donnatron

I am eternally hopeful that spring has finally sprung here but this city usually has a few April/May snow storms to contend with. My picks for spring: Hope: All sugary, spun rose. It's such an overwhelmingly "pink" scent. So girly and pretty! Belle Vinu: Beautiful, soft rosewood tempered with sandalwood and peach. I get some of the vanilla in this and it reminds me a bit of the stick sweet vanilla in Snake Charmer. Makhanitis: Bright, fruity and ass-kicking. A total power scent. White Moon: It's almost lilac time! Sundew: So bright, cheery and sweet. It's one of those ultimate good mood scents. Hony Mone: A luscious and warm second skin honey/floral. Great for rainy or drab days.

Bottle: Strong magnolia and tobacco flower with a bit of sweet tart dustiness from the blood orange. Wet: Lucy Westenra smells like orange candies. A little powdery, a little sweet/tart. Very... lickable but not in a sexual way. Just like the type of orange candies you can only buy in specialty sweet shops. Dry: Fully dry the florals really unfold and give this a beautiful edge. The strongest notes are the magnolia and tobacco flower with traces of the rose and jasmine. The frankincense is adding a slight, spicy kick and what I thought was a moonflower note is probably the white musk. This isn't necessarily what I would classify as feral for myself but I can definitely see how this would be considered feral on a proper Victorian lady. This is wanton. Throw: Not particularly strong. It wafts--I definitely get new and different hints of it all day. Overall: A strong, classical but still unique floral. I wouldn't necessarily classify it as a holy grail scent but am glad to have the bottle and it will see heavy rotation if spring ever starts actually springing around here.

Bottle: Sharp, bright and fruity. A touch of smokiness. Wet: Right off the bat this develops a slightly soapy edge. I think it's the champaca but it could be the wine acting up. I definitely get the comparisons to other scents in the GC and LE families but although this is a relative it seems like a complete scent in its own right. Dry: Sexy. The plum is the main note. It's high pitched, juicy and a bit tart. Under that I get a swirl of warm, sweet wine and the sandalwood and champaca give this a bit of an incense/headshop edge. It's not necessarily a dressed up scent but it's the type of scent that would make any outfit seem that much more pulled together. Throw: Awesome. Overall: I took a chance on Makhanitis because I adore all the notes and thought it reminded me a lot of Prospero which I missed (and then, ironically, picked up a bottle of on the forums while waiting for this order). I'm glad to have it because this is the sort of bright, fruity but definitely adult scent that I love to wear during (the hopefully soon) patio weather.

Imp: Gunpowder. So... dill. Dill and vinegar. Wet: The gunpowder dries down pretty quickly, actually. I get a hint of my beloved blood accord before the aquatics take over. Dry: General aquatic/lime/slight gunpowder. It sounds like it should be completely unique and commanding but the Phoenix falls flat on my chemistry. Sort of a clean, light citrus astringency. It's fine but I have many other BPAL scents that are droolworthy so "fine" does not cut it, sir! I get the faintest hint of the Snake Oil and it says a lot about this blend on my skin that I catch the Snake Oil and sniff madly trying to discern it and it alone. Throw: Strong and clean. Overall: I want to like it. Blood and woods and Snake Oil sound, well, delightful actually. But they get overpowered by the other elements and don't really work out as intended. I'm glad to have the decant but I'm not hankering after any more.

