yeahbutnobut

The Witch Queen In the imp: very much like Morgause- plum, sharp flowers and a hint of incense. Wet on skin: oh no, I think the calla lily is disagreeing with me! it's going very sharp…this reminds me of Purple Phoenix now. Dry on skin: is there wisteria here? It's not listed but it's doing what most wisteria scents do on me-smells sharp and acrid. It reminds me of the way the gardenia really sharpened up Morgause for the first hour or so. Either that or it's the lily, because I really like the other floral notes here. I also smell the plum, it's a tangier plum than most, lots of ylang, and a rich, smoky, purple-musky undertone. All this would be lovely if it weren't for that sharp, screaming floral note getting in the way. After a while: that shrieking calla has calmed down a little now. At this point, it's dominated by ylang, a little bit of plum, and a hint of spicy pimento as well. The purple incense now reminds me of nag champa, a dry and spicy scent, but this time it's a little fruity, like the grape note in Purple Phoenix. The musk is discreet but adds that sensual undertone. it's not bad, but I was expecting something a little nicer…the floral notes don't seem to gel very well together with the plum incense. And the more I smell it, the more I start to get something that reminds me of shampoo, or even the harsh chemicals of hair dye…the throw I get from here reminds me of the smell of a hairdressers, and not in a good way. After a moment of that disturbingly hair dye like smell, the scent then turns into a pleasant musky plum, very much like Bathsheba. Maybe almost like Nahemoth without all the 'Snake Charmer' goodies that scent had. But it's a floral musky plum with a heady ylang base, almost like Lust, but not as musky, this one is fruitier. The floral notes do tone down a little more and the musk and plum, sexy perfumed fruit, are the dominant notes at the end. It's a very pretty drydown but I was expecting more beeswax and incense. Verdict: I'm surprised and let down by this one…from the notes, I was expecting a hit-but there was that pesky calla lily in there, and that's probably the note that ruined this scent for me. where I was expecting a musky plummy incense scent along similar lines to Snake Charmer and Hellion, I got, for the majority of the scent's wear, a screeching acrid floral and a nasty undertone of hair dye! That's what I disliked most about this scent-the part where it developed a nasty chemical sharpness just like the hair dye/shampoo used at my local hairdresser's. the drydown is much nicer, a musky plum with ylang ylang, but I much prefer Bathsheba, which is very similar to this scent's drydown, but doesn't have that horrid screaming flowers drowning in hair dye stage. so this one's being passed on. Sad really, because there were so many good notes that it should have worked…but my skin wouldn't let it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Morgause, Purple Phoenix, White Moon, Bathsheba, Nahemoth, Lust

Macbeth and the Witches In the imp: ozone, ack! It's not too bad, but I smell something like wax or plastic too. Wet on skin: sweet wax, steel, sporty perfume and something lightning-scorched. Dry on skin: ok, this one is unusual. Not bad though. The steel does it's usual thing and turns to sporty perfume on me, along with the leather and myrrh this smells very much like the Bloody Sword, sweet 'trendy' perfume with leather. I also smell something herbal-possibly the mugwort? I also smell rosin! Yes! Brings back memories of when I used to play cello. I also get something like sweet candle wax. I really like the smells of rosin, leather, wax and myrrh in here but sadly the sporty steely cologne and the ozone make this smell like men's deodorant. And of course, the ozone is the evil, stormy kind. The ozone is rumbling away in the distance for now but it won't be long before it strikes back in an attack of electrified tumble-dried clothes and photocopier air. After a while: bad ozone! yup, it did the inevitable thing and turned to crackling static-covered tumble dried clothes placed in an office full of electrical appliances. I still smell the resinous notes, which are gorgeous and deep, and the herbal mugwort which, in here, reminds me of thyme, along with a spicy, curry like note which must be ajawon. It reminds me of Indian restaurants-I'm sure this note has been used extensively in the recent batch of Chaos Theory, because a lot of CTIII scents I tried smelt of curry. And I smell the generic men's perfume smell of the steel note. Ick. The scent then turns into a drier, warmer, and spicier version of Thunder Moon or Kataniya, it's a bit floral by now, but still has that crackling ozone I dislike, and that smell of sports deodorant. Verdict: I really dislike thunderstorm inspired scents because they have an ozone note that always turns evil on my skin. I was only willing to try this because of the colophony, which apparently is rosin, and that scent does have very fond memories for me. I do get rosin here, but like all other electric scents, the ozone takes over and turns nasty. The steel note also turns to mainstream men's fragrance. Shame really because I love the resinous undertone which at times reminds me of candle smoke with a hint of warm spice, but one of the notes begins to smell like Indian food after a while. So eventually I smell of curry, stringed instruments, sporty aftershave and photocopiers with lightning flashing. Nice. I think that combination is random enough to be almost like some kind of modern art piece, or something. It's weird and conflicting and harsh, and it's evil ozone, which immediately warrants a 'get it off and get it away from me' reaction, so this isn't one I'm keeping. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. I don't like stormy scents, or steel ones. If you like this, try: Thunder Moon, Kataniya, Bloody Sword, Lightning, Tempest, Nyarlahotep

