tinyvulture

coconut, dry woods, and red musk – what a great combination. this reminds me somewhat of the coconutty, seafaring GC scents Blood Pearl and Elegba. but the red musk really adds a whole other dimension. it’s warm and sexy, while the leather and tobacco add a masculine sharpness. and then there’s just a hint of lime. other reviews mention aquatic notes, but i’m not getting that. this pirate ship is not at sea, but shored up on some remote tropical island. eta: this scent is quite the morpher! about 10 minutes after application, the coconut has completely faded and the lime is super strong. but give it 10 more minutes, and it’s all dry, spicy woods (this is my favorite phase). long-lasting, with decent throw.

this smells like a cherry cola when i apply it. then the boozy notes come out. plenty of vodka and spicy rum in this libation! after about a minute, i can pick out each of the notes listed in the description. this is a pretty complex recipe. the almond liquor, mint, orange water and lime all add something. a refreshing and tropical drink that’s not too citrusy – perfect!

at first sniff, this smells like freshly-squeezed orange juice. it’s very sweet and citrusy. as it dries, the scent becomes more complex and there are some green, herbal notes – the bamboo and palm fronds, i’m guessing. i’m not sure if i’ve come across those notes before. the hibiscus seems to be hiding. minutes later, it still smells like orange juice to me!

when i sniffed this in the imp, i so hoped it would work on me. it was absolutely mouth-watering: buttery, cakey, coconutty. this may be an obscure reference, but it smelled like one of those raspberry zinger snack cakes – they’re like a twinkie, only they’re dyed bright red and rolled in coconut. BUT, when i applied it to my wrist, it quickly took on an unpleasant plastic scent. noooo! it actually reminds me a lot of beaver moon. maybe the beaver will make a comeback someday and i can snag a bottle, since it doesn't turn to plastic on me.

I remember Absinthe (the BPAL scent; I’ve never tried the drink) being very minty and lemony, and this is quite different. I mainly smell black licorice and Ricola cough drops (the original herbal kind!) Seriously, that’s exactly what it smells like to me. Sweet and medicinal. There’s a touch of smoky opium and light, soapy florals in the background. This is a really unique and different scent. I’m not sure how to classify it. Herbal/foody? I’d love a hard candy that tasted like this, but I’m not sure I’ll wear it as often as it should be worn. Probably off to swaps.

amber’s the strongest note, immediately recognizable. the perfect amber – sweet and warm and a little powdery. the vanilla musk is its ideal companion, since it is also warm and sweet. i don’t really smell the myrrh or cedar or sandalwood individually. there’s just a general woodsy, spicy undertone that is quite pleasant, but doesn’t make me go “whoa!” i think i’d enjoy it more and be able to pick out the notes better if it had more throw. it’s just not as strong as i’d like.

a fresh, clean floral scent. it’s not really “herbal”, but there’s something “green” about it. makes me think of springtime and everything starting to bloom. there’s a strong, crisp tea note. i smell absolutely nothing metallic that makes me think “chrome.” in fact i’d say this is one of the lab’s more commercial-smelling women’s perfumes, on my skin anyway. it’s very flowery and feminine.

a glorious blend of rose and incense. i was expecting something similar to Rose Cross, but this isn't nearly as sweet -- i don’t think there’s any myrrh in it. the rose smells freshly cut and slightly tart/soapy, and it’s absolutely lovely combined with the woodsy resins (sandalwood?) i love Rose Cross, but this is even better. a lot of incense blends go very sweet on me, which i don’t mind, but it’s nice to have something different.

crumbly parchment and slightly soapy incense, warmed by red musk. i never tire of red musk. it’s usually so bold, sexy, and juicy, but here it’s toned down a lot by the dry, somber parchment, resins, and smoky brimstone. a unique showcase for one of my favorite notes. i sometimes can’t wear parchment blends because they are too dry, but this is just right. several minutes after it dries, it smells a lot like nag champa incense, only muskier. very nice.

there is a LOT of cardamom in this, not that i’m complaining. i love cardamom, and i can’t think of another BPAL scent where it’s so noticeable. typical of the lab's attention to detail, the cherries actually have that distinct “cherries in liqueur” scent of cherry cordials, rather than the juiciness of fresh cherries. i don’t smell a lot of chocolate. these cherries haven’t been slathered in it. it’s more like a light, thin shell of chocolate. i can’t pick out any caramel or vanilla, either. just those lovely spicy cherries.

the syrupy, resinous sweetness of Snake Oil is complemented here by a couple more sweet resins: copal and frankincense. i love the golden warmth of copal. it’s one of my favorite incenses, and i certainly wish i had an incense or room spray that smelled like this. it’s intoxicating, with tons of spices and rich vanilla. it’s hard to say, since they are all so awesome, but i THINK this is my favorite member of the Snake Pit. it’s gorgeous and has excellent throw.

i definitely smell cedar and sandalwood, and patchouli. it reminds me a lot of Sri Lanka, loaded with heavy resinous woods and the darkest, earthiest patchouli. i don’t smell the rose or cinnamon. there’s only a hint of nutmeg, but that little touch of spice enhances the dry spiciness of the woods, and it wouldn’t be the same without it. this is too dark and strong for me to wear on a regular basis, but my husband loves Sri Lanka and i’m sure he’ll enjoy this as well.

