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In Bottle: Spicy floral

 

On Skin: I get a strong floral and an exotic asian spice from this one. A bit of a resin or musk as well that drapes it in a dark golden tint. Sort of Opium-ish or Poision-ish. Very sexy and perfect for a woman. Like Zero it reminds me a bit of commercial perfume… it’s not traditional BPAL at all. Strong throw and if I inhale too deeply it makes my eyes water. I’d love a bottle of this to make a spray with. As it develops, I get a slightly minty ozoney note that comes forward but the florals still remain the dominant notes. If this is released I will be buying a big bottle for sure.

In Bottle: Aquatic ozone

 

On Skin: Yum! I smell a sweet yet tart ozoney note. Also something slightly citrus… maybe grapefruit? Also a sweet note, maybe a sweet floral like Sweet Pea or something in the vanilla family but very very faint. This scent is so fresh and clean, it’s very beautiful!!! It has a little of the laundry dryer sheet going for it, it would be nice for when you wanted something airy and light. I think this would be an amazing room scent, I’d use it for spring days for sure.

In Bottle: Floral

 

On Skin: A beautiful crystal clear floral. Quite perfumey, elegant and kind of department store-like. It has a medium throw and doesn’t seem to carry to far, but is quite amazing when you take a deep whiff of it on yourself. Another scent I’d love a bottle of, because it isn’t traditional BPAL at all. It’s more commercial, yes, but I think because of that it may layer with some of my “mainstream” scents like Jdore or Shalimar. It fades to a clean powdery white/yellow floral, quite beautiful.

In Bottle: Um… lily.

 

On Skin: I love lillies, they’re one of my favorite flowers. And Black Lily, well I knew it would be perfection. It is very strong and heady, wow. Feminine to an extreme, this screams “I am woman hear me roar!” I love how although it is a lily, it is dark, not the bright white I normally get from lily scents. It has a creamy note as well as a slightly tart note. Sweet and sour, I love it. I would LOVE a bottle of this, it really is that pretty. So elegant yet evil as well, quite a contrast. I think it would really intrigue people if they smell it on you. Not for a shy woman at all.

In Bottle: Incense

 

On Skin: This reminds me of Midnight Mass and Cathedral… pure incense. I’m not a fan of incense scents, they usually go very dark and smokey on me. This scent is very thick, you can almost see a stick of lit incense in front of you, the smoke curling up into your nostrils. I sense resin and myrrh, very dark, golden and warm. Not exactly what I imagine when I think of the Pit and the Pendulum, but quite interesting. A must for anyone who enjoys incense scents.

In Bottle: Fruit, berry

 

On Skin: The berry is the fist note I smell. It’s quite powdery though, not a juicy berry. The orangepeel provides a nice tart twist. I don’t smell the rose hip… The sherry is gorgeous, slightly boozy and decadent but not anything that will knock you over. The oak gives a nice deep woody undertone. The patchouli isn’t overwhelming either, thankfully. Just dark and resiny and it gives the scent that perfect spooky note. Overall I love this scent. It’s quite pretty and festive. The throw is medium as is the staying power.

In Bottle: Lemon citrus

 

On Skin: Yum! Sweet lemons and crème! Someone on the forums said Lemon Merengue Pie and that’s exactly what I smell! It’s delicious! I normally am not too keen on lemon scents, but this being so sweet grew on me right away. As it dries, I get a grassy and slightly herbal feel… very outdoorsy, like a field. I don’t smell the pine that some people have mentioned… interesting. As the scent develops, the grassy note seems more specifically like wheatgrass. I still like it, especially that sweet lemon note which has now shifted to the background. It has a very low throw, this is a super LIGHT scent, I would have to slather a lot if I wanted to this scent to be noticed on me. The scent changes a little more, it reminds me a bit of a cactus or aloe vera. To sum it up, I never smelled Pine, I wonder if this was a different batch than the ones where everyone smelled pine? It’s a sweet citrus with a low throw… very yellow and warm. It gives a kind of desert feel and reminds me of a cactus. Quite beautiful and unique.

