JazzieCazzie

I would throw in a vote for Van Van ... my note on it is "lemony snickerdoodles."

Wow, really surprised at first that I never reviewed this, but realize that while I continued to stockpile my collection, I seemed to stop being anal-retentive about reviews somewhere mid-2005. SOOOOO ... am working my way through my ENTIRE BPAL collection -- imps old and new, bottles old and new, items swapped for and purchased and lagniapped and frimped. And once I get through all of it, I can finally post a somewhat comprehensive swaplist AND wishlist! This was tested from a decant from my own 5 ML bottle of this purchased at time of release (I've made decants from ALL of my bottles, old and new, just to make my choice-of-the-days easier, and as well as giving myself options when I travel!) IN THE IMP: Sweet and spicy and sugary. All carnation to my nose. Dabbed on wrist and into crook of arm. WET: Upon application, this goes bubble-gummy but in the best possible way. Spicy, playful, fun, sweet but not TOO sweet. DRYDOWN: This is the only time where what I assume is the phlox note rises, making it just the tiniest bit more "commercially floral." But overall it lasts a long time and stays uniquely BPAL rather than "department store perfume." OVERALL: I find this a lovely, sassy and fun scent, especially welcome in the spring. I'd say the drydown florally-floral note takes it down just a few fractions when it comes to my final score, but it remains a keeper. On a scale of 1-5, about a 4.3.

I'm sort of shocked that I have never reviewed this scent. Double-checked this thread but nope, apparently not. So here goes what is, actually, a double-fisted test drive as I work through my collection of BPAL goodies, old, new, swapped for, lagniapped, etc. to put together a comprehensive swap list AND wish list. I've been a big fan of Penitence for ages (though I don't think I've ever had a big bottle) and currently have two imps, both purchased from the Lab, and both ... well, not new. Not sure when each was acquired but one is definitely more aged than the other, so decided to review them separately, one on each arm, to see how the aging process affects them. Not exactly scientific, not knowing how old they are, but here goes ... IN THE IMP: Older one: Frankincense is strong and very amber-like -- resiny, golden, comforting. Newer one: Lighter and nowhere near as strong or resiny. Old one dabbed on left wrist/crook of arm. Newer one dabbed on right wrist/crook of arm. WET: Older: A sweet, strong resin that is sharper, for lack of a better word, in the crook of my arm and rounder, softer and more resiny on my wrist. Newer: Definitely less amber/resiny. A little sweeter, a little spicier, a little more bubble-gummy. MIDWAY: My early "wet" assessment so far is that the frankincense, as it ages, becomes more predominant while the myrrh is stronger when the blend is "younger." DRYDOWN: Older: This fades away into almost nothing. Within an hour of application, it is ALL gone. Newer: This has much more "leg" and morphs a few times. When the older scent is gone, this has turned much more resiny than originally. But within another half-hour or so, while still strong, it has some of what I call that "funky myrrh," the powdery and slightly wonky sweet scent. It's not a bad scent, just much more myrrh than frankincense. THEN, another half hour later, the myrrh has mellowed and it's back to a very subtle but still noticeable resin. OVERALL: I love this blend. I really do. I wish I had more of the older imp left to tide me over for a few (months? years?) until the newer one ages enough to be fully frankincenserized and that I had enough to slather so that the lack of legs could be offset. On a scale of 1-5, I give it about a 4.25 more because of the variables -- the scent I like more doesn't last, the scent I like but not quite as much does. Both remain keepers.

I had never tried the "original" Leo blend but was intrigued by the "reboot," if only because I love love love amber, frankincense and saffron. So when I saw a partial bottle for sale, it seemed a worthwhile gamble even if I wasn't sure how the walnut bark and chamomile would work for me (and the reviews were varied). So finally got my package and doubled back to the Ls on my amazing journey through all of my BPAL sniffies, A-Z, as I review, re-visit and compile a comprehensive swap list and wish list (didn't have to double TOO far back since I'm only up to P). IN THE IMP: Very oddly fruity and aquatic, neither of which I would have expected from the listed notes. Dabbed on wrist and into crook of arm, admittedly confused. WET: This is NOTHING like I would have expected (or wanted). Aquatic. Fruity. Wafting some licorice or anisette, oddly enough. I'm also getting something sort of plastic. To say that NONE of the notes I'd hoped for (amber, frankincense, saffron) are at all evident is an understatement. DRYDOWN: Oddly enough, as it dries, what I presume is the "nuttiness" is the lone redeeming value for me and the one note that sort of pulls all these odd random notes together, softens them, gives them a little spice and warmth. I'm getting the tiniest bit of the medicinal comfort of the amber but more of a plastic-y coconut. OVERALL: Really, for me, a huge disappointment. But of course one person's disappointment is another person's holy grail so soon when I post my swap list, hopefully someone will be thrilled to find their beloved Leo 2007 On a scale of 1-5, a 2.

