tinyvulture

i like the soothing, astringent rosemary in this. together with the bay, it’s a medicinal, herbal scent. there’s just a little touch of lemon – it’s not a citrusy blend. the pine is noticeable, too. the pine and rosemary aren’t a good combination with my chemistry. thatt’s weird, because i love them individually. they’re just not mixing well, on my skin. i left it on for awhile to see if it morphed any. 10 minutes later, it does smell a little more “combined,” but something is still off. oh well, it’s a pretty masculine scent anyway, so i bet it will smell better on my husband.

this scent is all about summer. the honey mead is just gorgeous. i smell honey, resins, and florals that smell vaguely of licorice and lemon. it’s bright and sunny and calls to mind that time of year when everything is in full bloom. after it dried, i kept hoping the lemon would fade out so i could fully appreciate the honey. i’m not really a fan of citrus scents, but my skin always amps them. that’s what happened here – the lemon stays strong while everything else faded. oh well, i’m used to it by now. i think it will still make a good room scent.

this is just like satyr on me. what is that note that makes me run to the sink to wash it off? civet? it smells like an animal who needs a bath. i'm glad this smells better on others!

Thin, dark, and shadowed. A scent that offers no sustenance, comfort or satiety: lemon peel, white sage, frankincense, lavender fougere, sandalwood, vetiver and labdanum. my skin has for once chosen to ignore the lemon (yes!) and allow the other notes to take center stage. the sage and lavender make this a sweet herbal blend, but the sandalwood and vetiver add woodsy and earthy notes, making it more masculine and complex. the frankincense makes me think of church incense and adds to the quiet serious tone of this scent. it smells good on my husband, but i can wear it too.

there’s some sort of bitter citrus in this blend that doesn’t sit right with me. it smells like citronella candles. i’m guessing it’s the spikenard. the biting ginger and olive leaf are coming on strong, too. unfortunately, my skin seems to be ignoring all of the ingredients i really love, like the myrrh and musk and patchouli. where are they? this reminds me of walking into a health food store. it’s got a bitter medicinal scent. it’s not unpleasant, but i can’t wear it as perfume. i had high hopes for this one, but i’ll have to swap it.

i was so happy to finally be able to try this one! and i was not disappointed. it’s lovely, a mixture of rich sweet cream and light florals. almost like buttercream frosting, but not that foody. i think there’s also a touch of vanilla and mint. a calming, comforting, gorgeous scent. now i just hope it returns some day so i can get a bottle! i had to add this: half an hour later, far from fading, this scent has only gotten stronger, richer, and creamier. heaven!

a perfect pine scent. in the woods at night, among the evergreens, the winter wind biting at your skin. i even like this more than my beloved Black Forest. it’s similar but more complex. the musk and amber add warmth, and it’s slightly sweetened by the tonka. this is the best men’s cologne i’ve ever smelled, but it’s really a unisex scent in my opinion.

almond, lilies, saffron, and something citrus – the bergamot? – are the notes my skin picks up. jasmine usually amps up on me, but i can’t smell it at all here. no patchouli or incense, either. after it dries, the fruity citrus aspect fades, and i’m left with a creamy almond (like Organ Grinder) with light florals. i think the saffron is what gives it that mellow creaminess. i prefer Morocco as saffron scents go. this doesn’t have enough throw to suit me; it’s quite mild.

amber and…raisins? i’m not sure what fruits are in this, actually. i don’t smell anything fresh and juicy…more like dried fruits. or currants, maybe? there’s a “baked goods” aspect to it -- kind of like fruitcake! there’s also a touch of soft floral. for me, amber is a winner whatever it’s combined with. my only complaint is that it doesn’t have a ton of throw.

I smell cold, moss-covered marble blended with the spicy tang of dragon’s blood. Dragon’s blood doesn’t always work on me, but I love it here. Also, there’s the same intriguing “dry leaves” note found in Samhainophobia. I wasn’t sure about trying this one, but I’m glad I did. A foreboding, desolate autumn scent.

warm skin, reminiscent of O or la petit mort. it’s really close to O because it also has those sweet honey and powdery amber notes. however, the calla lily is the strongest on my skin, and makes it into an extremely floral scent overall. i can’t smell the spices. it’s pretty, but too floral for me...so i think i’ll stick with my bottle of O.

