semuelle77

 

Despite having read the description (and being VERY excited to try it), I am like biocarolyn, I swear I am smelling cedar. On me that is not a good thing. I will be patient. I will wait and let it dry for a while. I am hopeful that the patchouli and frankenscence will come out to play, otherwise this is going to the swap pile. Sharp, almost BO smell is not for me!

 

Proof I didn't look up the notes- wet I was convinced I smelled rum, then it dried down to overwhelming cedar. It's odd, because I can usually tell the difference between sandalwood & cedar- I guess red sandalwood is closer.

 

The sandalwood amped on me as it dried down, and I got nothing but woods. Truthfully, I couldn't smell the patchouli. Maybe I'm broken LOL....

 

I just receive this is a swap and was dying to try it, yet slightly apprehensive considering how complex it is.

 

When I first applied the oil it went on fairly sharp, but with so many layers of scent that I knew I needed to wait it out. As it began to dry down, No. 93 Engine started to turn into what is hands down the spiciest BPAL I've tried. Holy cow!!! It was spicier than Scherezade or Bengal, and less sweet. (Which is a very good thing, considering I amp sweet to high heaven.) There is a slightly woodsy note anchoring the scent and an inscence or resin that reminds me of high holy days at church. Since I love the smell of the church inscence, this is a very good thing. (Does anyone know if that is the Balm of Gilead, the frankinsence, or a combo of both?) By the end of the day most of the resiny/inscence/woodsy goodness had faded away, leaving behind a rich sweet smell (saffron and benzion, perhaps?) It ended sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. I adore the middle phase so much that I immediately reapplied when I got home (a little over 9 hours after first application.)

 

No. 93 Engine has a medium throw and long wear. This scent gave the feeling of being wrapped in your favorite cardigan. Not bulky or flashy, but comforting and slightly decadent.

Cathode is a gentler, masculine version of Green Tree Viper. It seems to have the same mint notes, but is far less sweet. The ambergris provides a warm, musky base. Unfortunately, the scent sinks straight into my skin and nearly disappears. I had to SLATHER it, mixed with unscented body oil and it still remains very close to my skin. It is lovely, however. I'll definitely keep the imp and contemplate a bottle.

 

Now, to see if I can get my guy to try it on...

Oh noes!!! The note of doom!!!

I'm not sure what it is. Vanilla? Cream? Saffron? Whatever it is, it's also in Love's Philosophy. Sweet, sticky, putrid spoiled plastic milk. Blech!

I'm sure this is lovely one someone else, but I could not wash it off fast enough.

 

I had to try Hades based on the black narcissus alone. I so love it in Hunger. After trying Hades I have come to realize it really is the Black narcissus that I love, because my skin amps it liek whoa. I'm sure there is a difference between the two scents, but right now I can't tell. I will have to do a side by side comparison.

 

Hades has this smokey/spicy floral quality to it. The narcissus is bold, almost overwhelming at first. Once it "mellows" Hades is a vibrant, strong floral. A little goes a long way.

 

I will definitely be doing a Hades/Hunger comparison to see if I detect a difference, or if narcissus really does wrestle all other notes into submission. (Which would be just fine by me, since it plays so nicely with my chemistry.)

 

I snagged a decnt of DDLM a couple of years ago (2006 vintage.) I tested it at the time and it was nice to keep the imp, but nothing I was going to hunt down. It has been languishing in my imp box ever since. Last week I was sorting out my imp box and stumbled across it again. Since I was trying to decide what to keep and what to swap, I decided it was the perfect time to try it again (I mean it was November 1st, after all!)

 

DDLM is the perfect example of the benefits of aging. The overly sweet foody notes had completely mellowed, allowing the insence to come out to play. The drydown was a rich, drifting scent. It was complex and multifaceted. As I moved around while teaching I would catch wafts of scent, sometimes the same, sometimes tantalizingly different. It was absolutwely gorgeous. There was something about it that was reminicent of Ozymandius (another blend with "desert" aromas.)

 

Two years ago DDLM was worthy of keeping an imp. Today is in worth the effort to hunt down a bottle.

Yesterday and Friday I wore Samhainophobia 07. Today I wore (of course) Dia de los Muertos. I'll be wearing it again tomorrow, most likely.

 

If someone already asked this feel free to point me in the right direction.

 

I understand the use od reducer caps to eliminate possible "contamination" of the oil (especially if you are layering or have applied lotion.) What I don't understand is the use of a wand. How does that eliminate contamination? You rub it across your skin, right? Then you place it back in the oil. Wouldn't it transfer the same body oils and such that tipping directly onto the skin could contribute? I might be misunderstanding it all. Can anyone clarify for me?

 

Also, will the lab add reducer caps to an order if you only order imps? I'd like some for previously purchased bottles.