OH. MY. GOD. Bought an imp from the Lab as part of an impapalooza binge in February which combined a reload of favorite old imps to restock or retry and a few new GCs based on notes. This was one of the latter. I knew I was taking a chance since sometimes OB is fabulous on me and other times it turns to soap or bubble gum. But I love sandalwood and champaca so was willing to take the chance. IN THE IMP: Pure sandalwood. Almost like a single note. I actually checked to make sure I hadn't accidentally picked up one of the two imps of Penitence which are on deck for my test-driving (I have an older one and a newer one and plan to compare aged versus recent but that's for another post in another thread). Dabbed on one wrist and in the crook of that arm. WET: OMGOMGOMGOMG. This is so divine. Before I can concentrate enough to place each note (I'm suffering from a head injury which has me slightly dazed and confused, or at least MORE dazed and confused than usual) I get the words flashing in my head: SUNSHINE! VACATION! FLORIDA! SUNTAN LOTION! ORANGE TREES! MUST HAVE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE. The orange blossom amps in the best possible way, as someone else mentioned, as true blossoms rather than soap or citrus. I immediately dabbed more on the other arm and crook and right into la cleavage ... DRYDOWN: The sandalwood and champaca amp up a bit more to add that sweet resiny-woody note and combine PERFECTLY with the OB. The OB, meanwhile, continues to pop and bloom with just a bit more orange side, like sherbet. The combination is damned near perfect. OVERALL: Once upon a time, many many years ago, my parents brought me an orange-blossom scented candle from a trip to Florida. This was right when "scented candles that looked like things" were just becoming popular (my guess is early 70s, maybe, or maybe earlier). It was an orange float drink in a glass. It was the most divine scent ever ... I wouldn't burn it, just had it on a shelf and sniffed it a lot. That is what this orange blossom -- and to a large degree this perfume -- reminds me of. I have been suffering from horrible stress and anxiety, much of it, as my husband and I just discussed over breakfast, stemming from serious SAD. This scent should be prescribed aromatherapy for SAD. It's like a liquid vacation. ETA: The final seal of approval ... hubby LOVES it on me. And trust me, he doesn't love many scents on me at all. Thinking of sending him the Lab link for this since our anniversary happens to be coming up ... or better yet, does the Lab do gift certificates? ON a scale of 1-5, this is a MUST HAVE MORE MUST HAVE BIG BOTTLE MUST HAVE VAT. I think that's a 5.

Based on the notes, I keep thinking I MUST have tried this at some point in the past but I never reviewed it and have no recollection of it. So while perusing a fellow forumite's sale list, which had a few other items I wanted, I purchased an imp of this as well as I continue through my box of smellies, revisiting, reviewing and figuring out exactly what I'll be able to list in the not-too-distant-future for a swaparama so I can stop spending money (well, except on those days when the Lab comes out with new amaaaaaaaaazing goodies). This was interesting. I have no idea how long it had been capped and covered, because ... IN THE IMP: My first whiff knocked me off my feet (well, had I been on my feet). It smelled, I kid you not, like hard liquor. Scotch, maybe? Like the smell of my dad's old liquor cabinet. Obviously nothing remotely like any of the three notes listed. It's not that that's a BAD scent per se (is it awful to say that, in fact, it's kind of an evocative memory of my childhood and not necessarily an unpleasant one? Please don't judge). ... That said, I recapped it because I hadn't been planning on "test driving" it at that moment anyway, and put it aside to review today. And when I re-opened it this morning it was completely different ... perhaps that aeration changed it? Anyway, the second sniff in the imp was indeed predominantly frankincense and nothing but (I <3 frankincense). Dabbed on my wrist and in the crook of my arm. WET: Frankincense wafts up from both applications and shortly thereafter a VERY light cinnamon joins it. I love all cinnamons, the light ones, the burning welty red ones, whatever. Beth is a cinnamon genius. Neil Young wrote the song for her. Whatever. It always seems to do just what it needs to based on the blend and to me in this case it just rounder out the frankincense enough to keep it light and lovely. DRYDOWN: This is where the violet came into play, as it tends to do (I rarely get a wet violet note, since it's notably powdery). I love the violet powder scent anyway (one of my favorite goodies is the box of violet dusting powder that you can buy in the apothecary shop in old town Williamsburg, Va) ... so for me, this just finished off the lovely wave of how this scent morphed, and it completed the triad without overwhelming it. OVERALL: This is an absolutely lovely scent. It's not masculine on me at all. It's dried down into something very very faint and yet comfortingly there. Basically it's a subtle threesome of resin-spice-floral. What's not to like? Yes, please. Keeper for sure. On a scale of 1-5, a 4.75.

