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BPAL Madness!

etienne

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Everything posted by etienne

  1. etienne

    Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller (2006)

    Mme. Moriarty is such a gorgeous soft and sexy blend. I get a lot of patchouli, plums and Snake Oil-style spiciness with the vanilla bean giving this an utterly beautiful, soft and slightly creamy base. This is a very grown up, sexy scent. I feel like it envelopes me into something soft and luxurious - perhaps red velvet. This is fast becoming one of my signature scents and I know I will be hoarding several bottles before the Carnaval leaves town!
  2. etienne

    Pepper

    Pepper jumps right into my BPAL Top 10. And no wonder as it contains most of my favourites notes in one blend - blood orange, vanilla, ginger, honey, rose, berries... One of my first posts on this forum was a post to ask for scent recommendations. I remember saying in that post how I imagined I would love to find a "floral with a kick" and as I tested Pepper this morning many months after that post, I knew I had found just that - a floral with a kick! This is a gorgeous combination of opposite qualities that mingle together gorgeously - it's a bit sweet, a bit spicy, a bit floral, strong and yet soft. Initially when wet on skin I get a lot of the spices (bergamot, ginger) with the blood orange - it reminds me of my beloved Et Lux Fuit. Then, when dry, the florals emerge more and the vanilla and honey round up the overall sweetness and tone down the edge the pink pepper and ginger give this. Pepper gets 10 out of 10 from me - thank you for yet another masterpiece, Beth!
  3. etienne

    International Shipping Info+Questions

    Mine has always been delivered by Royal Mail, never Parcelforce... I hope you get it soon!
  4. etienne

    International Shipping Info+Questions

    Mine usually takes about a week. Is the 15th when you got your CnS or did you click on the link on your CnS to see the day it actually shipped? Sometimes the CnS comes a day or two earlier than the package is scheduled to ship. You might also want to ask your local delivery office in case they just haven't left you the "sorry you were out" slip - the package would be too big for a letterbox.
  5. etienne

    Vixen

    This is a lot like Snake Oil on me - to the extent that I had to come here to read the reviews to see if others had made that connection or if my imp was actually a mislabeled imp of Snake Oil! I get a tiny hint of orange blossom but it's very gentle behind the spicy, strong notes of it. This would have fitted in great with the Snake Pit, it's like a less smokey version of SO. Very sexy, definitely instantly moves into my GC top 10 and a bottle will be ordered in due course.
  6. etienne

    La Vita Nuova

    This is my new summer-time favourite! Beautifully sweet and bright - I get a lot of apple but it's neither a sour crisp apple nor a foody apple, it's wonderfully soft. I had a bubble bath as a child from Yves Rocher called Pomme D'Api and this reminds me a lot of that! I don't get much rose out of this but I think it's a case of all the notes blending together so well that I can't tell the individual notes apart. I'm glad I have a bottle for the coming summer!
  7. Here is the link to the packed through page. Also, keep your eye on the Click n Ship thread, that gives you a rough idea of order dates that are currently being shipped out. Also just to say that the Shipped Through post isn't always updated regularly, so the Click N Ship thread is really your best bet.
  8. etienne

    Hairy Toad Lily

    This is almost overwhelmingly strong and sweet, especially when wet. Some floral scents seem to make me a bit nauseous and this is sadly one of them. It does calm down a bit when it dries but still has a very sickly sweet quality to it. Lasts on my skin for ages - I tried on a small amount from the imp wand and soon after went to wash my hair, then washed my hands twice and the scent was still on my skin after all that! So this is good news if you like the scent although for me it wasn't such a good thing...
  9. etienne

    Hanami

    This review comes with a disclaimer - I've been ill with a cold for the past week and still can't smell things quite as clearly as I normally can... but I know people are waiting for Hanami reviews, so here is my best attempt in the circumstances... In the bottle: bright, floral, pink/white (like cherry blossoms) On my skin: This is a bright and cheerful scent - like the feeling you get in the first days of spring when the sun is finally out and nature is waking up after the winter and there is but a gentle a breeze playing with your hair. This reminds me of some light and feminine "big name perfumes", something quite light and youthful. If I smelled this on someone I might imagine it's something by Escada or perhaps Tommy Hilfiger or Burberry. Hanami is a lot like I expected it to be like. Really, really pretty, spring/summer scent. This is a simple floral in the sense that there is no guessing "oh I wonder what that note is" - it's really obvious that these are flowers/blossoms. It's not quite like any other BPAL I've tried before, either.
  10. etienne