Virgo In the bottle: earthy, green and wet and lush. I agree with the 'vegetable garden' comments. Wet on skin: I smell green fern, a hint of carrot…and some fennel, though it's not blatant anise. Dry on skin: this is really interesting! It smells like a fresh, wet garden or a crisp salad made with wild salad greens and carrots dug straight from the ground. The fennel adds a coolness to it-a scent that almost hints at liquorice but doesn't smell like it completely, it just has the spicy coolness that I often get with anise scents. This blends nicely with the slightly bitter green fern, carrot seed (which smells like carrot covered in soil here) and the herbal myrtle. It's a very herbal-green-earthy scent, but very different from the usual herbal and earthy scents. It feels like a garden at the start of autumn-the summer's greens being harvested as the weather cools. It seems to go nicely with Singing Moon, both are unconventional herbals and have that cool, wet aspect to them. I smell something earthy, maybe that's valerian? It's not stinky valerian at all. After a while: ooh, now there's a gorgeous sweetness that wasn't here before. It's a smooth, earthy sweet scent underneath all the green/herbal notes, it's almost mossy, almost like a light patchouli, almost like tonka or maybe musk? I'm not sure what it is but it's lovely, and smoothes out all the notes. The green note here now reminds me of the lettuce in Cancer. I also smell the honeysuckle now, and it's very strong. In fact, this scent now brings back vivid memories of my holiday in Devon a couple of years ago. I remember the smell of the honeysuckle through the rain, mixed with the smell of earth and grasses and damp leaves. This smells just like that. The honeysuckle becomes the most dominant note after some time, but sadly, it seems to be turning soapy on me…a little waxy and soapy, not as lush and wet as before, and the greenery is retreating too. It's not bad, but I like my honeysuckle notes grounded with rich, sweet notes like resins (like in Chimera or Hermia) or it tends to soap out on me. It now smells very clean and neat, the way Virgo likes it. Verdict: this is a lot nicer than I expected from the notes, especially at the start. The valerian isn't stinky at all. the fennel doesn't turn to evil liquorice. This actually smells like a fresh salad harvested from an allotment patch-there's still soil on the leaves (though a true Virgo would wash the nasty dirt off and make sure the salad is spotless! But I digress), it is earthy, rich, wet and green. I smell carrots and salad greens, with a touch of herbs. And then it goes into a beautiful fresh honeysuckle and greenery stage…a scent which reminds me strongly of summer rain soaking the fragrant blooms and vines, and I love that stage. shame it doesn't last because sadly, some honeysuckle scents turn soapy, and this turns out to be one of them-the green fades away and the honeysuckle remains and doesn't smell as good as it did before. I like this a lot better than I thought I would but I'm surprised, considering my Virgo ascendant, that I don't love it. I'll keep a bit though-I want to keep amounts of all the signs. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? a decant-I would have loved it more if it didn't turn to soap. If you like this, try: Singing Moon, Asphodel, Garden Path with Chickens, Eos, Cancer 07

Bat In the imp: wet, sweet, nectar filled night blooming flowers. Very much like Chiroptera. Wet on skin: I can smell sweet phlox, crisp moonflower, maybe honeysuckle too? Dry on skin: mmm, not bad! This is very similar to Midnight and Bat Woman. It's not as sweet as it was before, now I smell more of the moonflower, the honeysuckle, and a little touch of green ivy, and some herbs. I think I also smell a musk note, which is pale and ethereal like white or blue musk. This now smells very much like Bat Woman without as much of the heady jasmine-type notes…this is fresher and crisper. This is what I was hoping to get from Chiroptera. After a while: the floral notes start to become more herbal, less dewy, a little warmer and a tiny bit more musky at this time. The grey musk now smells less airy and wispy now, and smells a little bit furrier…like a bat. I'm not sure, but I think the orchid may do the same thing as it did in Gemini-ie, it seems to be developing that odd, dirty smell I wasn't crazy about. I don't smell any amber. Then it does what I dreaded it would…turns into dirty sweat. I think that's the orchid-some orchids work, others don't, the one in here really disagrees with me. I now smell that odd lemony-soapy-green scent mixed with that that slight hint of sweaty foot smell that the 'bad orchid' note often does to me. Nothing else-no more moonflower, musk, honeysuckle or greenery. Verdict: this one was disappointing on me. I was hoping for a lot more floral complexity, with a rich amber musk base. It starts off promising, with a lovely dewy night time floral mix reminiscent of Midnight-a cool nocturnal bouquet bound with ethereal musk. but sadly it doesn't last. The scent becomes a little bit flatter, but also muskier…and then comes a note I'm not keen on. I'm guessing it's a type of orchid note since I got the same reaction in Gemini…soapy lemony florals and a dirty sweatiness. No amber to be found, just this flat, sharp, sweaty orchid note, and the other flowers had disappeared by then. Not a favourite I'm afraid-I have nocturnal scents I prefer to this. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Midnight, Bat Woman, Midnight on the Midway, Gemini, Oberon, Black Moon

