wickedgoddess

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. Mandarin, tonka, saffron, black tea, cocoa, tobacco leaf, sanguine red musk and five classical herbs of conflict. Wet - Mmm…in the bottle I smell chocolate and tobacco leaf, and it makes me think of Freak Show and 13. On, the chocolate fades pretty immediately, and I get a strong citrus note, probably the mandarin. Dry - I do eventually get black tea, but it's overshadowed by the mandarin. In some blends I love mandarin, but in this one it's a bit too overpowering. I never get red musk or tonka. I think people who love Freak Show and 13 will love this one as well, but I was hoping for a yummy red musk, black tea and cocoa combo, and this isn't going to be it. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 3.

An Arabic term that refers to both the chirping of nocturnal insects and the ambient sound made by the chattering of demons. This is the original title of the feared Necronomicon, the Book of Dead Names, penned by the Mad Arab, Abdul Alhazred. Nor is it to be thought that man is either the oldest or the last of earth’s masters, or that the common bulk of life and substances walks alone. The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be. Not in the spaces we know, but between them, They walk serene and primal, undimensioned and to us unseen. Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate. Past, present, future, all are one in Yog-Sothoth. He knows where the Old Ones broke through of old, and where They shall break through again. He knows where They have trod earth’s fields, and where They still tread them, and why no one can behold Them as They tread. By Their smell can men sometimes know Them near, but of Their semblance can no man know, saving only in the features of those They have begotten on mankind; and of those are there many sorts, differing in likeness from man’s truest eidolon to that shape without sight or substance which is Them. They walk unseen and foul in lonely places where the Words have been spoken and the Rites howled through at their Seasons. The wind gibbers with Their voices, and the earth mutters with Their consciousness. They bend the forest and crush the city, yet may not forest or city behold the hand that smites. Kadath in the cold waste hath known Them, and what man knows Kadath? The ice desert of the South and the sunken isles of Ocean hold stones where Their seal is engraven, but who hath seen the deep frozen city or the sealed tower long garlanded with seaweed and barnacles? Great Cthulhu is Their cousin, yet can he spy Them only dimly. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! As a foulness shall ye know Them. Their hand is at your throats, yet ye see Them not; and Their habitation is even one with your guarded threshold. Yog-Sothoth is the key to the gate, whereby the spheres meet. Man rules now where They ruled once; They shall soon rule where man rules now. After summer is winter, and after winter summer. They wait patient and potent, for here shall They reign again. A sinister, sinuous incense of summoning, a herald and paean to the Primordial Gods of Darkness, Chaos, Madness and Decay. Origins - purchased at Black Broom, 4/24/05. In the bottle - sweet and dark like maple syrup. Wet - Heavy incense with a dark sweetness underneath. Dry - dirt! The smell of fresh turned earth, along with incense and dark sweetness. There's a lot of throw to this one; I can smell it without sniffing my wrists. This scent is strong, heavy, almost cloying; I love incense scents but I think this one may be too sweet for me. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best, I rate this a 3 ETA - I am wearing this a second time, and the sweetness is less pronounced this time. My son said it smelled like maple syrup, but once it dried down the sweetness was more balanced. I like this much better now.

Honey Moon contains five different honeys, ranging from pale and sweet to deep and heady, with hints of jasmine, white gardenia, Hawaiian white ginger and thyme. Origins - purchased at the Black Broom on 6/22/05. Wet - Honey and a touch of herb, probably thyme, and white ginger. Dry - this is sweet, but it's not the overwhelming honey sweetness one would expect by the description (not that I would mind). In fact, the honey seems to disappear soon after it touches my skin. The jasmine comes out when dry, but the white ginger and thyme are the prominent notes here. This is sweet and lightly-spiced, but after a half hour the honey is completely gone. This is a skin scent, it's not strong, I really have to slather it on. In the end, while I like this, I am also a bit disappointed. It seem to be more of a herbal and lightly floral scent than honey, and I was really looking forward to drenching myself in honey. I blame it on my chemistry eating the honey and amping the thyme more than the blend itself, and I am anxious to see how this works on others. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 3. <span style='color:SeaGreen'>EDIT: Added Lab description --Shollin</span>

Before my bed There is bright-lit moonlight So that it seems Like frost on the ground: Lifting my head I watch the bright moon Lowering my head I dream that I'm home. When the moon is full, mankind is one. Bamboo pulp and oude with green and white tea. Wet - very, very green. Just when I think it is way too green a scent for me, something else peaks through, something rich. Is that the oude? Dry - the tea comes out once this dries down. It smells like drinking green tea in a Japanese tea house surrounded by bamboo. It reminds me specifically of the Japanese tea house at Descanso Gardens, it's very evocative. It's relatively long-lasting too; I can still sniff some on my wrist a good 6 to 8 hours after I first applied it. I am not sure about this. I like it but I don't love it, but it is such a unique scent that I think I will hang on to it. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 4.

With Paypal's 300 character limit, I know some of you are wondering what information we actually need when you are placing an order, so I thought I would write up a little guide to help minimize confusion. What we need to know: The name of the scent you are ordering. We DON'T need to know the SKU# or the category it's in. If you order with SKU's and not names, someone will need to spend hours trying to decipher your information OR we will have to email you. We don't have that information here. We also don't file our orders by category name, so while including that doesn't hurt, it's excess information we don't need if you are worried about the character limit. What we need to know: How many you are ordering. If it's one each, you can just specify that up front. If you are ordering two each of bottle A and one of bottles B and C please use punctuation. We often get orders like this: Alice Antique Lace 2 Snake Oil Scherazade where we don't know if you are ordering 2 Antique Lace or 2 Snake Oils. Using punctuation may use another character, but it will prevent us from having the guess what you want. If everything in your order is 5ml's, or if you order is all LE's, you don't need to include 5ml after every bottle. Please don't cut and paste the HTML from the order form. It includes the quantity in checkboxes that's hard to read. Plus it includes a lot of information we don't need. And finally, if you are placing a mail order, don't forget to include your address!

A strange, disconcerting embrace... to some, alarming, and to some, intimately familiar: fig, pomegranate and cocoa bean with lemon, bergamot, vanilla, mellow honey musk, calamus and tonka. Wet - it a cachophany! I think the cocoa and lemon are standing out, but it's just a jumble of notes at this point. Dry - maybe I am crazy, but this reminds me a little of Dia de los Muertos. The notes are different, but the feeling is similar. I get cocoa on top and then fig and lemon. After 20 minutes or so than vanilla and honey musk come out and it sweetens up quite a bit. I still smell the fig and pomengranate too. This really does smell like a sweeter, juicier Dia. I absolutely love this scent. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 5.

Sado-masochistic holiday cheer: whip leather, cardamom, patchouli and bourbon. Wet - oh f*ck. If this smells as good on as it does in the bottle, it's top ten material. Bourbon and cardamom and patchouli; it smells like a cross between Alone and Perversion. I am smitten. As soon as it touches my skin, it's all leather. Dry - Leather, with a kick of cardamom spice. Behind that, a touch of patchouli and the tiniest bit of bourbon. Sadly, bourbon doesn't seem to last on my skin. After awhile the spices amp back up, and I even get the tiniest bit of bourbon back. Anyone who liked Alone or Perversion will love this. This is undoubtedly going in my personal top ten. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 5.