i’m not sure how tea rose differs from other roses. this may be a stupid observation, but i don’t smell any tea here. i smell a very sharp, strong rose. no stems or greenery, just straight rose. crisp and intense rather than sweet or powdery like some rose scents i’ve tried. there’s almost a tartness or sourness to it that i wasn’t expecting. if you want ROSE in capital letters, try this. it’s a little too strong for my taste.

i smelled something that reminded me of green grass or green vegetables, was slightly medicinal, and quite soapy. i couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it was, so i peeked at the scent description. wasabi! i don’t smell the tea or honey, just this strange, sharply green little root. it doesn’t make my eyes water like when i eat it on sushi, but it did make me choke up a little when i sniffed too deeply. if you enjoy grassy, herbal scents, this may appeal to you. it’s a bit too strong for me, though.

the boswellia (frankincense, basically -- right?) and myrrh give this a somber, mystical, “church incense” feel, but what i’m really loving is the warm, dry, piney sweetness of the copal. i’m a sucker for all sweet resin blends, and the copal just elevates this to golden wonderful perfection. i don’t even notice the rose. if you want a rose and incense blend, try Rose Cross. this is all resins, and i have no complaints about that!

the crisp, wintry scent of frozen slush and sharp eucalyptus. i love forest scents, but honestly, this doesn’t remind me of a forest. there’s really very little pine. it’s in there, along with light florals i can’t identify, but the snow and eucalyptus are definitely the stars. i’d say this is like a less sweet, more masculine version of Snow White’s chilly florals.

Monoi de Tahiti, vanilla, white coconut, tuberose, ylang ylang, white musk, red hibiscus, and neroli. the gardenia and hibiscus are most noticeable when i first apply it. these pretty tropical blooms are intensely sweetened by the vanilla and a touch of coconut (if you don’t like coconut, don’t worry, it’s very light). the orange-scented neroli adds vibrancy and cheer. a fun, energetic summertime scent – sweet, tart, floral and citrusy. and yes, agreeing with other reviewers, it does smell like Sweet Tarts!

now that i finally recognize the scent of gardenia, i can tell it’s strong here. the orchid is far more subdued. the vanilla is lovely and there’s just the slightest touch of exotic incense. breezy, floral, tropical and feminine. nice when you just want something subtle and light. a similar GC scent would be Euphrosyne, with its gardenia sweetened by vanilla.

a strong, powerful scent, loaded with cedar and vetiver. there’s also something spicy and medicinal – i would guess sassafras, although it’s not listed in the description. i don’t smell any tangerine. there’s nothing citrusy or sweet about this. it's one of those awesome scents that really captures the smell of being out in the woods, breathing in the trees and earth. perfect for lovers of vetiver and of dark, heavy, woodsy blends.

the strong vetiver scent of the khus is the first thing i smell. my, how vetiver has grown on me. i love it’s sweet earthiness. it’s like an olfactory symbol of autumn. the combination of vetiver and dried leaves makes this scent somewhat similar to Samhainophobia, but it’s more grassy and herbaceous. the oud and galangal contribute herbal qualities. it’s a masculine scent, but not such a strong “men’s cologne” as October. of the GC scents, i’d say this is most similar to Scarecrow -– the sun beating down on dried, scorched grass -- but with the addition of lots of vetiver.

i smell fruity wine combined with clay. the clay note is interesting. it really does smell of clay, freshly dug from the earth, with traces of dirt mixed in. there’s also the blood note, similar to that in my beloved Centzon Totochtin. it’s a difficult note to describe, but it’s resinous and slightly sweet. this is not a bold scent. there’s a dustiness to it, like it’s been aged for years and forgotten about. that seems appropriate, given the name. very pretty in a subdued way.

i confess…i’ve never had a martini! that said, Swank smells to me like a fizzy and slightly lemony soda pop -- a Sprite or 7-Up perhaps. crisp, refreshing, tart, sweet. the subtle fruitiness of the pomegranate is a nice addition. light, cheery, bubbly.

whoa, this is heavy. a heavy, dark, smoky fog of opium and various burning resins. it’s so strong, practically oppressive, and yet there’s so much beautiful sweetness from the benzoin and opoponax and of course the opium. the orchid isn’t noticeable at all for several minutes except as a vague soapy note in the background, but it becomes more recognizable over time. i’m having a conflicting emotional reaction to this. on one hand, i think it’s gorgeous in a ceremonial, somber, church incense kind of way. i’d love to attend a mass that smelled like this. on the other hand, i think it’s totally sexy in a powerful, masculine way, and i can’t wait to slather it on my husband! definitely one of the most unique bpal blends i’ve ever tried.

here is lotus at its boldest and fruitiest, perfectly balanced by a soft, true rose note. an enchanting combination. i think i smell cherries, too. like cherry cough syrup. in a good way. perhaps it’s just the fruitiness of the lotus. this is the ultimate in femininity. super sweet without being childlike or cloying. it’s definitely a grown-up woman’s perfume, perfect for a romantic date.

if you’ve ever used Lush’s ‘A Ring of Roses’ buttercream, this scent is quite similar. soft, romantic rose and invigorating, citrusy neroli combine in an unexpectedly lovely way. well, unexpected for me, because i often find neroli bitter. here, however, the rose accentuates it and it becomes a thing of beauty. i detect only a hint of almond and none of the clove or nutmeg. i think this is nice to put on fresh out of the shower in the morning -- the citrus wakes you up and the rose calms you down, and you’re ready for the day.