Silvertree

Clove, tobacco, sweet red patchouli, and chocolate. A Wild and Naughty Girl reminds me of a Vosges truffle: smooth, exotic, and luxurious. This is deep, dark chocolate with warm clove and earthy-sweet tobacco and patchouli. As the blend dries, the chocolate takes a back seat to the other notes. It's like lounging in front of the fireplace while a snowstorm rages outside your cozy cabin and your best friend makes hot chocolate (probably spiked) in a little cast iron cooking pot over the flames.

These long-dead scents are back for a limited time in a slightly tweaked form! The Finnish Goddess of Agony, Torment and the joy found in inflicting pain on others. The Mistress of Torture, she has transformed in the modern era into the patron Goddess of Dominatrixes. The slap of slick, hot leather punctuates the warm, sensual embrace of black amber, red musk and dark, lascivious myrrh. The Bitch is back, and we're gonna be in trouble.... Out of all the Resurrected blends, I was most excited for Loviatar. And this most certainly does not disappoint. Loviatar 2.0 is very, very close to OG Loviatar, although of course it's tough to compare a fresh-from-the-mailbox blend with one that's been aging in a cool, dark box since...2005? But I'll try. Loviatar 2.0 gives off that same radiant warmth of amber, musk, and myrrh, wrapped up in the sexy, smoky embrace of leather. Loviatar is confident, sensual, even elegant. But that doesn't mean it's soft. This is elegance with an edge. It's the scent of that seductive, prowling strut you can achieve only when you feel completely comfortable in your own skin--and those thigh-high leather boots don't hurt, either. This is sexy with a hint of sweetness, powerful, and perfect. My only complaint is that it's not longer available in 10mL form!

Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, the All-Mother and wife of the Not-to-Be-Named-One. The lust incense of a corrupted Astarte. A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices. Source: The lovely chopchica sent this to me fresh from Convergence! Shub-Niggurath arrived in an amber bottle, with a light brown label decorated with the five-pointed star from this image. (See pictures in the LE labels thread.) Preconceived notions: As soon as I read that this was supposed to smell of "evil gingersnaps," I was desperate to try it. I love spicy blends, and ginger is a particular weakness of mine. So I'm expecting this to smell quite a bit like the Gingerbread Man's evil twin. In the bottle: Immediately I smell pure, fresh ginger- the scent that rises from the cutting board as you peel back the skin from a hunk of the root. It's fresh and juicy, and tingles in my nose a bit. There's also something herbal going on in the background- again, very juicy and fresh, as if there are fresh leaves stuffed into the bottle that are just oozing green. Not tree leaves, but spicy herbs that definitely smell powerful... that must be the ritual herbs. Wet on skin: The oil is a pale gold, and not too thick. I close my eyes, and I am wandering through the forest with a woven basket and a knife to harvest the components I'm searching for. They're rare and won't grow in a garden- you must go into the woods and search them out if you need them. Only then will you be able to include them in your endeavors- that is, if they want to be found. The ginger and herbs balance out, and I'm chopping the herbs finely and mixing them in a big wooden bowl with the ginger. I'm not sure what the aphrodisical spices might be, but I think I smell cinnamon and- cardamom? Not certain, but it is a very exciting and invigorating scent. Dry on skin: Dry, Shub-Niggurath is mostly ginger again, but the green herbal juiciness is still present. I'm wracking my brains trying to come up with which herbs might be part of this blend, as there's a nice freshness but also a little bit of something peppery. Chicory? Cress? I don't know what it is, but I know that I love it. This scent is very warm on my skin, but it's a gentle heat. Also, a bit of incense unfolds- warm and spicy, not smokey. Final impressions: This is such a lovely scent! I'm sad to admit it, but I'm not terribly familiar with Lovecraft's work. However, the Springtime in Arkham line has inspired me to start reading his stories. I'm not too familiar with the mythology surrounding Shub-Niggurath, so I'm sad to say that the scent doesn't mean as much to me as it might to someone who has read Lovecraft more extensively. Having said that, this scent does not invoke corruption or anything dark- it's warm and spicy and fresh (all my favorites!) and I find it both energizing and comforting. I can't attest to its effectiveness as a lust incense, but I'll endeavor to do some research. ETA: I wore this Saturday night. As soon as I walked in the door, the boy sniffed the air, and said, "What is THAT???" He proceeded to enthusiastically sniff my wrists and neck, saying, "Mmm, cinnamon!" I thought he was just hungry, because he sometimes forgets to eat during the day, but I found out later that he was... hungry. Those who love Three Witches and Gingerbread Poppet should definitely give this a sniff. There is none of the floury/cakey essence of Gingerbread Poppet, but I'm glad this scent is distinctive. I certainly plan to stock up!