The Harvest Moon, by definition, is the Full Moon that falls closest to the Autumnal Equinox, and thus, it shares some of that Sabbat's characteristics. This Full Moon was thus named because it rises within half an hour of the sun's setting, in the Northern Hemisphere, and at this time farmers are able to work longer into the night by the light of this Moon. As the year draws to a close, the Full Moon rises an average of fifty minutes later each night, with the exception of a few nights surrounding the Harvest Moon, which only rises 10-30 minutes later. This moon is also, to the human eye, the fullest and largest of the year's Moons, hanging gloriously huge, yellow and low in the night sky, and many Moon Illusions trick our eyes at this time. The Harvest ushers in many celebrations in magickal work, including the Equinox and the Festival of Janus, God of Doors. Janus is the Roman Lord of Gateways, beginnings and endings, and transitions. Thus, the Harvest Moon is a time for blessing new undertakings, the onset of new and progressive phases in one's life, and rites of passage into adulthood. This time of year also marks one of the Festivals of Dionysus, Lord of Ecstasy and the Vine. The autumnal scents of gladiola, chrysanthemum, aster, dahlia, anemone, bergamot, marigold, sage and verbena dust a blend of wine-soaked apples, plums, and red pears, mulling spices and brown sugar, the ivy leaves of Dionysus and Janus' amaranth and lingum aloe. Preconceived Notions - I like last year's Harvest Moon, but I've been on an apple kick lately and this sounded amazing. I knew it could go either way on me; either it would be too floral (and I have no idea what most of the florals in this actually smell like, although chrysanthemum, yay, my birth flower) or it would be a lovely spiced apple scent. Wet - Oh. I bet I wasn't the only one who was a tiny bit disappointed by the Halloween update, solely because I was hoping for an apple cider scent. Well, I'm not disappointed anymore. This is it! Apples, pears, mulling spices and brown sugar are the prominent notes. Mabon is one of my favorite scents, because of the apple harvesty goodness, but this just blows it out of the water. Dry - this stays pretty true when dry. Apples, pears and spices. I get a trace of plum, but I barely notice it. As for the florals, well I can tell they are here, because they prevent this from being too foody. But otherwise, they are unobtrusive. This is the scent of an apple cider stand, in the middle of an orchard, on an autumn day. There are flowers in the breeze, but all you can smell is rich apples and spices. This could have been made for me and for the very first time I find myself wondering if two bottles will be enough. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 5.

Mod Note: This review topic is for the unreleased but available version of Gainful Employment. Origin - decanted imp from a forumite Wet - spicy deliciousness! This reminds me a bit of Laudunum, there is nutmeg or clove and possibly sassafras, over a base that I can only describe as "that voodoo note." I am sending out resumes and writing cover letters tonight, so I thought this would be the perfect time to try this out. Dry - cloves, definitely cloves. Of course that doesn't mean there's not nutmeg in here too, I am not sure anymore. At first the spices fade, but after a little while, the cloves come roaring back. In terms of scent, the cloves and violet mixture of Mantle of Venus didn't work on me, but this is spicy deliciousness. It's always nice when the TAL oils smell good enough that you actually want to wear them. I would have no problem wearing this on job interviews, in fact, I plan on it. I will probably pick up a bottle of this, as I am currently job hunting and it is exactly what I need. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 4 (scent only.)

I have a well-aged bottle of the discontinued, non-TAL version of this already. Wet - Wow, that's sharp. There's an astringency here that's not in my older bottle, but I don't know if it's because that one is aged or this one is stronger. Maybe a combination of the two. am not sure what I am smelling here: it's lemony but not lemon per se. It's floral, and while I thought I got jasmine from my discontinued bottle, I am not getting that at all from this. It's herbal, but nothing I can specify. And it's got that "voodoo" note that I notice in many TAL's and voodoo oils. Dry - this has calmed down a bit and smells similair to my older bottle of French Creole. Similiar to, but not quite the same. There is spice in here, probably cloves, and moist, humid flowers. The lemony scent and cloves are both stronger in here than in my older bottle, but once again, it could be because of ageing. While I don't LOVE the scent, I like it quite a bit, but mostly I wear it because I want to help make my wishes and desire into a reality. Because really...who wouldn't? On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 4 (scent only). PLEASE NOTE: This review topic is for the Twilight Alchemy Lab version of French Creole. If you're looking for the former Voodoo Blend, now discontinued, that topic is here. --Shollin

One of the holiest days in the Pagan calendar, Beltane [May Day, Cetsamhain, Floralia and Roodmas... also, Beltaine, Bealtaine, Bealtuinn, Beletene, La Bheltine] is the Day of Baal's Fire, and marks the midpoint of Sol's path between the Vernal Equinox and Summer Solstice. In Druidic tradition, need-fires were set atop hills in a symbolic gesture of bringing the Sun's light down to Earth. Celebrants danced around the fires in harmony with the Sun's seeming movement through the sky, and passed eadar dà theine Bhealltuinn, between the Fires of Beltane, to purify themselves. In Scotland, all hearth fires were extinguished, and the flames from the need-fires were used to rekindle their flames, bringing blessings and good fortune into the household. It doesn't matter where your faith lies, Beltane is sacred to us simply because we're human. It is a celebration of new growth, rebirth, of the fertility of our land, our spirits and our bodies, and is a reminder of the joy in simply being alive. Celebrate life! Wind some flowers into your hair, dab a little oil behind each ear, toss the first petals of springtime onto your yard, and bless your garden the old fashioned way! Origins - Purchased 4/24/05 at Black Broom Wet - Greenish Floral. Dry - I am getting jasmine along with some other florals. I'm not much of a floral fan, but it is a really nice mix. As it dries the jasmine fades, leaving a perfectly blended floral. There might be some ylang ylang in here, but I can't be sure. There's something darker underneath, either a light musk or amber. This reminds me of Queen Mab, in terms of being a light floral with a smoky undertone, but the undertone is more subtle. It's a green scent, which makes me think there is something herbal in it, but if there is I can't recongnize it. This is a nice, clean, light scent, perfect for Spring. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best, this rates a 4 ETA - I am wearing this a second time today, and I had to raise the original rating I had given it. I love this! It's so pretty, and makes me feel grounded and happy and one with the universe. An absolutely lovely scent.

A snarling, feral scent, ever-so-slightly slightly deranged: hot leather, opoponax, cedar, pine needle, mosses, dry grass, patchouli and cinnamon bark. Wet - deliciously dark and spicy! Whoever said that Geek was going to be the surprise hit of Carnavale Noir, I love you! I didn't even have this on my want list, but you made me go back and reevaulate it. I am primarily getting patchouili and cinnamon bark, and want to rub this all over myself and purr. Umm, yeah, let's see what happens as it dries. Dry - spicy leather laying on some pine needles. Ooh and just a touch of cedar too. Cedar usually amps on my skin, and I can barely smell it here. I love when cedar behaves itself. I can't believe how incredible this smells...it's definitely going in my top ten. If you like Sin, you'll LOVE this. ETA - the bad news...this fades really quickly on me. On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 5.

