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THE PRESENCE OF LOVE

In Bottle: Sour rose

On Skin: Wow, this makes my eyes tear up a bit. The rose is very sharp and sour. Combined with the grapefruit, this is probably the most sour BPAL scent I have ever smelled. The white musk is clean, but also offers a slightly sharp soapy note. The jasmine is sweet, but you can barely detect it with the other powerful notes. This scent is far too much for me, I sadly have to wash it off. Strong throw and not sure of wearlength.

BUTTERFLIES AND PLOVERS

In Bottle: Dirt and florals

On Skin: There is a very dirty note in this, I’m assuming it’s the patchouli which usually amps very earthy on me. The violet is sweet and gorgeous, I’m a big fan of violet. The citrus notes are sour but are balanced perfectly by the sweet violet and ylang ylang. The amber is soft and powdery and helps ground the scent. As the scent develops, I like it a lot more. The patchouli fades some… but probably not enough for me. Still, it’s a nice scent and does remind me of being in a garden and letting butterflies dance on me. My wedding was at a Butterfly Pavillion, so this scent rings close to me, I just wish it didn’t have such strong patchouli. Light to average throw, short wearlength.

THE SPELL OF AMOROUS LOVE

In Bottle: Fruity green tea

On Skin: This scent has a classic Asian feel to it. Very fresh, very light and very clean. The green tea is most dominant on me, followed by soft pink florals. The tone is light green/pink, very spring feeling. The throw is quite light, this is a close wearing scent for sure. The fruits compliment the florals and it comes off as more of a “perfumey” scent than as something fruity or food like. Overall, it’s a little too heavy on the florals for me. I prefer deep florals whereas this is very feminine and girly, a little too “pretty/cutesy” for me. It has a light to moderate throw and fairly short wearlength.

LUNAR ECLIPSE

In Bottle: Vetiver

On Skin: The vetiver overwhelms this blend on me. It almost starts out as Vetiver SN. So earthy and dry…dusty, makes me nose tickle. I don’t smell florals, I smell vetiver, the blackened fruit gums (sweet yet charred), and deep resins. It’s very well blended to the point it’s making it very hard to pick out the other notes at all. As the scent develops, it sweetens which gives me hope. The vetiver still dominates, but is allowing other notes to wave hello. The red musk comes out nicely, warm and dark red in tone. Overall I’d say this scent is red/brown. The moss adds to the earthiness, and the tobacco further darkens the blend giving it a smoky edge as well. It really isn’t a scent for me sadly, must too dark and earthy. But I appreciate the thought behind it and the mood it evokes. Strong throw and very long wearlength.

MOON OF ICE

In Bottle: Pine

On Skin: The strongest note is pine, followed by sweet eucalyptus. Very bright, very sharp. The winter flowers have ice formed on them, so chilling. Under it all there is a dark note though… like an icicle that has fallen and when you pick it up there’s dirt on it you just can’t seem to get off. As the scent develops, the ice melts and it gets darker and darker. It’s a bit earthy and a bit mysterious. It’s an interesting scent, and a nice change from the many “snow/ice” scents I already have. If you like a chilling scent but want a little more edge, try this one for sure. Medium throw and average to long wearlength.

CHESHIRE MOON

In Bottle: Creamy fruit

On Skin: Based on the title, I wanted 50 bottles… I am a huge Alice fan… and especially the Cheshire Cat… This is probably one of my favorite fruit blends ever. It is so creamy!!! And the fruits are perfectly blended into a delicious smoothie! The grapefruit is tart with the lemongrass, but the guava and banyan fruit sweeten it up right away. The cherry blossom and hibiscus offer another sweet combo that help keep the scent from being a fruit overload. The lunar herbs are soft and sweet, nothing medicinal about them at all. I swear I smell cream in here, but it isn’t listed as a note. It’s that soothing velvety cream from Chaste Moon and Milk Moon. This is absolutely beautiful. I usually am not too excited about fruit blends, but the creamy aspect here makes me fall in love. I will be wearing this scent plenty… yum! Moderate throw and short to average wearlength.