Since I tend to love the Lab's honey note I've been trying to experiment with the blends to see which ones work for me. So far, for example, Hemlock Honey is divine, Laurel Honey not so much. Purchased one imp of this in a purchase with a lovely forumite who was generous enough to toss in another as lagniappe. IN THE IMP: Sweet sweet sweet and slightly nutty but not caramelly to me which was a good start because caramel, while I love it in my mouth, makes me very queasy as a scent. Dabbed on wrist and into crook of arm WET: A strong honey kick which has its nuttiness but also something sharp, almost acrid, which I can't quite place. On the other hand, I've never smelled horse chestnuts so assuming that's what it is. DRYDOWN: As others have mentioned, this just keeps getting stronger and stronger and sweeter and sweeter to the point of being overwhelming, and I applied it pretty lightly. OVERALL: Just too sweet for me, and since I have other honey-blend imps which work wonders for me, these will go into the swap box. ETA: Within about a half hour, I have a massive splitting headache. Whether there is any connection or not, I have no idea, but am washing it off to be safe. On a scale of 1-5, about a 2.5

Received as a lagniappe imp in a purchase, I did not have high hopes for this when I read the notes -- in fact, I assumed it would be an "open it, sniff it, and recap it and stick it in the swap box" based on the fact that rum and aquatics are both notes of doom for me (no blame placed on the supplier, who was generous enough to provide any extras at all ... it's the rare swapper who actually checks your wishlists or good/bad notes!) So imagine my surprise when ... IN THE IMP: Sweet wood with a tiny touch of salt. Very light, slightly cologne-y but no booze or aquatics at all. Still cautious, dabbed on wrist. WET: Hmmmm. Very light. Sweet wood. The perfume is fragrant rather than department-store. NO booze at all. Salt air is refreshing, not aquatic. I decided to proceed further and dabbed a wand's worth into the crook of my arm, where scents go to amp. The perfume was the note that did amp more, in a white floral but not LUSH floral way. I do not have a sophisticated enough nose to identify the note but it's very pleasant. I guess I must have been a prostitute in a former life. DRYDOWN: Floral, sweet, woody and very very subtle. NEVER got the booze or the aquatics at all. OVERALL: A surprising keeper. Not something I'd buy more of, or reach for often, but unique enough for me that I'll keep it unless I happen to see someone searching for it who has something i want to swap for. On a scale of 1-5, a 3 but a keeper 3 because I don't have much else like it.

Purchased an imp of this from the Lab on a recent impapalooza spree which was part restocking dwindling imps and part trying scents I had not tried. I am sure I must have tried this in the past, based on the notes, but no longer had it and had not reviewed it, so what the heck, right? Working my way through the alphabetland maze of ALL of my BPAL so I can finally come up with a comprehensive swappable list with which, I hope, to further expand my collection. IN THE IMP: Sweet and deliciously spicy with some woods but not a deep dark green-type woods on first sniff (despite the color). Dabbed on wrist and in crook of arm. WET: I really, really like these wet notes. Very sweet and woody when I bury my nose in my arm or to my wrist, yet I somehow get a slightly fruity throw. Not sure what it's from. Maybe more foodyish than fruity per se, so it could be the saffron. When wet, this is just a lovely light resiny/floral blend. DRYDOWN: This is where it starts to lose me and I'm not sure why. It just goes a little ... off. The musk, which so often is a great note for me, amps up and it all goes a little too perfumey and less spicy/labdanum/saffrony. OVERALL: This could qualify as a potential keeper were it not for the fact that I have SO many scents I do love that I know, realistically, I would simply never wear this. And so instead it goes into the swap box for future listing. On a scale of 1-5, a fair 3.