In Bottle: Sweet woods

 

On Skin: The sandalwood is dominant, very dry and sweet. The white florals are semi-bright and delicate. The herbs have a very soft spice to them, nothing strong or medicinal. I get a slight soapy note as well. This scent is pretty, very light and gender neutral. It has a low-medium throw and is a nice all around scent that could be used for any occasion. I like that it doesn’t overwhelm. It’s very clean and the woods notes have a warmth to them that is comforting. After the drydown, the grasses surface and semm more dried out than fresh. I get a white/gold/beige feel from this scent. Very neutral… nothing stark or colorful. Not a really a scent for me, but I wouldn’t mind smelling it on someone else.

In Bottle: Lemon, mint and tea

 

On Skin: Hello! This wakes you up! It has a commercial cleaner quality to it, not so good. I’m sure that helps in purifying though. LOL! As it develops and in the dry-down, the lemon is very bright and almost carbonated… it kind of reminds me of Sprite or 7-Up. It is very sweet and while tart like a typical lemon, it doesn’t make you wince. A very good scent to use as a energizer or wake up scent. Not really me though, I think I’d just use it as aromatherapy and not as a perfume or body scent.

In Bottle: Herbs and fruit

 

On Skin: At first, it reminds me of a cough drop. The herbs and green notes give it a real medicinal edge. But not overwhelming like Numb. Gradually they fade and meld with the other notes. The blackberry and apple sweeten the scent and make it delicious. This scent feels like the beginning of Autumn, when it’s still warm and sunny. So pretty and comforting and even elegant in it’s own odd little way. It has a jewel tone feel to it, dark greens (ivy and sage), burgandys (berries and bark) and golds (apple and myrrh). This scent is beautiful, I disliked it at first, but 10 minutes into the drydown and I want a bottle! I think it could be gender neutral. An amazing blend that makes me sniff my wrist again and again. It’s quite addicting. Light throw and sadly, light staying power.

Resurrected 2005

 

In Bottle: Lavender and sandalwood

 

On Skin: The lavender and rose scream out. They have a sour tart note. The sandalwood is next, slightly smokey and woody… it gives a depth to the scent. The chamomile is light, I wish it stood out a little more to help soften and sweeten the scent. This scent reminds me of linen spray and makes me slightly sleepy, maybe a good bedtime scent? I think the sour notes turn me off a bit though. Not a scent I’d wear as a perfume, but I’m going to put it by my bed to use as a sleepy-time scent.

In Bottle: Strawberry Champagne

 

On Skin: A soft pink scent. I smell strawberries right away, but they are dry and powdery, not ripe and juicy. There is a tartness that reminds me of champagne. I think the tartness is the tea, but it doesn’t really smell like tea at all to me. The lotus and ylang ylang are delicate florals that compliment the strawberry but don’t overshadow it. The cream helps soften the scent even more and as it develops brings a little more sweetness to the scent. This scent reminds me of Pink Moon and Pink Phoenix, that beautiful and innocent… yet playful girly quality. Not a masculine scent in the slightest. Final review: Strawberry candy and a glass of white wine or champage on a spring day. Medium throw and fairly short staying power.

In Bottle: Sweet pea and fruit

 

On Skin: Oh my god. Pinch me, I’m dreaming. This scent is GORGEOUS!!! I am a sucker for anything with pear in it, my favorite fruit. Mixed with the Sweet Pea, lilies, and heliotrope it is super sweet, I love it, it’s like candy. The white musk gives it a nice soft velvet texture, and the honeysuckle continues to make it even sweeter. I can’t believe I haven’t tried this scent before! It is 10ml worthy for sure. It is so girly with sweetness, but the lilies also add an elegant womanly flair. I do wish the pear was stronger, the florals do overshadow it and it is just a whisper in the background. This is a warm and springlike scent, it instantly brightens my mood. I can’t imagine not being happy when smelling this. It has a white/pink feel to it, but more diffused, not super bright light. It kind of has a “bath and Body Works feel to it, since it is so sweet and floral, but not that artifical note BB&W often has. It also has a very *slight* similarity to Love’s Baby Soft… not so much it’s overall scent, but just that feeling of soft and girly musk.

