomph to the vanilla factor. I can imagine Schwarzer Mond + Love's Philosophy coke floats already...

I just ordered a decant of Diary of a Lovestruck Teenage Cannibal at first and then... I don't exactly know what happened but I had an overwhelming urge to obtain a bottle mere moments later. And I'm so glad that I did. In the bottle it smells like white cake and sugared lemons, very evocative of something dessert-y but at the same time light and lacking that buttery quality that can be unappealing and too heavy in other gourmand type blends. Like others have mentioned there's a resemblance to Eat Me at first with the sweet vanilla cake, but once it hits my skin all the other notes come out and the Cannibal really shines. Now it starts to develop a candied fruit vibe, becoming something like a deliciously wearable version of Fruity Pebbles. There's a dash of refreshing pear, the grapefruit is just tart enough to balance the sweetness of the vanilla cream, and the pink pepper and ginger stir things up with a burst of spice. The red ginger is magnificent in this, a real show-stealer - and I'm very glad it didn't echo what the ginger in Saw-Scaled Viper and Shub did (when they were fresh) by smelling oddly like pumpkin to me. She must be shy because the scent wears close to the skin and fades a little fast, but damn if it's going to keep me from wearing this lovely scent. I'm generally not attracted to the foodier side of perfume and I love this, the fruit, creamy cakeness, and spice are a killer combo that's balanced perfectly.

I have two imps of The Lion; one of them is somewhere between 6 months to a year old, and the other one arrived yesterday fresh from the lab. I’m mentioning this because the difference between them is so great that they could almost be two different scents! The aged version, which is thicker and a golden amber color, is very strong to me. It smells like hay and warm dried fields flecked with potent amber, with no ‘spiced’ elements to be found. I love amber but this amber is bit too robust for me, it almost manages to be a bit cloying with how richly dry it is. The fresh imp however? It’s amazing. The whole scent is lighter and softer around the edges, with gentle amber and the subtlest hint of sweet grasses. I can smell spice in this one, but it’s not a strong spice… it’s just the right amount to give your nose a little tickle, like grass or fur was being brushing against it. It fact, the first thing I thought of when I smelled my new imp of The Lion was “this smells like my cat!” Indeed, I think the way I would describe this best would be that it smells like my ginger tabby’s fur, especially on his forehead between his ears. Warm from backing in the sun, with a little hint of sweetness and that distinct golden-fur quality. It’s a regal scent for sure, but also extremely comforting and cozy. I can also see similarities between fresh The Lion and Leo 07; Leo has a fizzy soda-like element to it but otherwise they both share that familiar association of burying your face in a warm cat’s fur.

Thank you for showing them off! Cheshire Moon is mighty fab, I love the b&w with the colored lettering (red? please be red!)

No one has put up any photos of Cheshire Moon yet, have they? I just know this one's label is going to be awesome.

La Petit Mort is such a beautiful creamy scent that’s both rich and light all at once. It feels like an almost milky soft honey, with just a touch of ylang ylang and some myrrh to spice it up. The sensual element mentioned in the description is definitely the core of this blend, swirling the other notes around with the sensation of flushed and glowing skin. There’s nothing ‘dirty’ or ‘who just did it on my wrists?’ about La Petit Mort, it’s like all the most intimate and exciting parts of sex without any of the messy stuff. It reminds me of baby powder, but not in an unappealing or artificial way at all, it’s more the feeling of powdery soft and shower-fresh skin. This is one of those scents that smells so familiar and natural that I could put it on and think it was just me that I was smelling and not a perfume oil. Definitely a hit for me and one I will wear often!

Initially Bathsheba is very fresh and light, the carnation is gently spicy and the plum adds an undercurrent of concentrated fruitiness. This isn’t exactly the creamy sweet carnation from say, Alice, Pink Moon 07, or Hod, instead it has a more delicate floral feeling akin to it’s presence in Desdemona. I can tell it’s a flower I smell, without the uniquely smooth complexity that I’m used to with BPAL carnation notes. It’s still quite beautiful though, especially paired with the sweet juiciness of the plum. Bathsheba has a lot in common with Frumious Bandersnatch (one of my favorites) note wise, and while there are some similarities in their scents I think Bathsheba is on the other side of the carnation-plum spectrum. It’s much less spicy than FB with a softer, slightly powdery quality, and while FB is a playful and mischievous creature Bathsheba is wholly refined and sensual. There’s a point in the dry down of Bathsheba that smells quite similar to FB (when the initial blast of spice starts to fade), but then a deep base of musk creeps out and takes Bathsheba in a whole different direction. It’s now quite magnetic, with the Arabian musk seeping into the carnation and plum and saturating them with its warm and rounded scent. It's just soft and floral enough to be delicate and dignified, but just musky enough to give it that powerful sexy vibe as well. I think I was expecting something heavier and more intoxicating than what Bathsheba actually turned out to be, but it's lovely all the same, and will be worn.