Singing Moon In the bottle: sweet and watery. It smells like cool, sugared, floral-grassy water. Very pretty. Wet on skin: I see where others get the 'mint' reaction, but to me it's like icy cool water or wind, with sweet floral-herbal-leafy notes. Dry on skin: oh, this is a fascinating scent. The note that first pops out is the scent of wet autumn leaves. I can really smell the rain-soaked leaves and the soil and damp tree bark. I also smell the autumnal smoke-that reminds me of Hunter Moon (but not wine-like or musky). Then I smell the 'stone' note that others mention, and I love that scent…it's a very underground scent, like being in a cool dark crypt, or cavern by the sea, not as drippy as Shanghai Tunnel, but damp and slightly salty. Now I smell the Atlantic winds, bracing and cool and salt-tinged, but not soapy or ozonic like in Selkie. I also smell dry sea grasses, soft herbs, thistles (I think), a variety of wildflowers (one of which smells like camomile), all underscored with a sweet gentle floral, maybe that's meadowsweet? It reminds me of something, maybe another BPAL, but I can't say what, other than it is familiar. (Someone mentioned Jezirat Al Tennyn, and there is a similarity here, but this is sweeter and grassier.) After a while: grains! Now I smell a grainy, grassy note which makes me think of wild oats or wheat, it's a mix of dry grasses and seeds, with that sweetness, and the salty autumn wind, cold and filled with fallen leaves, and a hint of bonfire smoke. I also smell something that reminds me of damp wood chips, like the ones I have in my garden soil…this scent moves between smelling like a cliff top meadow and an autumn forest all the time. Then the scent starts reminding me once more of Hunter Moon, but with the wine and musk and darker spices replaced with airy floral and grassy notes, but there's a very similar smell of autumn to it…it's like an autumn day. The sweet floral is more apparent now at this point, it reminds me of the mallow note from Cancer 07. This one is a morpher, and a very atmospheric scent indeed. After some time the smoky note seems to veer into vetiver territory, but not in a bad way (this is subtle, for now) before turning to grains, dry leaves and that sweet floral note again. The drydown is the remains of the autumnal notes mixed with that sweet-salty, beach-like, gorgeous floral-mossy and almost vanilla like scent I get in things like Cancer 07 and Lyonesse. I love this stage of the scent. Verdict: I'm glad I got this on a last minute whim because it's my favourite of the recent run of Celtic themed lunacy scents. Like music made into fragrance, haunting, melodic, a siren's song of scent. It's also like a journey in a scent, I feel as though I am exploring this scent and it's scenery always changes. The scent evokes many outdoor environments vividly, I feel as if I'm on an adventure, walking through forests with the smell of autumn leaves and wet loam underfoot, then going into a damp cave and then a cliff top meadow filled with wildflowers and grasses waving in the sea breeze, then moving through more forests and beaches, the air cool and brisk, the changing of seasons is tangible here. And all along, the fragrance accompanies me, and it feels like an olfactory version of a film score, a smell-track (as opposed to a soundtrack) if you like. There's something dreamlike to it as well. This is such a unique, fascinating fragrance, so different to anything else I've tried, this really is scented artwork. I'm so glad I got this despite the listing of unknown notes and the potential for it to turn into a soapy aquatic-it did none of these and the result is an ever-morphing, lyrical masterpiece of a scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! This is what I wanted Selkie to be like. If you like this, try: Jezirat Al Tennyn, Ulalume, Selkie, Phantom Queen, La Bella Donna Mia Mente, Cancer 07

The Emathides In the bottle: ohh, sweet amber lavender. Like Old Scratch, but even nicer. Wet on skin: smoke? now I get a hint of something smoky, almost foody, but also almost like bonfires. Dry on skin: how intriguing. this is, for now, very heavy on the lavender. I also smell the cedar, and that smoky note which seems almost autumnal but almost caramelised. Here's to hoping that smoke doesn't turn too foody. I think I smell a fleeting hint of something floral? This is the darker side of the Agony of Loss-that same smoky lavender and cedar. Whilst that one was bright and airy, this one is dark, moody and sweeter. I can smell the amber here and it is gorgeous, though more apparent when smelt further from the wrist. After a while: after the lavender tones down a little (it doesn't go completely at this stage-unusual for lavender) I smell more of the orchid, the currant, the violet and the ethereal blue musk. The currant gives a tart, fruity bite to the scent. The amber is also more apparent-a gorgeous, dark amber which is deeper and less golden than most, but with an entrancing, incense like resinous sweetness. There's a lovely, balmy herbal scent to it, warm and haunting. This scent is deep blue-purple-black in feel, glossy and shining yet dark and mysterious. It reminds me of Lurid, but much darker, heavier and more hypnotic. This is the scent I was hoping to get from Love and Pain. I'm amazed at how the lavender in here sticks around, it still adds that almost sleepy scent to the whole fragrance, giving it a very nocturnal feel. I still smell the currants and flowers, the amber is still wonderful, and the cool, pale notes of violet and musk giving the impression of a moonlit sheen to this fruity-lavender amber blend. The amber just seems to grow and strengthen gently over time, by this point it is magnificent and rich, it smells golden now, and reminds me of other amber scents which I love. With the currant, I get a slight resemblance to that Heroine scent beginning with S that I can't spell, but without honey. Now the lavender is gone, the contrasting yet complementary scents of deep amber and airy musk are dominant. Verdict: now this is the kind of 'purple' scent I like! A scented rendition of deep indigo-purple black, like a twilight sky, I really love this deep, alluring, haunting scent, and mysterious. It's quite a feat for lavender to last so long and in here, it sticks around for at least two hours. The scent is a smoky, herbal sweet lavender with a shadowy, velvety undertone and a glint of lighter musk. It gives the impression of herb-scented summer night air filled with incense smoke. Then the currant slowly replaces the lavender as the dominant 'purple' scent in here. There's a very pretty violet (not a powdery old lady violet) and a ghostly blue musk over all the sultry dark herbal woodsy fruit. Underneath it all is the amber, slowly growing and then really blossoming at the drydown as a wonderful full-bodied golden amber-it blends magnificently with the currant and is nicely contrasted by the musk. I love the amber in here-I love Beth's amber-heavy blends in general, and this is a new favourite of mine-it’s my favourite in the sweet smoky lavender genre. I bet it will age wonderfully. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I'm glad I have two bottles. If you like this, try: Lurid, Old Scratch, Yvaine, Gaueko, Kalahantrika, Love and Pain, Svadhinopatika, Khephra