I'm really not sure what made me add a 1/2 imp of this to my decant order. Flowers and currant? A recipes for a sticky, sweet headache. Yet somehow... it all works. The note are so well blended that I can't identify them seperately. Without a doubt this is my favorite recent release. Heck, it is one of my BPAL faves, hands down. Dark, deep, sensual. This is unabashedly feminine, yet in no way girly. I completely agree with the other reviews stating it has a vintage feel. Kind of old Hollywood/femme fatale. It is similtaneously sexy and comfortable. I wear it and can't help but sniff myself. My boyfriend buries his nose in my neck.

 

Thank goodness for forumites who swap their unloved bottles!!!

 

Update: I wore BBM yesterday mixed with some unscented body oil. (Full body slather!) One of my coworkers told me I smelled like seduction. It's amazing how a scent can be both comforting and sexy at the same time.

I pick up a decant of Samhainophobia (07, I think) about a year and a half or two years ago. I tried it at the time and was rather meh about it.

 

A month ago I tried it again on a whim and OH HONEY! This bad boy aged beautifully. Deep, slightly spicy, smokey. It is Autumn in liquid form. This scent is not for those who like girly, femenine scents. I feel as thought I am out on a chilled October night. Leaves are burning in a bonfire, a mug of something warm and strong is clasped in my mittened hands. This is a scarf and sweater scent.

 

I tried it on my boyfriend and it was a sexy, masculine blend. On me it was very gender neutral without being butch.

 

I snatched up a bottle here on the forum and passed on my imps to the boy. Now I need to figure out if a second bottle is in order...

My boyfriend os wonderfully willing to wear whatever I dab him with. (MOstly I think he is tolerant because he loves how BPAL smells on me and how I react to BPAL on him )

 

The two that I absolutely LOVE on him are Frederic ans Samhainophobia '07. I need to find a non-LE that I love just as much.

 

My guy smells great wearing Jolly Roger or Frederic. Yum!

I've worn Ozymandias on interviews. It is light on me with a decent throw (yet not overpowering.) Whenever I wear it at work I always get compliments. It does smell more "mainstream" to me. Commercial perfume, but GOOD.

 

 

I second 51 and whoever recommends Sudha Segara.

51 because it's very fresh and light (I would've also recommended Neo-Tokyo had it still been in the catalogue - it's even nicer IMO), and smells very much like a department store perfume done right for a change.

 

Sudha Segara for being warm and gentle but still unique enough to be remembered by. However, if your skin amps milk notes or makes them go sour like crazy I'd go for 51 instead. SS is tea with ginger + lots of milk.

 

Pele works well, I think, because it's so light and inoffensive

 

Szepasszony is good if you're an aquatics person. Especially if the interview is in the summer.

 

Envy is great for herbal lovers. it's sweet, clean, unisex veering towards citrus. very much a "spa" scent.

 

I need to hunt down and beat... er, spank, the individual who sent me an imp of this with juuust enough to test it. Damn you!!! So very perfect on my skin. Warm and rich, just the tiny bit I put on is giving me nice wiffs of a subtly spicy leather. Cardamom has been my new favorite note since discovering Mama-Ji. In Spanked it not nearly as strong, contributing to the background of the scent. God, I can't stop sniffing my wrist.

 

It is really not fair that I discover these blends after they are long gone and highly coveted.

I think this one gave me a headache.

 

In the imp it was all floral. I keep thinking florals can work on me. Someday I will accept the truth, but for now I keep trying them.

 

On the skin this goes very sweet. It does not do the weird plasticy thing that the BPAL sugar notes does, but it is nearly overwhelming. I could smell the scent CONSTANTLY. This would not be a bad thing if I adored the scent. Gotta give it points for throw and wear length. Eventually I just smelled like very sweet floral soap. Oddly, while it seemed overwhelmingly strong to me, my mom (who has an incredibly sensitive nose) had to sniff my wrist to detect it.

 

I can see how this would be lovely on someone else, it just does not jive with my chemistry.

Amber, honey and musk. This should smell amazing. This should smell perfect on me. This should smell... like something, anything. It does not. I slathered this on but good, and I can only barely smell it when I shove my wrist against my nose. I think the tiny wisp of scent I detect is pretty, but it is so faint I can hardly tell.

 

Grr!!! I am getting no love from the recent update.

This is one confusing scent on me. Evey time I sniffed myself (which admittedly was often) that darn stuff smelled different! I feel as though it never settled into one final blend. It changed constantly. In the beginning I got this bright juiciness (currant?) followed by the tobacco. The coconut poked it's head out. It went through a longish caramel phase that I liked for a while, but then did this weird stale thing. The throw smelled noticeably different than the scent against my wrist. At one point I sniffed my wrist and thought "Misk U?" Now, a little over 7 hours later, the throw is almost gone. Against my skin it smells of amber, gentle caramel, and (possibly) opium. I like this stage, but it was a LONG time coming.

