yeahbutnobut

Pickled Imp In the imp: smells like Christmas! Pine and cinnamon and vanilla sweetness. Wet on skin: now the clove comes out! So now it smells of spiced pine and festive cookies. Dry on skin: oh, this smells like the perfect Yule blend I’ve always wanted the Lab to make. Cinnamon and clove and pine trees, with vanilla to evoke delicious festive baked treats. The spice mix is very, very similar to Three Witches (the original), with the clove mingling nicely with cinnamon, and with creamy chai nuances to it. The pine note is fantastic-it smells a bit like Christmas tree but it also smells resinous, which I adore. I smell all the notes here in equal measure. After a while: the pine does fade a bit, but what I’m left with is the perfect spicy vanilla chai scent. it reminds me of Sugar Cookie 04, but this is much nicer (SC04 now turns a bit sour on me and this doesn’t). it also has amazing throw and I get little wafts of cinnamon and vanilla every now and then. The vanilla vaguely reminds me of Love’s Philosophy in it’s creaminess, but without the plastic undertone, and with the spices adding warmth and interestingness to it. this is the ultimate comfort scent, perfect for rainy days in front of the TV, perfect for the cold winter months. The drydown is a slightly smokier clove with that lovely creamy vanilla and cinnamon. Mmm, this is really lovely. Verdict: this is wonderful! It reminds me of the original Three Witches, but with more creamy sweetness, and with a delightful hint of pine. The just-dry stage is like bottled Christmas to me, all festive pine and spices and comforting sweetness, I could see myself wearing this a lot come December. It’s like the Yule scent of my dreams! The drydown is less pine-y and smells more like a cup of vanilla chai with a swirl of whipped cream on top and an extra dusting of spice-just as delicious as the wet stage, in a different way. this is such a cosy, warming, fun scent, and the perfect blend of sweetness and spice. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes-and I got a backup…maybe I need another backup. If you like this, try: Three Witches, Eclipse, Plunder, Bengal, Chimera

The Illustrated Woman In the imp: sweet rich pine. Wet on skin: pine and patchouli and some spice too…this is a gorgeous resinous pine. Dry on skin: mmm, this is really good! It’s dark green pine needles, but now I can smell vanilla, patchouli, tobacco, maybe some resins too, lots of smoky and spicy notes swirling around the pine. It’s wonderful and unusual, and the pine has that needle-y aspect to it which I love (not like pine cleaner at all!) I also smell hints of honey and pale musk peeping out of the dark earthy smokiness. After a while: now it’s melded into something I’m not quite sure about. It smells nice, but something isn’t quite right…it doesn’t seem as complex and sweet as before. The vanilla has vanished, and there’s something vaguely medicinal to the scent? The pine isn’t as sappy as I hoped it would be, and now it smells a tiny bit greener. I’m not sure if the tobacco here suits me much, it’s starting to go a little bit burnt on me like the Black Lace tobacco did (though it’s a little bit milder here). I do love the hint of something resinous here though. Ah, now I get what’s going on. It seems my skin is eating all the other notes now, save for the patch and tobacco. There is a nice Luperci-like thing going on with the patch and honey and evergreen notes and resins, but it’s also very faint, save for a touch of smokiness which seems a little bit more masculine than expected. I’m undecided about this now…it looks like it has potential, but I’m not sure if it’s me yet. It’s not sitting right on my skin but it doesn’t smell bad either. It does, however, remind me of Devil’s Night at times. I do wish it were sweeter though. Where’s that vanilla gone? Verdict: I think I need to retry this…though this is a lovely scent, it’s not the ‘wow’ scent I was expecting. It smells a little bit like Hexxennacht on me but I prefer Hex. It starts off nicely with a mix of pine and vanilla and honey and spicy tobacco, but then it turns a bit flat and the sweeter notes seem to fade off, the smell overall goes a little bit masculine and burnt on me. it’s not bad and I think it has potential but on me it seems to be missing something. It’s a shame because I really wanted to love the Shelldoo scent! I have a decant of this which is a few months old, and will need to retest to see if age has worked wonders. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe… If you like this, try: Hexxenacht (any), Capricorn 07, Stranger In Camp, Luperci, Goblin Rider

Marguerite In the imp: a very sharp wet floral. This does not bode well for me. Wet on skin: cherries? Why on earth do I smell cherry in here? It smells of bitter cherry cough syrup and sharp soapy flowers. Dry on skin: a weird mix of pleasant notes (the geranium here is lovely, as is the rose) and very unpleasant sharp acrid flowers and cherry Strepsils, and oddly, something almost like dragon’s blood or vetiver. This is not working for me at all. The notes seem to be at odds with each other. I think it’s either the palmarosa or ylang-ylang, or maybe the gardenia…actually I think this is the gardenia at work, sometimes it works, but when that note goes wrong, it goes very wrong indeed. It’s a shame because I really, really love the geranium here. After a while: the sharpness does go and the scent then turns to a fruity, but slightly overripe, floral scent. the geranium is a lot stronger and the rose reminds me of Two Five and Seven, but the gardenia has a hint of fermented banana to it which I’m not keen on. But I really like the scent after about 3 hours. By then it smells like sugared roses with undertones of geranium and a hint of myrrh, as well as white gardenia. It reminds me of 2 5 and 7 meets Victoria. It’s very pretty. There’s a violet-iris like feel to the powdery paleness that covers the rich rosy scent in here. At times it smells almost like there’s a hint of honey or musk to it as well. Verdict: at first I didn’t like this at all-it was a screaming floral with harsh chemical/medicinal tones to it. no roses, but lots of acrid white floral notes and a strange cherry note. it was really messy on my skin, clashing and soapy, despite hints of geranium. However, at drydown, it changes character completely, and becomes very pretty indeed-a fruity, white-musky rose with geranium and gardenia with a bit of iris and honey. I really liked that drydown, but I don’t think it’s worth me waiting through an hour or two of floral doom to get to that stage, so I swapped/sold off my decant. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Madame Tracy, Gwyneth, Two Five and Seven, Victoria, Hope, Monna Vanna