Crowley In the bottle: OH BABY! This is sexy, Smutty vanilla-patch-red musk, the kind that Beth does so well, but with leather! Rrraawww!! Wet on skin: now it smells Smutty, I fear the rubbery smell but it seems to be replaced by leather. Dry on skin: mmm, this is good. This is the lovechild of Bow and Crown and Smut, with a dash of lilac cologne to it. I smell the musky patchouli sweetened by dark vanilla adding it's sexy, feral deliciousness to a lilac and lemon cologne with a hint of moss, with a raunchy black leather undertone. I see the Dee comparisons, but this to me is more like the Bow and Crown of Conquest, with a red musk and patch base to make it darker and sexier. After a while: ah, now this smells a bit less like Smut, and more like Dee. The deep musk and patch are still lurking around, but now the slick leather takes centre stage, backed by mahogany and moss. It now smells smoky-though less like Crowley's blazing Bentley, and more like occult incense. This smells very suave and rogue-ish, I can just picture this scent as one that wears a cheeky, devilish smirk. This also seems to be a manly take on Mme Moriarty. The woodsy leather gets stronger and smokier, and merges beautifully into the musk. This reminds me of Loviatar now, that musky leather goodness but here there's vanilla sweetening it up. It still smells smoky, smouldering and sexy. I want to do very naughty things to my wrist right now. Interestingly, near the wrist I smell more of the masculine leather and moss, but further from the wrist, the patch, vanilla and red musk waft around me seductively. The drydown is a wonderful sweetened leather, very much like Perversion or Count Dracula, with the vanilla taking on Snake Oil and tonka-like properties. It reminds me of Western Diamondback meets Tombstone. Mmmm! Verdict: the total opposite of Aziraphale, when I first smelt it I though 'Smut for guys!' but it turns out that it smells very nice on me as well. I think Beth's leather scent is the height of sexiness, and this is like all my favourite leather blends mixed together with 'Beth's Special Shaggable Red Musk and Vanilla' (think along the lines of everything Snaky or Smutty). Talk about an incredible combination! And the scent perfectly fits the namesake…this scent is hotter than a burning Bentley speeding across the M25. Sleek, smart leather, rich patchouli, a feral and demonic yet sweet and approachable musk tempered with vanilla, a touch of cologne and a waft of hellish smoke! Perfect for this loveable rogue of a demon-I knew that Crowley was sexy but this scent surpasses expectations. I especially love the drydown when the musk tones down and the vanilla really comes out, and Crowley shows his softer side. That's when the scent becomes almost like Snake Oil meets Dee. Ohh. this is so good. And it's another example of Beth's finest musky-sexy perfumes, it makes me want to do naughty things to myself or anyone wearing this, preferably whilst listening to Best of Queen albums. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? HELL YEAH! If you like this, try: Smut, Bow and Crown of Conquest, Dee, Mme Moriarty, Loviatar, Krampus, His Station and Four Aces, Western Diamondback

Aziraphale In the imp: woodsy papery men's cologne. My nose is weird but it reminds me of something from Lush, possibly even Ginger perfume?? Wet on skin: oh, this is pretty…and papery! I also smell the woods, they are almost tobacco-like. Dry on skin: interesting! I really smell the dusty Bible here! I'm amazed at how much this smells like old worn pages of books, dog-eared and faded, on dust-covered wooden shelves. To make it even more biblical, I even smell a dash of church incense in here. Yet despite smelling like a library, it also smells like a neat, dapper manly cologne with a little hint of dry, pale woods and a glowing, fresh musk which is almost citrus-y. There's something almost Ozymandias-like to it, in that it is dry, dusty, airy, and has a 'vintage perfume' feel to it. It also reminds me of something from Dogs Playing Poker, maybe the 'men's cologne' element of New Year's Eve in Dogville? After a while: the papery smell is a little less now, it's not as dusty, and now I smell the musk a little more. It's a feathery, shining white musk, very evocative of angel wings, but with a citrus-like freshness reminiscent of aftershave (in the best way possible), and a nice woodsy base. I even smell some tea in here. This blend does smell very handsome, very sophisticated, and now I almost smell something floral to the musk (but not blatant flowers). It still reminds me of DPP-maybe a lighter version of the incense of Riding the Goat meets the cologne of New Year's Eve? At this point, it almost reminds me of Mr Ibis-maybe it's the papery scent? This is a little more cologne-like though. This actually becomes more floral as time passes! It's not a girly floral, more of a gender neutral one, but the light, glowing musk note has a lovely crisp floral aspect, like orange blossom or hibiscus, to it. The wood is noticeable now, it smells like sandalwood and cedar/teak, dry and solid and pale. I also smell a little more of the books, and a waft of angelic incense. There are points when this is WHOA WOOD and it veers dangerously close to smelling of pencil shavings and furniture, but the musk keeps that in check, the scent becomes a balance of wood and musk at the end with that tea-like note returning to add freshness. Verdict: fitting its namesake character perfectly, this is a studious, clean-cut yet luminous fragrance. First I smell that collection of Infamous Bibles, a yellowed papery dusty note which has soaked up the smell of burning frankincense. Then the ethereal musk comes out, a gentlemanly and fresh white musk with a touch of classic cologne, a musk note that is luminous yet neat. This scent really smells as if it wears a halo…there's something classically angelic to it, but it's all grounded by a solid, dry base of dusty woods. There are moments when this smells incredibly woody-more so than most, and it's the only BPAL which so far has brushed close to smelling like pencils, but this does get toned down by the gorgeous, almost floral, shining musk and that fantastic papery note with a hint of incense. It really does smell like I'm in Aziraphale's bookshop in Soho, I smell it all-the books, the shelves, and the pleasant perfume of the angel himself, sipping a cup of tea. A scent which is sophisticated, handsome and studious, and reminds me of the Dogs Playing Poker scents, and despite it sometimes leaning towards masculine, this is very unisex, and I love it. I love those old library scents, and this is perfect for when I'm feeling all bookish and intellectual. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely! A lovely counterpoint to Crowley, and I do love smelling of old books. If you like this, try: Cathedral, Carfax Abbey, Ozymandias, Mr Ibis, New Year's Eve in Dogville, Dragon's Bone, Isaac, Parliament of Monsters