    Hope

    Wow, this might actually be THE BPAL rose that will be amazing on me! Rose is one of my favourite notes but unfortunately it tends to turn really sharp and my skin - for example Rose Red and 2, 5 and 7 were just too green and fresh for my liking. Hope is softer - the sugar is cutting the sharp edge off and even though the rose is still very fresh and bright, this is a lovely, creamier rose scent. Very pretty and feminine and yet not too girly (for example compared to the little girl rose in Alice). I will definitely need a bottle and I'm curious about how this will blend with Faith!
  11. etienne

    Sugar Skull

    This is the 07 version. Very strong, sweet brown sugar. I also get a hint of something boozy. When I sniff my wrist really closely I get a hint of the fruits although they are definitely at the background and the throw is all brown sugar. It's not an everyday scent for me - and strikes me as an autumn/winter scent rather than spring/summer. I think this would layer nicely with something creamy/vanilla-y to balance it.
  12. etienne

    Allergy Questions, Allergies and other reactions to oils

    I don't know if this is the right thread for it but it seemed the best option... I was using TKO for the second time last night from a testable sniffie I got in a swap. I put some on plushie and kept it close to my face so that I could smell it. All good so far - then, at about 6am I woke up (thanks to the cat wanting feeding...), went back to bed 5 minutes later and took the TKO plushie near me again. When my alarm clock went off at 7:30am I felt extremely tired - much more so than usual. I felt a bit groggy and getting up was really hard work. I wondered if it was the TKO and the fact I fell asleep again with it so late in the morning so that the effect hadn't worn off yet by 7:30am? Has anyone experienced similar?
  13. etienne

    Midway

    I was just getting into BPAL when the Resurrected version was available and back then I thought I didn't like foody scents... little did I know then! This is yummy! It really smells like doughnuts and candyfloss with a bit of creamy vanilla in the background with more toffee emerging as it dries. I want to eat it instead of wear it. I don't get very much throw but I haven't applied much because I only have one decant and have to use it sparingly and is it any wonder if my skin eats this anyway, since it's so delicious!
  14. etienne

    Cheshire Moon

    A lunatic's blend of lunar herbs and blossoms, with lemongrass, guava, pink grapefruit, banyan fruit, hibiscus, and cherry blossom. Initially quite foody, cake-y floral. I like it but I'm not wild about it. And then, something absolutely magical happens. It turns into the most gorgeous floral with just a hint of fruitiness. I tested this earlier in the day and a few hours later started thinking something smells amazing but I had tested something else too so wasn't sure... I've now tested it again, and sure enough it's this! It has a fairly good throw on me and seemed to last several hours even though I didn't put on very much. I'm also in love with the description and the label. This is a real winner and I'm considering trying to hunt down another bottle! ETA: Lab description.
  15. etienne

    Fairy Wine

    Mmm, this is delicious and a good candidate for becoming my summer scent. It smells a bit candy sweet but not foody exactly. I don't get much honey in this but I believe it's in the background adding it an all round softness and roundness. There is something ethereal and otherwordly in this so it definitely fits the fairy image. This doesn't have much throw on me - but if I slathered more it probably would. I like all the Stardust scents but this is probably the most wearable for me and I'm considering upgrading my decant to a bottle in my next order.
  16. etienne

    Blood Amber

    This has two of my favourite notes in it, so it's no surprise I love it! Wet in imp and on my skin it's all sweet dragon's blood resin. On drydown the amber comes out to play and gives it a slightly spice touch. I wish more of the dragon's blood would stick around longer, but all in all this is right up my alley and if I didn't already have so many similar scents, I would be ordering a bottle right away. And, just as a curiosity, I must add that this is the most vibrant red BPAL oil I've encountered so far! Initially the colour scared me a bit.
  17. etienne