In Bottle: Herbal and green

 

On Skin: This is a very clean and soapy scent, with a slightly sharp herbal note. Not really my kind of thing, but not unpleasant at all. Soapy scents just seem to be too sharp and bright on me. They overwhelm me I guess. But I would love my towels and sheets to smell like this, so clean and fresh. Maybe make this into a linen spray? I can’t really pick out any specific notes, this is blended very well. I would say a slight floral, a citrus… maybe lime? Something herbal and maybe a wood note as well? Very pretty but I don’t find it fits the description, at least not what I had imagined.

In Bottle: Tea

 

On Skin: Yes, this is a perfect scent to wear to a tea party. Very light and zingy, a zesty squirt of lemon mixed with both dark and light teas. I don’t really notice a herbal note, but the peony is pretty and blends perfectly with the sea, adding to the gardenlike tea-party setting. I don’t like to drink tea, but I do like this scent. It reminds me a little of White Rabbit, but far less sweet. It is a light scent, minimum throw, but after a half hour it still remains on my skin and at least I can smell it. It seems like a more private personal scent, I don’t think it has enough throw to catch other peoples attention. Verdict: very quaint and soft, I like it but it isn’t something I’d wear that often.

In Bottle: Sandalwood

 

On Skin: This is an extremely woody scent. It seems very incensey as well. I like sandalwood, but am not fond of either rose and patchouli. I think I got this imp mainly to just try more BPAL blends, not because it really interested me as a scent. The patchouli is light which is nice, so it’s not rally a dirty scent. The rose is tart and a bit powdery. I would say it’s gender neutral since it doesn’t really scream woman or man at me. It’s pretty, but not really me. It’s super light with not much throw or staying power. I would like it as a room incense or in an oil burner, but not to wear since it doesn’t do much for me.

In Bottle: Thick and sweet fruit

 

On Skin: The lotus is so sweet and juicy it’s almost fruity. Wow! Very thick and heady. The gardenia is lighter but still adds to the beautiful floral scent this is. It is so unique! I’ve never smelled another BPAL blend like this. The mint is a perfect contrast that every once in a while cuts though the sweet syrupy loveliness. Ok, the gardenis is starting to come out more, blending with the mint making a more unique sharp note. This scent isn’t very light or girly… it’s seems quite sultry and womanly, a strong throw that brings you to your knees. A very nice piece of work by Beth, I’m sad it was discontinued. I love that it is chaotic and changes several times in just the half hour I’ve been wearing it. Bravo!

In Bottle: Leather and smoky

 

On Skin: I am a sucker for masculine lether scents… well most all leather scents for that matter, except Whip. Anyway, this one sounded perfect for my husband. I like it… the leather is strong, but there is a slightly herby smell which is off to me. After a bit, the woods all start to surface. This is super masculine and the woods really enhance that feel. I’m thinking the incense is a bit too much for me, I’d prefer this not so smoky. But I love the tonka and parchment which make a truly unique scent. Let’s see what my husband thinks. He thinks it’s a little strong, but he likes it. He is a little sick of all the leather blends I’m making him wear though. LOL! And yes, the throw is super strong.

In Bottle: Chocolate yum

On Skin: This is a powdery sweet cocoa. I love how the vanilla sweetens it even further, I want to eat this! The sandalwood gives a earthy, woody note that helps transform it from just another typical foody scent. The myrrh also provise a luscious resin base that warms it even more! This scent is velvety for sure!! Very seductive and slightly dark. This seduces me, this is a perfect date scent I think. How could anyone rsist you wearing this? Kapow!!! Just make sure to wear a velvet dress too, it would be perfect… A medium thrown, average lifespan, and overall beautiful scent.

In Bottle: Cinnamon and pickles?