My bottle is from 05. Bottle: Dark. I get patchouli, smoke, pumpkin, fir and a bit of the apple. It's overwhelmingly dark and... well, dark. It smells like camping. Wet: The fir amps up and goes a bit crazy. This is a bit of a discordant scent here. The fir is off doing its own thing while the pumpkin decides to take over. I get predominantly pumpkin over warm patchouli touched with apple and nutmeg. It smells like Thanksgiving at my household--baking pumpkin pie and the scent of the disinfectant my mother used to clean the kitchen after starting the turkey lest we all die of salmonella poisoning. Dry: Pie. Serious, all out pumpkin pie. It's gorgeous and not as overtly foody as a totally pumpkin pie scent but that's the association I get. It's actually kind of witchy in a way. I get both a sense of a maternal, foddy sort of scent and then a wild and sultry dance around the fire throwing herbs, boughs and anything that strikes the fancy on a fire. It's cthonic. Definitely appropriate for the fall season and difficult to wear even in March which is still resolutely cold here. Throw: Up close I get more of the witchiness and herbal quality. From afar all I smell is pie filling. Overall: Samhain is a treasured BPAL and it deserves all its hype. It's a dark, beautiful scent and ages up something wonderful. Even for those of us (such as me) who cannot really deal with pumpkin it's a canonical scent and one that really indicates why BPAL is so wonderful. Most of the scents used in this are easiliy idenitfiable and as I smell it I can identify them all. But I can't explain what it is in just a series of notes. The true magic of the scent is what it conjures up in my mind just through the sense of smell. Samhain is definitely one of those scents that illustrate why BPAL is such a victory for Beth and such an addiction for the rest of us.

Speaking of boozy scents, if you can handle a white wine scent Fairy Wine has a pretty lovely dandelion note. Very sappy and reminds me exactly of picking dandelions as a kid. Also in the Gaimans but on the other end of the spectrum is The Owens Tomb. I haven't smelled it yet but the description is, "Marble and dust surrounded by burdock, knotweed, dandelions, daffodils, and long-dead calla lilies." So I think it's probably a cold, stoney scent with a sort of wildflower bent. Depends on what your skin chemistry amps. Phantom Queen is the only GC scent with clover (red clover, to be exact).

Ah, thank you. That is... indecent but perhaps the funniest of all the shungas I've seen so far. And I am definitely not hunting down a bottle of it for my boyfriend's Morman step mother until I have a talk with her about the label art. And you're absolutely right, yeahbutnobut; it's Jolly Roger, not Calico Jack.

Bottle: Vaguely rank. Musk and sweet booze. Rum, maybe? Rum/cognac blend? Very sweet and sugary. Wet: Hooboy, Smut amps up something strong on me and I am a ball of booze and red musk. I'm a total yes on the red musk but the sweet booze is a little overwhelming. Sometimes I get a hint of that latexy smell but I think it's partially psychsomatic. I never smelled latex until someone else pointed it out. Dry: Oh, baby! This is a perfect dark red musk with a swirl of sweet booziness, a touch of sweet tart and an overall sensual skin scent. It smells very indulgent and rich. And dark. Very, very dark. Conjures up images of a very powerful but wicked woman carried about her palace on a sedan by slave bloys. Which is... specific, but there you go. Throw: Good. Intense for the first hour or so and then backs down into a general haze around me. A close aura of scent. Overall: You gotta appreciate a little well done smut. This is a beautiful luxurient blend. It definitely deserves all the hype.

Schrodinger's Cat is a stylized picture of a cat with text next to it reading "The cat is dead/alive." There's a check box next to "Dead" and "Alive." Black Phoenix has an orange label with a phoenix on the left hand side. Calico Jack has a skull and crossbones. Snake Oil has the Carnival Noir style label. The Steamworks, Pharmacopeia, Salons, Rappaccini's Garden, Gaimans, Panacea and Picnic in Arkham all have unique labels as collections. I think that's it for the GC but it's a huge collection and I could have easily missed something. I did a search on the thread and couldn't find this: Anyone have a picture of Butterflies and Plovers from last years Lupercalia? My google image search just brought up pictures of people's BPAL boxes.