 

Complex would definitely be the way to describe it. I know I am going to have to try it again in a couple of weeks (once hormones change) to see if I get the same result. If so, I think the imp may sufice. It's not bad, just not quite what I am looking for in my BPAL.

I am really sad to say that I am with tarotgirl on this one. I wanted to love this, but it just ain't working on me. The first 45 seconds on my skin was great. I briefly got the wintergreen scent, but it was not bad. As it dried down it became hardcore vanilla. Not a soft, wafting vanilla, but a smack you in the face kind. I think I may understand what others talk about when they mention smelling plasticky. I felt like I smelled like Strawberry Shortcake's vanilla frosting friend. I only applied a toothpick swipe of it on my wrists and another on my neck. By no means did I douse myself. I could smell it all day long. Strong. This baby has so much throw that one of my 6th grade boys asked what smelled like vanilla. I had to admit that it was his teacher. Hopefully I can find a loving home for this imp since it will be getting no love from me.

I loved Cotton Blossom by VS. Any suggestions for something similar since it is discontinued?

I have been testing imp after imp. Every time, even when a scent does not work on me, I think "It nice, I can see why someone would wear it." I can always at least appriciate what Beth and her labbies have created.

 

Then I met Kathmandu. I have finally met a BPAL scent that I absolutely could not stand. I tried it in the morning, planning to wear it to teach. Thank god I did a sniff test before walking out the door. EW!!! My wrists smelled like perspiration. Stinky, middle of summer, underarm yuckiness. I don't know what notes (or combination of notes) created this horrible aroma. But wow.

 

Off to the swap pile. I really hope it works better on someone else.

Green Tree Viper was my first mint scent. I was not sure what to expect. I did not want to end up smelling like menthol all day. (It would constantly remind me of sore muscles.) Luckily, I did not get that vibe at all from this scent.

 

I received an imp of this little green guy very recently from a BPALer who had run a decant circle. I have a feeling the imp has aged a bit since it was first purchased. The mint was mellow, not overwhelming at all. Rich, creamy. I am thinking the Snake Oil is making a strong presence. (I have yet to try straight up SO.) There is a depth and spiciness comingled with the mint. It reminds me of this Mint Chai that I get at my local tea house. Yum!

 

After a couple of hours the mint completely dissapears. If what remains is true SO, then I need a huge bottle, PRONTO!

 

I like this scent. Very much. I think I need to try Snake Oil before I decide to puchase a bottle of Green Tree. If the mint truly did disappear, than I would just stick with SO. If the end product (dried down) smells unique, then I will definitely be purchasing a bottle before the Carnival leaves town.

I'm not sure about this one. I absolutely love honey. I will try nearly any scent that contains it. I want to love this. Honey! Wood! Molasses!

 

Wet: Oh. My. Yum! Wood and honey. I want to freeze the scent at exactlt this point. It is so perfect and amazing.

 

Dry: Honey? Wood? Where did you go? I miss you! The sugar takes over and it becomes a fake, sweet smell on me. Much like Sugar Skull. I love sweet. I am not loving the sugar note.

 

Verdict: I will reapply and give it another shot, but if nothing changes I am going to pass on this one. Oh how I wish that were not the case!

I, too, am part of the anti-floral ranks. That being said, I agree with the individual who mentioned Ozymandias. So lovely. It is on my "need a bottle" list. The only floral on the list.

 

You could also try Desdemona so long as tonka works on you. Fae is nice. Aeval.

I really wanted to like this. I was hoping for something crisp and fresh. After the dry down one note takes over and goes super powdery. I think it is the tonka. I don't think tonka likes me. It hijacks the scent, much the same way Desdemona gets hijacked on my skin. This makes me very sad. I think I need to stick with the spicy and gourmand scents.

 

Boo. There are tears, but they are fava tears, not Vampire Tears.

I ordered this from the lab in an imp pack. I have to many sweet, foody scents, I thought this might be a nice alternative.

 

 

In the bottle: Lemon! Very, very lemony. This is way different than any other BPAL I have tried.

 

Wet: Ack! Lemon Pledge! Not cool.

 

Dry: The lemon (thankfully) backs off. The amber steps foreward. I don't really ever get the ginger, sadly.

 

Verdict: Once it settles down, this is a soft, gentle scent. Sweet, but not overly so. I am glad I did not run to wash it off while it was still wet. Giving this one a bit of time to morph (and boy howdy, did it change) is worth the first blast of lemon cleaner smell. I have realised that amber works well on my skin, but can have a tendency to drown out other scents. I wish the lemon stayed a bit stronger. I like this. I will need to wear is again to determine if it is bottle worthy. Overall, a very nice scent.