tinyvulture

the combination of woodsmoke and syrup calls to mind Hearth 2005 minus the pine notes. to me, they are very similar. this is a heavy, dark scent, but also sweet and comforting. i don’t smell the beer or the tar, just the thick bonfire smoke and caramelized sugary treacle. there’s a slight nuttiness as well, maybe hazelnut? but i wouldn’t say it’s a foody scent, because the smoke is such a strong element. a quintessential autumn blend for sure.

this isn’t what i expected. it’s a grassy, ozone-y men’s cologne. rather than brisk october nights, it actually reminds me of sunny indian summer afternoons. there was frost on the ground this morning so you wore a jacket, but now it’s tied around your waist as you walk along, noticing the brightly colored leaves raked into piles on the ground. autumn is definitely here, but you’ve got several warm days left before the chill and gloom set in. i like it for what it is, although it’s a bit masculine for me to wear regularly. i’ll have to try it on my husband.

Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream. instant love! pomegranate turns out to be an excellent fruity companion for pumpkin, saving it from becoming too buttery (as it often does on me). the tart fruit notes are perfectly balanced with the rich white chocolate and luscious caramel and cream (i'd say the cream is more prominent than the caramel -- it's that lovely creamy note also found in the candy butcher). an outstanding foody scent. i need a bottle immediately

to me, this is the scent of relaxation. imagine it was a long, stressful, hot day but now you’re finally home, freshly showered, in your comfy clothes. you’ve got the shades drawn, air conditioning turned up, relaxing on the couch, burning head shop incense, sucking on lemon drops, with a lavender eye mask over your eyes. ahhhh. you’re even starting to feel energized again. really nice. ADDED Nov. 24: a contradictory blend -- soothing, calming lavender contrasts with the peppy, cheerful citrus of verbena and neroli. there’s a lovely soft layer of powdery, resinous frankincense, and hints of sharp, medicinal rosemary that come and go. i like it, only it’s a bit too bright and citrusy for me.

i once had a cat named luna, so the name and its associations are dear to me. so, i’m happy that this is one of my favorite celestial blends. it’s cool, beautiful, delicate and feminine. floral, but not overwhelmingly so. very light jasmine. and something that reminds me of a lemon ice. or chilled grapefruit, maybe? the citrus is very subtle and comes and goes. in my mind, this scent is the palest yellow.

at first i smell crisp winter woods and slushy snow notes. it reminds me of several BPAL yule scents i’ve tried. then the dark earthiness of the vetiver makes its presence felt. the slush note turns lemony. now it smells like lemon-scented cleaner. it’s making my nose itch, so i better wash it off. darn lemon. it takes over everything, with my skin chemistry. off to swaps for this one.

cinnamon, anise, and a very dry, dusty wood. sandalwood, maybe. and dragon’s blood too, judging from the bold red of the oil in the vial. its sweet spiciness pulls the other notes together. and i think there’s something dank and earthy and mossy, as well. it’s an undertone i can’t put my finger on. i don’t really get a ‘mood’ from this. that is, it’s not really evoking any particular images or feelings. it is what it is. it’s neat, but i’m not big on cinnamon.

i just reviewed I Died For Beauty and it made me realize how much i love violet. and now this! the ultimate violet scent for me, as i also adore vanilla. a lovely, creamy, sweet floral. i’ve hardly ever bought 5mls of floral scents, but i need more of this.

when i first apply this, it smells medicinal and astringent. i guess there’s some mint in it, and maybe other herbs. then a strong metallic note comes out. and lavender. and then cinnamon. it’s funny how the notes just keep popping up and announcing their presence. seems so chaotic. it’s just not a good combination of notes for my chemistry.

i’m surprised at how much i’ve come to appreciate florals thanks to BPAL. not all of them are for me, but now i know i should at least try them out. i’m often pleasantly surprised – like now. this is gorgeous. sweet violet and spicy ylang ylang and combine perfectly. is there vanilla in this? it’s so sweet. i guess it’s just the frankincense resins amping up the sugary violet. i don’t smell grave loam at all. this really reminds me of an old fave, Morgause. i’m realizing how much i like violet!

a cold, mechanical scent. i smell eucalyptus and oiled metal. i’m not sure how else to describe it. picture being in a chilly factory, the assembly line cogs grinding together, steam rising in the air... i can’t wear it, but i’ll try it on my husband. it might make me think he’s been working in the garage all day!

sharp greenery blended with powdery florals. i believe i smell rose and orchid. i do find it a little soapy. a serious, even haughty scent… there’s nothing playful about it. but the bitter herbal green quality softens and there’s a gentle sweetness. pretty but not my cup of tea.