LOVER'S PARODIES OF SUMO HOLDS

In Bottle: Tangerine jasmine

On Skin: Holy tangerine! This starts super tart citrus. I smell the sweet floral jasmine next followed by the slightly bitter ti leaf. The jasmine is very heady and strong, so very sweet but the tangerine offers a very nice sour contrast. The resins are very welcome because with both the other extreme notes, they offer a calm, solid but soft background. They take the edge off those notes and make the blend very cohesive. The tonka is also a nice rounding note that keeps the tangerine in check and becomes stronger as the blend develops on my skin. This scent is very complex, fruity, resinous and floral… it starts strong but really calms down and becomes beautiful. It’s warm, inviting and a scent many people could wear easily. Throw is average when it develops fully, wearlength is pretty short.

MEN RINGING BELL WITH PENISES

In Bottle: Tea and sandalwood

On Skin: The black tea stands out the most on me… it reminds me of White Rabbit right away. The sandalwood is very clean and just slightly woody. The moss gives a earthy aquatic tone. The tonka helps sweeten everything up, and I can’t really smell the rice wine… it is the faintest of the notes but starts to come a little more forward over time. Over all, this scent has a very Asian feel. It’s dignified and I see it as being more masculine. My husband had to smell it after I told him the name, but it’s not really his thing. He’s more into leather and muskier scents. I love how all the notes blend, and of course the title creates a wonderful visual. It has a pretty light throw and short wearlength.

EBISU MAKING LOVE AS TWO OCTOPUSES LOOK ON

In Bottle: Earthy peachy nectarine

On Skin: This is very pretty… wow. A very soft and close to the skin blend. This to me reminds me of peach fuzz… It’s not really peachy, but the tartness of the nectarine is sweetened by the skin musk so it takes on a peachy quality. For someone who thinks peach scents are too sweet, this is a great alternative. My mom always cut up nectarines and put them on her rice crispies… this totally reminds me of that. The oakmoss is very faint, just slightly earthy and more of a base mote. The skin musk is sweet, soft and velvety. I can’t imagine anyone not liking this scent since it is so faint and non-offensive. It could work on anyone, and give them a very gentle and inviting quality. An absolutely beautiful scent that I’d love to wear often, I just wish it had more throw and wearlength. Light throw and short wearlength on me.

THE DREAM OF THE FISHERMAN'S WIFE

In Bottle: Soap

On Skin: This scent starts very sharp on me and reminds me of soap… I’m shocked there is no rose listed in this scent, because I clearly smell that really sour note rose turns to on me. The seaweed creates a bright aquatic tone and the ambergris helps mellow it out a bit as it develops. The mint is light, not medicinal at all. The honey is very much in the background, just a touch of sweetness, so if you’re looking for honey, this is not one I’d actually call a “honey scent”. It’s very feminine, but a bit too sharp and soapy on me. It comes across as a white/light blue tone. If you like clean and fresh scents, especially aquatics try this one for sure. Fairly strong throw and average wearlength.

I MARRIED A VAMPIRE FROM PLANET X

In Bottle: Clean and sweet, musky

On Skin: I have to say, I love this scent except for the clove and cinnamon. If they weren’t there I’d be totally in love. The darkness of the resins and musk, the sultry leather, the smokiness of the myrrh… so dark and secretive… with the other notes so clean and bright in comparison. Yummy sweet melon, tart grapefruit, lemon, and mandarin. The white musk offering a clean and slightly soapy feel. The sage is herbal and sharp, combined with the melon give the scent a green feel. All together so lovely… but then the cinnamon comes it, very hot and spicy and a bit off to me, followed by the highly metallic smelling clove which kills it for me. As the scent fades a bit, the clove thankfully fades as well. In it’s final dry down stages I can handle the scent, but I don’t think it’s one I’ll wear often. Moderate throw and average wearlength.

DIARY OF A LOVESTRUCK TEENAGE CANNIBAL

In Bottle: Grapefruit and cream

On Skin: In theory this should smell good on me. The fruits are very bright and juicy, and stand out and almost knock me over. The cream in the background goes a little funky, almost curdled by all the citrus. I get a cake or crumpet note from it… very foody, with fruit sitting on top. Fresh fruit, not cooked or jellied. Grapefruit is the strongest, sour and bitter. There is a little spice in the background from the ginger. I can’t really smell the pear or pepper. It’s a fun scent, but not my favorite… the cream is just a little wonky on me. I do like it though and will wear it. It has an average throw and short to average wearlength on me.