a floral blend, with a soft touch of incense. i’m not sure what kind of flowers, but maybe something tropical? there’s something the smells faintly of banana. and i think it must share something in common with Malice, because it has that same “Ban de Soleil” tanning gel scent. i wonder if it’s the clove and ylang ylang? whatever’s in this, it is a sweet and comforting scent, with the florals nicely balanced by the incense resins to keep it from being too flowery.

the essence of purple – violets and grapes. there’s something “cold” about this blend. i’d say it is very dignified. the grape isn’t the usual juicy, bold note i’ve loved in other bpal blends. i think it’s overpowered by all the powdery, floral notes. it’s interesting but overall, it’s too floral for me.

at first, i can smell everything – the buttery sweet cake, the herbal green olive leaf, the tart wine, and the greek church incense. i wouldn’t call this a foody scent, since the cake note disappears very quickly. after it dries, it’s mostly the incense that remains, with a hint of wine. i love incense blends, so this one is right up my alley. gorgeous.

i got this as an “extra” in a swap. i had been in no hurry to try it, and now i feel pretty silly about that! it’s one of those lovely surprises that makes me think i better try every single scent, regardless of what i think of the description, because you just never know. i love it. soft creamy vanilla and powdery amber, over white linen, with just a touch of dried flowers. sweet, clean, feminine, amazing.

in the imp, this smells extremely sweet and fruity – like kool aid! on my skin, the fruitiness dies down, and the strong evergreen notes of the Black Forest come forth. there’s also that familiar BPAL slushy snow note, strong and sweet. the almond and tart apple notes fade in and out, and i smell menthol as well. 15 minutes later, it’s all snow-covered pine trees. a delightful, wintry scent.

The fear of Halloween. Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves. a warm, woodsy fall scent. reminds me of hexennacht, but darker. and it’s got the same awesome “autumn leaves” note as samhain. like being out in the woods at night, warming your hands by a fire. sometimes vetiver and oakmoss are too “earthy” on me, but i love them here. the herbal balsam and sweet patchouli combine with them perfectly. i’d like to get a bottle – hope it returns in ’07!

i mostly smell the rose and patchouli and that amazing, powdery black musk. thank god the neroli and bergamot aren’t going into citrus overload as usual – i really can’t smell them at all! there’s just a bit of tart apple when i first apply it, that quickly fades. then the vanilla pops up in its place, adding sweetness. 10 minutes later the patchouli’s faded and i’m left with sweet musky vanilla rose…very alluring and sexy but in a soft, understated kind of way...might need a big bottle of this.

this is the first bpal almond scent that i’ve really loved. it doesn’t turn bitter and it’s not too “foody.” i LOVE whatever it’s combined with! the honey, of course. i love bpal’s honey note. but what are those amazing spices? i can’t tell. something sharp. i sort of wonder if there could possibly be cumin in this. also, i think i smell some florals – roses and jasmine, maybe? i wish i knew, because it’s really an amazing combination.

buttery white vanilla cake. lighter than beaver moon. i can smell the currants as well, lending their slightly fruity sweetness. that “butter” note smells weird and artificial on me sometimes, but not here. a fun, playful scent. makes me hungry!

a simple scent – soft roses with light musk. i don’t really smell any spices. i like this on me, but i can see how it would be nice on the right guy, too.

strong jasmine sweetened with cherry and spiced with cinnamon. a bit like dr. pepper, as others have noted. unfortunately this is one of those blends where the jasmine goes “soapy” rather than sexy. damn skin chemistry, why do you only like jasmine SOME of the time?

ooh this is GOOD. i smell tobacco and cedar and leather mixed with a fine gentleman’s cologne. the vanilla adds sweetness. dare i say, i prefer this to tombstone. it's more...refined. but still rugged and manly . a new favorite.

this one reminds me a LOT of my beloved black forest, with its heavy juniper and pine notes -- but with the addition of sinus-clearing eucalyptus. i think i'll stick with black forest as my "foresty" scent, but this might be good for aromatherapy or when allergies are bothering me. very nice.

this is snake oil + gorgeous powdery, spicy resins. amber and frankincense, such lovely complements to the spicy woodsy vanilla of the original snake oil. it’s like all my favorite notes rolled into one bottle. and it has tons of throw and lasts a long time. my skin loves it, and it smells totally sexy on my husband as well. now i must try the other snake oil blends!