Majesty - Expansion - Optimism Politics - Civic & Religious Leadership - Health Prosperity - Advancement - Justice - Benevolent Power - Responsibility Sagacity - Sworn Oaths dark, spicy and woodsy. the other reviews say it's redwood, so i'll go with that. (i tend to confuse cedar, redwood and sometimes sandalwood because they can all smell like pencil shavings.) i think there's also patchouli and a hint of sweet orange blossom. i love woodsy blends so this is right up my alley.

a warm, fiery blend. there is sweet citrus in this, but also something sharp and almost acrid, like dry grasses set ablaze by the sun. truly scorching and solar. one of the more interesting blends i’ve tried and one that truly lives up to its name.

a syrupy, dark resinous blend. i see that opoponax, onycha and labdanum are all resins, although i’m not familiar enough with them to say definitively that they’re what i smell. i can’t make out any florals, but the ambergris is apparent. i’m drawing comparisons between this scent and The Black Tower – another heavy ambergris/resin blend. a sweet, sinful scent.

i smell sweet tart apple, soft rose, and a drop of lemon. conflicted perhaps, but these notes actually seem to mesh very well! a cheery, youthful scent. i’m not head over heels for it, but it’s a perfectly good, fun, everyday type of scent.

a bold, spicy, extremely woodsy scent. it’s powerful; it has a real presence. there’s a strong cedar or sandalwood note (whichever one smells like pencil shavings and is kind of peanutty) combined with some herbs and spices i can’t identify. i think it’s too “dark” for summer, but it’ll be just right when the days get shorter and the weather turns crisp and cool. some might say this blend is masculine, but i’m a woman and this is my favorite of the Celestials, so i dunno.

a soft, romantic, feminine rose scent. it’s really light, dreamy and slightly powdery. i’m not picking up the citrusy or green elements that others have, but my skin really amps up rose. i’d wear this year-round whenever i want something simple but lovely.

I’m not really feeling the combination of spicy dragon’s blood and citrusy mandarin in this blend. With my body chemistry, the mandarin is so sweet and cheerful that this blend doesn’t really live up to it’s name! Oh well, I have other dragon’s blood scents that I love. Off to swaps for this one.

on me, this comes across as an odd blend of soapy aquatic and candle smoke. there’s a faintly sweet floral in the background. i’m picky about my aquatic blends and this one’s not right for me, but i do think it is interesting. a cooling, calming scent for a hot summer day.

mmm, spicy, smoky dragon’s blood perfectly blended with sweet, creamy vanilla. i used to really dislike dragon’s blood, but it’s grown on me tremendously and this may be its finest showcase. this is such a warm, soothing, pleasant scent to wear all day, any day. i think there’s a hint of cherry in it as well. i think this calls for a 5ml.

I swear, what I smell is soft creamy florals mixed with powdered sugar! It’s so sweet -- the vanilla really dominates. The jasmine is soft and I think that’s where the powderiness comes from. I don’t really smell the rose. A lovely, girly blend. I love vanilla, and this is one of the rare florals that seems made for me.

When I apply this, I immediately smell something extremely lemony… must be the verbena. It’s very strong, as it tends to be on my skin. The combination of verbena and ginger is sharp and clean. The green grass and rain notes also make this, overall, a very clean, fresh, springtime scent. The overpowering lemon, however, is too much for me. Off to swaps!

Clove and cinnamon! Spicy, sweet and foody. Nice, but straight spice blends aren’t really my thing. They tend to burn my nostrils. Still, it might be nice blended with a creamy, milky note to take away some of the fire.

lotus is usually way too sweet for me, but it’s toned down in this blend to where i can actually appreciate it. this is a sweet, fruity floral, backed with powdery incense. the lab has a certain incense note that smells like bananas on my skin, and that’s what i smell here. i haven’t noticed any dragon’s blood. i’m really surprised at how faint this scent is, considering how bold the lotus normally is. i don’t get much throw from it at all. a shame, since it’s the one lotus blend i’d wear regularly.