suki

Zenobia was Queen of the Palmyrene Empire. She assumed leadership of her nomadic tribe after her father’s death, eventually marrying King Septimius Odaenathus. Zenobia seemed a contradiction: chaste, dark-eyed, and lovely, but able to drink, fight, and make war like a man. She fought, on horseback, alongside her husband in many battles, and ruled the Empire with a fair and just hand after her husband’s passing. To her people, she was the Lady of Victory, conquering several Roman provinces, including Egypt, and expelling the prefect, Tenagino Probus, who was beheaded after he led an attempt to seize back control of the territory for Rome. Her conquests enabled her to control many vital trade routes, further earning her the ire of the Romans. Unfortunately, she eventually overextended her reach. She was betrayed, and then captured by Emperor Aurelian, displayed in chains in a triumphal procession through Rome, her Empire dissolved. Rather than capitulate to misfortune, she made a new life for herself, and became a Roman matron, philosopher, and socialite. Orris, clove, costus storax, patchouli, hyssop, frankincense, balsam, and saffron. in the bottle: mostly clove, with a touch of the balsam. wet on skin: still mostly clove, with the balsam a bit stronger and the introduction of the storax making for a heady brew so far. dry down: there's a note of sweetness that has cut through the heavy stuff, making it more complex and reminding me, strangely, of the orange/clove pommanders we used to make at christmastime when i was a little girl. but there's no orange here, so i'm going to assume its the saffron coming into play. it's lovely. in all: sweet, rich and commanding, a scent certainly fit for a warrior woman. i may have to wait until autumn to enjoy her fully, however! ETA: it's sometime later and i've given the Lady another sniff and am re-evaluating my thought that i'd have to wait until Fall to give her a real go. She's not as heavy as, say Mort de Cesar, and she's not as dense as Smiling Spider. i think she may actually be a summer-time Clove scent afterall!

As noted, no numbers. I got two bottles- here's the second one. In The Bottle: Candy-sweet honey dust and red licorice Wet On Skin: More of the same. Dry Down: Honey dust and Red Vines. I confirmed that description with DH, and he agrees!

As noted, no numbers. I got two bottles- here's the first one. In The Bottle: Huh. I'm *also* getting sort of a men's cologne/aftershave vibe. There might be aquatic in here, which is a death note for me, so hopefully that settles down. Wet On Skin: Okay. Weird. Now it's morphed slightly into shaving cream- like Barbasol old-school shaving cream- but mixed with...caramel? Tobacco? Both? I'm seriously confused by this scent. Dry Down: Morphed again into...wait for it...Pinched With Four Aces. Caramel, tobacco, a hint of men's aftershave. In All: I actually swapped away my bottle of Pinched many moons ago because I wasn't that into it. I'll sit on this for a bit but it might be better off in someone else's collection. Go figure.

This Series appears to have no numbers. I got two bottles of Oriental, so I'll just post separately for the two different bottles. Here is the second. ​In The Bottle: Ylang ylang mixed with a heavy dollop of benzoin. ​Wet On Skin: The above, with a spice note added in. I know that allergens like cinnamon aren't present, but there's a real spicy aspect to the scent at this stage, which is just making it warmer and sexier. Dry Down: All of the above, but with a little honey powder finish. Holy. Moly. In All: Two for two, the Oriental series was complete win for me. I am *smitten* with this year's CT's!!!

In The Bottle: Deep, rich beeswax. Yes, please! Wet On Skin: Yeah, this is definitely beeswax and NOT honey. There's a soft skin-musk quality of beeswax- and this one in particular- that honey doesn't have on me. I'm getting a very, very subtle spice in the background, but it reads almost like the kind of spice one encounters with carnation. Not the heady clove or cinnamon I'm used to. Dry Down: Ah! *THERE'S* the clove! But even now, the clove is not the in-your-face clove of, say, Peter Quint or the Smiling Spider. This is definitely held in check by the sweet musky richness of the beeswax. I get no vanilla, sadly, but that might change with age. In All: Delighted to have a bottle, just in time for all the upcoming sultry summer nights!