Gwyneth In the imp: rose and orchid. Very, very similar to Magdalene. Wet on skin: I smell warm green sage now, and a touch of lily and sweet musk. Dry on skin: this is very pretty and it reminds me of the Atrocious Attic. The rose and lily combo remind me of that. The lily isn’t a sharp soapy one for now. The orchid is very strong, a white fresh orchid as opposed to a sweeter black orchid. I can’t smell coconut or tonka yet but I do smell the skin musk and the greenness of sage. This is a feminine and rich floral scent-for now it is behaving and I hope the orchid doesn’t turn weird on me. After a while: thankfully the orchid and lily are not turning weird on me. the scent is still pleasant, though not as rose-rich or complex as before…it’s a bit flat and sharp, but not bad. I do wish it was sweeter though. I am not getting any coconut or tonka here, not even that much musk, just the floral notes. It reminds me of the Heroine scent, Ahbisharika (I spelt that wrong, I know) but not as musky. Eventually though the orchid turns sharp and soapy and the scent fades away too fast by then. Verdict: this is pretty, but it didn’t wow me in the way other rose scents can. I think it’s because the drydown went all soapy and bland and I wasn’t so keen on it. but the wet stage is very pleasant. It’s a sweet rose-lily with a lot of orchid, a womanly scent, a full bodied floral. if it had stayed like that, it would have been nice. But sadly this stage is short-lived, and the orchid isn’t the one that likes my skin, but one that turns bad on me after a while. Nice, but not a favourite. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: Magdalene, Atrocious Attic, Gemini 07, Oberon, Abisharika

The Two Headed Goat In the imp: spicy masculine dark musk cologne. Wet on skin: petitgrain really pops out now, that’s where the cologne note comes from. Dry on skin: spicy orange blossom and musk. This smells just like the smell of crushing a leaf from an orange tree, mixed with a spicy sharpness, and an undertone of dark sweet musk. The overall smell is like cologne, sharp and tangy and quite manly, with a touch of moss. It’s a little too sharp for now but the scent is really interesting. I do get a hint of Schwarzer Mond, but that’s just from the musky pimento…it doesn’t have the resins from that scent. After a while: the sharp pimento and cologne have calmed dramatically. Now the musk, moss and birch are dominant. The dark musk is the sweet, slick and oily type, the moss adds a hint of powdery-dusty greenness, I think I smell a hint of birch tar as well, smoky and woodsy. It reminds me slightly of Luperci’s musk-moss mix, but without patchouli and beeswax. There’s a stage when the musk here goes all amber-vanilla and it smells wonderful and wafts like crazy, but it’s fleeting. The drydown after that is dominated by the moss, a soft green powder with the remains of the musk lingering. Verdict: this was an interesting one. It started out as smelling very masculine on me, like a classy cologne, lots of petitgrain and dark, manly musk. It’s also got an orange blossomy smell to it, tangy and bright, but with that sweet dark musk underneath and a bit of pimento spice. The drydown is a lot nicer-when the cologne calms and smells a bit like a sibling to Luperci, thanks to the moss. It’s a pleasant scent but ultimately too much of a man scent for me to pull off. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Omen, Dance of Death, Luperci, Greed, Titus Andronicus

Bezoar In the imp: it smells a bit medicinal, a bit like ho-wood…is that the hiba wood? I also smell cardamom. Wet on skin: oh, this gets better! Now a vanilla-benzoin sweetness pops out! Dry on skin: mmm, this smells really gorgeous! It reminds me of something, but I can’t say exactly what, but I think it reminds me of an incense or herbal blend of some kind. It smells of benzoin-like balsam with a soft vanilla aspect, which I think is the tolu or copaiba balsam. Ah, now I know what those mysterious balsams smell like. The hiba adds a slightly medicinal twist, whilst the hay adds a gorgeous golden dryness. The cardamom completes the scent with it’s warm, aromatic spice. After a while: ah, now I know what this reminds me of. Ages ago I went to Brighton, visited a wonderful new age/pagan bookshop, and bought a room scent oil, I think it had an Egyptian name but I can’t remember what. I still have it…and this smells very similar, if not better! The warm, round sweetness of this scent gets even more pronounced, the woodsy scent fades but I also smell more of that wonderful hay note. It really does smell like straw warmed by the sun, but with those warm balsams surrounding it with sweetness. There’s a gorgeous amber-like nuance to the scent too, but it’s unlike any amber in BPAL. This scent is unique and fabulous. The scent is quiet, but I can’t stop sniffing it, it smells approachable and gentle, it is very comforting, especially after a few hours when it’s sweet amber and hay. It makes me think of summer evenings, soft and balmy and golden. Verdict: this scent is really wonderful, a gorgeous and golden scent which really shows off the wonderful hay note and enhances it with cardamom and some wonderful balsams that smell both unusual and different and yet oddly familiar. It’s almost like an amber scent, but very different to other BPAL ambers. It’s also very vanilla-like but, again, so different to other vanilla scents. the scent also reminds me strongly of benzoin. The cardamom is wonderful but other than the balsams, it’s the hay that wins me over with this scent-warm, golden, dry hay that I can’t stop sniffing. A surprise winner from the Wunderkammer, I think I need a backup of this unique scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. If you like this, try: Hay Moon, Dog Days, Viparalabda, The Lion, Gunpowder