PEONY MOON 2013 In these spring days, when tranquil light encompasses the four directions, why do the blossoms scatter with such uneasy hearts? Ume blossoms and pink peony against a pale backdrop of white sandalwood, Japanese apricot petals, lotus root, and spider lily. Art by Mariah Huehner. This month’s single note is: AMBERGRIS Sperm whale intestinal glop, oh how the fragrance world adores you. Ambergris is born from a sticky, black bile secretion that gloops forth from the intestines of sperm whales. When fresh, it possesses a rank, seaweedy fecal odor, but once it has been embraced by sea and sun, it transforms into a uniquely intoxicating perfume fixative. This precious substance has been used in cosmetics for ages untold, and is said to be a potent aphrodisiac with the power to increase psychic sensitivity and induce prophetic dreams. Our ambergris accord is lightly balsamic, slightly woody, almost tobacco-like marine musk, and possesses a distinct salty animalic note that borders on sweet. The scent is extraordinarily versatile, and adds depth and complexity to a wide swath of fragrance families. No whales were harmed, fondled, scraped, prodded, or offended during the creation and production of this accord. It is 100% vegan, and has never seen the inside of a whale’s tummy. Also, we are thrilled to announce five new additions to our Coraline series. CORALINE JONES “What should I do?” asked Coraline. “Read a book,” said her mother. “Watch a video. Play with your toys. Go and pester Miss Spink or Miss Forcible, or the crazy old man upstairs.” “No,” said Coraline. “I don’t want to do those things. I want to explore.” Dry grass, clean skin, and a little bit of mossy berry. Miss Spink and Miss Forcible lived in the flat below Coraline’s, on the ground floor. They were both old and round, and they lived in their flat with a number of ageing Highland terriers who had names like Hamish and Andrew and Jock. Once upon a time Miss Spink and Miss Forcible had been actresses, as Miss Spink told Coraline the first time she met her. “You see, Caroline,” Miss Spink said, getting Coraline’s name wrong, “both myself and Miss Forcible were famous actresses, in our time. We trod the boards, luvvy. Oh, don’t let Hamish eat the fruitcake, or he’ll be up all night with his tummy.” “It’s Coraline. Not Caroline, Coraline,” said Coraline. MISS SPINK A grand, over-the-top tuberose gardenia. MISS FORCIBLE A classic vintage musk. Both Miss Spink and Miss Forcible scents have a bit of tea splash and biscuit crumbs. MR. BOBO “Mister Bobo?” “The man in the top flat. Mister Bobo. Fine old circus family, I believe. Romanian or Slovenian or Livonian, or one of those countries. Bless me, I can never remember them anymore.” It had never occurred to Coraline that the crazy old man upstairs actually had a name, she realized. If she’d known his name was Mr. Bobo she would have said it every chance she got. How often do you get to say a name like “Mr. Bobo” aloud? Cooking herbs, pickles, and mouse fur. THE CAT There was a polite noise from behind her. She turned around. Standing on the wall next to her was a large black cat, identical to the large black cat she’d seen in the grounds at home. “Good afternoon,” said the cat. Its voice sounded like the voice at the back of Coraline’s head, the voice she thought words in, but a man’s voice, not a girl’s. “Hello,” said Coraline. “I saw a cat like you in the garden at home. You must be the other cat.” The cat shook its head. “No,” it said. “I’m not the other anything. I’m me.” It tipped its head to one side; green eyes glinted. “You people are spread all over the place. Cats, on the other hand, keep ourselves together. If you see what I mean.” “I suppose. But if you’re the same cat I saw at home, how can you talk?” Cats don’t have shoulders, not like people do. But the cat shrugged, in one smooth movement that started at the tip of its tail and ended in a raised movement of its whiskers. “I can talk.” “Cats don’t talk at home.” “No?” said the cat. “No,” said Coraline. The cat leaped smoothly from the wall to the grass near Coraline’s feet. It stared up at her. “Well, you’re the expert on these things,” said the cat dryly. “After all, what would I know? I’m only a cat.” Sleek, black, dark, and clever: benzoin, honey, cedar, and dark musk. Over at Black Phoenix Trading Post, in addition to the Peony Moon shirt, there’s a new Our Lady of Pain tee, and a new candle is available on the Illumination page. GRAVE MOSS AND UPTURNED SOIL The scent of an ancient, long-abandoned churchyard: weed-choked crumbling tombstones under the shadows of midnight and thick black soil disturbed by inhuman hands. — Also, a reminder that our west coast will call event is this Sunday, and our Seattle and Vermont will call events are next weekend. The west coast will call event will be held on Sunday, March 24th from 4 to 7pm at Dark Delicacies. Dark Delicacies 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd (1 block east of Hollywood Way) Burbank, CA 91505 www.darkdel.com ___ New England Will Call will be held at Healthy Living Market on Sunday, March 31st from 4:00 to 7:00pm, in the Learning Center. Healthy Living Market 222 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT, 05403 ___________ Seattle Will Call will be held at Bedlam Bedlam on Saturday, March 30th from 6:30 to 9:00pm. BedlamBedlam 613 East Pike Street Seattle WA 98122 http://bedlambedlam.com/ As always, if you have any questions about will call, please email us at willcall@blackphoenixalchemylab.com.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s Lunacy events are your opportunity to meet the lab staff (California only), purchase the latest scents, and get a sneak preview of what’s coming soon. The blends that will be available for purchase include those that went live on the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab website up to and including the Crwo Moon update. Our Lunacy events are held on the night of the full moon at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, and are always free. The west coast will call event will be held on Sunday, March 24th from 4 to 7pm at Dark Delicacies. Dark Delicacies 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd (1 block east of Hollywood Way) Burbank, CA 91505 www.darkdel.com ___ New England Will Call will be held at Healthy Living Market on Sunday, March 31st from 4:00 to 7:00pm, in the Learning Center. Healthy Living Market 222 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT, 05403 ___________ Seattle Will Call will be held at Bedlam Bedlam on Saturday, March 30th from 6:30 to 9:00pm. BedlamBedlam 613 East Pike Street Seattle WA 98122 http://bedlambedlam.com/ If you have any questions, please email us at willcall@blackphoenixalchemylab.com.

THE MAZE OF GAMES Colleen stepped forward to within the figure’s reach. “Excuse me, Sir Skeleton? Who exactly are you?” As the door slammed shut, the figure reached down to touch Colleen on the forehead. She recoiled from the cold. “Why, child, I am the Gatekeeper,” he said with a forbidding smile, though in truth his skeletal face nade it hard to tell. “You unlucky children are about to enter my world. And if you keep your wits about you, you might make it out alive. “So welcome,” he said as the Quaice siblings’ world went black. “Welcome, my young charges, to The Maze of Games.” Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is proud to debut THE GATEKEEPER, a haunting, puzzling scent in commemoration of The Maze of Games, which is currently debuting on Kickstarter now. The Maze of Games is an upcoming interactive puzzle novel written by Mike Selinker and illustrated by Pete Venters. It contains over 50 puzzles and a deeply engaging story, all woven together in a “solve your own adventure” style which will keep you jumping from page to page. The main characters are teenagers Colleen and Samuel Quaice, who live in England in the year 1897. During a visit to the Upper Wolverhampton Library, they discover a musty book called The Maze of Games. This summons a mysterious skeletal guardian named the Gatekeeper, who plunges them into dangerous mazes rife with monsters and bizarre puzzles. Only by solving their way through the mazes will the Quaice children find their way home. In honor of this enchanting novel, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is pleased to debut a limited-edition potion that will keep you guessing for days on end. THE GATEKEEPER A dry perfume, solemn and riddled with ancient, whispered secrets: brittle bones, the well-worn leather spines of forgotten books, crumbling papyrus, and the warm, strange scent of yellowed, crumbling manuscripts. The Gatekeeper will be available in Summer 2013 at $26.00 per 5ml bottle. All purchasers of any Maze of Games book will receive a coupon for $5 off a bottle of The Gatekeeper when it becomes available. Black Phoenix loves Lone Shark Games! Mike is a phenomenal puzzle-twister and a game designer beyond compare, and he is one hell of a good guy. We are thrilled to be a part of this amazing project! - Elizabeth Barrial, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

And in the distance, the faraway wailing of a phantom calliope can be heard once again, for a few brief moments. Carnaval Diabolique backstock is live on Etsy.

We regret to announce that we will NOT be attending Sakura Con this year. However we are confirmed for C2E2 in Chicago, and Bats Day in Anaheim. C2E2 April 26-28th West Building at McCormick Place Chicago, Il www.c2e2.com Bats Day Black Market May 4th, 3 to 10pm DoubleTree Guest Suites Anaheim 2085 South Harbor Blvd Anaheim CA, 92802 Bats Day Black Market

On January 1st, CCNow was sold to another company, and is now based internationally. It has come to our attention that some of our customers are being charged international service fees on CCNow orders. We want to assure you that we are now aware of this, and while we cannot control it, we are moving along on our new site as quickly as possible. Once the new site is launched, we will no longer be using CCNow as our credit card processor. In the meantime, if you want to avoid these fees, you may want to use Paypal to place your orders.

Crow Moon is live at BPAL and BPTP! CROW MOON 2013 This is the final Full Moon of winter. The call of the crow signals the end of the frost, and their scent, of vervain, sandalwood-infused patchouli, black violet, white musk, and Chinese cedar, is brushed by the last cold wind of winter on their wings, and the scent of evergreen boughs touched by the season's final flowers and the first blossoms of spring: wintersweet, green-barked dogwood, iris, eastern redbud, primrose, snowdrop, and lenten rose hellebore bouquet. Art by Tanya Bjork. This month's single note is... HUNGARIAN CARAWAY Caraway is an herb whose usage as a culinary spice, a digestive aid, and ritual herb traces back to the Stone Age. In modern aromatherapy, it is used to banish mental fatigue, relieve emotional strain, and soothe frazzled nerves. Caraway inflames love and preserves fidelity, protects valuables from theft, and is used in gris gris bags to safeguard children. Sadly, we also have to announce a few discontinuations. Effective immediately, Blood Countess, Frumious Bandersnatch, and Prunella have been discontinued. --- And a reminder that Will Call is this weekend! The west coast will call event will be held on Sunday, February 24th from 4 to 7pm at Dark Delicacies. Dark Delicacies 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd (1 block east of Hollywood Way) Burbank, CA 91505 www.darkdel.com ___ New England Will Call will be held at Healthy Living Market on Sunday, February 24th from 4:00 to 7:00pm, in the Learning Center. Healthy Living Market 222 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT, 05403 ___________ Seattle Will Call will be held at Bedlam Bedlam on Saturday, February 23rd from 6:30 to 9:00pm. BedlamBedlam 613 East Pike Street Seattle WA 98122 http://bedlambedlam.com/

Those are the original prototype labels for the Good Omens series. They were given to Neil Gaiman, and several bottles were gifted out, but the were never sold with that label. They date back to 2006.