Imp: Lemon and floral. Wet: Um... well... it smells like a lemon flavoured condom. A strong, biting latex scent over a hint of lemon and lily of the valley. It's not really sensuous. It smells like I work at the lemon flavoured condom factory but probably have never sampled the wares. Dry: The latex scent dries down a bit but I still get a hint of it. It smells clean. Like fresh, clean skin that has been under a latex glove. It's kind of nice--I get primarily a lily of the valley scent and I do love me some lily of the valley. But I also get latex. And it creeps me out. I'm at home so I don't really have a tester pool for the metaphysical properties but I can't see the gents being into the scent of the old spinster lady who works down at the condom factory. Throw: Good. Overall: I dunno. I kind of like it despite all the latex I keep talking about. I saw the Watchmen this weekend and it probably smells a little like Laurie. Skin with a hint of perfume and a skin tight, kickass costume. Don't think it will go into heavy rotation but might join Highwayman in my pile of imps I keep to sniff because they confound me so.

Blood Rose is pure, unadultered sexy rose. No greenery. Just lush, damp petals touched with dragon's blood and berry sweet wine. It's one of my favourites in the GC and it deserves all the love it gets. Wicked is also a great red rose with no greenery. It has jasmine which can go... weird on people's skin but give it a whirl if you get the chance. And while it's listed as "rose amber" and not just rose, The Miller's Daughter has a great amber/rose blend. Very sweet, dainty and feminine.

Bottle: A layer of grassy, slightly bitter herbs and sweet dragon's blood. Very similar to the blood musk note in High Priest Not to Be Described. Wet: Still a two piece scent. The greens warm up on my skin and some of the florals start to unfold, particularly the muguet. I get a sense of the gingered lily and the bluebell as well. It's floral but not in a traditionally floral way. Under the herbal layer I can smell the dragon's blood musk warming to my skin. It's an amped down, savoury dragon's blood. Very warm and sensual. Dry: Allison Gross takes awhile to calm down but when she does she is beautiful. The dragon's blood musk adds this amazing feral skin musk note to a sultry crushed herbal/floral scent. It's sweet, skin close and very pretty. The herbal scent actually feels very at home on my skin which is not a quality I associate with a lot of the greener scents. It smells like crushed greenery and herbs over my dragon's blood perfume. Throw: Close to the skin. Overall: If you want a more herbal/floral Red Moon 07 Allison Gross is your bet. If you want a feminine High Priest Not to be Described, Allison Gross is also your best bet. I would put her in a spectrum with those two scents but she is definitely an experience all her own. A beautiful, interesting, sensual scent perfect for the transition into spring.

Imp: Fig, dragon's blood and the dread pirate black musk (we have a tempermental relationship. It's like Wuthering Heights). Wet: Dragon's blood and red musk. The red musk amps up right away and covers all the other scents. After a few moments it calms down and I can smell the sweetness of the fig and a touch of the currant underneath. The black musk is there but it's a bit separate from the rest of the scent. Dry: OMFG. A: This reminds me a lot of Snake Oil. I really like the savoury/medicinal aspect of the Snake Oil drydown and I always thought it was vetiver but maybe it's a red/black musk combo? I really like this. Sweet dragon's blood and red musk with the sultry sweetness of fig, a bit of tart from the currant and a savoury bite from the black musk. I love this. It is extremely sexy and powerful. The oil itself is unisex but once it's on my skin I think it acquires a sort of unmistakably feminine quality. Probably the same holds true for male skin. Throw: Excellent. Overall: I was not expecting to be as wowed by Dragon's Heart as I was. The black musk made it so iffy to me and it was near the bottom of my Ars Draconis wishes. I'm so very glad I had the opportunity to try it because it is GORGEOUS and needs more love. If you like Snake Oil fresh I'm not going to promise you'll like Dragon's Heart, but it might be a very good scent to try.