Ok, I'm dense, but I looked through the thread and I still can't see the Stardust pics. Where have they been posted?

13 (July 07) In the bottle: mmm, this smells almost like a chocolate milkshake, it's a cool chocolate scent, and I smell the white choc, which I love. Wet on skin: what the? Now it's gone sour? No, please don't do the sour milk thing…please! Dry on skin: noooo…this was really promising before, but now it smells a little bit sour. I've had a few other chocolate scents do this, from Arcana and Possets, but this is the first time I've got that reaction with a BPAL chocolate scent. Chocolate milk gone rancid. It's a shame really because I smell honeyed peach and maybe a hint of spice too, as well as the creamy chocolate I got before. I have a feeling the starfruit may be responsible for the sourness, it is a very sharp-tasting fruit, but I didn't get that reaction from 13 Oct 06, which also had starfruit. After a while: ok, the sourness seems to be retreating, thankfully. It's still sharp, but it's more of a peach like sharpness now. I also smell the honey, which is a sharper honeycomb scent and not a sweet sticky honey, as well as the creamy base of vanilla and white chocolate, and something that may be massoia. The ginger is also strong at this point, warming the scent up gently. Now this makes me think of a chocolate milkshake made with Sudha Segara, or a chocolate lassi with peach instead of mango. It seems that the sour chocolate milk is retreating and the scent is turning to a very nice spiced peach. After about 30 mins-1 hour, there's nothing sour here. It's a gingery peach with a touch of something almost like brown sugar, and a hint of chocolate. There's also a honeyed orchid scent, reminiscent of Regan. Then it becomes a gorgeous honeyed peach with a touch of creamy spice. This is a lot nicer than I thought it would be! After a very interesting and pleasant dry yet creamy peach stage (I smell a dry, almost papery note there-it must be the massoia because it reminds me of Arcana's Lost for Words), it then becomes milky again. It also becomes nutty, but in an odd, salted nuts way which I'm not crazy about. This is almost rancid and threatens to turn sour again, despite the sweet peach trying to prevent this. Verdict: this version of 13 has me so torn! It's got some beautiful moments which I love, moments of peaches and cream spiced with ginger, but it also has moments when it doesn't smell very good at all. it veers so dramatically from these stages of 'omg yum!' to 'wtf? Nooo!' I was saddened by the way this turned to sour milk as soon as it hit my skin, a sharp, rancid chocolate milk smell, but I decided to wait it out. And I'm glad I did because the sourness did leave, and the moved through pleasant stages of spicy peach, honeyed fruity milk, and gingered chocolate cream poured all over peaches topped with honey. and then it turned into salted peanuts (which was really random and not very nice at all) before turning to milky spicy peach again, and morphing constantly through varying stages of spice, fruit, sweetness and weirdness. So I do like it, but not as much as I hoped. I'll keep it because when it is good, it is very, very good, and it may get better with age. but it is my least favourite 13 so far. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? maybe one bottle. If you like this, try: 13 (all previous versions), Sudha Segara, Milk Moon (any), White Rabbit, Bliss, Cupid Complaining to Venus

The Crumpet Rebellion In the imp: caramelised currants, just like Knave of Hearts, but without rose. Wet on skin: mmm, this smells like blackcurrant jam mixed with treacle now! Dry on skin: oh yeah, this is good. Blackcurrant jam sprinkled with brown sugar with warm oozing butter underneath, a drizzle of honey and syrup, and just a hint of something bread like, most probably a crumpet. It has the vanilla currants of Eat Me, the caramelised currants of Knave of Hearts, the buttery toffee and cherry scent of Drink Me, and the treacle of Queen Alice. It also has the spicy honeyed fruity cake scent of Cockaigne, with the wine replaced with berries, but with that same caramel and honey scent, and a Sugar Skull-like boozy brown sugar scent. This is extremely gourmand, like I could put on weight just by smelling it, it's indulgent and delicious. After a while: whoa, this is some very heavy treacle! Like in Drink Me, Cockaigne, and Sugar Skull, the dark, almost roasted caramel scent is beginning to take over. The fruit notes are still rich, I smell currants and blackberries (good blackberries! No cat pee here whatsoever!) with strawberry jam and a pastry base. There's a 'burnt butter' aspect to it reminiscent of Mitzvah, it's a really butterscotch-treacle heavy scent. So heavy and richly sugary it almost gives me heartburn to smell it. It's very nice though, I do want to nibble my wrist! The scent goes very smoky over time and at one point gains gingerbread like nuances. Then it calms down a little but still smells like smoky caramel and fruit, a very baked scent like a fruit tart covered in brown sugar which has burnt a little. Verdict: this is a fun, delicious foody, very much like the Mad Tea Party foodies, it has that wonderful light hearted and gourmand feel to it. It has Beth's heavy, darker caramel note, smoky and treacle-like, mixed with blackberry/blackcurrant jam, melted butter, and a hint of something pastry-like which is half way between smelling like a crumpet (bread-like) and a pie. Then it gets washed down with buttered, spiced rum at the end. It's a lot more 'this smells like a million calories' than Eat Me (which was gourmand in a more sophisticated way) and is a sister to Cockaigne and Drink Me. I like it a lot, and I think it would be wonderful in cooler weather thanks to it's warm, filling, smoky and indulgent fragrance, but I do find this heavy butter rum/treacle/caramel note to be a little too much, most of the time. It smells so sweet, a little burnt, and a bit cloying on certain days. And it amps on my skin. I was actually hoping this would smell more like a jammy-buttery crumpet than a treacle-coated one, because I love crumpets. So whilst this is a very pleasant scent, there are others in this foody-fruity genre I prefer-like Eat Me and Knave of Hearts, which are easier to acquire. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, but I don't need more. My wallet sighs with relief.