Golden amber and mahogany with frankincense, ho wood, and frothed white honey. The Gift is a warm, radiant scent. It glows softly but surely--a burnished golden fragrance that is strong but not overwhelming. I was worried that the honey might be too sweet or gooey, but the wood notes keep both the honey and amber from getting too sticky or powdery. It's the olfactory equivalent of sitting in front of a gently crackling fireplace on a chilly night (without any of the bonfire/burning scent associations, if that makes sense). Or maybe snuggling up under the covers with someone you love--waves of comforting, cozy body heat. Truly lovely.

A few months ago, while we were prepping the return of the OLLAs, I butchered a massive bottle of Eve. I was stressed out and distracted, and accidentally replaced the rose component with an in-house sage combo of ours that contains Clary sage and Dalmatian sage. Basically, a whole lotta sage and zero rose. Anyway, it smells amazing, so imma sell it. I even gave it a really classy and poetic name because I'm a classy and poetic guy. I may be about to commit BPAL heresy--actually, let's go with BPAL blasphemy, for the alliteration--but I may like Eve With Sage Fuck Up even more than OG Eve. Eve, it's not you, it's me--rose is a tough note for me to wear. So minus the rose, plus sage, Eve WSFU has suddenly become a very wearable scent for me. In the bottle, and wet on my skin, Eve WSFU is soft mossy greenery and a hint of honeyed incense. It's green and warm and glowing, just a tiny bit "perfumey". The sage is fresh and herbal, and doesn't have that bone-dry quality it sometimes gives off. It's a beautifully earthy yet sophisticated blend, and I wish all my fuck-ups were this good.

Fresh out of the mailbox! I usually wait at least a day to test, but I couldn't resist smelling the Smooch. This is Dragon's Milk older sister. A little soft, honeyed sweetness; some rich, burnished patchouli. It's a very smooth scent, and falls into the category I think of as "glowing". I'm so glad I got a chance to try it!

Tendrils of frankincense and myrrh curling around polished woods, sugared honey, and bourbon vanilla. Smooth and sweet, Petite Planchette falls into the realm of scents I think of as "glowing". It's warm and gently radiant, the slightly gooey honey and rich vanilla balanced by the deep woods and fragrant incense notes of the frankincense and myrrh. It's a little resinous, a little gourmand, and utterly beautiful.

Dark 3-year aged patchouli and vintage amber, smoky cardamom, gilded juniper leaf, and a drop of golden vetiver. Velvety-soft, with a sinfully deep, rich patchouli, Belonging to the Darkness wafts delicious tendrils of gently spiced smokiness from its shadowy depths. I get a bit of the vetiver's woodsiness blending with the cardamom, and a pulse of golden, liquid amber adds a glimmering contrast to this earthy, mysterious scent.

Funny how much better Lilith looks in my clothes than I do! This is the scent of generations of children raiding their parents closets: my grandmother and mothers Chanel No. 5, my father and grandfathers Lilac Vegetal, my Snake Oil, and Liliths lavender blossoms. I ordered Closet Raid because I love the notes, and also because I remember how I used to love trying on my mom's clothes, and watching her get ready to go out. She's more of a Chanel No. 19 aficionado; I can still remember how special it felt when she dabbed the tiniest amount of scent on my wrists and behind my ears. In the bottle, Closet Raid is a smooth, elegant, heady fragrance. I get little wafts of soft florals, like sachets fastened to hangers releasing their sweet scent, and a slight touch of something soapy-clean, like an old-fashioned aftershave. Wet, I get mostly a sweet and powdery aroma. I'm not a huge fan of this stage of the drydown, but it's very short-lived. Which is great, because... Dry, Closet Raid is glorious. It's one of those classic huff-your-wrist scents, a rich Snake-Oil-and-purple-flowers blend with resins and florals melding together to form a glowing, sophisticated whole. It reads as "warm" to me, but it's polished, not earthy. There's a little hint of the aftershave/cologne; I tend not to classify scents as "masculine" vs. "feminine," but if it's helpful I would call Closet Raid unisex. I could see putting this on as a going-out scent, and putting the smallest drop of scent on the inside of my daughter's wrist while I'm getting ready. Closet Raid holds a special place both in my collection and my heart.

There have been two lunacies--Crow Moon and Raven Moon--as well as: Fuck You, Said the Raven (American Gods) The Night-Raven (Marchen) And from the BPTP Snow Queen update: Caw-Caw hair gloss Court Crows hair gloss The Language of Crows perfume The Wolves Howled, The Ravens Screamed perfume

An oil of wisdom and guidance; a lantern in dark times. White sage and goldenseal, white sandalwood, hops, Atlas cedar, red benzoin, Somalian myrrh, lavender, cypress, champaca flower, and olive. Botanical fragments may be present in this oil. Athena and owls both are significant to me, and I wanted to contribute to Athena's Army; I am very glad to have been able to do so. On me, Owl's Wing is a soft, comforting, resin-forward blend. I get primarily the cedar, sandalwood, and myrrh, with maybe a touch of earthiness from the sage. The lavender and champaca flower lend some lightness and sweetness, but this is not an in-your-face lavender (or floral) fragrance. It's snuggly without being meek; soothing, but with a protective, sheltering quality--like a strong shield that's lined with the softest, downiest feathers.