Imp: Wet, dewey wisteria and a touch of lavender. And... the unscented deodorant smell of white musk. Wet: HELLO LAVENDER! And... a bit of violet? What type of rose is this? It smells like a less sweet version of the Wisteria EDP by Crabtree and Evelyn. Very feminine and pretty. Very classical as well. Dry: I get a slightly sweet lavender merged with a pink rose scent over a combo of wisteria and sandalwood. If the white musk is there it's very well blended and is not doing its own thing indepently of the blend as it is so want to do on my skin. This does smell a little like longing or melancholy. Reminds me of heroines from Victorian novels where they pine away in their mansions on the moors waiting for their lovers to return. Throw: Mild. Overall: This is fresh, a bit astringent and very classical and pretty. I would wear this to work because it's inoffensive. Not my favourite but I will use the imps I've acquired up.

Bottle: Slightly astringent. I get a strong hit of tea and tonka with a little whiff of lilac. Wet: Surprisingly, Ashlultum reminds me a lot of Kubla Khan. I think it's the coconut in Ashlultum, God only knows what it is in Kubla Khan, but there's something sweet, creamy and almost cold cream-esque that hits me in the back of my throat. Any of Ashlultum's astringency is buried for the present. Dry: The coconut is the dominant scent for a really, really long time. But after the coconut dies down/gets wrestled down I get a really pretty vanilla/musk tempered with a bit of (Dorian's?) tea and some tobacco. This smells very pretty and a little sensual. Not as aggressive as some of the other Grindhouse gals but definitely seductive. Throw: Good. Overall: I don't know. I like it, definitely. I think Ashlultum is one special lady. I will be keeping the bottle and it will probably see higher rotation once it warms up here. I think I'll wait until when we find the carnival is leaving town before I decide if she's an absolute favourite or not.

Bottle: Gack. Viscous leather/wood scent that is... offputting. I like my red musk cut with sharper elements so we'll see how this goes. Wet: LEATHER GO BOOM! The leather note amps up to an almost untolerable degree. I get leather and nothing else for a long time. Then the red musk peaks its head up and motions for the rest of the components that all is clear. Dry: This has a really super long drydown. It's vaguely tolerable from about twenty minutes onward but it doesn't hit its stride until an hour or so into wear. This dries down to an utterly devine red musk tempered with leather, linen and a touch of wood. It reminds me strongly of the darker notes from Nanny Ashtoreth and the musk is making it much naughtier than NA. Throw: Good. Overall: Definitely not an every day sort of scent for me. Every once in awhile I want to smell utterly wicked and depraved and this is the perfect sort of scent for that feeling. My Krampus is from 07 and having seen how some of my other pre-07 red musks and leathers have aged I have high hopes that this is just at the beginning of an amazing aging process.

I'm off to a wedding later this afternoon and I'm doing Cottonmouth. I'm wearing Snake Oil right now because I like it to burn down to the sort of musky/vanilla base and then layer Cottonmouth on top for the ceremony. Because the bride and groom are marginally insane they're having an outdoor ceremony in the Canadian rockies at the end of February so I figure I can get away with a stronger scent than I would wear to a church wedding. Any of the lighter Snake Pits--Australian Copperhead, Green Tree Viper, etc...--might be appropriate for an autumn wedding. They're still in your comfort zone but you're shaking it up a bit. I look at your bottle list and a few that you have on hand that might be really nice for a wedding are: Dorian, Morocco, Crawdad Dream (it's unusual and fun and I've found that my bottle has aged into a primarily red musk scent with all the other notes supporting), Pirate Moon, and Red Phoenix along with the Snake Pits you have on hand.

