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BPAL Madness!

mgrazulis

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Everything posted by mgrazulis

  1. mgrazulis

    Helena

    In the imp: watery, soft white rose Wet: a strong tea rose and gentle aroma of white lilies, a beautiful bouquet! Drydown: Rose is still in the forefront with the lillies holding it up. None is cloying--these are clean, fresh white flower scents. Later, a resinous warmth from the amber and a whispery note of nightblooming jasmine. Nothing very complex. Wonderful sillage. A blend that will please white flower lovers...I like whites with a bit more resin than is here. Next, will try in my scent locket.
  2. mgrazulis

    Parthenope

    Oh how I wanted to love Parthenope!! The notes read like aquatic heaven... But orris killed the nose deal on this one!! Not many scents have provoked a sneeze-session, but Parthenope holds the record for most sneezes in a three minute period. There's a reason that nothing labeled hypoallergenic can contain orris! It's evil!!!!!!!! Parthenope will need to find another home.
  3. mgrazulis

    Metal Phoenix

    In the vial: powdery carnation and honeysuckle, the mallow is sweet with a metal tang Wet on skin: a bit of greenish lemon from verbena, the florals amplify Dry: More freshness from the musk, the powderiness is less apparent. I don't know where the sweetness comes from--but it's there on my skin at this stage. This is where I wish the metal were a bit more out there--but just doesn't come out on my skin. Still pretty sharp on the florals, metal note is interesting. But overall this is really too cologney and high pitched for my floral tastes! I'm glad I got a decant to try this...it captured my interest with the metal note and the rose mallow. Just not for me!!!
  4. mgrazulis

    Wood Phoenix

    In the vial: strongly herbal and green, hyssop, chamomile, bamboo shoots. At this stage, very medicinal. A bit of walnut in there and woods. A stinker! Wet: Sugary fig, spicy warm clove and more woods begin to emerge. It is beginning to smell love-erly, just a smidge of magnolia--nothing cloying. The herbals and bamboo have gentled. A bit nutty, spicy and resinous. Dry: The exotic spices, the pink clove are very warm. The hyssop and clove together a very natural blend with the fig and bamboo. After a while, a layer of fresh muskiness settles in with the woods. The magnolia has all but left the blend. This one is quite a surprise for me...I love how it developed into an earthy natural blend that just smells good on the skin. Lots of greens and browns....a smattering of red warmth. A lot of promise for this blend. Could be bottle worthy!!!
  5. mgrazulis

    Moon of the Terrible

    Wet on the skin, herbally lavender and sweet chilly lychee fruit. The lavender is soothing--not bright. The lychee is citrusy as it folds over the lavender. As it dries, I get more of the "snow" note just a hint of cucumbery vanilla and resins that reminds me of pinon wood and meditative white copal mingling with the ozone of benzoin. Now the lychee is quite subtle and has a softness that reminds me of plum. Overall this is a light fruit with gentle contemplative florals and resins. It is chilly, cold and sad in a wistful way--a midnight walk in the desert snow. Beautiful and a bit melancholy...perfect for me on this last day of the year!
  6. mgrazulis

    La Befana

    La Befana sounds like one of those off-beat fun scents BPAL is known for...in the imp, there is a burned sugar and smoke note. On the skin--whoa--butterscotch, toffee and caramel. A wisp of violet floats about as it dries. It's an odd scent of dusky burned sugar and goey treats--very sweet. Perhaps if the florals and cypress make a stronger appearance, it could be a keeper. I have a feeling this will go to someone who likes the candy scents and will appreciate it more than I can!
  7. mgrazulis

    Blood Rose

    In the imp, cherry cough syrup. Wet on the skin, dark red rose petals freshly fallen, and dragon's blood. resin, sweet and cloying; dry red wine. The dragon's blood amplifies on me---we do not get on at all. Once dry the wine disappears totally. As much as I love rose, this one just doesn't work out on me. I had hoped that the wine would balance out the dragon's blood resin. I will pass this imp along for someone else to try!
  8. mgrazulis

    The Peacock Queen

    Lush, velvety, and a dark red rose whiff in the vial. There is something green there, too. I love Beth's rose. But unfortunately, on my skin, Peacock Queen '07 faded quickly to soap and stayed there.
  9. mgrazulis

    Rose Red

    '07 Version I had to know what Snow White's sister smelled like...Rose Red is a dewy red rose, green-stemed, freshly cut. This is a rose whose leaves are herbal, the residue on your fingers after wiping the dew. Her bloom is almost honeysuckle but not quite as sweet. Mmmmm! A rose at her peak color, her bouquet vibrant. No granny rose here....this is the Rose Red, who marries the prince's brother. Gorgeous!!!
  10. mgrazulis

    Miskatonic University

    Strong coffee, Irish whiskey, Baileys, whipped cream and sugar...the aroma is distinctive and intense. Stiff and strong. When drydown starts, it gets a high pitched sweetness. Patience....patience...patience. I want to give this a good shot. There is a nutty note that plays around the edges. The dusty books and polished tables take the sugar factor down. Much later, the remains of the Irish coffee sit in a glass mug. It's empty, but the tell-tale smell of the concoction is still there. I like this imp...especially when the woods kick in. I'm hanging on to it!
  11. mgrazulis