Jailhouse hooch. Distilled in toilets, this vintage is comprised of chow line droppings, including oranges, apples, ketchup, and sugar. Pruno In the imp: mmm, not bad! This smells like a cross between buck's fizz and those 'appletiser' soft drinks. Very fizzy! Wet on skin: fizzy apples and orange, and a hint of tomato leaf? Dry on skin: ok, now this smells odd. I smell the toilets. Not dirty toilets, thank goodness, but this smells like toilet cleaners, air fresheners and the stuff they use in public loos to get rid of the stink. It smells of apple, but no longer the boozy fizzy drink apple scent that seemed promising, but a fake chemical-smelling apple that reminds me of those little green clip-on air fresheners you put on the toilet seat. I also get the ketchup-a slight salty scent with a little spice and tomato, reminiscent of tomato flavoured crisps, it's borderline vinegary. Makes me think of tomato crisps floating in a disinfected toilet bowl. This smell is disturbing on me. After a while: ew. I rarely say 'ew' about BPAL, but now this really does smell like public bogs and ketchup! Still clean, but now it smells more like toilet water stained green/blue by one of those 'cubes', with a spritz of apple air freshener. It smells a lot more water and now smells a little bit more disturbingly toilet like than before…there's even a hint of something almost stinky to it. And that ketchup note is now turning to vinegar on me. Not strong vinegar but the tang you get in ketchup, with a definite saltiness, and processed tomatoes. I also smell something like potatoes. Altogether this scent brings to mind the totally unhygienic image of eating chips in the loo. The scent becomes a watery soapy scent of clean toilet water and salty ketchup with hints of appletiser drink and cheap white wine. Now I smell more of the booze, but it's not sophisticated booze at all. The scent becomes just a tiny bit nicer after about 4-5 hours, when a hint of sugar comes out, along with the crisp apple soda note that I smelt when wet. Verdict: well, I must say this scent is frighteningly like it's description. I've never smelt real pruno, so I can't say if it smells like that, but it does smell like some kind of home made alcoholic concoction gone wrong, mixed with the smell of clean toilets and ketchup. from smelling like an apple/orange spritzer, this quickly smells like something brewed in the loo…no really horrid toilet odours, but it smells just like apple air freshener (ie, a fake apple scent) and a hint of something watery and soapy. Then the ketchup surfaces, and it smells like the real thing-tomato, vinegar and spices, the vinegar being the most disturbing smell (I really can't stand the smell of vinegar) and even something potato like. Like flushing chips covered in ketchup in the loo with apples and cleaning products, and making some kind of beverage from that-definitely not something I would drink! So whilst this is a fantastic novelty scent and really fits the concept very accurately, it's a little too accurate, and I would never wear it again! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no-I don’t like smelling like of apple Toilet Duck and ketchup, sorry! If you like this, try: Punkie Night, Hesperides, Twenty One, Swank, The Hamptons

Allison Gross In the imp: a green, grassy, bitter, dandelion-y scent like One to Tie, but with more floral notes. Could potentially turn soapy. Wet on skin: the oil isn't red, despite containing dragon's blood. That's a good sign. The scent becomes a dewy, herbal, slightly soapy but not as bitter scent now. Dry on skin: hmm, interesting. Now it smells like a bundle of dried flowers mixed with a bouquet of fresh ones. I can't recognise the notes but I definitely smell lily, chrysanthemum, muguet, bluebell and maybe rose. The sad thing is that the whole thing smells suspiciously like potpourri to me. It's almost an 'old lady floral' with a green note that I'm really not crazy about, reminding me of the green-floral-dragon's blood scent of the Great Red Dragon in the Salon. And it still has the potential to turn to soap. After a while: the soapy aspect of the scent seems to fade but the potpourri scent and bitter greenness doesn't. There's now a hint of something sharply sour, and almost dusty, to this-dusty as in, a bunch of wilted flowers in an old house that hasn't been cleaned for years. It smells stuffy now. I don't get any musk here, just old fashioned and bitter wilted flowers. It gets more and more stuffy and old as time passes, it reminds me of a non-BPAL (maybe Madini?) perfume that changed into the mother of all granny-florals and I had to scrub it off. This is getting dangerously close to that stage. Eventually I did scrub off the old, acrid floral scent, and it's very rarely that I scrub off BPAL. Verdict: pardon the pun, but this is just gross on me. It's a musty, soapy, harsh and really unpleasant green-floral on me. It's alright when it's just dry, a mix of flowers, but these flowers then wilt and start to smell really stuffy and potpourri like. And not good potpourri either. There's a greenness to it which I'm not crazy about, it's over-green, and very soapy, almost like washing up liquid. This greenness fights against a mix of floral notes which, sadly, despite containing some notes which potentially could have been wonderful (rose, moonflower, sunflower) merged into something really old-fashioned smelling. Not a pleasant 'vintage' scent but something really reminiscent of a perfume/air freshener of an old lady who never dusts her house and never removes those bouquets of dead flowers. It smells sour and wilted, faded and choking in dust. I had to wash it off because it didn't smell like real flowers at the end, but like artificial floral room fragrance. Not my thing I'm afraid. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no, it smells too potpourri-soapy for me. If you like this, try: The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Cloaked with the Sun, Chrysanthemum Moon, Dragon's Eye, Poisson D'Avril, Nosferatu, One to Tie Two to Win

