tinyvulture

the driest incense blend ever. i’d classify it as masculine, but i like it well enough on my skin too. the lab description leaves nothing out: incense, sharp sweet opium smoke, a distinct tobacco smell, and yes, this actually does smell dusty, enough to make my nose twitch! i envision exploring a mysterious great-grandfather’s dark attic, blowing layers of dust off strange old keepsakes, and the lingering scent of tobacco and opium lingering on his jackets.

i smell incense resin and something grassy and woodsy and slightly astringent…balsam or reeds maybe? i’m just guessing there. there’s maybe a tiny amount of nag champa in there somewhere but it’s definitely not your typical head shop incense. i love incense blends, but i’ve never smelled anything like this. i’d say there’s a bit of sweet flower petals in it too, just lingering in the background. i really love this; it’s unique. the only downside is that it doesn't seem to have a lot of throw.

on me this is all honey and sandalwood, a sexy combination to be sure. i usually describe this sandalwood note as "pencil shavings" and sometimes it's too much, but i think the honey is its perfect companion. the powdery amber is especially lovely here, as well. bpal’s honey has become one of my favorite notes and it really shines in this blend. i like it a lot.

i smell pineapple, florals and vanilla. the orchid is soft, barely recognizable, but it's there. a layer of warm musk underlying everything else. a sweet, light tropical scent.

i smell bright, lush florals. and cinnamon? just a touch? and something like fresh green grass. and maybe some juicy, tart red fruit? whatever’s in this, the name fits perfectly. it’s sunny and warm and summery. a keeper.

lavender! and i could have sworn there was eucalyptus in this too, when i first applied it – it really cleared my sinuses! the lavender is blended with other florals, but i can’t tell what they are. i don’t smell any rose, and i’m not sure what wisteria smells like. i’m not really picking up the musk either. a bit of spicy sandalwood, fresh lavender, and some other flowers – an evocative, feminine scent.

i haven’t yet tested this oil’s ability to attract wealth, but it sure does smell good. like a sweet red lollipop. strawberry or cherry, i can’t quite tell. it kind of reminds me of cherry chapstick, actually. but wait, i smell grape too. like a grape popsicle. there’s a light floral perfume in the background, too. a nice cheerful scent. i’ll wear it to my job where i’m campaigning for a raise, and report back.

i had a pretty immediate aversion to this one because of the lime and lemongrass. my skin really amps up the citrus, and the citrus/coconut combination is just not doing it for me. those are the only notes i can make out, as i’m not sure what the florals in it actually smell like. i’ll be swapping this to someone who can give it more love.

a dark floral perfume, sweetened by a touch of currant. the smoky poppy is the strongest note. sadly, i can't smell the musk or patchouli on my skin. and the throw is very faint, even though i kept applying it in order to do this review. i know it will be better on others, so it's off to swaps.

remember those scented markers when you were a kid, that came in scents like apple, and mint? this smells like a few of them, all rolled together! the aquatic, green apple, and mint notes stand out on my skin, and they make an odd combination. i think i smell coconut as well. the notes seem to stay individualized rather than blending together to form something new, if that makes sense. not for me. off to swaps!

on me, this is a blend of red berries, cherry (not listed in the notes, but i swear it’s there!) and greenery. i’m not picking up a specific “fresh cut grass” scent that i was expecting, and i can’t smell anything floral. i guess this is supposed to be a springtime scent, but it reminds me more of the holidays because it’s a bit like potpourri. it's pleasant – probably a good room scent.

jasmine and soft musk. sweet, mysterious. the jasmine really works for me here! the musk is a tad “baby powder-ish”, but in a nice way. it works to smooth out the jasmine and keeps it from going soapy. i can’t tell what the other floral notes are. i barely notice them because the jasmine is definitely the star. there’s some spices too, but i couldn’t name them. it’s a lovely scent.

at first it smells like sweet, tart grapefruit. after it dries, a soft, sweet powdery note comes out as well. the myrrh, maybe? i can’t smell the lavender or chamomile at all. i feel like i have smelled this before...perhaps in my childhood?... and have good associations with it. it does smell a bit like lipton iced tea, as jasmineboreal said! i think it is a happy, innocent scent, something a young girl could wear. i normally don’t like citrus scents, but this is the first grapefruit BPAL i’ve tried, and i am a fan.