 

On Skin: This is not working with me right off the bat. Ick… I smell cinnamon right away, and then something sour and odd… The cinnamon is strong, and maybe clove as well? Also a little fruity, orange maybe? I don’t like cinnamon as a fragrance so I am not so happy about wearing this, but I’m curious about it’s ritual aspects. Will money be drawn to me? I hope so! It was nice to try out but I don’t think this is a scent made for my chemistry. I don’t think it’s supposed to be worn anyways, isn’t it made to add to candles?

In Bottle: Buttery vanilla mint

 

On Skin: A pretty basic description that fits the scent completely. This is a beautiful vanilla mint, with a heavily buttered base. So many people have compared this to those buttercreme mints and I whole heartedly agree. I used to use my allowance to buy a box of those a week and I am instantly trnsported back in time to greedily digging into a box. They way they’d disolve in my mouth and leave a little of a greasy feeling from the butter. They were so good!! I usually don’t like minty scents, but this one works so well on me. I would love to wear it during the holidays, it’s so festive! It’s delicious! A minty version of Milk Moon, I’d love to have a bottle!

In Bottle: Minty lemon

 

On Skin: I get a very mentholy note from this one and I don’t see a note that would explain that. The lemon is obvious, pretty and tart. The peach is lighter and more dry, not juicy. The spun sugar is very soft, not an overwhelming sweet note at all, quite nice. I was so excited for a cotton candy scent, but this really isn’t one. It’s fruitier and the menthol makes it a little cold… just like a Snow Angel. The tea gives it a slight herbal edge which is the only solution I can find to the menthol note… but that doesn’t even fit right to me. It smells like Beth’s “snow” note she’s used in several of the Yule blends. The peach comes out a little stronger as the scent develops. Overall, a pretty scent. Quite girly and innocent, like a girly version of Skadi or Snow Bunny. The scent is light, with a light throw. It fades quite quickly.

In Bottle: Fudge

 

On Skin: YUM! Yes, yum… but “would I wear this as a perfume” yum? Not really. I have an old bottle of a scent called “Kisses” made by some random company, which smells like Hershey’s Kisses. My husband HATES when I wear it, because it just makes him want chocolate and it annoys the heck out of him since it’s such a tease. Anyway, this is pure sticky ooey-gooey brownies. It even smells warm like they just came out of the oven. It is truly decadent. I also think it would be a good scent for layering. For instance… I have Snowblind on my wrist and Lump of Coal inside my elbow… when I blend them together it’s a lot like Spooky. Very nice!! Or maybe mix it with Kabuki and have chocolate covered cherries! Anyway, a great scent I wouldn’t mind keeping an imp of for special occasions. As it dries down, it does get a bit powdery and not as ooey-gooey.

Mars Revisited:

 

In Bottle: Woody

 

On Skin: It smells like fresh cut wood at first. I look back at past reviews and all these people mention cinnamon, a note that almost never works on me, and I don’t smell it in this blend at all… Was my bottle mislabled? I mean seriously, I don’t smell cinnamon or a spice in any shape or form. I can get a slight resin feel from it, maybe Dragon’s Blood, but primarily it is sweet and woody. After about 10 minutes I get a little spice, maybe clove? But nothing overwhelming or overly “spicy”. I get a red feel from this scent from the resin and wood notes, maybe it’s cherrywood? It’s very sweet and I can even smell a little cherry I think. I am excited to try this scent for it’s intended purposes. I need some energy and strength right now. I hope it works!

THE TELL-TALE HEART:

 

In Bottle: Dirt and cocoa

 

On Skin: I have to admit, I got this scent purely for the name. I did a dramatic reading of this when I was a kid and it was first Poe favorite. The description did worry me though since the only note I was excited for was the blood musk. Well here we go... The cocoa is strongest followed by the vetiver which create a sweet, “dirty” and powdery blanket. The black pepper is slight but along with the allspice create a spicy and warm feel. The dragon's blood resin is shockingly mellow, very hidden in the background providing a nice base. The blood musk isn't too heavy either but does give a slightly red and animalistic tone to the scent. The description really fits this scent. I can feel the dread, smell the blood and the dirt under the floorboard which is where we're trapped. A very dark and morbid scent, something I'd wear as a conversation piece maybe but not as a normal fragrance.