Working my way through my BPAL box, reviewing and revisiting scents old, new and new-to-me in alphabetical order (give or take an added frimp or acquisition that allows me to double back). When done, I will have a comprehensive list of imps and bottles to swap away ... safe to say that Old Demons will NOT be on that list (though getting more more more WILL be on the complementary wishlist!) A little background. When Cazzie Lite moved to West Hollywood after she graduated college, the fact that she was now 2000 miles and three time zones away from me was made slightly more palatable by the fact that she was also just a short ride up the 101 to Burbank and Dark Delicacies. On our first visit out, in January 2012, I made my first pilgrimage there with a few hours on my hands. I had a list of every scent I ALREADY had or had tried so as not to "waste time" with anything except those scents that were "new to me." This? Blew me away. Because money was tight and there were several scents I wanted to acquire, I only bought two imps instead of a bottle. Testing from one of those imps here, dated probably late 2011. IN THE IMP: Pure and simple -- Coca Cola. And I ADORE the cola note. I believe it's been suggested that it is the opoponax and since I have no idea what opoponax actually is but find that it is always a winner for me, that makes sense (hmmmmmm ... opoponax single note would be very high on my wish list, I think). Dabbed on pretty generously on wrist and into crook of arm. Only applied on one arm because my initial plan had been to double-test-drive this with Oblivion on the other arm ... but, see below. WET: Just. Absolutely. Blow-your-socks-off-DIVINE. Coca Cola with a slightly medicinal touch (which makes sense since IIRC Coca Cola was originally medicinal anyway ... and by the way, if I use "medicinal" it's usually a positive adjective for me in the BPAL sphere). It's really hard at first for me to put my nose-finger on a single note, unless of course the Coca Cola is the opoponax. It's just lovely deep yet light resins and spices ... SO divine, in fact, that I decide to postpone the Oblivion application so I can simply savor Old Demons by itself ... DRYDOWN: The pepper rises more in the drydown, making it just a little less sweet but still savory and delicious. That savory note only lasts for a few minutes before it subsides into the complex blend that is Old Demons. It's a deep golden brown scent, spicy, sweet but not TOO sweet, comforting and enveloping. OVERALL: This could totally be a signature scent for me. A big bottle purchase has been added to the to-do list though I am on a no-buy for now (it will certainly top my GC wish list once I finalize my swap page). I would call this a Top 10, though those are so hard to narrow down. CERTAINLY among the most amazing GCs ever. On a scale of 1-5, pretty obviously a 5 for me.

Working my way through my entire BPAL collection, A-Z, reviewing or revisiting every scent in the box. This morning has been a double-O Excolo test drive of Odin on one wrist and Ochosi on the other. I know I had this at some time before and never reviewed it. This imp was a lagniappe from a lovely forumite swapper! IN THE IMP: Very sour, pungent, even bitter. If I were not testing EVERYTHING on my skin for the sake of a complete experiment, I would just pop the cap back on untested and put it in the swap box. Dabbed very lightly on one wrist. WET: Still sour but fading a bit to more of a tanginess. The overriding "category" for me is fruity. I am not getting any of the creaminess described by others unless it's sour cream. Definitely green citrus though. DRYDOWN: This dries to a slightly tolerable level on me, more like a green lollipop. It's not completely unpleasant but it's a little nauseating. Green. Tangy. Acrid. Very fruity. And very perfumey. OVERALL: This just doesn't work with my body chemistry, obviously. I don't think I've ever ordered anything with shea in it, so that could be the culprit but since notes aren't listed, who knows? I do know that I've never been a fan of the "commercially produced" shea products so I'm guessing that's the issue. On a scale of 1-5, about a 2.

... His scent is dry elm bark, amaranth, warrior’s musk, and Odin’s Nine Herbs of Power. Test-driving my way alphabetically through my entire BPAL collection over these weeks, the better to finalize a full "swappable" list and figure out what I love, what I don't and, ideally why. Odin was either a frimp from the Lab (which is what I THINK it was) or a lagniappe in a swap. Double-O-ing it this morning with Odin on one wrist and lagniapped imp Ochosi on the other. IN THE IMP: Much sweeter and lighter than I expected, sweetly woodsy. Not getting big "masculine" vibe. Dabbed on one wrist. WET: It remains, light sweet and woodsy yet I can't put my finger on a single note. Quite feminine on me, really, but not in a girly-girl way. Definitely getting something slightly floral, even ... perhaps the amaranth? Don't really know what that is supposed to smell like. DRYDOWN: This was almost a potential keeper until now. Dries down into a very powdery scent, slightly wonky on me -- though I know myrrh isn't listed in the notes, whatever note is doing this is reacting on my skin EXACTLY like drydown myrrh. OVERALL: It's not a washoff, but it's not a keeper. I would not say it has to be a guy scent. I find it very gender neutral. On a scale of 1-5, about a 2.8