Yvaine In the bottle: clean lavender with something airy-ozonic to it, but in a gentle way. Wet on skin: lavender and a cool, clear scent. maybe a hint of magnolia. Dry on skin: now something almost smoky arises, not sure what it is but it now smells like lavender incense burning on a starry night. This is a gentle lavender for now, with that softly smoky scent of a summer night behind it-a clear, almost dewy, airy scent. This is lovely! Once the lavender fades I'll probably smell the night air notes much more but for now it is very lavender-y. After a while: as the lavender starts to retreat, this now reminds me of Lurid, the same lavender-ozone combination. I really liked the ozone in Lurid, it was an airy scent as opposed to a stormy one, and that's what the starry night air is like in here. It also reminds me of the night air in Bat Woman and Urania. It's a clean, fresh, bright and breezy scent, it seems to sparkle gently. The magnolia is also there, adding a hint of lush floral to the scent, but it is distant, like the air is scented with flowers. This has an almost herbal hint to it that reminds me of summer holidays in places like Italy or the south of France. The freshness of the night air gets stronger but never turns soapy. The lavender lasts a surprisingly long time in here-it did that in Lurid too, maybe the ozone is preventing it from fleeing? It still has that lovely lavender incense smoke to it, wafting in the starlight. The scent is ethereal but not as wispy, cold and fragile as some of the other night scents, this one has warmth to it, herbal and rich, and soothing. A summer night scent. Once the lavender goes altogether, the drydown is a beautiful, delicate airy pale floral/pale musk, like a classic fresh perfume scent. I think there may be some blue musk, as it reminds me of Nuit and Kindly Moon without as much floweriness, and it has that scent of 'good ozone' to it. Verdict: I love the starry night scents, and I love Beth's night air note, so it's not surprising that I love this one. It is very beautiful and evocative, it brings to mind being somewhere in the Mediterranean, the warm-yet fresh-night air scented with herbs and lavender and a touch of flowers, on an August night filled with shooting stars. It's not as fresh as Urania, not as floral as Nuit, this one is warmer, balmier, with a soft lavender note. This isn't a 'herbal chloroform' lavender that knocks you out cold with it's heady punch of scent, but a lavender that gently soothes without overwhelming. It's also unusual because despite it’s softness, this lavender sticks around, staying on my skin for about an hour before fading to give a gorgeous, haunting, sparkling blue musk and floral scent, which is sophisticated and glimmering, but also evocative, airy and ethereal. A new favourite of mine-this works well both as a lovely 'evening out' scent, and as a sleep scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? of course! Another delightful starry scent to add to my collection. If you like this, try: Lurid, Bat Woman, Psyche, Urania, Nuit, Twilight, Gemini 07