++ BLACK PHOENIX ALCHEMY LAB LUPERCALIA: OUR LADY OF PAIN Who gave thee thy wisdom? what stories That stung thee, what visions that smote? Wert thou pure and a maiden, Dolores, When desire took thee first by the throat? What bud was the shell of a blossom That all men may smell to and pluck? What milk fed thee first at what bosom? What sins gave thee suck? OUR LADY OF PAIN Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow soft for an hour; The heavy white limbs, and the cruel Red mouth like a venomous flower; When these are gone by with their glories, What shall rest of thee then, what remain, O mystic and sombre Dolores, Our Lady of Pain? Sumatran patchouli, blood musk, white lavender, opium tar, and black orchid. Could you hurt me, sweet lips, though I hurt you? Men touch them, and change in a trice The lilies and languors of virtue For the raptures and roses of vice; Those lie where thy foot on the floor is, These crown and caress thee and chain, O splendid and sterile Dolores, Our Lady of Pain. THE LILIES AND LANGUORS OF VIRTUE Calla lilies and lily of the valley with white lilac, narcissus, osmanthus, asphodel, and Egyptian musk. THE RAPTURES AND ROSES OF VICE Red roses, heady Moroccan musk, cinnamon, lobelia, coconut flesh, magnolia blossoms, and tobacco tar. LIPS FULL OF LUST AND LAUGHTER O lips full of lust and of laughter, Curled snakes that are fed from my breast, Bite hard, lest remembrance come after And press with new lips where you pressed. Red musk, wildflower honey, elemi, tangerine, and mint. FEED ME AND FILL ME WITH PLEASURE For my heart too springs up at the pressure, Mine eyelids too moisten and burn; Ah, feed me and fill me with pleasure, Ere pain come in turn. Black patchouli, honey, and thick vanilla amber. THE DESIRE OF THY FURIOUS EMBRACES The desire of thy furious embraces Is more than the wisdom of years, On the blossom though blood lie in traces, Though the foliage be sodden with tears. For the lords in whose keeping the door is That opens on all who draw breath Gave the cypress to love, my Dolores, The myrtle to death. Cypress, honey myrtle, yew, peace lily, ivy, and black rose. IN HIS HANDS ALL THY CRUELTIES THRIVE Thou shalt blind his bright eyes though he wrestle, Thou shalt chain his light limbs though he strive; In his lips all thy serpents shall nestle, In his hands all thy cruelties thrive. In the daytime thy voice shall go through him, In his dreams he shall feel thee and ache; Thou shalt kindle by night and subdue him Asleep and awake. Gleaming black vetiver, bay laurel, opoponax, hiba wood, Spanish moss, clove, and leather accord. WHEN THY WILL STUNG THE WORLD INTO STRIFE Dost thou dream, in a respite of slumber, In a lull of the fires of thy life, Of the days without name, without number, When thy will stung the world into strife; When, a goddess, the pulse of thy passion Smote kings as they revelled in Rome; And they hailed thee re-risen, O Thalassian, Foam-white, from the foam? Dragon’s blood resin, red ginger, bourbon geranium, thorny rosemary, red sandalwood, pink pepper, and green coffee bean. THE WORM SHALL REVIVE THEE WITH KISSES But the worm shall revive thee with kisses; Thou shalt change and transmute as a god, As the rod to a serpent that hisses, As the serpent again to a rod. Thy life shall not cease though thou doff it; Thou shalt live until evil be slain, And good shall die first, said thy prophet, Our Lady of Pain. Bourbon vetiver, oakmoss, and pomegranate. FORGIVE US OUR VIRTUES, FORGIVE US Who has known all the evil before us, Or the tyrannous secrets of time? Though we match not the dead men that bore us At a song, at a kiss, at a crime– Though the heathen outface and outlive us, And our lives and our longings are twain– Ah, forgive us our virtues, forgive us, Our Lady of Pain. Pale frankincense, styrax, East African black patchouli, cinnamon leaf, rosewood, and palisander. O DAUGHTER OF DEATH AND PRIAPUS They were purple of raiment and golden, Filled full of thee, fiery with wine, Thy lovers, in haunts unbeholden, In marvellous chambers of thine. They are fled, and their footprints escape us, Who appraise thee, adore, and abstain, O daughter of Death and Priapus, Our Lady of Pain. Black opium, wild plum, cypress tar, Bulgarian rose, olibanum, black orchid, and tobacco. And Our Lady of Pain continues over at Black Phoenix Trading Post: There are sins it may be to discover, There are deeds it may be to delight. What new work wilt thou find for thy lover, What new passions for daytime or night? What spells that they know not a word of Whose lives are as leaves overblown? What tortures undreamt of, unheard of, Unwritten, unknown? ++ BPTP OUR LADY OF PAIN: CANDLES THERE YET SHALL BE SORROWS In yesterday’s reach and to-morrow’s, Out of sight though they lie of to-day, There have been and there yet shall be sorrows That smite not and bite not in play. The life and the love thou despisest, These hurt us indeed, and in vain, O wise among women, and wisest, Our Lady of Pain. White sandalwood, black cypress, wormwood, creeping willow, and rue. THE THIRST OF UNBEARABLE THINGS By the hunger of change and emotion, By the thirst of unbearable things, By despair, the twin-born of devotion, By the pleasure that winces and stings, The delight that consumes the desire, The desire that outruns the delight, By the cruelty deaf as a fire And blind as the night, Lavender, white fig, and Atlas cedar. IN THE DARKNESS THEY MURMURED AND MINGLED And they laughed, changing hands in the measure, And they mixed and made peace after strife; Pain melted in tears, and was pleasure; Death tingled with blood, and was life. Like lovers they melted and tingled, In the dusk of thine innermost fane; In the darkness they murmured and mingled, Our Lady of Pain. Labdanum, black plum, black currant, violet, and champaca flower. THE TWILIGHT WHERE VIRTUES ARE VICES In a twilight where virtues are vices, In thy chapels, unknown of the sun, To a tune that enthralls and entices, They were wed, and the twain were as one. For the tune from thine altar hath sounded Since God bade the world’s work begin, And the fume of thine incense abounded, To sweeten the sin. Honeysuckle, Moroccan jasmine, and opium smoke. DRIED IS THE BLOOD OF THY LOVER What broke off the garlands that girt you? What sundered you spirit and clay? Weak sins yet alive are as virtue To the strength of the sins of that day. For dried is the blood of thy lover, Ipsithilla, contracted the vein; Cry aloud, “Will he rise and recover, Our Lady of Pain?” Dragon’s blood resin, myrrh, red musk, vetiver, black clove, and cassia. ++ BPTP OUR LADY OF PAIN: BATH OILS THE FROTH OF THE SERPENTS OF PLEASURE All thine the new wine of desire, The fruit of four lips as they clung Till the hair and the eyelids