Received an imp as lagniappe in a recent swap. I knew I had tried it in the past (although I apparently never reviewed it) because there were many notes in it that I knew, early on, I loved, whereas the notes that turned out to not work for me were ones I didn't realize were problem children until later. However, as I work my way through my entire collection, A-Z, I am reviewing and revisiting EVERY scent I have in my box and so Namaste, you're up today. IN THE IMP: Pungent. Acrid. Even sour. An earlier review (maybe more) used the term vinegar and that works for me, too. Sweaty socks. I have to imagine it's the lemongrass and jasmine, even though the former seems to be the last note listed. Dabbed a little fearfully on one wrist. WET: For a brief blessed moment my lovely woods, sandalwood and cedarwood, amp and sweeten the blend to make it tolerable. But that lasts for mere moments. Then lemongrass and, I guess, jasmine (which often DOES work well for me) fight their way back up, like the girl bullies from gym class, and throw their nasty socks all around the locker room after a nasty game of prisoner's ball. DRYDOWN: (Yeah, I got there). Guess who joined the game? Wonky rose. Annnnnd with that it was time to take a post-gym shower, because they're just not playing nice at all. OVERALL: Still not a winner for me. And definitely, ironically, doesn't evoke the peace and comfort I think of with the word Namaste. Damn my chemistry. On a scale of 1-5, about a 1.5. (And that's only because I save the 1s for scents that make me physically ill).

This was a very last-minute add to a decant circle order, when I was intrigued by some of the early reviews and the person running the circle had a few spots left on this scent. Having memories of the scent of a store in midtown Manhattan that sort of a Japanese superstore (not Azuma or any of those, more of a supermarket, including a lot of tea and a lot of wood), I figured it was worth the extra splurge to see if this might match that sense memory. IN THE IMP: Just, no. Not getting any of the green or woods or leaves or anything. Just getting a powerfully acrid, pungent, sour smell. Dabbed very very lightly on one wrist in hopes of a magic morph. WET: Strong, acrid, sour, like old sweat on me. I have no idea which note is causing this because I do tend to play nicely with a lot of woods, but these are new woods to me. And not good woods. DRYDOWN: I confess I KNOW I should have tried to wait it out to see if upon drydown it would somehow turn into the smell of that store, but my stomach honestly couldn't handle it. A rare washoff. OVERALL: I can't say it wasn't what I was expecting, because I really didn't know what to expect. But it was obviously not what I hoped for. Still, my loss will be someone's gain once I finish my way through the alphabet of goodies and post a pretty comprehensive swap list sometime in April. On a scale of 1-5, about a 1.5

Received an imp of this as lagniappe in a recent swap and it was up to bat in my ongoing project to review and/or revisit every imp and bottle in my collection, A-Z (with some doubling back as I receive new scents via swap or purchase), with the ultimate upshot coming when I hit up all my Ws and complete my list of swappable goodies to post. I'd never dabbled in the District scents, having been on a buy break during their hey day, so Lulu was definitely "new-to-me." IN THE IMP: As pretty much everyone before me has mentioned, definitely "white floral." To me, it seemed clean without being soapy at that point, and surprisingly fresh and clean rather than the more "lush" floral I associate with gardenia. In fact, I got what I am pretty sure was tobacco flower (the more sharp white floral) and virtually no gardenia. Dabbed cautiously but generously, considering the notes, on one wrist and in crook of arm. WET: I actually really, really liked this when wet. VERY hard to put my finger on the notes or even a description. It becomes more "lushly" floral when applied than it was in the imp, but never really went full-bore gardenia on me either. I totally get the "high end department store/five-star hotel soap" comps. Can't figure out which note that is ... my guess is bergamot, but I could be wrong. And it reminds me a lot of scents from my past, hidden in the back recesses of my mind, which I can't quite locate. Someone mentioned it was like a perfume their mom might have worn in the 70s and that could be it (though more likely I would have worn it in the 70s since I could probably be the mom of most BPAL-ers -- or yeah, it might have been my mom who loved herself some perfume). DRYDOWN: And here is where the lovely Lulu earned a relocation from the keeper box to the swapper box. It just didn't work. It never went headachy gardenia. It never went wonky per se. It got kinda boozy and too much perfume, not enough freshness. And boy does it have long lasting legs. Am gonna have to do a washup before dinner. OVERALL: It seems from the reviews over these two pages that Lulu wasn't a super popular scent and has only a few fans and that somehow surprises me. It seems like something that WOULD have a lot of universal appeal, even if it's not right for me. On a scale of 1-5, I give it about a 2.8. It would have been over a 3 were it not for the unfortunate drydown.