Aelopile In the imp: bright verbena-boosted citrus and warm cedar. Wet on skin: verbena and lemons, cedar and a hint of amber. Dry: mmm, this is lovely. It’s mainly lemon (fruit and verbena) and cedar, and the lemon has a candied, almost fizzy feel to it. This does remind me of Fascinum, but this is brighter and juicier, I think. I can smell the resinous warmth of amber and labdanum enhancing the scent’s golden aspect and the solid woodsy cedar binding everything together. It also reminds me of Mag Mell, but without the ozone/rain. There’s something to the scent that’s almost brassy or evocative of brass without smelling blatantly of metal. After a while: the citrus tones down a touch, doesn’t last as long as it did in Fascinum. Now I smell more of the amber and cedar, and it’s gorgeous. There’s a soft, sawdusty scent to the cedar which I find pleasant, and the amber note is sweet and glossy, the remains of citrus giving it a tangy feel. There’s also something vaguely herbal, like dry wild herbs warmed by the sun, which I love. Maybe it’s the labdanum doing this? It reminds me of that ‘summer holiday evening air’ scent that I love so much. And the brassy note is still there. After an hour or two this smells like a really lovely soft cedar varnished with amber, and a hint of something almost metallic to it like brass cogs, but there’s nothing perfumey or unsettling about this brassy scent like some metal scents can be. the cedar gets softer and turns to an almost sandalwood like scent, with the amber also sweetening. And finally, it turns into an effervescent and spicy amber which reminds me of Leo 07, which I love, but this time with a woody base. Verdict: this is such a lovely mix of citrus, amber and cedar! Evocative of shining brass and it’s scent but without that sharp, electric metal note, the citrus makes this bright and sharp, the cedar is a gorgeous fragrant wood but not overly masculine, and the amber is fabulous as usual. It’s not as incense-y as Fascinum (which to me had an almost joss stick type scent), this is a purer amber-wood scent. At times it gains herbal tones which are lovely, and the labdanum adds a bit more oomph to the amber. It’s perfect for summer because of it’s zingy citrus notes and sunny, warm amber, and very unisex. Another winner from the Steamworks line! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I have a bottle now. If you like this, try: Fascinum, Mag Mell, No 93 Engine, Arcana, Chintamani Dhupa, Leo 07

Ether In the imp: a fresh zingy citrus-herbal-floral. I think that’s the davana I can smell. Wet on skin: there’s gardenia in here, and a citrus blossom (neroli or lemon blossom) too. Dry: this is very pretty floral cologne. There’s a hint of that gardenia note that often turns bad on me, creating just the barest hint of smoky petals, but in here it is such a small amount that it is bearable. The main notes however are citrus blossoms. I think both orange and lemon blossom are in here, as this scent is very citrus-y and cologne like. It smells perfumey and fresh. There’s a tiny hint of what might be frankincense to this as well, a smoky resinous tang, and that herbal note from before. But it’s mainly sparkly orange blossom cologne. After a while: the scent then turns to a papery, wispy and soft smoky floral. It almost smells like there’s a hint of poppy or opium to it, it’s a smoky floral which is light and incense-tinged. I now smell something like narcissus, in addition to the orange blossom and davana, and I think there’s a hint of white amber here as something about this reminds me of Pollution. It evokes dry, papery petals floating in the breeze, mixed with a hint of smoke. Verdict: I was expecting this to be a bit like 51, which I adore, and whilst there’s a resemblance, there’s also something in this scent that I’m not keen on. One of the floral notes is most probably ‘evil gardenia’ and it turns very sharp and burnt on my skin. there are other flowers here though that are quite pleasant. the drydown is a soft white floral with hints of smoke and cologne, and some of the resin notes come out at this point. It’s a very ethereal (of course!) scent, wispy and airy and luminous, otherworldly at times, but it doesn’t quite work on me as well as I hoped it would. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: 51, Pollution, Angeronalia, Kindly Moon, Languor

Ethiopian myrrh, Damascus rose, boswellia, galbanum, and copal. The Blasphemare Reliquary In the bottle: a slightly masculine but gorgeous dark resin scent. Wet on skin: mmm, myrrh! This is a beautiful dark sweetish resin! Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! This is myrrh that makes me purr! It’s predominantly myrrh but there’s a greenish and sappy gloss from the galbanum, a touch of frankincense and copal too, and just the barest, barest hint of rose (nowhere near as strong as Tabula Smargadina). The myrrh in here is slightly similar but also unlike any other myrrh in BPAL. It smells rich and dark, a tiny bit masculine but not in a bad way. It smells aged, with a hint of almost amber-like sweetness. It is wonderful. This reminds me of something though…maybe not another BPAL but maybe a scent memory of some kind. All I know is that this is magnificent. After a while: oh, this gets better. The myrrh becomes richer, darker, deeper and more complex. So does the galbanum, which really gives that deep green aspect to the scent. the myrrh here is incredible, it develops these amazing tones of smoke, moss, leather, ambergris and even wet cold stone. Now this smells like incense burning in a cave, there’s a surprising mineral aspect to this scent which I love. It also smells a bit more like a masculine scent, but in here that’s a good thing. It’s a manly aspect that I love-I tend not to like the sharper manly scents but the dark and smoky ones? Mmm. The scent becomes more and more myrrh-y over time and I think this myrrh is one of the nicest myrrh notes I’ve ever smelt. So rich, dark, haunting and multifaceted, it smells ancient, it smells sacred, I can’t stop sniffing it. it smells like nothing else in BPAL, it is such a unique resin scent. Verdict: this is one of my new favourite myrrh scents! this is another example of how Beth excels with resin/incense scents, and never fails to surprise me with innovative new resin combinations that are unique, like this one…it smells so different from other BPAL resins and contains one of the best myrrh notes ever. It’s a dark and slightly greenish, murky and mysterious, haunting incense scent. the rose is subtle, and I love the way the copal and galbanum enhance the myrrh, which on it’s own seems to have so much complexity to it. smoky, earthy, deep, unusual, arcane and intriguing, this scent is amazing and I bet aging will make this even more incredible. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I need a backup-maybe two! If you like this, try: Minotaur, Priala, Parlement of Foules, King Cobra

Tabula Smargadina In the bottle: rose and sandalwood incense. Wet on skin: the rose blooms on my skin, resins come out, and this smells like a mix of Rose Cross and Pulcinella. Dry on skin: mmm, this is gorgeous! It smells of rich full bodied roses surrounded by incense-mainly frankincense, but also some myrrh and labdanum. I also smell some sandalwood here too. This greatly resembles Rose Cross (not surprising) but it is more complex…it’s almost like the white rose of Parlement, but Parlement was heavier on the myrrh than this. After a while: the scent doesn’t morph too much, but I think more frankincense comes out after some time. I also smell something that may be myrrh, or mastic perhaps…that and the ever present scent of rose. Now this smells like a lighter version of Parlement, a more ethereal Rose Cross, it’s a bright, golden rose incense with a definite dryness to it. almost like a desert rose scent. The scent becomes a dry, golden and delicate resinous rose at the end. Verdict: I am a proud rose lover, I adore the combination of rose and incense resins, such as Rose Cross, Parlement of Foules, All Saints, Magdalene, Pulcinella etc, and this is another one to add to my collection. It’s rose surrounded by sacred incense resins. This to me is the lighter sibling to Blasphemare Reliquary, whilst that scent was heavy on the resins with a hint of rose, this is rose-dominated with an undertone of resin, and whilst BR was a dark, murky resin, this is a golden, frankincense-centred resin. I also smell hints of sandalwood and other fragrant incense woods adding a dry, ashy feel to the scent, like just-burnt incense. a beautiful rose incense scent that can only get better with age…one to get a backup of. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Rose Cross, Parlement of Foules, All Saints, Pulcinella and Teresina, Magdalene, Hymn, Blasphemare Reliquary