took fire, The foam of a serpentine tongue, The froth of the serpents of pleasure, More salt than the foam of the sea, Now felt as a flame, now at leisure As wine shed for me. Sweet red wine, oakmoss, ambergris accord, ylang ylang, and Spanish mandarin. QUICKEN THE SOUL THROUGH THE BLOOD Thou shalt touch and make redder his roses With juice not of fruit nor of bud; When the sense in the spirit reposes, Thou shalt quicken the soul through the blood. Thine, thine the one grace we implore is, Who would live and not languish or feign, O sleepless and deadly Dolores, Our Lady of Pain. Cacao, red patchouli, night-blooming jasmine, Roman chamomile, and white tea. LITHE AND LASCIVIOUS REGRET Thou wert fair in the fearless old fashion, And thy limbs are as melodies yet, And move to the music of passion With lithe and lascivious regret. What ailed us, O gods, to desert you For creeds that refuse and restrain? Come down and redeem us from virtue, Our Lady of Pain. Blackberry hops, blackened raspberry gum, purple chypre, and myrrh. ++ BPTP OUR LADY OF PAIN: ROOM SPRAYS FIERCE MIDNIGHTS AND FAMISHING MORROWS Seven sorrows the priests give their Virgin; But thy sins, which are seventy times seven, Seven ages would fail thee to purge in, And then they would haunt thee in heaven: Fierce midnights and famishing morrows, And the loves that complete and control All the joys of the flesh, all the sorrows That wear out the soul. Black plum, wild lily, and tobacco. HOUSE OF UNQUENCHABLE FIRE O garment not golden but gilded, O garden where all men may dwell, O tower not of ivory, but builded By hands that reach heaven from hell; O mystical rose of the mire, O house not of gold but of gain, O house of unquenchable fire, Our Lady of Pain! Glittering amber, frankincense, neroli, vanilla silk, and champaca. THE SHRINE WHERE SIN IS A PRAYER I have passed from the outermost portal To the shrine where a sin is a prayer; What care though the service be mortal? O our Lady of Torture, what care? All thine the last wine that I pour is, The last in the chalice we drain, O fierce and luxurious Dolores, Our Lady of Pain. Deep purple Syrah, calamus, myrrh smoke, hyssop, opoponax, bitter clove, burgundy pitch, opium poppy, and violet leaf. ++ BPTP OUR LADY OF PAIN: HAIR GLOSS IMPLACABLE BEAUTIFUL TYRANT When, with flame all around him aspirant, Stood flushed, as a harp-player stands, The implacable beautiful tyrant, Rose-crowned, having death in his hands; And a sound as the sound of loud water Smote far through the flight of the fires, And mixed with the lightning of slaughter A thunder of lyres. Golden amber, frankincense, white ginger, and oudh. HAIR LOOSENED AND SOILED IN MID ORGIES All shrines that were Vestal are flameless, But the flame has not fallen from this; Though obscure be the god, and though nameless The eyes and the hair that we kiss; Low fires that love sits by and forges Fresh heads for his arrows and thine; Hair loosened and soiled in mid orgies With kisses and wine. White honey, warm musk, and ambrette seed. ++ BPTP LUPERCALIA 2013: CANDLES KHAJURAHO The fabled Khajuraho temples of India are shrines of love in all its myriad forms. They are a celebration of love itself – transcendental, spiritual and erotic. This is a rejection of sorrow, spiritual ennui and despair. The sexual motifs that adorn the temples, and the temples themselves, are monuments to ecstasy and to passion, and through that, they are also monuments to spiritual fulfillment. It is believed that the realization of moksha by dedicating oneself to adhyatma and dharma can be attained only by first experiencing sexual satisfaction. In the midst of the drudgery and struggle that we sometimes endure during the course of our Earthly lives, it is vitally important that we remember the joy found in kama, and that in kama we can achieve transformation of the body and soul. This is a blissful, euphoric blend based on an ancient Indian love potion: honey, date palm, tuberose, davana blossom, amber, white sandalwood, vanilla bean, Damask rose, and champaca flower. ++ BPTP LUPERCALIA 2013: CONFECTIONS Lupercalia Handmade Hard Candies These gourmet hard candies were hand-made exclusively for Black Phoenix by Confounding Confections. Confounding Confections Hard Candies are created and wrapped by hand, using only the finest of natural ingredients. All ingredients used are natural, vegan, gluten-free, and free of common allergens. Gift tins are made in the U.S.A., and are reusable and recyclable. Includes 12 individually wrapped sweeties (2 oz.) packaged in a handsome 4 inch gift tin. For starry-eyed lovers: NYMPHIA White rose, apple blossom, mango, cucumber, coconut, and lavender. To inflame with lust: MIAIPHONOS Clove, anise, mandarin, and cumin. And also new at Black Phoenix Trading Post… BLACK ROSE CANDLE Exquisitely melancholy. The background scent to an ancient exequies. Heavy, dark and floral: a blend of roses, with a touch of amber and musk. And over at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Smut has returned, just in the nick of time. SMUT 2013 Three swarthy, smutty musks sweetened with sugar and woozy with dark booze notes. In the midst of these carnal delights, one oil slips away, unobtrusively. Effective immediately, Detox is discontinued. The Panacea imp pack has been adjusted accordingly.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s Lunacy events are your opportunity to meet the lab staff (California only), purchase the latest scents, and get a sneak preview of what’s coming soon. The blends that will be available for purchase include those that went live on the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab website up to and including the Cheshire Moon update. Our Lunacy events are held on the night of the full moon at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, and are always free. The west coast will call event will be held on Sunday, February 24th from 4 to 7pm at Dark Delicacies. Dark Delicacies 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd (1 block east of Hollywood Way) Burbank, CA 91505 www.darkdel.com ___ New England Will Call will be held at Healthy Living Market on Sunday, February 24th from 4:00 to 7:00pm, in the Learning Center. Healthy Living Market 222 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT, 05403 ___________ Seattle Will Call will be held at Bedlam Bedlam on Saturday, February 23rd from 6:30 to 9:00pm. BedlamBedlam 613 East Pike Street Seattle WA 98122 http://bedlambedlam.com/ If you have any questions, please email us at willcall@blackphoenixalchemylab.com. — If you are in the Los Angeles area and need a last minute Valentine’s gift, or want your sweetie to get you a little something extra, Lupercalia’s are now available at Dark Delicacies!