Working my way through my entire BPAL collection, old and new, A-Z, reviewing and revisiting in preparation for, finally, an exhaustive swap list and wish list. I purchased an imp of Mag Mell from the Lab in February as part of an "impapalooza" buy which included some new-to-me scents and some old favorites I was out of or running low on. Mag Mell was a new-to-me, because I hoped the amber and ginger (two favorites) would off-set the iffiness of sage and lemon verbena and the likely "doesn't play nice on me" of rain or any aquatics. Seemed to be worth a shot, anyway! IN THE IMP: Super duper fresh in an aquatic way but not SO aquatic (like ozone or lotus) that it put me off. More like soap or shampoo. Dabbed on my wrist and in the crook of my arm (the latter will amp up anything wonky so I'm warned). WET: This is the strangest blend I've tried in a long time. It's Morphy McMorpherson. On each sniff I get something different. However on NO sniff am I getting ANY amber OR ginger and that's not good. I get, off and on, clean fresh aquatic which is actually the GOOD scent for me, which is odd -- it reminds me quite a bit of the old Love's Rain Scent -- but then on alternate sniffs it's HORRIBLY wonky, and I have to keep checking if there is myrrh in here, because it is similar to the way myrrh often dries down in the crook of my arm (myrrh is usually find on the dry parts of my body but reacts awfully with any perspiration). Maybe it's the ash? Very sulphuric and stinky. But I want to wait this out to see what happens when it dries down ... DRYDOWN: Whatever the stinky note is is amping while the Love's Rain scent is fading ... and the throw is so strong that I finally have to wash this off. At no point did I ever get any amber or ginger. It's possible that the other notes I'm not as familiar with (verbena, sage, ash) combined for the ickiness on me. OVERALL: I'm glad I tried this because I always love test-driving something new, but it just didn't work for me. Into the swap box. On a scale of 1-5, a 1.5

Received as lagniappe in a swap with a lovely forumite who always seems to go above and beyond when it comes to hand-selecting imps and other sniffies that match my list of favorite notes, and she was, as usual, SPOT ON with this!!!! Not sure that something with frankincense, benzoin and cinnabar could have ever gone wrong, anyway, but this is absolutely divine. Very, very clean and fresh to me, and yet with that ineffable spiciness and resin that keeps it from smelling like Febreze. It reminds me quite a bit of Crabtree & Evelyn's Goatmilk line (which is way too limited for my liking -- just shower gel, body lotion and soap), one of my favorite non-BPAL scents (I don't know the notes in that so I don't know if BPAL has a similar scent). This would make a great bubble bath or bath oil, IMHO, but in the meantime, it's going on my list for future big bottle purchases.

Working my way through my collection of BPAL, old and new, and hit on a few foodie Yule Ms all at once. This is from the 5 ML bottle purchased from Lab at time of release. IN THE BOTTLE: It took me a minute to put my finger on it, but it's like tangy coffee cake. Applied lightly on wrist and in crook of arm. WET: Sweet and light and spicy. Surprisingly actually NOT that foodie to me. I am not getting any of the cinnamon or clove (sad, since they're two of my favorite notes and the reason I ordered this to start with). I guess if I can't identify pfefferneuse, that must be what the primary note is. DRYDOWN: It remains unfoodie and actually goes, to my surprise, very masculine/cologne. A light cologne but a male cologne nevertheless. It's not awful but it's not something I'd wear again. OVERALL: Definitely one for the swap list. It's interesting but it's not what I was looking for. I saw a few comps on here to Shub and I do not get even the slightest HINT of that -- if I did it might be a keeper, LOL, since Shub is one of my all-time favorite BPAL blends! On a scale of 1-5, about a 2ish.