I'm another one of those people that has a hard time sleeping because their brain just doesn't know when to rest. My body is usually sufficiently exhausted when bedtime rolls around, but as soon as the lights go out my head fills with all sorts of thoughts that aren't important but won't go away... because of that it can sometimes take hours to drift off to sleep. I take melatonin, and while it does help me fall asleep sooner it doesn't stop the whirlwind of thoughts that keep me from relaxing up until that point. I usually have to read a book or watch tv or something in order to distract my brain until I just can't stay awake anymore, but the boy is sensitive to light & sounds while he's trying to sleep so I always feel bad when I have to resort to that. So, it goes without saying that I needed to try TKO. I don't necessarily dislike lavender, but it's not one of my favorites, and my boyfriend feels the same. I've tried one of the Somnium blends before and it was a very sharp herbal lavender, which I found to be somewhat relaxing but my boy didn't like. TKO however? We both love it. Even before the imp is open I can smell toasty vanilla sugar cut with a cool and refreshing lavender that is anything but harsh. It's warm and sweet and a little herbal, and something that I would definitely wear as a perfume. Once on my skin the lavender comes out more, but it's very soft and comforting with hints of marshmallow coziness wafting through it. As time passes the lavender fades and the creamy vanilla takes over for the rest of wear. Okay, so it smells really good. But does it work? The first time I tried it was in the afternoon, after I got home from school. I felt pretty drained and wanted to recharge, and since I'd just gotten a package with an imp of TKO I figured a TKO infused nap would be a splendid idea. I usually have a hard time sleeping in the daytime so I didn't have high hopes, but I put some on and hopped into bed anyway. I felt lighter and more relaxed right away, but after about 20 minutes passed I started to wonder if it was actually going to put me to sleep... and then I woke up. Turns out I passed out without even realizing it! Of course a real night's sleep is required to accurately test TKO's power, so last night me and the boy put it on before turning out the lights, and the results were equally promising. I felt very relaxed, almost to the point of being a little light headed, and my brain was pleasantly empty of those plaguing before-sleep thoughts. I could think if I really tried to, but it felt like my thoughts had to wade through sand or water to get to my consciousness, and it was so much easier for my mind to be free of them. I don't know how long it took me to actually fall asleep, but I know the time before getting there was so much more pleasant. I also usually wake up a couple times in the night, but with TKO I slept soundly until the next morning. I'll have to keep using it for a few more days to really get an idea of how well it works, but it has the potential to completely change my sleep experience for the better. If it can consistently clear my mind and generally promote calmness it will be an absolute necessity to have a bottle.

I just love the picture for this salon, the little spider dude's expression is so perfectly balanced between stupidly goofy and completely terrifying. I also love cloves, which the Smiling Spider smells almost exclusively of. When it's first on my skin it's the most true clove scent I've smelled yet in a BPAL, like sticking my nose in a fresh jar of the spice (complete with that pleasant tingle in my nose!) It's not sweet clove but it's definitely not completely bitter either, there's a lively and warm presence to it that never gets too sharp. And yes, it smells very very much like sucking on the tip of a clove cigarette, which is admittedly my favorite thing about smoking them. With time the fresh cloves are softened a bit by the appearance of a smooth musky background, along with a touch of patchouli and woods. the clove still dominates to the very end though, which is what I was hoping for. The Smiling Spider gets a thumbs up from me, I think I'd like to try layering it with some of my favorites, too!

In the imp and wet Wrath is richly sweet and fruity/floral, almost like fresh honeysuckle flowers. Even though this is my first encounter with dragon’s blood I can identify it right away from all the comparisons I’ve heard between it and fruit punch; I’m definitely smelling something bright and very juicy. There’s a twang of cinnamon and spice behind the thick syrupiness, and after twenty minutes or so the dragon’s blood relinquishes control of the blend and the spices get their time in the limelight. Now there’s an intense dusting of cinnamon and a crackle of clove and pepper which is very reminiscent of, yes, Red Hots or Big Red gum. Both of which I adore the scent of and was hoping Wrath would have something in common with, so I love this stage! It stays like this for a good hour, at which point I start to get a whiff of the dragon’s blood again behind the spices, but in a different and absolutely delicious way. It’s sweet and rich and a little buttery, and I think it’s just brought about the first occurrence of Must Eat Own Arm Syndrome. Now Wrath as a whole reminds me of cinnamon buns, in particular that layer of spices and butter the dough is smothered in before being rolled up. From this point on the spices dull and the scent fades a bit and then stays fairly consistent for the duration of its wear. I’m glad to know I like dragon’s blood as much as I thought I would, and that my search for Wrath was not in vain. It’s a gorgeous fiery cinnamon scent with a delightful morphing pattern that I will be wearing often!