On Sunday, January 27th, USPS greatly increased the cost to ship a package internationally. Unfortunately, we have to increase our international shipping rates as well. Effective immediately, shipping to Canada will be $21 for up to 20 bottles. Shipping to the rest of the world will be $25. As always, orders over $500 will ship for free. We are really sorry to have to do this, but USPS has left us no other choice.

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy New Year, one and all! It’s the year of the Water Snake! It’s also the Season of Schtupping! But before we begin the licentiousness, it’s time for a little lunacy. CHESHIRE MOON 2013 The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good- natured, she thought: still it had VERY long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect. ‘Cheshire Puss,’ she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. ‘Come, it’s pleased so far,’ thought Alice, and she went on. `Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat. ‘I don’t much care where –’ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat. ‘– so long as I get SOMEWHERE,’ Alice added as an explanation. ‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.’ Alice felt that this could not be denied, so she tried another question. `What sort of people live about here?’ ‘In THAT direction,’ the Cat said, waving its right paw round, `lives a Hatter: and in THAT direction,’ waving the other paw, `lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.’ ‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. ‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat: `we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’ ‘How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice. ‘You must be,’ said the Cat, `or you wouldn’t have come here.’ A lunatic’s blend of lunar herbs and blossoms, with lemongrass, lemon balm, guava, pink grapefruit, papaya pulp, banyan fruit, hibiscus, and cherry blossom. This month’s single note offering is: FRENCH TOBACCO This tobacco accord is soulful, earthy, and multifaceted: the scent reverberates like a deep bass note, possessing a very faint citrus-like twang and an almost animalic caramel richness. WATER SNAKE A new year’s blessing! Peony, China’s national flower, with bamboo for flexibility, plum blossom for perseverance, courage, and hope, tangerine for wealth, orange for happiness, lychee for household peace, pine resin for constancy, golden kumquat and quince for prosperity, narcissus and King mandarin for good fortune, and peach blossom for longevity, with a splash of blazing red of dragon’s blood… to help you scare away the rampaging Nian. Love is in the air at Black Phoenix, and to celebrate both Lupercalia /and/ our favorite Hallmark Holiday, we present a selection of seasonal scents, lecherous and lovely. Heartbreak, fascination, lust, loss, and licentiousness: we’ve got it all. Blessed Lupercalia, everyone! ++ LUPERCALIA 2013 ANACTORIA 2013 I feel thy blood against my blood; my pain Pains thee, and lips bruise lips, and vein stings vein. Let fruit be crushed on fruit, let flower on flower Breast kindle breast, and either burn one hour. Why wilt thou follow lesser loves? are thine Too weak to bear these hands and lips of mine? The scent of the throes of violent passion: entangled limbs, teeth on flesh, furiously grasping hands, the taste of blood and sweat. Golden amber, white honey, red currant, daemonorops, kush, and Arabian musk. ANTIQUE Gracieux fils de Pan! Autour de ton front couronné de fleurettes et de baies tes yeux, des boules précieuses, remuent. Tachées de lies brunes, tes joues se creusent. Tes crocs luisent. Ta poitrine ressemble à une cithare, des tintements circulent dans tes bras blonds. Ton coeur bat dans ce ventre òu dort le double sexe. Promène-toi la nuit, en mouvant doucement cette cuisse, cette seconde cuisse et cette jambe de gauche. Graceful son of Pan! Around your forehead crowned with small flowers and berries, your eyes, precious spheres, are moving. Spotted with brownish wine lees, your cheeks grow hollow. Your fangs are gleaming. Your chest is like a lyre, jingling sounds circulate between your blond arms. Your heart beats in that belly where the double sex sleeps. Walk at night, gently moving that thigh, that second thigh and that left leg. - Arthur Rimbaud, translated by John Asbery Fossilized amber, juniper berry, wild musk, oudh, vetiver, white cedar, black currant, oakmoss, and leather. CHINTAMANI-DHUPA Pound well together sandal-wood, Kunku, costus, Krishnaguru, Suvasika-puspha, white vala and the bark of the Deodaru pine; and, after reducing them to fine powder, mix it with honey and thoroughly dry. It is now known as Chintamani-Dhupa, the “thought-mastering incense”. If a little of this be used according to the ceremonies prescribed, he who employs it will make all the world submissive to him. A fumigation for fascination! A strangely sensual blend, exotic, compelling, and commanding, adapted from an incense recipe found in the venerable sex manual, the Ananga Ranga. DOLCE STIL NUOVO 2013 Love always finds shelter in the gentle heart. Dolce Stil Nuovo is a 13th & 14th century Florentine literary style that celebrates love and womanhood through heartfelt, delicate, and melodious sonnets, ballate, and canzones. This is fin’amor, Courtly Love, in its most moving form, and the emotions that these words express reflect love that both spiritual and idealized. Within this literary movement, earthly love reaches for the Divine. Who is she coming, whom all gaze upon, Who makes the air tremulous with light, And at whose side is Love himself? that none Dare speak, but each man’s sighs are infinite. Ah me! how she looks round from left to right, Let Love discourse: I may not speak thereon. Lady she seems of such high benison As makes all others graceless in men’s sight. The honor which is hers cannot be said; To whom are subject all things virtuous, While all things beauteous own her deity. Ne’er was the mind of man so nobly led Nor yet was such redemption granted us That we should ever know her perfectly. Our interpretation of Dolce Stil Nuovo is a blend of rose otto, carnation, vanilla flower, lavender and jasmine with the clarity of crystalline white musk and the warmth of golden amber. EN ESKÎ AŞKŞİİRİ Bridegroom, dear to my heart, Goodly is you beauty, honeysweet, Lion, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet. You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you. Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber, You have captivated me, let me stand tremblingly before you. Lion, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber. Bridegroom, let me caress you, My precious caress is more savory than honey, In the bedchamber, honey-filled, Let me enjoy your goodly beauty, Lion, let me caress you, My precious caress is more savory than honey. Bridegroom, you have taken your pleasure of me, Tell my mother, she will give you delicacies, My father, he will give you gifts. Your spirit, I know where to cheer your spirit, Bridegroom, sleep in our house until dawn, Your heart, I know where to gladden your heart, Lion, sleep in our house until dawn. You, because you love me, Give me pray of your caresses, My lord god, my lord protector, My Shu-Sin, who gladdens Enlil’s heart, Give my pray of your caresses. Your place goodly as honey, pray lay (your) hand on it, Bring (your) hand over like a gishban-garment, Cup (your) hand over it like a gishban-sikin-garment. - Translated by Samuel Noah Kramer En Eski Aşk Şiiri was inspired by the oldest love poem found in recorded history, inscribed circa 4000 BC. It was recited by the brides of King Shu-Sin of Nippur, in what is now modern-day Istanbul. This is a traditional Sumerian perfume, composed of juniper, tamarisk, almond, lavender honey, sesame, myrrh, olive oil, cedar, and rose. EVE, TO ADAM IN PARADISE With thee conversing I forget all time; All seasons, and their change, all please alike. Sweet is the breath of Morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds: pleasant the sun, When first on this delightful land he spreads His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower, Glistering with dew; fragrant the fertile earth After soft showers; and sweet the coming on Of grateful Evening mild; then silent Night With this her solemn bird and this fair moon, And these the gems of Heaven, her starry train: But neither breath of Morn when she ascends With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flower, Glistering with dew; nor fragrance after showers; Nor grateful Evening mild; nor silent Night With this her solemn bird; nor walk by moon, Or glittering star-light without thee is sweet. - Paradise Lost, Book IV, Lines 639-652 by John Milton The First Love: Moroccan rose, white fig, honey, hay absolute, vanilla, chamomile, white musk, pomegranate juice, and morning dew. A FAREWELL TO FALSE LOVE 2013 Farewell, false love, the oracle of lies, A mortal foe and enemy to rest, An envious boy, from whom all cares arise, A bastard vile, a beast with rage possessed, A way of error, a temple full of treason, In all effects contrary unto reason. A poisoned serpent covered all with flowers, Mother of sighs, and murderer of repose, A sea of sorrows whence are drawn such showers As moisture lend to every grief that grows; A school of guile, a net of deep deceit, A gilded hook that holds a poisoned bait. A fortress foiled, which reason did defend, A siren song, a fever of the mind, A maze wherein affection finds no end, A raging cloud that runs before the wind, A substance like the shadow of the sun, A goal of grief for which the wisest run. A quenchless fire, a nurse of trembling fear, A path that leads to peril and mishap, A true retreat of sorrow and despair, An idle boy that sleeps in pleasure’s lap, A deep mistrust of that which certain seems, A hope of that which reason doubtful deems. Sith then thy trains my younger years betrayed, And for my faith ingratitude I find; And sith repentance hath my wrongs bewrayed, Whose