Working my way through revisiting and reviewing all of my BPAL collection and have hit a load of foodie Yule scents in the Ms. This is from my own decant from a bottle purchased from the Lab when it was first released. IN THE IMP: Very very very very very sweet and very very very very sweet-fruity. More like candied fruit than fruit itself. That's all I'm getting. Actually got a little on my finger when I uncapped the imp and frankly that was enough for me to use to test wet and drydown LOL. WET: I'm getting a definite "caramel" scent to my nose, which is probably the spun burnt sugar note. Also a little booze, or what I associate as a BPAL booze scent maybe because it usually is coupled with butterscotch or something. Whatever it is, don't like. Not getting ANY ginger or gingerbread as far as I can tell. DRYDOWN: Just way-too-sweet candied fruit and candied sugar and candied candy. OVERALL: If you love sweet foodie scents, this is for you. But I really don't, so it's not for me. On a scale of 1-5, a 1.5

Received as frimp from the lovely Labbies. Working my way through reviewing, revisiting and sorting every single scent I own -- imps, frimps, bottles, sniffies, etc. -- alpahbetically so I can finally post an exhaustive swap list in the coming weeks. IN THE IMP: Just getting perfumy neroli. Kinda disappointing since I loves me my sandalwood and ylang ylang but not a big fan of neroli which tends to go soapy, bubblegummy and perfumy on me. Dabbed on one wrist. WET: Nothing but neroii and department store perfume. Zero ylang ylang. Zero sandalwood. A tiny bit of suntan lotion. I want to try to wait this out and see if on the drydown either of the notes I like come up. DRYDOWN: I fight the urge to wash it off. But once the drydown begins, all I get is aquatic, soapy, perfume. And it gets stronger and stronger. WASHOFF. OVERALL: This is just not me and I'm not sure why none of the other notes came to play. Sigh. On a scale of 1-5, about a 1.5

Received as lagniappe in a purchase from a lovely forumite ... and tested as I work my way through my entire BPAL collection, revisiting and reviewing. To preface, I am very intrigued by the honey scents by BPAL and have acquired imps of some of this series. My reaction to this was apparently quite different to many of the previous reviews, based largely, I think, on my body chemistry. IN THE IMP: Indeed, sharp and green with very little of the honey. Dabbed on one wrist and lightly in the crook of same arm. WET: My body amps honey up like nobody's business. I really love the initial wet combination that results from this, as the green of the laurel combined with the sweetness of the honey smells like a fresh pungent green bush (in fact, much more like my boxwood plants that the Heinous Hedgerow does). A very early mid-Atlantic spring smell. DRYDOWN: This is a complex, long-lasting scent that isn't really in-your-face but the honey keeps getting sweeter and sweeter. It's like herbal sweet honey. OVERALL: This one is a really really tough call for me. I sort of adore the scent. But I don't see wearing it very often because it is very strong, even lightly applied, and something that I think might bother people who are scent-sensitive. I would LOVE this in, say, a room spray or candle but as a body scent, I think I'm going to have to put it in the swap box. My hand really hovered over the two boxes ... it was a tough decision. I may need to see if I can find other BPAL blends with laurel because I liked that green. On a scale of 1-5, a 3.5 but not something I'd wear because of above reasons.

Received an imp of this as lagniappe in a sale from another forumite. I admit when I read the notes I was POSITIVE this was going to go right into the swap box. Red wine is one of my worst enemies (ON me but not IN me), myrrh goes wonky sweet on drydown and most rose notes are just too too too rosy. But since I am midway through my project of reviewing and revisiting every single BPAL scent in my collection, from A-Z, to prepare a final and exhaustive swap list and wish list, I soldiered on. With trepidation. IN THE IMP: Sour wine and roses. Dabbed cautiously on one wrist. WET: Wow. Upon application, this became surprisingly sweet (probably the myrrh) and even more surprisingly VERY pleasant. None of the stinky cherry/grapeness that wine tends to become on me, and the rose is subtle. The myrrh, usually too sweet, sweetens the other notes to the perfect degree with my chemistry. I smell like candied flowers. DRYDOWN: I am just really, really glad I tried this despite my misgivings. Everything that usually doesn't work for me somehow combined to be a keeper. What a great pleasant surprise ... A little bit of rose, a little bit of powdery sweetness (the myrrh), and just enough tanginess to work, plus the sexy resin of the musk. OVERALL: This is not something I'd make my signature scent but it is absolutely a keeper as an imp when I want something a little different. On a scale of 1-5, I'd give it a strong 3.5.