Floral recommendations! I love florals and so rarely to people want them! Some offerings: New Orleans Sweet honeysuckle and jasmine with a hint of lemon and spice. A sweet, languid, hot scent. It's very feminine and pretty. La Belle au Bois Dormant Plumeria and white pear, Damascus rose, tuberose, magnolia and evening dew. More lush, feminine florals cut through with a bit of a sharper pear note. It keeps it from being cloying but it's still a beautiful, traditional perfume. Peitho Lusty myrtle and jasmine with red sandalwood, stargazer lily, and clove over an opulent, rich bed of warm musk and bourbon vanilla. I've been wearing Peitho frequently for the last few days because it was -21 degrees and it just seemed so unfair. The florals are magnificent in this and the vanilla/musk base really adds a sensual richness. It's a very grand scent and seems perfect for a Southern Belle. The Isle of Demons The scent is of wet, dark greenery, carnivorous flowers, volcanic gas, and the hot black musk of the demons and wild beasts that populated the islands. Sounds weird, right? And it is weird. Initially it's very musky and sort of... geological. Then that burns off and it leaves a languid, humid floral behind. Shadow Witch Orchid This perfume is a dusky orchid, subdued and ethereal An unsung favourite among the forum. A perfectly elegant and ethereal orchid blend. Queen Mab black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk. A sweet, luscious floral with a perfect musky base. I hope you find something that suits both your chemistry and your gran vision. Be sure to check back in and let us know!

Bottle: Pomegranate. And... maybe oakmoss? In the bottle this smells Fruit of Paradise with a wee bit of lavender and oakmoss. Wet: POMEGRANATE! I have a few notes that kind of vary between singing and shrieking on my skin. In that I amp them but I adore them so it's okay. Pomegranate is one of those notes. The pomegranate is very strong as is a sort of sweet, ethereal note that I'm going to assume is purple musk because I'm completely unfamiliar with it. Dry: This is veyr much a sharp fruity scent with the other notes lingering underneath. I get a full on hit of the pomegranate and a combo of lavender and amber underneath. Maybe a bit of neroli. The purple musk has faded into more of a skin scent. It's definitely a dark scent and a bit old fashioned or at least my own perception of old fashioned. Throw: Good. Overall: Do you like Fruit of Paradise and/or Lunar Eclipse? Because I like both and I'm pretty sure that if they were somehow able to spawn they would create Penumbra. Which is... appropriate, I guess. It makes me feel beautiful and sexy which is pretty much beyond the call of duty for any toiletry so A+ Penumbra.

Bottle: The type of sweet, juicy berry scent that kind of makes my tongue curl. I detect no other notes under this berry quality. Wet: Oh right. Ivy. Ivy accord and me have a tempestuous relationship. It tends to smell... well, I guess it's the dirty diaper scent other people get from jasmine. This only happened recently (and I weep for my previously excellent relationship with Litha) and I am very iffy about it in my bottle of BG. So it's like... diapers and berries. Delicious. Dry: The ivy either burns off or gets buried. The grape and currant are the top note with the blood accord supporting. Half the time I refuse to believe there is actual dragon's blood in blood accord and half the time I have no choice but to believe it. There is a trace of dragon's blood in this but for all I know it could just be a similar ingredient in one of the bouquets used. I get the faintest hint of the leather, clove and oak and I am okay with this. This is a sweet, luscious fruit scent with a dark edge. If Blood Countess is one kickass woman who will fell you just because she can this is a kickass woman with a couple body guards she gets to do her dirty work lest she break a nail in the process. Throw: Intense. Overall: I've been waffling on my bottle of Blood Garden. It has so many of the scents I dig (Currant! Blood accord! Blackberry leaf! Lily--although ginger lily sounds a wee bit iffy--!) but up until now it's been less than the sum of its parts. For my taste, at least, it is definitely one that needs a good long time to settle down and figure out what it wants to be. I don't think I'm going to be hankering after any more bottles but I will enjoy the one I have and I look forward to seeing any more changes it might undergo.

Imp: Warm patchouli and coconut. There's a sweetness from the benzoin. Wet: Patchouli, patchouli, patchouli! I lurve me some patchouli so this is not a bad thing. The patchouli is warm and a little golden. Definitely the main player supported by the coconut and benzoin. Dry: Warm, slightly dry patchouli over a sweet, almost foody base of benzoin and coconut. There's a dusty quality to this that is tickling the back of my throat. I love patchouli and I love how it is really the centre star here. However, it's just a bit too dry for my taste--I prefer the lushness of Masquerade for my patchouli fix. Throw: Good. Overall: A sweet, interesting patchouli blend. Never something I would have coveted on my own but I'm glad it exists. I'll enjoy the imp.