course was ever contrary to kind: False love, desire, and beauty frail, adieu. Dead is the root whence all these fancies grew. - Sir Walter Raleigh Pale lavender, sweet violet, balsam of Peru, and paperwhite narcissus. I LOVED YOU FIRST: BUT AFTERWARDS YOUR LOVE Poca favilla gran fiamma seconda. – Dante Ogni altra cosa, ogni pensier va fore, E sol ivi con voi rimansi amore. – Petrarca I loved you first: but afterwards your love Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove. Which owes the other most? my love was long, And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong; I loved and guessed at you, you construed me And loved me for what might or might not be - Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong. For verily love knows not ‘mine’ or ‘thine;’ With separate ‘I’ and ‘thou’ free love has done, For one is both and both are one in love: Rich love knows nought of ‘thine that is not mine;’ Both have the strength and both the length thereof, Both of us, of the love which makes us one. - Christina Rossetti A gentle musk suffused with red roses, neroli, Moroccan jasmine, tuberose, white tobacco, and bourbon vanilla. KHAJURAHO 2013 The fabled Khajuraho temples of India are shrines of love in all its myriad forms. They are a celebration of love itself – transcendental, spiritual and erotic. This is a rejection of sorrow, spiritual ennui and despair. The sexual motifs that adorn the temples, and the temples themselves, are monuments to ecstasy and to passion, and through that, they are also monuments to spiritual fulfillment. It is believed that the realization of moksha by dedicating oneself to adhyatma and dharma can be attained only by first experiencing sexual satisfaction. In the midst of the drudgery and struggle that we sometimes endure during the course of our Earthly lives, it is vitally important that we remember the joy found in kama, and that in kama we can achieve transformation of the body and soul. This is a blissful, euphoric blend based on an ancient Indian love potion: honey, date palm, tuberose, davana blossom, amber, white sandalwood, vanilla bean, Damask rose, and champaca flower. LA VITA NUOVA In that book which is My memory… On the first page That is the chapter when I first met you Appear the words… Here begins a new life -Dante Alighieri Apple blossom, white rose, lemon balm, and champagne grape. LUPERCI 2013 Piss off, Saint Valentine! Lupercalia is an ancient Roman celebration, held on February 15th, that kicked in the advent of Spring with a very, very festive purification, fertility and sexuality ritual. The ritual began near the cave of Lupercal on the Palatine, an area sacred to Faunus, as well as Ruminia, Romulus and Remus. During Lupercalia, Vestal Virgins first made offerings of sacred cakes to the fig tree under which the she-wolf suckled the Sacred Twins. A dog and two goats were then offered in sacrifice to Faunus. The blood of the sacrifice was smeared onto two naked patrician youths, who were assisted by the Virgins, and the blood was wiped clean with sacred wool dipped in milk. The youths donned the skins of the sacrificial goats, wielding whips made from the goat skins, and then led the priests and the Virgins around the pomarium, and around the base hills of Rome. This was a ceremony of great happiness and merriment, and was of particular interest to young women: being touched by the goat-whips young men that led the procession ensured their fertility in the coming year. It is believed that, after the initial rite, male participants would draw the name of an available maiden, with whom he spent the rest of the night. This scent is for the Luperci, the Chosen of Faunus, the Brothers of the Wolf: raw, down and dirty patchouli, Gurjam balsam, and essence of Sampson Root sweetened with the heightened sexuality of beeswax, virile juniper, oakmoss, ambrette seed over honey and East African musk. NIGHT THOUGHTS Stars, you are unfortunate, I pity you, Beautiful as you are, shining in your glory, Who guide seafaring men through stress and peril And have no recompense from gods or mortals, Love you do not, nor do you know what love is. Hours that are aeons urgently conducting Your figures in a dance through the vast heaven, What journey have you ended in this moment, Since lingering in the arms of my beloved I lost all memory of you and midnight. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Lilac, blue musk, dianthus, cedar, neroli, ozone, and luminous Eastern herbs. OLISBOS 2013 As for old flames and lovers-they’re none left. And since Milesians went against us, I’ve not seen a decent eight-fingered dildo. Yes, it’s just leather, but it helps us out. The ancient Greeks sure weren’t shy about taking care of business. The port city of Miletus was once famed throughout the Mediterranean as a source of excellent stone, wood, and padded leather dildos. This scent is the celebration of an age-old pastime: polished wood, well-loved leather, and olive oil. ON THE BALCONY In front of the sombre mountains, a faint, lost ribbon of rainbow And between us and it, the thunder; And down below in the green wheat, the labourers stand like dark stumps, still in the green wheat. You are near to me, and naked feet In their sandals, and through the scent of the balcony’s naked timber I distinguish the scent of your hair: so now the limber Lightning falls from heaven. Adown the pale-green glacier river floats A dark boat through the gloom— and whither? The thunder roars But still we have each other! The naked lightnings in the heavens dither And disappear— what have we but each other? The boat has gone. - DH Lawrence A haven of warmth glowing within tumultuous darkness: rose-infused amber, copal, and blood lily surrounded by labdanum, opoponax, and myrrh, and splashed by ozone and rain. THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE 2013 Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That valleys, groves, hills and fields, Woods or steepy mountains yields. And we will sit upon the rocks, Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks By shallow rivers, to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals. And I will make thee beds of roses, And a thousand fragrant posies, A cap of flowers and a kirtle Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; A gown made of the finest wool, Which from our pretty lambs we pull; Fair-lined slippers for the cold, With buckles of the purest gold; A belt of straw and ivy buds, With coral clasps and amber studs; And if these pleasures may thee move, Come live with me and be my love. The shepherd swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each May morning; If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my love. - Christopher Marlowe Heather, clover, Irish moss, English ivy, tea rose, and carnation. THE PERFUMED GARDEN 2013 Under her neck my right hand Has served her for a cushion, And to draw her to me I have sent out my left hand, Which bore her up as a bed. The Perfumed Garden for the Soul’s Recreation. This scent is based on a venerable Tunisian perfume that was used to excite the senses, inspire sensuality and inflame passion. Myrrh and Moroccan jasmine with apple peel, Indian sandalwood, myrtle, quince, citron, and thyme poured over soft musk. SIGNIOR DILDO 2013 With thanks to Sir John Wilmot. This signior is sound, safe, ready, and dumb As ever was candle, carrot, or thumb; Then away with these nasty devices, and show How you rate the just merit of Signior Dildo. Count Cazzo, who carries his nose very high, In passion he swore his rival should die; Then shut himself up to let the world know Flesh and blood could not bear it from Signior Dildo. A rabble of pricks who were welcome before, Now finding the porter denied them the door, Maliciously waited his coming below And inhumanly fell on Signior Dildo. Nigh wearied out, the poor stranger did fly, And along the Pall Mall they followed full cry; The women concerned from every window Cried, ‘For heaven’s sake, save Signior Dildo.’ The good Lady Sandys burst into a laughter To see how the ballocks came wobbling after, And had not their weight retarded the foe, Indeed’t had gone hard with Signior Dildo. A scent of pearls and ivory: orris, violet leaf, narcissus, and Madagascar vanilla. TIME DOES NOT BRING RELIEF 2013 Time does not bring relief; you all have lied Who told me time would ease me of my pain! I miss him in the weeping of the rain; I want him at the shrinking of the tide; The old snows melt from every mountain-side, And last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane; But last year’s bitter loving must remain Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide. There are a hundred places where I fear To go – so with his memory they brim. And entering with relief some quiet place Where never fell his foot or shone his face I say, ‘There is no memory of him here!’ And so stand stricken, so remembering him. -Edna St Vincent Millay Remembrance: Parma violet and leather accord with beeswax, Egyptian musk, orange blossom, white tea, lavender, myrrh, and copal. + Aeacidae Chiron, ego sum praeceptor Amoris A THOUGHT FROM PROPERTIUS She might, so noble from head To great shapely knees The long flowing line, Have walked to the altar Through the holy images At Pallas Athene’s side, Or been fit spoil for a Centaur Drunk with the unmixed wine. - WB Yeats Sweet honey, white apricot, and a touch of cayenne pepper. CORINNA In summer’s heat, and mid-time of the day, To rest my limbs upon a bed I lay; One window shut, the other open stood, Which gave such light as twinkles in a wood, Like twilight glimpse at setting of the sun, Or night being past, and yet not day begun. Such light to shamefaced maidens must be shown, Where they may sport, and seem to be unknown. Then came Corinna in a long loose gown, Her white neck hid with tresses hanging down, Resembling fair Semiramis going to bed Or Lais of a thousand wooers sped. I snatched her gown: being thin, the harm was small, Yet strived she to be covered there withal. And striving thus, as one that would be cast, Betrayed herself, and yielded at the last. Stark naked as she stood before mine eye, Not one wen in her body could I spy. What arms and shoulders did I touch and see! How apt her breasts were to be pressed by me! How smooth a belly under her waist saw I, How large a leg, and what a lusty thigh! To leave the rest, all liked me passing well, I clinged her naked body, down she fell: Judge you the rest; being tired she bade me kiss; Jove send me more such afternoons as this! - Christopher Marlowe, after Ovid White amber, mimosa, orris root, osmanthus, labdanum, Siamese benzoin, and jasmine sambac. SIC ERIT Esse quid hoc dicam, quod tam mihi dura videntur strata, neque in lecto pallia nostra sedent, vacuus somno noctem, quam longa, peregi, lassaque versati corporis ossa dolent? nam, puto, sentirem, siquo temptarer amore. an subit et tecta callidus arte nocet? sic erit; haeserunt tenues in corde sagittae, et possessa ferus pectora versat Amor. Cedimus, an subitum luctando accendimus ignem? cedamus! leve fit, quod bene fertur, onus. vidi ego iactatas mota face crescere flammas et rursus nullo concutiente mori. verbera plura ferunt, quam quos iuvat usus aratri, detractant prensi dum iuga prima boves. asper equus duris contunditur ora lupatis, frena minus sentit, quisquis ad arma facit. acrius invitos multoque ferocius urget quam qui servitium ferre fatentur Amor. En ego confiteor! tua sum nova praeda, Cupido; porrigimus victas ad tua iura manus. nil opus est bello–veniam pacemque rogamus; nec tibi laus armis victus inermis ero. necte comam myrto, maternas iunge columbas; qui deceat, currum vitricus ipse dabit, inque dato curru, populo clamante triumphum, stabis et adiunctas arte movebis aves. ducentur capti iuvenes captaeque puellae; haec tibi magnificus pompa triumphus erit. ipse ego, praeda recens, factum modo vulnus habebo et nova captiva vincula mente feram. Mens Bona ducetur manibus post terga retortis, et Pudor, et castris quidquid Amoris obest. omnia te metuent; ad te sua bracchia tendens vulgus ‘io’ magna voce ‘triumphe!’ canet. blanditiae comites tibi erunt Errorque Furorque, adsidue partes turba secuta tuas. his tu militibus superas hominesque deosque; haec tibi si demas commoda, nudus eris. Laeta triumphanti de summo mater Olympo plaudet et adpositas sparget in ora rosas. tu pinnas gemma, gemma variante capillos ibis in auratis aureus ipse rotis. tunc quoque non paucos, si te bene novimus, ures; tunc quoque praeteriens vulnera multa dabis. non possunt, licet ipse velis, cessare sagittae; fervida vicino flamma vapore nocet. talis erat domita Bacchus Gangetide terra; tu gravis alitibus, tigribus ille fuit. Ergo cum possim sacri pars esse triumphi, parce tuas in me perdere, victor, opes! adspice cognati felicia Caesaris arma– qua vicit, victos protegit ille manu. WHO is it that can tell me why my bed seems so is hard and why the bedclothes will not stay upon it? Wherefore has this night–and oh, how long it was!–dragged on, bringing no sleep to my eyes? Why are my weary limbs visited with restlessness and pain? If it were Love that had come to make me suffer, surely I should know it. Or stay, what if he slips in like a thief, what if he comes, without a word of warning, to wound me with his cruel arts? Yes, ’tis he! His slender arrows have pierced my heart, and fell Love holds it like a conquered land. Shall I yield me to him? Or shall I strive against him, and so add fuel to this sudden flame? Well, I will yield; burdens willingly borne do lighter weigh. I know that the flames will leap from the shaken torch and die away in the one you leave alone. The young oxen which rebel against the yoke are more often beaten than those which willingly submit. And if a horse be fiery, harsh is the bit that tames him. When he takes to -the fray with a will, he feels the curb less galling. And so it is with Love; for hearts that struggle and rebel against him, he is more implacable and stern than for such as willingly confess his sway. Ah well, be it so, Cupid; thy prey am I. I am a poor captive kneeling with suppliant hands before my conqueror. What is the use of fighting? Pardon and peace is what I ask. And little, I trow, would it redound to your glory, armed as you are, to strike down a defenceless man. Crown thy brows with myrtle and thy mother’s doves yoke to thy car. Thy step-father will give thee the chariot that befits thee, and upon that chariot, amid the acclamations of the throng, thou shalt stand a conqueror, guiding with skill thy harnessed birds. Captives in thy train, youths and maidens shall follow, and splendid shall be thy triumph. And I, thy latest victim, shall be there with my fresh wound, and with submissive mien I will bear my new-wrought fetters. Prudence shall be led captive with hands bound behind her back, and Modesty, and whatsoever else is an obstacle to Love. All things shall be in awe of thee, and stretching forth their arms towards thee the throng with mighty voice shall thunder “Io Triumphe!” Caresses shall be thy escort, and Illusion and Madness, a troop that ever follows in thy train. With these fighting on thy side, nor men nor gods shall stand against thee; but if their aid be lacking, naked shalt thou be. Proud to behold thy triumph, thy mother will applaud thee from High Olympus and scatter roses on thy upturned face. Thy wings and thy locks shall be adorned with precious stones, and all with gold resplendent shalt thou drive thy golden car. Then too, if I know thee well, thou wilt set countless other hearts on fire, and many a wound shalt deal as thou passest on thy way. Repose, even when thou art fain to rest, cometh not to thine arrows. Thy ardent flame turns water itself to vapour. Such was Bacchus when he triumphed over the land of the Ganges. Thou art drawn along by doves; his car was drawn by tigers. Since, then, I am to have a part in thy godlike triumph, lose not the rights which thy victory gives thee over me. Bethink thee of the victories of thy kinsman Cæsar; he shields the conquered with the very hand that conquers them. - – - Thus it will be; slender arrows are lodged in my heart, and Love vexes the chest that it has seized. Should I surrender or stir up the sudden flame by battling it? I will surrender; a burden becomes light when it is carried willingly. - Ovid, translation by J. Lewis May Slender arrows lodged in my heart: red amber, benzoin, red musk, bourbon geranium, oak bark, Atlas cedar, and 13-year aged Sumatran patchouli. QAERIS QUOT MIHI BASIATIONES Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque. quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenae lasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis oraclum Iovis inter aestuosi et Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum; aut quam sidera multa, cum tacet nox, furtivos hominum vident amores: tam te basia multa basiare vesano satis et super Catullo est, quae nec pernumerare curiosi possint nec mala fascinare lingua You ask, my Lesbia, how many of your kisses are enough and more than enough for me. As big a number as the Libyan grains of sand that lie at silphium producing Cyrene between the oracle of Sultry Jupiter and the sacred tomb of old Battus; Or as many stars that see the secret love affairs of men, when the night is silent. So many kisses are enough and more than enough for mad Catullus to kiss you, these kisses which neither the inquisitive are able to count nor an evil tongue bewitch. - Catallus, translation by Daniel San Infinite kisses: white honey, red currant, sugar cane, and ginger. UNVEIL THE GRACE IN THINE EYES Turn to me, dear one, turn thy face, And unveil for me in thine eyes, their grace. - Sappho Orris, luminous ambergris, and golden amber illuminated by a sunlit golden musk. VIVAMUS, MEA LESBIA, ATQUE AMEMUS Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, rumoresque senum severiorum omnes unius aestimemus assis! soles occidere et redire possunt: nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, nox est perpetua una dormienda. da mi basia mille, deinde centum, dein mille altera, dein secunda centum, deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum. dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus, aut ne quis malus inuidere possit, cum tantum sciat esse basiorum. My sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love; And though the sager sort our deeds reprove, Let us not weigh them. Heaven’s great lamps do dive Into their west, and straight again revive, But soon as once is set our little light, Then must we sleep one ever-during night. - Catallus, translation by Thomas Campion Scorn the foolishness of others and love, for life is too brief, and death brings everlasting sleep: Ethiopian ambrette seed, summer honey, Alpine lavender, cognac, mate resinoid, peru balsam, and red musk. ++ BOX O’CHOCOLATES BELGIAN CHOCOLATE, HONEY, CUBEB BERRIES, BLACK MISSION FIG AND AVOCADO DARK CHOCOLATE WITH MERLOT-INFUSED BLACK CHERRIES AND STAR ANISE DARK CHOCOLATE WITH WORMWOOD, FENNEL, SWEET FLAG, AND LEMON VERBENA, DUSTED WITH WHITE SUGAR. MAYAN CHOCOLATE WITH ANNATTO SEED, ANAHEIM PEPPER, CINNAMON, AND VANILLA BEAN WHITE CHOCOLATE WITH MATE, HAZELNUT, AND BANANA CREAM. The following Lupercalia set contain nudity, depictions of sex acts, and other not-suitable-fer-younguns stuff. By clicking on the links or purchasing these products, you are affirming that you are at least eighteen years of age and that you are permitted by law to view suggestive imagery. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is also not responsible for any pearl-clutching reactions to the themes we present. If you are offended by nudity, schtupping, marital aids, or any other naughty business, please go no further. Viewer discretion is advised! For your pleasure, we are thrilled to present another whimsical sojourn to the bedrooms of Edo-era Japan — Novel Ideas For Secret Amusements: A Shunga Exhibition. Black Phoenix Trading Post’s Lupercalia update will be coming soon.

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