Diwali is beautiful. It's a really mild, soft skin scent, almost like rice pudding, but without being foodie. It's one of my favorites. A great one for summer, because it's not overpowering in the least.

In The Bottle: The vanilla-cognac-tobacco trifecta that I expect from any good "Lace" scent. Wet On Skin: More of the same, but with the black tea making a distant- but distinct -appearance. It's reminding me quite a bit of Black Lace at this stage. Dry Down: This has the soft, slightly sweet feel of Tattered Lace but the cognac edge of Black Lace, without being a dead ringer for either. In All: I am understanding what others were echoing when Beth talked about this being a "Spring Scent". There's a distinct ennui that comes with the wet cold earth warming up that's altogether different than the dry earth of autumn about to lay fallow. As usual, Mme Moriarty nails it in all the most beautiful ways. A love addition to the Lace family.

I am one of the rabid Snake Charmer obsessives, so picking up a bottle was not a tough decision! I agree that this has a lightness to it- but I recognize that the bottles of SC I have, have all been aging for years, so I am going to assume that that is the reason for the difference. In any event, I'm actually glad that the hair gloss isn't quite as rich as the perfume oils have aged up to be, because I don't wear Snake Charmer much in the warm months for that very reason. I *do* anticipate getting lots of use out the the SC HG this summer *because* it's like a lighter version of the perfume. However you look at it, it's a time for lovers of Snake Charmer to rejoice!

I am in love. This is NOT a surprise as I am one of the devoted followers that has four backup bottles of the DM perfume. Alas, I missed out getting backup bottles of this astounding Hair Gloss, and paid a princely sum on eBay just to obtain the one I now have. Having spent this long day living in a wondrous cloud of Dragon's Milk about my head, I join the chorus to beseech Puddin and the TP Goblins to PLEASE consider adding this magical elixir to the GC catalogue! In the meantime, I shall put this in my hair as often as I dare to, to enjoy it as long as I have this precious, precious bottle. <3

I have this special tea that I spent far, far too much on, called Milk Oolong. the reason- the whole reason - that I purchased an entire tin of this loose tea, is that the first time I opened the glass jar in the store to smell it, this glorious and surprising and delicious scent wafted out. It indeed smelled like milk, as well as like a good, lightly aged oolong. I knew instantly that this tea would be tasty and magical and so I threw caution to the wind and purchased the 8 ounce tin. This perfume is the equivalent, in scent, in feeling, in essence. I keep sniffing my skin where I placed a drop of this scent, this oil that somehow missed me in spite of my obsessive involvement for nearly 9 years, and I find that every time I bring my hand up to my nose to smell again, it has the uncanny ability to be a surprise each and every time. I'm so glad I finally procured a bottle!

in the bottle: yummy, yummy YUMMY coffe and creamy eggnog! wet on skin: same, with the coffee smelling more and more like those coffee candies we ate as kids! dry down: the cream and spice of last year's eggnog, combined with the subtle, beautiful coffee of Pinched With Four Aces, this is a total winner. in all: i predict this to be one of the most coveted BPAL scents of the year, if not all time! :wub2:

Snowballs of poppy-red musk, tangerine, blood orange, and mimosa blossom. In The Bottle: Wow! I get the strong-but-distinct citrus notes of both tangerine AND blood orange, plus the red musk (which, at this stage, is NOT like the red musk of Smut). There's also something unnameable in the background. It's floral, but...in passing. Like, when I'm sniffing it's not present- until I start to take the bottle away from under my nose. I assume it's the mimosa, being the only note left, but it's most unusual. Wet On Skin: The mimosa is WAY stronger at this point. In fact, it's all mimosa and poppy musk, no citrus at this stage. Dry Down: The mimosa has calmed down some and now the musk is on a more level playing field, so they're pretty neck-and-neck. In All: Medium throw and the combination has a powder-floral thing going on, with something sugary bringing up the rear. It reminds me a bit of the cherry blossom note in Hanami. I honestly don't know what I think of this. I am a huge fan of the Lab's citrus notes and I'm disappointed that my skin seems to have eaten them up in one fell swoop, as I feel they'd lend a roundness to this scent. Without it, it just seems to be all powdery on me I will let it settle and retest in a few days. I might even add a drop or two of King Mandarin SN to my arm next time to see what that does. But if it stays as is, then off to the swaps it goes!