PUMPKIN V, 2007

In Bottle: Pumpkin and spice

On Skin: The pumpkin owns this scent on me, followed by spicy ginger. The bourbon vanilla is very thick and sweet, almost like cream. The blood orange and lemon peel offer a sliver of tartness that help balance the scent. It reminds me a little of the baked sweet potato, marshmallow and orange juice casserole I make during the holidays. Very yummy. This scent actually reminds me most of Pumpkin Queen, and even has that more refined quality to it. After dry down the spice begins to amp more and the overall scent fades quite quickly. After about 5 minutes of wearing the scent it has almost completely vanished from my skin. Light throw and very short wearlength.

PUMPKIN III, 2007

In Bottle: Chocolate pumpkin

On Skin: This scent is very strong and very unique. The chocolate is the strongest note, followed by the sweet creamy caramel. The pumpkin is buttery and thick. The pomegranate cuts through the candies notes perfectly, slightly tart and very bright red. The cream bring everything together and makes this scent very foody and yummy. This scent does smell like you could eat it. I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin blends, but I’d love to use this one as a room scent. It smells instantly inviting. Strong throw and average wearlength.

PUMPKIN II, 2007

In Bottle: Smoky floral pumpkin

On Skin: The florals in this start out as the strongest notes. The champa flower is strong and bright, the carnation more muted and soft with bitter spice. The tobacco is nice and smoky but with the tonka sweetens up beautifully. The pumpkin is the lightest note, just softly in the background. This is a nice blend and isn’t foody at all. It has moderate throw and short to average wearlength.

PUMPKIN I 2007

In Bottle: Fruity pumpkin

On Skin: I smell the grapes right away, sweet with a slightly boozy tone. The pumpkin is earthy, sweet and a bit spicy with nutmeg. I don’t really smell the pear since those two notes are so strong. The tea offers a clean note and the jasmine is light but adds to the sweetness of the blend. This scent is more fruity than anything, with a pumpkin base. It has a medium throw and average wearlength.

ANACTORIA

In Bottle: Clean musk

On Skin: This scent starts out quite masculine but as it develops on me… I begin to like and it and wouldn’t mind wearing it myself to make me feel stronger and in control. The Arabian musk is strong and very sexy. The kush is both deep and earthy. The amber is warm, and combined with the honey provides a golden tone that is light and a bit powdery. The honey isn’t sticky sweet at all… just a light glaze. I smell no red currant… This scent has a perfumey/cologne quality to it, quite strong and noticeable. This blend also has a mellow elegance about it that I enjoy. I would love to smell this on my husband too… it’s very much a come hither scent. It has a medium thorw and long wearlength.

EARTH RAT

In Bottle: Sweet fruit

On Skin: The follows in the same vein as Fire Pig… the fruits jump out right away… I smell the tangerine and orange, bright and orange with a nice tart edge. The melon is delicious and gives a sweet, and wet feel... melon is one of my favorite notes and I love how strong it is here. The florals harmonize nicely and take a step back to let the fruits shine. The coconut gives a creamy tone that helps ground the scent. The dragon’s blood darkens the scent, and as the blend develops it becomes stronger and more pronounced. I don’t smell the pine, and the other notes also blend in so well I can’t pick them out individually. The scent begins to fade very quickly… it becomes a light fruity blend, soft and subtle. It has low throw and short to average wearlength.

HARIKATA

In Bottle: Honey musk

On Skin: Another drop dead sexy scent. I am so happy I ordered a bottle of this unsniffed. The honey is sweet and sticky, my favorite note in the world. The osmanthus is a delicate floral note and it gives this scent a beautiful feminine touch. The golden musk amps the obvious golden tone of this scent. The vanilla flower is light and compliments the honey well and gives a creamy feel. The ginger does eventually come out and it is the only part of the scent I don’t like, because it isn’t really spicy (like Shub spice), but much more a true ginger which goes kind of funky on me. Over all I love the scent… and especially after the floral side fades a bit. It reminds me of a more innocent and girly version of O. Whereas O is pure sexy sexiness on me, Harikata is a more refined feminine version. Strong throw and medium wearlength.