    Scherezade

    I'm glad I got the imp of this in a swap the day before placing my Lab order, because I need a 5ml of this! I love red musk in general, and I love spicy scents. This is gorgeous - very warm and sweet, as well as extremely sexy. Something about the spice reminds me of Snake Oil - this is almost like a softer, sweeter version of Snake Oil to me.
  18. Haha, funny nose! But seriously, I've got them side by side on my desk... Midnight Kiss is very grape & cocoa, with a salty red musk undercurrent. Red Phoenix is all Big Red gum with a trace of plum underneath, way spicier than Midnight Kiss. It does even out a bit on the drydown, though, I'll give you that... I think Blood Phoenix & Midnight Kiss are much more similar. If you're looking for a Red Phoenix sub, maybe layer Mme Moriarty & Bengal, or Chimera - something cassia-heavy... Red Phoenix to me is all red musk, patchouli and tobacco. And so is Midnight Kiss, basically. I know MK doesn't have tobacco but it has nicotiana which I imagine smells similar. I have a bottle of Blood Phoenix, too, and that's completely different to me. <--- definitely funny nose.
  19. Does anyone else think Red Phoenix and Midnight Kiss smell very similar? Or do I just have a weird nose?
  20. etienne

    Anactoria

    I really want to love this and amber and musk are certainly some of my very favourite notes. The initial stages are lovely. Sweet, sensual, golden amber. There is something similar to Tamora and Aglaea, and even Hymn to Proserpine, but without the fruity notes of those. Something even reminds me of Angeronalia when they are both wet. I don't really get any honey or currant at all in this. But very quickly on drydown this develops a very soapy, powdery quality on me. This is the second time I'm testing it and it has happened both times. I almost sold on my decant but now I'm still considering a bottle just in case it would age really well, or maybe to wear in a scent locket.
  21. etienne

    Tamora

    Ooh, nice. The amber and golden fruit remind me of Hymn to Proserpine - this is like a lighter version of that with the added peach. Peach can often be a deal breaker for me but in Tamora it's perfectly balanced with the other notes. The sandalwood keeps it grounded and the vanilla gives it a creamy softness. It's sweet but not sickly sweet. The throw seems to get stronger after it's been on my skin for some time, I think it's the amber getting more warm and rounded. I'm definitely keeping the imp and seeing how I get along with it and will consider a bottle purchase. I think this would make a lovely summer scent.
  22. etienne

    Jezebel

    In the imp this smells very sour and I'm a bit worried... But I need not be, as on my skin this is just wonderful! Lovely sweet honey, gorgeous orange blossom and a hint of rose. All three are some of my favourite notes so it's not surprising I love this! There is something very bold and yet warm about this scent. I'm definitely keeping the imp and might even consider a bottle of this.
  23. etienne

    Depraved

    Patchouli seems to be a bit of a hit or miss on me. I think black patchouli is becoming the one that doesn't work. I like the apricot a lot - it's golden, just the right kind of sweetness. Unfortunately, the black patchouli makes this smell like pencil shavings on me. Not the effect I was hoping for. It has a lot of staying power and a fair bit of throw - but unfortunately this just isn't for me as a scent.
  24. etienne

    Vampire Tears

    My skin chemistry must be doing weird things to this one. Before checking the notes I'm convinced I can smell white chocolate in the imp and wet on skin! This definitely smells foody to me, but more like bread than cake, if that makes sense. I get a lot of sharp grapefruit underneath but the foody scent lingers around too. Not me - luckily Midnight Kiss is right up my alley so at least I found one love in these two LEs!
  25. etienne

    Swank

    I got this as a frimp from the Lab in my first order. I smell citrus. In the imp, on my skin, wet and dry - citrus all the way. Very bright and crisp but definitely citrus rather than pomegranate. Unfortunately the smell reminds me of the cleaning product my mum used to use for cleaning the bath when I was little... I don't think this is really for me, so it's off to the swap box...
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