Okay, this is wonderful. I ordered a decant of this on a lark, and I think I'm going to have to get a bottle of my own. The rose and the wine kyphi are combining to make something sweet and juicy and beautiful. It's like if roses made edible berries, this is what that berry juice would smell like! Nomnomnom. I will use this as a skin gloss for sure, as well as in my hair. I only request that it comes back later as a perfume so I can slather it all the time, everywhere! LOVE!

I love these three notes individually. There are three of my favorite notes. And yet... And yet, I can't place exactly why this doesn't seem to be working out for me. The red musk is not doing the Smut-like thing I thought it was going to do. Instead, it seems to be mixing with the saffron to do a startling impression of powdery myrrh. There's, strangely, a little bit of nag champ that seems to be bringing up the rear. No honey anywhere in sight. I'm truly baffled. I'll re-test in a few days- maybe shipping got it all in a tangle, and I hope that's the case. But I admit I don't have much hope for this one. *Sigh*

In the vial, I get a deep, murky velvety red rose. Once massaged into the skin, it stays pretty true. I expected the wine to be a bit more present, but on me it's more like a whisper, which is surprising- usually wine comes on strong with me. But it's a gorgeous, gorgeous rose. I could see using this as a skin gloss- it seems too good to pour into a bath!

I have waited long- too long- and patiently for this. I cannot wait a moment longer. In The Bottle: Boozy. Chocolate. Frosting. Again, I say Wet On Skin: Oh my. Oh my oh my ohmyohmyohmyohmy. Same as above, but somehow warmer. The warmth of the skin is making it bloom into extra chocolate booze deliciousness. Dry Down: Rich chocolate icing loaded onto a sliver of flourless bittersweet chocolate cake, served with a glass of rich, dry wine. In All: There are hardly words, except: Thank the gods I ordered two bottles.

2015 Version But you know, Red Lantern, like beloved Smut, is one of those scents that changes little from year to year. I used to have a 2006 bottle and I (foolishly!) traded it away. I've waited for several years to get it again and, as before, it doesn't disappoint. Red Lantern is rich and sweet without being foodie. It's a heady, decadent scent, perfect for long winter nights in the arms of lovers or as a finishing touch to being wrapped in heavy silk velvet. Red Lantern lasts. It's strong and warm and a little chewy. It's as thick and captivating as ever. SO glad to welcome it back into my collection.

In the Bottle: It's like a coconut spiced chai steamed milk drink. I die. Wet On Skin: The macadamia is coming out to play, adding a buttery aspect to the scent that's just yummy. Dry Down: I get no amber, which is fine with me. All the rest of the notes come into play and it's seriously delicious. In All: Low throw- I might need to slather this next time. It reminds me of the butter-cream-salt quality that Shill has, and I really, truly adore it. This is what I had hoped Mitzvah would be on me, and sadly was not. I may need backup bottles!!!

In the Bottle: Oh. Holy. Moly. There's apricot and vanilla and and and... Wet On Skin: This is just so incredible. It's sweet without being cloying or candy-like and it's got a little nip of spice at the end, which must be the cardamom. It's soft and just sooooo goooood. Dry Down: Vanilla-apricot ice-cream with a tiny dash of white musk. A little odd, but it WORKS. In All: A close-to-the-skin scent, I could see this being worn for sweet seduction early in a courting. SO glad I got a bottle!

This is for the 2015 version. I just re-read my old review, so I'm curious to see how it compares! In The Bottle: I'm getting a LOT of citrus in this year's version, with a little rosemary tossed in almost as an afterthought. Wet On Skin: Wow. This is really pretty. Whereas the version from 3 years ago was herbal and green-y, this is far more fruity. It reminds me a little of a delicious snack I learned about several years ago, which is basically fresh orange slices with olive oil and seat salt sprinkles over the top. The citrus definitely has the strongest presence, but this isn't foodie or childlike. This is a rather adult interpretation. I hope it stays this way! Dry Down: A beautiful, slightly bitter orange, with some depth. I get no violet or anything else. It's not at all like King Mandarin. This is it's own, beautiful thing. In All: Low to medium throw with a strong citrus presence- this is perfect for welcoming the sun back after a long, cold winter!