This is one of the times when it is absolutely appropriate to contact the Lab, and is not bothering them. When in doubt, better safe than sorry.

The owl is abroad, the bat, and the toad, And so is the cat-a-mountain, The ant and the mole sit both in a hole, And the frog peeps out o’ the fountain; The dogs they do bay, and the timbrels play, The spindle is now a turning; The moon it is red, and the stars are fled, But all the sky is a-burning: The ditch is made, and our nails the spade, With pictures full, of wax and of wool; Their livers I stick, with needles quick; There lacks but the blood, to make up the flood. Quickly, Dame, then bring your part in, Spur, spur upon little Martin, Merrily, merrily, make him fail, A worm in his mouth, and a thorn in his tail, Fire above, and fire below, With a whip in your hand, to make him go. There’s magic afoot: fiery red musk, luminous elemi, East Indian patchouli, champaca flower, cedar incense, ho wood, and hemlock accord sweetened with a peculiar sweet honey. Out of all the gorgeous Halloweenies, Third Charm stood out to me as a must-have. I made a bee-line for it at Dragon*Con, and I wasn't disappointed! In the bottle, Third Charm is similar to Scherezade (one of my all-time favorite scents), with an autumnal quality that makes me think of leaves changing colors and cool, crisp nights. A little of the peculiar honey creeps in to smooth and sweeten the scent. On my wrist, more of the musk and patchouli creeps out, until it's a warm, glowing, scent that balances all the fuzzy, earthy elements beautifully. I can't wait for the weather to start changing so I can wear this and feel appropriately seasonal.

Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101 Thanks!

Most of the perfume oils should be gently rolled/swirled, not shaken (unlike the hair glosses, which benefit from a bit of energetic agitation). One or two blends are globbier (technical term), so you could use a clean straw or coffee stirrer to try to break up any bits that don't want to mix.

It could be both, especially if you got one (or both) from another BPAL fan vs. the Lab. I'd keep whichever one works better on you.

With a touch of cinnamon, tobacco, and oudh. This gloss is gorgeous, and deceptively simple. Its rich melange of sweet vanilla and softly spiced cardamom swirls around a deep, dark core of tobacco and oudh, creating a warm, beautifully blended scent. It's gentle, even comforting, yet utterly alluring. The throw is lighter compared to some of my other glosses, but it still works its smoothing, detangling, silkifying magic. I get a little cinnamon, but not that much, which is surprising--I'm used to that dominating most blends it's in. Cardamom is one of my most beloved notes, and I can't wait to wear it with some of my favorite cardamom BPALs like Southern Cloudywing, Mama-Ji, Café Mille et une Nuits, or Pumpkin I from this year's Weenies.

I'm a big fan of white musk, but given my love of patchouli and the heavier musks, I wasn't expecting this to be my favorite of the blends. The rich vanilla and light, airy white musk pair beautifully with the earthiness of the dead leaves, so it melds into this perfectly balanced swirl of leaves tumbling in a crisp autumn breeze.

Per Failmingo's announcement:

Smooth, sweet, and mellow, with a gentle glowing quality. Not too heavy--something a little fresh (almost lemony?) keeps it from feeling sticky-sweet.

Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon. Oh, sweet, sweet, Sin. You spicy, resinous, glorious, irresistible temptress. I thought I loved all my hair glosses equally (at least that's what I tell them), but I may have a new favorite. If you already love Sin, you might think you know what to expect. Wafts of deep golden amber winding through clouds of heady patchouli. Rich sandalwood twining lovingly around plumes of tantalizing cinnamon. This hair gloss is all that, and a little bit more. The formula is lighter and not as thick as some of the other glosses, but it is silky and made my hair incredibly soft to the touch. Every time I turn my head, I get a hint of the most warm, beautiful, seductive scent. It's utterly rapturous and I'm suddenly wondering if two bottles were enough. If there's any way this could become a GC....

Of the three dead leaf hair glosses I ordered (patchouli/honey/warm musk; white musk/vanilla), the dead leaves are most prominent in this blend, wrapped in a haze of the warmth and furry/fuzziness that I associate with red musk. The neroli gives the blend a bright, spicy bite.

I never have.

I think the email address is now answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com! I seem to remember that a couple of email services (maybe live and hotmail) eat the Lab's responses, but you should be good with gmail.

Heads up, decanters--we're revising the Crimson Peak limit extension to apply to the Big Three updates (Weenies, Yules, Lupers) as well as special cases like Carnaval Diabolique and Crimson Peak. Please acquaint yourselves with the all the gory details right over here.