GLOWING VULVA AT RYOGOKU BRIDGE

In Bottle: Creamy wood

On Skin: This has to be one of the best BPAL scents ever. I mean, it is drop dead sexy. My husband is very picky about scents, and he said this is his favorite perfume on me ever, hands down. He couldn’t stop smelling me after I applied it, and I’ve never seen a scent have such an arousing effect on him. So yeah, I love this scent. The cream in the dominant note, sweet and milky… like fresh crème poured over the body. The amber is powdery and soft… just begging to be rubbed. The teak is a nice base note, woody but also velvety soft, not earthy at all. The lotus blossom is a sweet floral, and doesn’t give way to the bubblegum effect it sometimes has. This blend is perfection, and the sexiest scent ever. Not sexy in your face raunchy like Smut… but sexy afterglow… that feeling of pure contentment. It is a very light scent, only your partner will know you’re wearing it as they continuously lean in and nibble at your skin. I want gallons of this, seriously. Lotions, bath oils, body sprays… everything in this scent. It has to be in my Top 3 BPAL scents ever. Light throw and medium wearlength.

THE DEEP ONES

In Bottle: Citrus aquatic

On Skin: I smell something very sour, almost like grapefruit in this scent. It’s like a grapefruit squeezed into seltzer water. Hmm… kind of like Hansen grapefruit soda, because it isn’t sweetened. The algae and seaweed give a very strong and deep aquatic note that is a bit soapy. This scent is a little salty, but I’d say it was more sour than salty. Overall I’d call this a clean, citrus aquatic. It is very unique, and very much an eye opener. If you find yourself in a perfume rut, try this one because it will stir things up. It has a pretty heavy throw and long wearlength.

DEEP IN EARTH

In Bottle: Dirt and rose

On Skin: Wow! This is very sharp! The rose geranium screams out with the strongest voice ever. Sour and so severely sharp, it attacks my nose. I would have to say this is the strongest throw I have ever smelled from any BPAL fragrance ever. And of course it’s a rose note. The scent that hates me yet loves to amp on me. The dirt is a dry soil note to me. This scent reminds me of a dry version of Zombi, because Zombi is so wet and aquatic on me. But then the moss note soon starts to come forward and all of a sudden I do get a bit of an aquatic feel from it. So this scent is very close to Zombi on me, but about 100 times stronger. This has a crazy strong throw and very long wearlength.

FASCINUM

In Bottle: Cedar and amber

On Skin: Ooo… a very golden and deep scent. The amber is gorgeous and warm… the perfect resin, the musk draping the skin in a soft velvety coating… The cedar is clean and woody with an incense feel. The litsea cubeba is citrusy and bright. The saffron provides a very light and modest spice in the background. Overall this scent is very warm and comforting. I like that although it feel dark, there are the notes that cut through it and make the scent stand out. It is also perfect for a man or woman. It is a good universal scent that can be worn anytime and by anyone. It’s got just the right amount of throw, not overwhelming or too perfumey. I would even love this as a room scent. It’s just so pleasant. Medium throw and average wearlength.

LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY

In Bottle: Milky cream

On Skin: I expected this to be like Underpants… or maybe even Antique Lace... both scents which are heavenly on me. But… something in this blend went terrible on me and it doesn’t even remotely smell like either of those blends. I am heartbroken. It smells very sweet and yummy in the bottle, but when I put it on my skin, it has a plastic smell with a bit of a minty tone. And not a foody minty, but more like something “scented” minty. Like a plastic minty toy. I’ve seen other people mention a chalky quality to this scent and they are totally right. It has a chalky powdery smell. I am trying to give it a chance, because the description sounds like it was made for me. After about 15 minutes the vanilla become the primary not and the mintiness fades, but even the vanilla is not the normal BPAL vanilla note I love. It smells artificial. I hate saying anything negative about any of Beth’s blends… but this one just doesn’t do it for me sadly. It has a light to medium throw and short wearlength.

TO A WOMAN

In Bottle: Sharp spice

On Skin: The rose otto and patchouli are strongest on me. Sadly, this is not a good thing because both these notes tend to hate my skin with a passion. This scent is very sharp, very strong and very sour on me. The cassis bud is spicy, the benzoin is sticky and sweet, but gets run over but the stronger more dominant notes. The petitgrain is fruity and orange, it’s citrus note adding more to the sour tint. Overall the scent feels like a rose blend with a earthy citrus side. The throw is moderate to strong and seems to have a long wearlength on me.