Eisheth Zenunim In the imp: honeyed peach, like Cupid Complaining to Venus. Wet on skin: right away, I can smell the patchouli. This now smells like Ecstasy of True Love. Dry on skin: this is very, very similar to True Love on me, but in here the patch is a bit darker and dirtier, very much like the patch in Clemence, or even Luperci. This also bears a resemblance to Angeronalia, with the neroli taking the place of the citrus notes in there. The honey is very pretty, a light and nectar-like honey very much like the one in Itaso or Harikata. I can’t smell any cocoa. After a while: this scent seems like a fight between patch and peach! Though it’s not an aggressive fight, it’s very pleasant to smell…for now it seems peach is winning but patchouli is desperate to get back into the spotlight. The neroli now bears it’s floral side, and the honey is a lot subtler. I smell something vaguely salty, probably the ambergris, but still no cocoa. The scent then turns to a dry, dusty peach scent, the patch smelling like dry earth, with just a hint of ambergris lingering. It reminds me more of True Love now as well, though not as dark. Verdict: this is a very nice fruity patchouli scent. it is, I think, the easier-to-acquire version of Ecstasy of True Love. It starts off heavily peachy but with a strong patchouli undertone and a drizzle of honey. The patchouli and peach do eventually dominate over the other notes, earthy and dirty peach is the overall theme of this fragrance, but I do wish I got more of the cocoa. I have other honeyed peach scents that I prefer. Also, unusually for a patchouli scent, it fades pretty fast on my skin. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. If you like this, try: Ecstasy of True Love (if you can find it), Cupid Complaining to Venus, Angeronalia, Thaleia, Luperci, Itaso Kansei

13 (June 08) In the bottle: a thin milky chocolate scent with spice, like a mix of El Dia de Reyes and April 07’s 13. Wet on skin: I smell apple. Please apple blossom, don’t mess this scent up like you did with Agrat! Dry on skin: apples dipped in chocolate, but there’s also a sharp hint of floral. For now, this is not bad. It’s an unusual mix of notes and I’m not sure if they well blend well or clash. The apple blossom seems to want to veer into ‘apple-floral air freshener’ territory but for now the chocolate is stopping it. I really love the chocolate here, it’s both darkly cocoa-rich and yet sweetly creamy at once. I smell hints of nutmeg and allspice adding some delicious warmth, this is slightly reminiscent of the April version but not as spicy. The apple gives it a fruity aspect like the July 07 version. I think I smell tea, but where are the frankincense and tonka? After a while: this gets better! The apple blossom is stopped short of turning to air freshener and instead turns to dried apple tea, like an infusion made with tea and bits of dry apple. The chocolate and spices though are incredible now. The dark choc, allspice and nutmeg have really merged and this now smells like something that a niche chocolatier would make, dried apple slices covered in nutmeg flavoured chocolate. Actually, I think the Chocolate Alchemist makes something like that…I think I can smell the tonka at this point, enhancing the chocolate’s sweetness and making it sophisticated. And now I also think I can smell the frankincense! The apple is a dominant when smelt at the wrist but the throw is mainly spicy chocolate. The apple does fade completely and what I’m left with is the most gorgeous spiced chocolate scent. Warm, exotic, not too foody but incredibly comforting, it’s like the April 07 version’s gentler cousin. The frankincense and tonka really enhance this delicious spicy cocoa. Verdict: this version of 13 was a pleasant surprise! I thought I wouldn’t like it at first, but the drydown is irresistible. At first it was chocolate and apple blossom with a hint of spice. Not bad, but the apple had the potential to go totally bad on me as it usually does. Thankfully the chocolate, spices and resins beat the apple into submission and the end scent is the most wonderful sophisticated spiced chocolate scent. Dark chocolate delicately spiced with nutmeg and allspice, deepened by tonka, and with a fantastic frankincense note. I’m glad I was patient with this scent, and I really love this new, creative take on the chocolate theme. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! If you like this, try: any of the other 13s but especially April 07 and July 07, Tezcatipoca, Bliss, Agrat Bat Malaht, Boomslang

The Chapel In the imp: deep rich mature wine. And woods. No vetiver. Reminds me of the rich boozy smell of the wine cellar I visited when I was in Spain. Wet on skin: oh, this smells just like the deepest, richest red wine. And I mean spot on like wine. Dry on skin: holy crap it’s like I’ve spilt red wine on my arm! I mean, this smells just like a rich merlot (it’s very much like Wanda), or maybe stronger, probably a port. I can smell the alcohol here, so much so that I wouldn’t wear this for a driving test. For now, no blood or incense, but I do get a hint of something like polished mahogany or ebony. It smells like red wine spilt on a fine wooden table. After a while: mmm, this smells even more like wine now, but I also get hints of incense. in fact, now it smells like mulled wine! For some reason I get a hint of clove in ‘blood accord’ scents, and it shows up here. I still smell that ebony-like woodsy base (this reminds me of Riding the Goat), and at this point, I am getting lots and lots of myrrh too. The incense notes are dark, like rich black resins, but they don’t smell charred…they smell aged. Like ancient resin, like what you’d find on a mummy. Blackened by time, not fire. The scent gradually changes, the wine note tones down and the incense comes forth. And what gorgeous incense. It’s the same blackened myrrh but now I smell frankincense too, and something almost like beeswax church candles, a soft scent of smouldering and some of the incense turning to ashes. I love incense, so this stage has me huffing my arm like mad. I don’t really get much vetiver-just a tad maybe but it is subtle-but then the scent smells a little bit less like resins and more like bonfires, probably the brimstone note. I also smell more of the ‘blood’ at drydown, which in here is a wonderful fruity-musky-clove accented with raspberries and red wine, and a touch of metal. Verdict: this scent first started out as single note red wine, but then turned into one of the most gorgeous wine-soaked incense scents out there. The wine note is so genuine at the start, boozy, the kind of scent that goes straight to your head! I am impressed at it’s accuracy, but wonder if it’s drowned out the other notes. Thankfully, these other notes then surface, the incense really comes out and mixes with the wine. I love how old-smelling the incense is in here, rich and resinous with a hint of wood. The wine and incense are enhanced by the blood and brimstone respectively. The blood accord with it’s fruity red/metallic/spicy/musky tones plays very well with the wine, the smoky smouldering brimstone mingles with the incense. A wonderfully dark, sinful and intoxicating incense and wine scent, which I imagine will age wonderfully. Emoticon rating: and Is it a keeper? Mmm, oh yeah. At least two bottles please. If you like this, try: Wanda, Parliament of Monsters, Ligur, Valentine of Rome, The Contract of Theophilius, Mort de Cesar, Blood Garden