In The Bottle: Booze-soaked sponge cake and frosting. NOMNOMNOM Wet On Skin: There's something...lemony in here. It's actually reminding me of the italian sponge cake my family used to get on special occasions when I was a kid. I wasn't a fan then (I just wanted Duncan Hines box cakes!) but the smell now is really rather incredible. Dry Down: Strangely, I get no apple from this. Zero. None. But it *does* smell like delicious sponge cake with delicious, ever-so-slightly booze-laced frosting. In All: Very low throw and a hint of holiday spice, this scent is a lovely day-time foodie treat. Glad I have a bottle!

In The Bottle: Holy moly, that's some serious strawberries and cream! Wet On Skin: Oh. Holy. Cheeses. Yes- this is all donuts, all the time. It's really...it's really just...oh man. Dry Down: Yes. This is fried dough and this is homemade, chunky, strawberry jam. And, for only the second time in BPAL personal history, this is *literally* making my mouth water. I am actually drooling a little. In All: Low throw and it's just as well because with a scent this delectable, it's a slather situation to be sure. On a different note, I just want to say that I normally amp sugar notes like CRAZY put the sweet aspect of this beautiful, yummy fragrance is staying put. Hoard-worthy! Stock up!!!

In The Bottle: YUM. I wasn't sure what to expect from the suet note, but having grown up with a bird-watching grandmother, I have plenty of background in the scent, owing to the frequency with which it's mixed with birdseed. Here, in the bottle, there's a smoky/fatty thing going on that adds something singularly rich and delicious to the sweeter, lighter, somehow fruity notes of the rest. Wet On Skin: Yup, still lots o' suet and, though not specifically listed in the notes, there's quite a bit of fruit going on round these parts. Again, there's a lovely balance here, I don't object in the least! Dry Down: Ahhh, *there's* the baked-sweets aspect I was waiting for! Like the Puddins of Trading Post yesteryear, there's a rather specific...'pudding' note that's present in here. I get no custard, sadly, but it's sugary and a bit buttery and, with the mystery fruits and the suet, it's making me incredibly sad that I can't eat my own hand. In All: Low throw, a nice, spicy-sweet food scent, for all the foodie-lovers out there. If you liked the TP's Puddin scents, get this- you won't be disappointed.

Apples and ale stewed with orange and lemon rind, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, maple syrup, and dark rum. I am a long-time fan of BPTP's candles. Back when I was a retailer, I fawned over the display of said candles in my shop all the time- I wanted them all for meeeeeeee! But, because they were so adored by our customers, I selflessly gave them pick of the litter. So, interestingly, this here Mulled Cider is my very first Trading Post candle that I get to have all to myself. Yay! And boy, am I NOT disappointed! As hoped, this candle brings the holiday season right down into a tangible container full of yumminess. Take the best orange pomander you made as a kid, mix with the best spiked hot cider you've had as an adult, et voila! You have seasonal perfection! Sara does a simply incredible job with these candles, which burn cleanly and are super long-lasting. I purchased this one for the specific purpose of having it to scent my home on the Solstice, which is when I'm having my birthday / holiday party this year, but in the interim, I'll leave it out in my living room because it's fragrant enough that it'll impart a mild scent to the air just with it's mere presence. If I get birthday money this year, I know what I'm spending it on- more candles from the Trading Post!

When I read the list, this was the one, by far, that I was most excited about. *Fingers crossed* In the bottle: Super sweet apple cider. Like "Snow, Glass, Apples", with the snow element missing. Wet on skin: Ok, a little bit of a boozy edge is emerging at this point, and it's tempering some of the sweetness the apple notes invariably have. I can't decide yet if I like that or not Dry down: Yup, boozy apple, alright. This is definitely more applejack than country cider. In all: for those that were hoping for a slightly more "adult" apple scent, this may well be the one for you. I, personally, am unsure if I like the addition of the booze or not. I think I'll have to give it a few weeks and try again before I say for sure.