orchid is one of the few florals that i really adore, so i’m glad it’s the first note i smell when i apply this to my wrist. the jasmine and rose are also noticeable. they are slightly soapy but not too bad. as it dries, something smoky comes out. it smells exactly like the smoke from a candle when you blow it out. reading the components, i have no idea what it could be, but it blends with the orchid really well. there’s also something super sweet and fruity. whatever it is, it makes this blend too sweet and “girly” for me to wear often, but i still like it all right.

when i first apply this, i smell pine, sweet red berries, and earth. it seems like a potpourri/holiday scent. but as it dries, some notes fade out and i’m left smelling dark wet soil, sweetened with something i can’t put my finger on…sometimes i think it’s a coffee note (the cedar?); other times it is more like sweet powdery incense note. whatever it is, it evokes certain memories (even though i’ve never been to jersey) and i really like it. smells great on both sexes.

this has the same rich grape wine and syrupy honey notes as kali, but it's more mellow. the musk smooths everything out. it’s got a “cough medicine” smell at first, but that goes away once it dries. the combination of wine, honey, and florals are really lovely. it also reminds me of athens (my favorite bpal ever) without the incense, or urd without the patchouli. it’s happy, sweet and fruity, yet warm and complex. great for a miserable rainy winter day like today. i predict this imp will be used up very quickly.

i finally got around to ordering an imp of this scent, which i’ve been wanting to try forever. i knew i would love it! it’s the perfect, dark, resinous incense blend. this is the darkest one yet! sweet, woodsy and smoky. the patchouli is biting and strong…almost bitter…but in a good way. i think it’s slightly similar to midnight mass, but without the odd “banana” note. i’m putting this on my big bottle list right away.

this scent is similar to O or la petit mort. the honey and powdery body musk are the strongest notes, and there’s also a floral component. just a tiny bit of boozy cognac. and I agree that there is a “peanut butter” aspect, as other reviews have mentioned, but it seems to fade after drydown as the lovely floral/honey blend really comes to the forefront. after it dries completely, it is a very subtle, pretty, “second skin” type of scent...i like it a lot.

i love leather and i LOVE red musk, but they don't go together very well on me. the red musk turns sweet and cloying, which has never happened before. it does the same thing on my husband, on whom leather scents usually smell fantastic. i guess i'll stick with my favorite leather (doc constantine!) and red musk (mme. moriarty!) scents from now on. this scent is ok, i don't hate it or anything...these particular notes just work better separately, for me.

i don't usually like lemon, but i had to see if shub lived up to it's hype. and it does! indeed it is mostly gingerbread -- the astringency of ginger, plus all those nice sweet baking spices. there's a strong touch of fresh lemon. there are a couple other notes i can't put my finger on -- something clean and herbal, and also something sweet and smoky...myrrh maybe? this is such a happy, comforting yet invigorating scent. i am a big fan.

On first application, I smell pumpkin baking in a rich buttery crust. Then the ginger and orange come out. The ginger is strong! Now it smells like gingerbread mixed with pumpkin pie. The mandarin adds a sweet, bright sparkle to the mix. A great, cozy fall scent.

At first, this smelled of butter and apples. But as it dried, those scents quickly faded, and it turned into Red Lantern. Caramel, coconut, and booze. No apples anywhere in sight. Delicious and fun, but too sweet/foody for me to wear very often, so it’s off to swaps.

Bewitching, tantalizing and dangerously seductive. A thrilling, exotic blend -- deceptively sweet, but spiked with malice. White ginger, jasmine, and a touch of vanilla and apricot. I applied this and immediately thought, "Wow, this is pretty hot!" Apricot is made sophisticated with the addition of ginger and jasmine. On me, jasmine sometimes smells powdery/old-lady, and sometimes smells exotic/sexy. Here, happily, it's the latter. If you like other sexy fruit blends like Depraved or Intrigue, then this is probably for you.

I smell pear, jasmine, and maybe banana and mint? I’d classify this scent as fruity, floral, and also herbal. It’s pretty strong. And…it’s just not me. It’s a spring/summer scent, and I’m a fall/winter girl. But I’d recommend it for anyone who is cheered by fruity florals.

a strong scent, redolent of wine and lush roses. myrrh adds its smoky sweetness, and the musk adds fullness and warmth. an interesting combination, but i’m picky about my rose perfumes. sometimes i like ‘em and sometimes i don’t, and it really depends what the rose is blended with. i just don’t care for it here. it’s like the sourness of the wine brings out a bitterness in the rose. too bad for me, but good for someone else when i swap this one.