Working my way through my collection, A-Z, reviewing or revisiting everything as I prepare my complete swaplist AND wishlist ... This was tested from my own decant from a 5 ML purchased from the Lab when the scent was released in 2011. IN THE IMP: Definitely true to the "Christmas tree" smell but with something added that I can't put my finger on. Dabbed on one wrist because I was with my aunt (whose favorite scent in the world is Christmas tree) and I didn't want to go TOO strong but wanted to get her opinion. I also let her sniff the wand from the imp and she kind of wrinkled her nose like she was puzzled LOL. WET: For whatever reason, this was surprisingly "men's cologne" on me. Which is better than Pine-Sol but not as good as real, fresh Christmas tree. I'm not sure what note in it turned on my skin like that, because it doesn't appear anyone else had this issue with it. But it was strong and it was unmistakable. On me, it was much more like a mass-produced scent that high-end department stores would sell for men around the holidays. DRYDOWN: Fortunately, it didn't have too much throw or too many legs, so it faded reasonably soon, just leaving its powdery cologne-ness. OVERALL: Admittedly disappointed and now I understand why I've had the bottle for more than a year and never actually worn it. But I was disappointed more because I'd been hoping that my aunt, the lover of all things Christmas tree-smelling, would have liked it and I could have given her an imp (or the bottle). Sadly, she sniffed my wrist and just said "it's not for me." On a scale of 1-5, about a 2 and onto the eventual swap list, both imp and bottle.

Using a self-decanted imp from my own cobalt bottle. I am not positive if this is from the original series or the brief re-issue. I am pretty sure it's an original. I am perplexed as to why I never reviewed it before now, since it is indeed a big favorite of mine (probably a Top 10 BPAL scent). Anyway, making the turn at the M to come into the second half stretch of my journey through my entire BPAL collection alphabetically, revisiting or reviewing for the first time every scent I have while I determine what goes into swap pile and what I need more of LOL. I actually cheated today and skipped from MAGE to MERCURY, jumping over a small handful that I'll test-drive starting Wednesday night ... today I have to drive in the snow from DC to North Carolina AND wear a scent that I know I won't want to wash off somewhere around Richmond! IN THE IMP: No surprises here. Sweetly spicy lavender. Apply generously to both wrists, both crooks of arms, cleavage and behind ears. Yeah, yeah, I forgot about the cinnamon effect. WET: SOOOOOOO divine that the fact that I had the burn factor for about 5 minutes didn't matter. Actually, I've had worse (Malkuth caused huge welts IIRC). I don't know if the blend has mellowed with age in that respect or not (plus, it's a pale gold, though someone else described it as red ... is the oil supposed to be red or were they just describing it as a "red color scent"?) ... This is just the perfect mix of two of my favorite notes, lavender and cinnamon, that seem polar opposites and yet to me they are equivalent in their respective categories and as such just complement each other perfectly ... the scent is sort of like the most delicious breakfast for your garden. DRYDOWN: I think if I get into an accident today it will be because I was so busy sniffing my arms while driving. Gonna let hubby take the first leg until we get past the snow and just surreptitiously sniff myself. OVERALL: As noted above, one of my all-time favorite BPAL scents. I still have much of a bottle, thank God, but will still put it on my list of scents to be ISO. Yeah, I might hoard it. It clearly does not lose any of its appeal with age. On a scale of 1-5, about eleventybillion.

A slightly older imp which I can't recall if it was a decant (I only know I got it at the same time as Gnome) or a Lab purchase or a purchase from Dark Delicacies. I am thinking it was from DD. It's not the "typical" Lab label. Am working my way through my entire BPAL collection (imps, frimps, big bottles, lagniappe, etc.) A-Z to revisit and re-review, re-organize and come up with both one complete swap list and a wishlist for more. Plus to see if I can figure out what works on me and why. This was a puzzler ... IN THE IMP: The first thing I thought was FIG! But ... I know, I know. There is no fig in this. But it reminded me SO much of Nemesis and Nephilim, for some reason (and coincidentally, I just made my first reasonably big-for-me big bottle purchase in awhile -- four 5 MLs -- and got both of those Ns!). Daubed on wrist and in crook of arm. WET: I am still getting N&N. Dark slightly fruity, sweetly resinous and herbally woodsy. I don't think I'm getting any Dragon's Blood at all, which is odd because it's one of my favorite notes and usually amps on me a lot. (Also surprised how light the color is, a pale amber, for a DB blend). Rather I'm getting sweet, almost sharp and ever-so-slightly metallic woodsy resin. DRYDOWN: This is a very comforting though strong scent and oddly familiar in a "I can't quite put my finger on why" way. It's got a ton of long-lasting throw. As it dries more and more I get the resin but I STILL, dammit, keep thinking "fig! figgy figgy fig!" Got figure (hahahaha no pun intended). OVERALL: I really, really love this. It's outstanding. So why do I keep thinking that for some reason it was mislabeled? I'm just not recognizing ANY of the notes as listed. But whatever it is, I love it. On a scale of 1-5, a 4.8