Hand of Glory In the imp: honeyed leather and…sweet mint? Wet on skin: ohh, the beeswax in here is gorgeous! And now I also smell smoke! Dry on skin: honeyed beeswax, subtle leather, nutmeg, dry woods and smoke. Oh boy, this is wonderful. It smells warm and gently fiery and woodsy and aromatic, a bit like incense, a bit like candles, a bit like bonfires, all at once. The leather is the aged kind, like Dee, a real ‘library leather’ scent. the pepper is not obvious but adds a wonderful crackling heat to the scent, along with the nutmeg which is stronger. I can smell sandalwood and oak, but the star of the scent is the beeswax, which smells both like sweet honey and ancient candles. All around these notes, smoke gently swirls. After a while: oh, this gets even better. The beeswax becomes even smoother and a bit sweeter, and the scent lightens a touch, develops a musky aspect, and a resinous aspect. Now this is a beautiful harmonious mix of beeswax, leather and sandalwood, smooth and gently smoky and spicy. This is what I hoped Nanny Ashtoreth would smell like-this smells like honey, leather and amber (not sure where I get amber from but I smell a bit of it here) to me and the leather doesn’t amp. The scent gets sweeter and softer and turns almost into honey and a skin musk, which is surprising, but rather fitting for a hand scent with just skin and bones remaining…the smoke adds a nice shadowy accent to this sweet, smooth, and surprisingly bright scent. Verdict: this scent is wonderful, unique, fascinating, a smoky scent like no other, a spicy, incense-y, honeyed scent like nothing else from BPAL. At first it’s a wonderful smoky beeswax, like honey wrapped in bonfire smoke, with an undertone of worn leather. Then the spices and woods come out and the scent smells magical, spellbinding, and a tad dangerous. Makes me think of Hogwarts, for some reason. Hogwarts at the time of the Marauders, to be specific. It improves even more as the beeswax really shows off and sweetens, developing musky and amber-like tones, and the whole scent morphs into a wonderful honeyed incense with a skin musk and leather undertone. Utterly gorgeous and intriguing-I myself don’t find the actual scent scary at all…this is one to stockpile! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes. If you like this, try: Nanny Ashtoreth, Dee, No 93 Engine, Luperci, Buggre Alle This Bible

The Torture Queen In the imp: clean sharp perfume. Must be the metal note. Wet on skin: whoa, strongly perfumey and ozone-y! Dry on skin: very perfume-like. Almost mainstream. This is sharp, cold, clean and crisp. The dominant note is the chrome, which smells like the perfumey note in Door 13, or the ozone in Parsifal, a very high pitched sharp perfume. The perfume-sprayed metal scent is enhanced by the tangy scent of white tea and pale floral gardenia, and I smell just a hint of the sweetness of white amber. This is the white amber in things like 51 and Pollution. In fact this smells very similar to Pollution, with added metallic ozone. It also seems like a feminine version of Thunder Moon (though not as electric). After a while: the chrome does not tone down, like I hoped, if anything, it seems to have become more metallic and more electric-smelling. Also a bit salty, like a stormy sea breeze. I don’t smell as much tea and gardenia, the amber has toned down in sweetness, but now smells a bit powdery. And where’s the vanilla musk? Or the ambergris, for that matter? In here, it’s the damn chrome that gets in the way. The amber does pop out a bit more every now and then, but then the powdery aspect of the amber merges with the ozone and turns this to washing powder. Verdict: this is the CD’s House of Mirrors, a sister scent to Kataniya, and one of the cleanest metal scents I’ve smelt. All the silvery metal notes give off a clean (sometimes soapy) scent but sometimes they have a slightly rusty/oily scent too, which this lacks. It’s clean to the point of being sterile, it’s a bit cold and calculating, not approachable. This is shining, sterilised chrome needles with a tingle of electricity, with a whiff of fresh, modern perfume. The scent is all metallic to me but at times I smell the crisp white tea and gardenia. What I don’t smell are the amber, vanilla musk and ambergris (my favourites in the note list), or not very much until the very end. I’m not too crazy about the grey-coloured metal scents (much prefer the ‘brassy’ or golden scents myself) and this is a little too perfumey for my tastes, so not a keeper for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No. If you like this, try: 51, Pollution, Kataniya, Parsifal, Thunder Moon, Lightning, House of Mirrors, Archangel Winter