    Perchta

    The florals and pine are lighter than Frau Holle, but the overall impresssion is darker with a layer of furry musk. Still cold and wintry with a sweet violet note and a bit of spiciness. The snow and musk drift around the outer edges of the pine and florals in drydown. A bit more unisex than Frau Holle. Nice complimentary concepts!
  12. mgrazulis

    Morgause

    A dark velvet cloak of evening primrose, night-blooming jasmine and cereus, angel trumpet and moonflowers...a whiff of dry violet and a tinge of fruity plum and blackberry. The incense reminds me of the note in Parlement of Foules but even lighter. Sensual and captivating, not nearly as heavy a blended floral as it sounds. By drydown it is in control by the incense. The overall feel is mysterious and shrouded in mystery. A beautiful interpretation of Morgause.
  13. mgrazulis

    Frau Holle

    This opens with a gentle snow falling through pine boughs...the pine sap is fresh and resinous. It's as if someone laid down a blanket of dried herbs and flowers under a pine tree for you to sit on and watch the snow falling. A layer of warm musk breathes through gentling the pine note, the herbs and flowers dusted by the chilled snow. Peaceful and serene...the pine note is sharp at first but by drydown the pine is surprisingly soft. The sweetness of the herbs and flowers blend seamlessly with the warmth of the musk. Very feminine and delicate for a scent with pine!
  14. mgrazulis

    Snow White

    Soft creamy white flowers flickering in a light coconut vanilla base...there is a velvety cold green note that tickles a bit. This is faint on my skin and fades quickly. Innocent...just not my type of wintery scent. I'll keep my decant.
  15. mgrazulis

    On Darkness

    Somehow--I knew I would love this one. An immediate fire to this one, it hits all at once, herbally and sharp from the lavender and the rose geranium with a backdraft of wicked black amber. The benzoin cools the blend down allowing the murky black poppy and rosewood resins to seep out through even more black amber. A deep dark purple haze of smokiness that grows creamier and softer over time hugging the air and drawing me in deeper. Swoonworthy and yes, a bottle is in order. This decant will be used up in no time.
  16. mgrazulis

    Green Party

    Wow...fennel, fern, very herbally green. A dash of cucumber and a bit of grassy wet moss. A garden under an open window. Wonderfully close to the skin. It will be wonderful in a scent locket!!
  17. mgrazulis

    E Pluribus Unum

    Indeed...a lovely fresh green floral blend. All in a chorus singing sweetly and gently. No arias, no divas...just a fresh refrain from all 51 in magnificent unison! What a bouquet!
  18. mgrazulis

    Jacob's Ladder

    Totally lured in by the description. Couldn't wait to try it when the decant arrived! It was warm and ambery going on the skin, strong with benzoin and a touch of rockrose. Alas--it quickly turned powdery and cloying on my skin.
  19. mgrazulis

    Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills

    Brisk balsam and cedar underneath. Blackberry sweetened by skin musk and lightly scented roses. Clean and cool with a layer of amber...sandalwood out at the edges. Gorgeous wintry feminine woods with a drop of blackberry and rose. Mmmmmm....beautifully blended.
  20. mgrazulis

    The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

    I don't know if I can add much more than sarada in my impression of this. The base of cool blue pines, rich earthiness of patchouli lies beneath a bath of golden warm amber. Once drenched the florals lift upward into a crisp ethereal and celestial burst of linden blossoms. There are other more mellow yellow florals. Suddenly I have a huge smile and I want to bless the day, be happy to be alive. Bright oranges and golds...the piper's calling us to join him.
  21. mgrazulis

    Mourning Moon

    Gentle woods and resins blended with somber purple and white florals. The fruit tops are muted with a hint of bitter. Skin-close, quiet with a sedate translucent musk. Funereal yet classic.
  22. mgrazulis

    Gingerbread Poppet

    In the imp: liquid gingerbread batter, spices on top Wet on skin: molasses and cinnamon with a vanilla note Dry: a fog of baked gingerbread with incensy smoke around the edges There is plenty of spice to go around in this one. After an hour, it does settle nicely into a comforting blend of baked gingerbread, the incense gives it a hint of something sinister. At two hours, it is still spicy and much more rounded. Still warm and delectable.
  23. mgrazulis

    Oisin

    Beth's sugary white skin-like musk shines gloriously through scented Irish flowers and misted herbs. My nose picks up some earthy Irish moss, too--wet and dewy. Just enough blossom here to prevent this from being too masculine. A few spicy meadow flowers that remind me of Leanan Sidhe, but the overall feel is unisex, light and green with just a touch of feral in the musk. Warm, inviting and I wouldn't mind a roll in an Irish meadow wearing this! Throw is light but longlasting. Incredibly fresh!
  24. mgrazulis

    The Lady of Shalott

    Intriguing scent notes...aquatics are always a big fav of mine, along with crystalline musk. I love the poem and Lorena McKennitt's wonderful song by the same name. Unfortunately, the gardenia slams full force and drowns out the remaining notes immediately. There it stays after several hours, with nary a trace of musk, aquatics or ginger. This would be wonderful for someone who adores gardenia...just not for me!
  25. mgrazulis

    Nuclear Winter

    '08 Version Icy sharp blended mints in a delicate white musk background...very similar to Snow-Flakes, minus the vanilla note. No powdery snow here, though...the scent is frozen through and through!! The initial sharpness of the mints softens quickly with an aquatic note. Uber clean and refreshing!!!
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