Imp: CEEEEEEDARRRRR! And a bit of foodiness. Unsurprisingly this reminds me of Tombstone. Wet: I continue with the theme: CEEEEEDARRRRR! And a bit of cocoa. And general woodiness. Very dry. Dry: The woods retreat a little and the fig rounds out. I get a hint of the cocoa. I think my nose is registering the palm as wood. This still reminds me a lot of Tombstone; a toned down, darker Tombstome. Tombstone Noir if you will. I really like the fig in this. It prevents the blend from becoming too dry and dusty. It's very... lush. Throw: Okay. Work appropriate. Overall: I dunno. I like it. It's an interesting, evocative scent. I would classify it as a BPAL overlooked classic--it seems like one of those scents a lot of people love but aren't exactly vocal about loving it. I'm glad to have tried it, kind of intend to hang onto the imp but I don't think it's an every day thing for me.

If you're going to wear perfume go for something light and classic. I like Regan for interviews or when I'm wooing new clients. It's inoffensive and can be mistaken for a lotion rather than a perfume. A few other suggestions: Psyche: It smells elegant, all the ingredients are ingredients in traditional perfumes and it projects an air of sophistication. It's also not a very strong blend (on my skin) so it's one of those things your interviewer might notice when you shake hands but it won't be lingering during the entire interview. Sundew: If you're not a floral person I find this one is a good choice. I get a sort of sweet citrus/amber from this and it smells pleasant and warm. Danube: Clean aquatic/floral. Embalming Fluid: Light, fresh and clean. Might be a bit weird if s/he asks you what you're wearing. Good luck with your interview! Whatever you wear I hope you ace it!

Rose accord is a blend of several different oils to approximate the scent of a rose. Rose oil is prohibitively expensive to produce and so I assume a lot of BPAL rose blends use a rose accord rather than attar of rose (several scents actively list "attar of rose" as an ingredient. Lilith and To a Woman are two that come to mind and since it's noted I kind of assume that if they don't say "attar of rose" they've used an accord). So it will be a bit more hit and miss to find that similar rose scent. Some recs: L'Heure Verte Spilled absinthe, scorched sugar cubes, opium smoke, lilac blossoms, and rose water. This is my newest HG rose scent. It's a perfect combo of anise and rose and the rose is quite calm and cool in the scent. I adore rose but it can also get unruly on my skin at times and it is perfectly reigned in here. The Miller's Daughter Spun gold, tear-soaked straw, and rose-infused amber. I tried some of this on this morning and it is very rosey. But I think the slight metal/aquatic scent and the amber pull it in a bit and make it more palatable. The Obsidian Widow Pinot noir, dark myrrh, red sandalwood, black patchouli, night-blooming jasmine, and attar of rose. So I realize this is attar of rose but you might want to try it to see if pure rose oil works on your skin or if it's the rose accord blends that can cause you problems. The rose is a pretty faint element in this to be honest. It's a gorgeous blend. When looking for scents I would look for ones where there's another element to the rose like the rose water note in LHV or the rose infused amber in Miller's Daughter. I'm not positive but to me that indicates that it's more likely an accord being used. Let us know if you find that same rose anywhere else!

Imp: Woody and... oily? A sort of creammy oiliness that hits me at the back of the throat. Wet: I think there be muscadine in this. Definitely a light grapey smell mixed with a glowing golden wood. That oily quality continues to assail the back of my throat. Dry: Slightly funky grapes. It's kind of pleasant but there's something that also makes this unbearable. It smells like greasy, unwashed hair but someone tried to mask the scent with grapes. Throw: Minimal. Thankfully. Overall: If it works, it works. But it's definitely something I'll use sparingly.