Marcilla In the imp: smells a bit like Tamamo meets Aglaea, a musky peach scent. Wet on skin: sharp tea and lilac! But it’s not unpleasant. Dry on skin: not bad! This is a really pretty and unique scent. The lilac, a note that often goes wilted on me, seems to be behaving. The tea is tangy and astringent but in a pleasant way, it smells like a cup of bergamot-infused green tea. The nectarine is sweet and peachy, but not as sweet as the peach notes, this one’s a little more tart. The musk and beeswax are what seem to be making this scent lovely, adding a golden, velvety, almost honeyed touch. It reminds me of Tamamo, but with lilac. After a while: the sharpness settles down dramatically and this becomes a lovely soft golden peach musk scent. really nice. It reminds me of Fae, it’s the peachy nectarine, bergamot and musk I think that make it smell like that. The beeswax is really lovely here, not as honey-like as it can be, in here it’s a proper wax scent. There is a bit of additional floral from the lilac, and that’s the note that I’m ambivalent about…it keeps veering on the verge of turning into soap. I’m still uncertain about the soapy aspect I sometimes get, which is a shame because the golden peach scent is so pretty. The scent seems to fluctuate between beautiful beeswax peach and soapy lilac (and white ginger? It doesn’t smell like spicy ginger to me so maybe it’s the floral kind?) every now and then, making me unsure about this scent. The drydown isn’t as nice, not as much peach, and the lilac turns to a soapy lily-like scent. it reminds me a bit of Her Voice, though not as sharp and bitter. Verdict: this is a very pretty, intriguing scent. The nectarine note is very pretty, not sharp like the one in Ebisu, this is more like a peach note. The tea is very nice, refreshing and tangy but not too tart. This overall reminds me of a peach herbal tea, backed with glowing notes of golden musk and beeswax, and lilac. The beeswax is lovely but I found it too subtle in this scent-I like it when it is a main player in a scent. the lilac unfortunately turns a bit soapy on me after a while, and does distract from the golden peach tea scent, which is a shame. Ultimately this isn’t one to keep, there are other peach scents I prefer, but I admire the unique mix of notes here. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. If you like this, try: Tamamo No Mae, Aglaea, Fae, Angeronalia, Night Thoughts, Her Voice

Dionysia In the imp: plum, berries and something almost green. This actually smells like Queen of Spades! Wet on skin: red and black fruits with patchouli and a hint of resins. Dry on skin: mmm, I love it! If the plum blossom behaves and the fruits don’t go over-sweet, this looks like it will be a success. For now I smell juicy plum and raspberry with a bite of pomegranate, sweetened by benzoin, with a hint of frankincense. It does remind me of Crypt Queen but it’s not as dark, this is much sweeter. It also reminds me of Blood Phoenix. After a while: noooooo! It can’t be! Surely, there were enough heavy notes in here to stop it coming to this…what could have been a wonderful mix of plum fruit, raspberries, poms, patch and resins has turned to cloying and evil banana on me! Doom blossom, I mean plum blossom, almost always does this and I was hoping the other notes would prevent that from happening, but no! PB has totally pwned this scent and I can’t smell anything else. Plum fruit, maybe, and a bit of raspberry, but where’s the pomegranate and where are those lovely resins? Now this just smells like overripe fruit on me. The scent does sometimes go into a nicer floral plum scent, like Midwinter’s Eve, but I don’t get that pom-raspberry scent any more. The scent fluctuates between sickly plum blossom to a nicer plum and mahogany scent, but can’t decide what it wants to smell like. Verdict: oh plum blossom, why do you hate my skin so much? This would have been so wonderful if it wasn’t for that pesky floral note. Everything else in here was made of win, but plum blossom makes this fail on my skin. The first stage was really nice-when plum fruit was dominant, as well as the other fruits, and the resins, making for a decadent and deep, almost boozy, rich fruit scent. But then Doom Blossom comes over and stomps all over the other notes, completely dominating with that cloying overripe floral scent. The drydown is a bit nicer, when the floral note tones down a touch, but I don’t think I can keep this scent. it’s not my thing, I’m afraid…and I was hoping to love it because there are so few raspberry scents out there. Luckily my decant found a new home. Emoticon rating: : Is it a keeper? Nope. If you like this, try: Horreur Sympathique, Blood Phoenix, Bathsheba, Frumious Bandersnatch, Midwinter’s Eve

Cytherea In the imp: a very pretty sweet orris, powdery and pale. Wet on skin: ahh, now I see the Skinny Dip comparisons! Yes, this does smell like SD! Dry on skin: oh, now it’s even nicer! It’s Skinny Dip mixed with American Cream! This scent takes two Lush scents that I love and combines them fabulously! The orris must be what smells like violet, I can smell lots of vanilla. I have no idea where I’m getting the SD notes of clove and white chocolate, or the AC notes of lavender and sage though. All I know is that I smell them in here. However when I smell again I also get hints of sandalwood, patchouli and kush. After a while: ohh, this is really nice now. It still resembles SD and AC, but now it also bears a resemblance to Kubla Khan, which I love. It seems the champaca note in here is like Kubla’s, in that it doesn’t turn cloying and all-consuming, it stays as a sweet, gentle floral. The scent is a tad fainter now but it’s gorgeous-the vanilla is sublime, the white amber adds a delicate glow, and the darker notes (patch and kush) don’t darken the scent too much, they add a bit of smokiness and ground the scent. The drydown is a gorgeous powdered vanilla-violet scent. Verdict: this smells like a combination of two of my favourite Lush scents: Skinny Dip and American Cream, but of course with that distinctive BPAL feel. The violet-clove-white chocolate scent of Skinny Dip meets the wonderful vanilla-sugary sweetness of AC, supported by notes of sandalwood, champaca and patchouli to add a hint of something exotic, smoky and sexy to the scent. I have no idea how these notes (other than vanilla and orris) can remind me of those Lush scents but they do. I love this scent so much-the champaca doesn’t cloy like it sometimes can, the vanilla and amber are magnificent as usual, the darker notes are subtle but lend depth to the scent, the violet-y scent of orris isn’t too powdery here either. The only disadvantage about this beautiful scent is that it fades too fast and can be too quiet, but that doesn’t stop me from loving it. Feminine and approachable, sweet but not sickly sweet, I need to stock up on this one! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Kubla Khan, Faith, Le Serpent Qui Danse, Florence, Vaskakajja