If I was ever in doubt of how lovely and intricate a straight floral blend of only three components could be, Desdemona would make me eat my words. I get such a soft and refined feel from this, with that floating watery quality that is mentioned in the other reviews. The sweet pea and water lily together create something so innocently gentle and childlike, with the carnation adding its delightful spice. I’m very pleased that the carnation didn’t get lost in this blend, I can definitely smell it peppering each breath I take and adding a little playfulness to contrast the delicate sensation of the other notes. Throughout wear Desdemona goes from the mostly aquatic blend of sweet pea and water lily to more dry and carnationy, all with decent throw. It will certainly see some wear from me, especially in the coming spring.

edit: My review here was written just after I tried Hod for the first time, and since then I’ve gotten to know it well enough that I feel like it deserves a slightly more thought out review. In the beginning Hod is absolutely bursting with the fragrant petals of carnation blooms. This is probably the truest form of carnation I've smelled in a perfume, with nothing trying to stifle it's scent and no other prominent notes to steal the focus. It's just carnation, pure and creamy and spicy. I’ve never smelled BPAL’s carnation SN, but I feel like if I did now I would be disappointed if it wasn’t exactly like this. Hod is like an artistic interpretation of a carnation, the very essence of the flower captured and enhanced in just the right ways to create an exquisite masterpiece. Hod has the peppery, clove-like spice and the barest hint of velvety petals, all over an intensely smooth and glowing base. There's a depth and softness within the core of the scent that is played up beautifully by what other notes may be here; they blend seamlessly to boost the overall impression of the scent instead of taking away from it. If I had to guess I’d say it’s extremely likely that amber is present, and maybe a drop of the lush sweetness of cream or a touch of vanilla. For a while I didn't understand the mention of almond at all in the other reviews, but now I can barely detect what could be a bit of an almond feel to the creaminess. With wear it becomes even softer and more thick and milky, with the amber scent warming up and adding a shimmering powdery glow that lasts all day. Hod is warm and comforting and a little exotic, and is one of those rare scents that perfectly compliments whatever mood I happen to be in. The association this scent brings out of carnations to me is so strong that I’ve noticed I have trouble identifying that note in my other blends now. My mind parallels ‘Hod’ to ‘carnation’ and I have to consciously remind myself that this is just one way of interpreting that flower and not to get disappointed when everything else doesn’t smell the same. It is without a doubt the one scent that makes me believe it came pouring down from a golden chalice in the heavens, and I’m so so glad that I got a chance to even try it after its discontinuation, let alone have enough to be able to wear it regularly. It resonates as so very right to me, both in its scent and in the concepts associated with it. I adore Hod.

It's so cool to see this thread because I swear I was wondering the exact same thing last night! I'm one of those people that can't seem to put much of a dent in my bottles. I'm not exactly light handed when applying either so I guess it's just that I wear what I have equally enough that the oil I use up is spread out over many bottles and imps instead of just one or two. With that said though, I had to stop myself from slathering away the partial imp I have of Alice while waiting for a bottle to arrive. I used up a decent amount of it in just two days, and I could easily have gone through the imp in another few if I didn't show some restraint... I think that bottle will be in big trouble when it gets here. I dunno if it's the Virgo in me talking or I'm just weird and compulsive about certain things but... the thought of completely using up one of my bottles boggles my mind! Maybe less so when it comes to scents I can easily get more of... but it's still hard for me to comprehend. I think I am doomed to have bottles with just a few drops left in them around forever just so I never have to stop smelling the scents I love.

In addition to all the other lovely recommendations in this thread, you might want to try The Ecstasy of St. Theresa (Frankincense, iris, white gardenia, Roman chamomile, amber, and agarwood). On me it's a very creamy gardenia with a touch of wood, resin, & chamomile in the background- quite yummy! (Thanks for bringing this topic up btw, for some reason I missed seeing the old one and I'm always on the lookout for more gardenia recs. )

Frumious Bandersnatch has been one of my favorites since my very first lab order, so I think I’m way past due to give it some review love. In the bottle it’s strongly spicy plum rounded out by peppery carnation blooms. A very energetic blend that’s richly fruity without becoming too heavy - there’s something sweet about it but it doesn’t read as syrupy to me at all, it feels so light and carefree. I understand where some of the reviewers got the ‘craft store’ feel from it, but to me it’s more complex than candles and potpourri. There’s just enough of that almost cinnamon-y feel to get your attention, but the mix of carnations and chrysanthemums pulls back before it becomes too cloying by adding a little bit of bitter green to the mix. At first sniff there’s a vibrant spiciness but each breath is rimmed with that fresh feeling of burying your nose deep within a flower. With wear the spice fades into a beautiful glowing warmness, with the plum, carnation, and chrysanthemum still delightfully balanced. My only complaint is that I really wish the Bandersnatch lasted longer on me, it’s usually gone within and hour, or maybe two if I’m lucky. But I guess that’s what having a bottle is for, right?