Licwiglunga In the decant: a soft hemp note infused with lavender and frankincense. Wet on skin: ohh, now I smell the scent of warm dry herbs, mixing with resins. Dry on skin: wonderful! This smells like a beautiful mix of lavender, wild dry herbs warmed by the sun, hemp (the hemp note is reminiscent of Yule, it has a mushy green scent to it), a hint of anise, and golden piercing resins. It does smell a bit like old paper infused with incense and herbs, but to me this smells like a Mediterranean evening. And I love that. A scent of lavender and herbs hanging in the air, and dry wild grasses (the hemp has a lovely grassy scent to it here) and a hint of resinous sap. The anise-frankincense combo also reminds me of the Robotic Scarab, which I love. At times I smell a hint of pom juice. After a while: the dry herbal summer evening scent from before goes down as the hemp really takes centre stage. It seems to be going down that bitter olive route, like what happened with Yule, but in here it’s more bearable. I don’t love it as much as before but I still really like this. The resins are wonderful. The fennel and anise are not turning to all-consuming liquorice. And now there’s some pomegranate adding a hint of sweet red fruit to it all. This is a really unique and complex scent. The drydown is a lot more papery. Now the hemp smells drier and browner, with hints of the herbal notes, those gorgeous resins now burning gently as incense. Verdict: a fascinating fragrance! It starts off with that wonderful scent evocative of golden, balmy August evenings filled with the scent of wild herbs, distant lavender fields, hay and pine and the sound of crickets, it reminds me of a childhood holiday I spent in the south of France. It’s gorgeous and it’s the kind of dry herbal smell I love. Then it changes as the hemp comes out, with it’s papery-pulpy-green scent, mingling with the sweetish scent of pomegranate. And the end stage is back to that dryness, but this time it’s scented with incense and paper, not herbs. I must say that I wish the just-dry stage of this scent, the wonderful herbal scent, lasted longer as it is my favourite stage in this fragrance, but I like this scent overall to get a bottle. a very unique and intriguing perfume! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. If you like this, try: Yule, Robotic Scarab, Scales of Deprivation, Arcana, The Norn’s Farmhouse

The Contract of Theophilius of Adana In the imp: floral? that’s probably dragon’s blood. I also smell dusty paper and incense. Wet on skin: whoa, that’s a lot of dragon’s blood! very lilac-y. I also smell the incense and something woody, as well as parchment. Dry on skin: mmm, if the dragon’s blood behaves this has the potential to be marvellous. The incense here is gorgeous, reminiscent of the frankincense and myrrh of Valentine of Rome, but a bit heavier on the frankincense. There’s also a hint of one of the Egyptian scents to this incense note, either reminiscent of Anubis or Meshkenet. There’s a lot of smoke here, a smell of burning, that’s the brimstone. I smell something green and sharp and bitterly floral, probably the DB (please, please don’t turn to fail on me), as well as hints of dusty paper (like Clio) and sweet benzoin. The red musk is subtle but binds the whole scent together and adds a layer of exotic richness. But that dragon’s blood…it’s being very persistent and trying to take over! After a while: ok, the dragon’s blood is being a lot more prominent here than I was hoping for, but now it smells like a rather lovely mix of red musk, DB and incense. in fact, it smells just like the Cracked Bell with a hint of Judgement (the tarot oil). It’s got less of a papery feel to it now, and more of a brassy scent. It’s also a lot smokier, and much more musky as well. Can’t say I’m crazy about the all powerful DB, but it’s quite nice. Almost perfumey at times, oddly. The more I smell it, the more Cracked Bell-like it seems to become. The drydown is almost indistinguishable from Cracked Bell on me, sweet amber-musky-bloody-incense, but only with extra dragon’s blood (which is a bit bitter here) and none of the vetiver-ish scent I got in CB. But the dragon’s blood is too strong for my likings. Verdict: I was expecting this one to be outright love since I love papery scents, incense scents, and papery scents with incense. sadly, there’s one note in here that has it in for me-dragon’s blood. At first it is a really nice resin-incense scent but the daemonrops resin really wants to disturb the lovely mix of parchment and incense and musk, and finally it wins out and the scent turns sharp, a bit floral and not very nice. It’s ok, but I’d rather the dragon’s blood were quieter and the incense notes more prominent. I like it when it turns into a scent reminiscent of the Cracked Bell, a musky dragon’s blood with smoke and incense, but not enough to keep it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. I'd prefer it without daemonorops, I think. If you like this, try: Valentine of Rome, Dragon Moon 08, Cracked Bell, Lurid Library, Clio, The Chapel

The Grindhouse In the imp: mmm, Marianne’s spicy incense-y red musk with a bit of vanilla sweetness! Wet on skin: pepper? I smell something smoky and almost peppery now. This reminds me of Trick 1. Dry on skin: crackling toasty smoky spices (almost like cumin now? What on earth?) mingles with pale floral notes, sweet vanilla, and red musk incense. wow, this is quite nice! It’s got an almost savoury spice to it which is a bit strange at first but I quite like it. then the mimosa comes through, surprisingly strong. To me this smells like a cross between Trick 1, Unheavenly City and Marianne. It also reminds me a bit of Hell’s Belle, that spicy musky magnolia scent. After a while: now the spicy peppery smoky scent has mixed with the musk and the scent now has a dry, crumbly feel to it, like an incense powder waiting to be burnt. The powdery scent is enhanced by the iris and pollen-dusted mimosa. There’s that hint of nag champa to the musk, and the magnolia is very strong. I get hardly any clove and rose. The vanilla is soft and seems to by shying away from the floral and dry dusty spiced musk. It’s not bad but I really wanted this scent to have the creamy undertone I get from Unheavenly City and War. Verdict: compared with the wonderfulness that is Marianne, this doesn’t quite cut it. Grindhouse is of course very similar, but there’s something in here I’m not crazy about. The scent overall is too dry and crumbly for me, I was hoping this would be a bit creamy and luscious, like many red musk and floral combinations tend to be, but there’s a champa-like feel to the scent which I’m not keen on. There was a similar scent in Marianne but there were loads of other notes in there making it rich and full, in here the champa-musk is a bit thin, dry, bland even? Like a spicy powder with hints of flower pollen and orris. I sent my decant off to a good home-I like this scent, but not enough to keep it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really. I wish it was less thin and more rounded. If you like this, try: Marianne, War, Hell’s Belle, Hollywood Babylon, Trick 1

Aeronwen In the imp: the greenness of fig and tarragon, a bit of orange and a hint of sweetness. Wet on skin: mmm, herbal tarragon and green fig leaf! Dry on skin: oh, I like this. It reminds me of Carnal, but much nicer and more complex. The fig is a green leafy kind very similar to Eden. The orange is brief and has all but faded. The tarragon is such an intriguing note, greenly herbal and warm but not too savoury, it’s also a bit spicy. It’s not a dry herb either. Underneath, I smell shadowy black musk and myrrh, no amber just yet but I think I can smell a bit of redwood, which has that ‘fresh timber’ scent to it. After a while: oh, this gets so much nicer with time. Now the musk, myrrh and amber really come out and blossom. The fig has lost that green sharpness and has mellowed into a smoother brown fig with a hint of something creamy. And the musk is gorgeous, it smells more like white musk or golden musk here, not black musk. It reminds me of something, maybe Antique Lace or even Morocco? Or possibly Inez without as much sweetness or amber? Or maybe the Emathides? I can’t say other than I love this. It reminds me of Eden a bit more as well, but richer and muskier. It’s a fabulous fig-musk. And it gets more and more musky over time, a wonderful warm skin scent which feels clean yet velvety, with a redwood note which now smells more like sandalwood. This then settles into a soft white fig-touched musk rounded by the resins. It reminds me of the Possets scent Figmalion, but this one has added resin and more pronounced musk. Verdict: I think this may be my new favourite fig scent! at first it starts of very green and earthy, the fig smells sharp and I fear it will be a bit too green and sharp like the fig in Carnal. But then the scent morphs into the most wonderful fig-musk-amber scent ever! Rich and sexy, the fig adds a lighter fruity touch to the dark, sweet resins and deep musk. This is a sexier, darker, naughtier version of Eden. The scent develops a few white musk like nuances at drydown, and the fig note in here is perfect. I love this one and will need a backup before she leaves with the rest of the girls… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, I need another bottle. this is really unique and wonderful. If you like this, try: Carnal, Strangler Fig, Eden, Inez

And anyone who knows me well will know why I squeed a little when I saw the Lune Noire label

Marianne In the bottle: mmm, the incense-tinged spicy red musk of Scherezade, with a hint of floral. Wet on skin: wow! Patchouli, red musk, incense! almost like nag champa, but better! Dry on skin: now the flowers come out, lightening the scent a bit. I can smell the sweet powdery lotus root, which I love, with a touch of mimosa which smells just like the little yellow pompoms that bloom in the garden every spring. I think there’s also a bit of orchid, and this is an intense rich black orchid to me. Underneath, red musk and patchouli smell rich and dark, spicy and incense-y, and a bit dirty-definitely earthy. The musk is the same as Scherezade’s, like sexed-up nag champa. There’s definitely a hint of headshop to this, and I love it. After a while: the initial dirtiness of the musk and patch tones down, and I’m pleasantly surprised at how pretty the floral notes make it. They add a lighter, gentler touch and contrast beautifully with the muskiness. This is a very two-toned scent, there’s the sweet floral on the top, and the base of dirty incense-laced musk. There’s something almost fruity about the flowers here, maybe it’s the currant, but it’s not a currant-y fruitiness, it’s lighter and more like sugar cane, I think it’s the lotus at work. The scent then turns into a really good nag champa/exotic incense scent, makes me think of a darker take on Mama Ji, actually! Yes, that’s what this reminds me of now, Mama Ji with added musk! And then, the scent morphs again, and it smells a tiny bit like Smut now, but without that disturbing rubbery scent I got from Smut. But the dark, heavy red musk is very similar. And then it turns a tiny bit like Mme, sweeter red musk, but with a drier, crumbly feel to it like the ashes of incense. Verdict: this lady is my middle-namesake scent so I had high hopes for her, and thankfully, this scent doesn’t disappoint! Normally I’m not crazy about nag champa type scents, and this has a distinctly champa-like feel to it, but I love this. I think it’s the richness of the musk and the bright floral aspect that makes it. there’s a nice duality to this scent, the floral notes are soft and pretty, the sweet sugary lotus and orchid and fluffy mimosa are approachable and gentle. But underneath there’s a smutty (and yes it does resemble BPAL Smut) and raunchy dirty darkness, deep patchouli and a spicy, incense-y red musk. This is a fantastic combination. The scent reminds of Scherezade in it’s spiciness, with hints of Mama Ji, but with a more floral slant. I already love this scent but I have a feeling a bit of age is going to make this even more fantastic. I am so glad this scent works on me this well. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Oh yes, and she’s going to be hoarded. If you like this, try: Scherezade, Mme Moriarty, Lust, Mama Ji, Smut, Midnight Kiss, The Grindhouse

Clemence In the bottle: peppery carnation with a patchouli background. Wet on skin: whoa, the patch is heavy here! I can also smell the tea, and it smells like black tea! Dry on skin: biting black pepper, intense and dark patchouli, mixed with a dry spicy tea mixture. Mmm, this is good. It smells like a wonderful chai blend, with a shadowy, dirty undertone. It reminds me a little bit of Spanked without the leather, actually! I can smell hints of carnation and/or clove, and lots of cardamom and pepper. Very exotic and a bit dusty (in a good way). After a while: ah, now the spicy tea has overtaken the patchouli, and this now smells like a darker, spicier, less green and more earthy version of Silk Road. The cardamom is really showing off here, and the tea note is fantastic because it smells like black tea, a bit smoky and without the tangy bite of green tea, not like those scents that have a black tea note that smells too sharp and fresh. The carnation has also gone up a notch, and this at times makes me think of Pink Moon’s evil cousin. The scent then turns to Pink Moon-style carnations served with a cup of black, delicately spiced tea, no milk or sugar. It’s spicy and dry but fringed with the floral carnation note to stop it being too dry. The scent turns drier and dustier over time and it reminds me of a dry mix of spices and tea with a hint of old books to it. Really lovely, though I wish there was a bit more sweetness to it. Verdict: this is a fantastic dark carnation scent with an incredibly genuine tea note to it. Too often black tea notes smell like green tea on me, but not this-this is proper black tea, with chai spices (though no cinnamon). The patch is very, very strong, earthy and dry and dark, but it goes really nicely with the spicy peppery tea. The carnation note is fantastic and I love the way it gradually strengthens with wear. This reminds me of Silk Road meets Pink Moon at times, with added patchouli. Spicy and dirty and lovely. The only thing that would make it perfect though would be a sweet note, or a musk, to smooth the scent out a bit and stop it from smelling too dry, to add some sweetness to it which this scent seems to lack. As carnation-scented ladies go, I greatly prefer Inez, but I will be keeping my bottle of Clemence, that’s for sure. Not sure if I need a second one though…I’ll see how she ages. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. If you like this, try: Silk Road, Alone, Plunder, Pink Moon 07, Mr Jacquel