Fairy Market In the imp: *keels over* ohh, this is beautiful! A sweet pink fluffy floral with hints of marshmallow and lotus! This reminds me of a perfume from Egypt that I once tried, and adored, and still pine for. Wet on skin: this becomes creamy and greener once it hits skin. Dry on skin: oh, wow, this is so beautiful! It still reminds me of that wonderful perfume, sweetly floral like a sugared lotus (is this the wind flower?), but this one is now markedly different. Now I smell more of the other notes…the grasses, the bluebells, and the candies. The sugared notes are smooth, creamy, almost milky, like some kind of fairy ambrosia in which marshmallows float, surrounded by candy floss. It is like a pink, sugar scented mist of scent. I don't know if I can smell the incense, and I can't smell lavender, but this is so beautiful! The bitter grasses and bluebells add a contrast to the sweet, fluffy notes. After a while: the wonderful marshmallow mist of sweetness wafts off my wrist beautifully. Close to the wrist, I now smell that the bitter grass note has toned down, and now I smell something grainy like Red Moon, it also reminds me of the grainy sweet milk of Dana O'Shee at this point. This is delicate and ethereal and as light and floaty as fairy wings. Ohh, this is so beautiful, so gorgeous. This brings back all the memories of my childhood where I dreamed up wonderful stories of fairy realms and enchanting fairy markets selling sweets and flowers with magnificent fragrances, places I would escape to when reality got too boring. I swear I even had a doll that had a smell like this (but this one smells even more beautiful than that doll!) If those imaginative moments of childhood have a scent, this is it. I feel like I'm seven years old again, and I love it. The scent becomes just that wonderful pink fluffy creamy sugary marshmallow floral candy that smells truly enchanting, and I love it. there's no sharpness, no bitterness, just smooth, round, and so approachable. It's so well blended at this point that nothing sticks out. Maybe there's a light musk which smoothes this scent so nicely. Verdict: I am in love, totally infatuated with this scent. I have fallen in love with a lot of Beth's stuff but this one has stolen my heart and kept it captive, and won't let go. I love fairies, so it's no wonder I love this one to bits. Not just because it's a beautiful fairy scent which fits the description perfectly, smelling otherworldly and enchanting, but also because it reminds me of an Egyptian perfume called Isis that I once tried and fell in love with (but sadly, because of it's price, I never bought it. I still covet that Isis scent like crazy) this one isn't identical to that perfume, but it smells very close, with something almost lotus-like to it, with added notes of grass and sweets and sugary cream and marshmallows and candy floss! This is the scent of the wondrous fairy fairs that filled my imaginations as a child. This is so beautiful it seems to have come out of the world of dreams, something that smells this good can't be real, can it? This wonderful fragrance is very unique-there's nothing quite like it in BPAL. It's a nose magnet, my nose is glued to my wrist and won't get off! In fact, this scent seems to have shot to the top of my list of favourite BPALs ever, and it's GC! A more expensive GC, but so worth it. I think this is the closest I'll get to having a signature scent! LOVE IT! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I want a vat of this! If you like this, try: Midnight on the Midway, Leanan Sidhe, Al Araaf, Dana O'Shee, Poisson D'Avril, Aeval, Cancer 07

The Sportive Sun In the bottle: a soft almond flower, with amber, this reminds me strongly of the Penitent Magdalen. Wet on skin: now the heliotrope and cedar come out. Dry on skin: mmm, this is nice! It's strongly woodsy and gently powdery at this point, but it's not a very manly cedar. This is a very warm, strong scent, golden and soft, yet solid. The cedar is a powerful base over which the delicate floral notes play, warmed by the presence of amber. It's a very solar scent, glowing and bright, it feels confident, yet with a gentle feel of powder. After a while: the cedar calms down a little and the amber and florals are a little stronger now. I like the powdery scent this has, it is like powdered sunlight, a bright gold-white scent. The heliotrope is delightful in here, it is the strongest note now, when usually this flower is very soft and retreats to the back of a scent, in here it is at the front, it's soft vanilla-like fragrance is so lovely. It is like the heliotrope-amber combination from Red Moon that I love. The almond flower adds a hint of something gently nutty, and I swear there's something almost spicy or incense like, a little smoky? The powder does settle down into a more rounded floral scent, with a hint of tropical frangipani peeking through, and a little more of the amber. The scent is still golden and dry. I also smell something pale and papyrus like, probably the calamus? There are times when a bitter scent pokes through, almost like dragon's blood, but not quite. It's not unpleasant at all and doesn't last. This then becomes a bitter almond scent, before turning to a lovely golden heliotrope, reminding me of Eclipse with amber instead of vanilla. The almond flower returns at drydown, amplified by the cherry-like quality that heliotrope has, followed by the amber which finally shows itself in full at the very end. Verdict: another gorgeous interpretation of liquid sunshine. Different to the sparkling citrus of Sol Invictus and Et Lux Fuit, and with less spice than Sol and Leo, this is a sophisticated solar scent. it's a warm powdery woodsy floral with a golden amber sheen. At first the cedar is dominant, and it's a lovely warm wooden scent which feels nice and strong, a grounded sunshine scent. I like the cedar that is in recent BPALs, it isn't overly masculine, it's more an exotic fragrant wood scent. The fragrance then moves towards a delightful powdered bright floral mix where the gorgeous heliotrope takes centre stage, very much like Eclipse but not as gourmand, and with a lovely amber glow behind it all. The scent brings to mind depictions of Apollo, radiant and surrounded by sunbeams, almost marble-white, yet lyrical and poetic, a classical fragrance. Almost sophisticated at times, but with a shining aloofness to it. Even though Sol Invictus and Ra will always be my favourite of the sunny scents, this one is definitely worth keeping two bottles of-I have a feeling the amber and cedar will make it age nicely. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! Both bottles! If you like this, try: Eclipse, Sol Invictus, Ra, The Sun, Sol, Red Moon 07, Ahathoor, Penitent Magdalen, Et Lux Fuit

Calico Jack In the imp: sweet fresh laundry! I fear the Detergent of Doom reaction. Wet on skin: holy crap this is EXTREME washing powder! Dry on skin: yep, washing powder and leather and a spritz of manly sporty perfume. This is like Jolly Roger, but a little sweeter and with something almost like citrus to it. I also smell a hint of kelp, and the dreaded ozone, underneath, but no musk, no woods and the spice notes here are almost like a spicy cologne or aftershave scent, though at times I smell something like ginger. It's not as 'oh noes, I'm being attacked by a washing machine' as before and has a little more complexity, but it still smells too much like men's sporty perfume and clean laundry. It's a manly version of Port Royal. After a while: ok, it still smells like 'eau de sporty pour homme' meets 'ocean breeze fabric conditioner' but now I smell the spicy musk. It reminds me of the gingered musk from Port Royal, which in turn reminded me of Devil's Night, and that spice was what I really loved in PR despite that scent also having a soapy aquatic note to it. The aquatic note is stronger and manlier in here, but at least there's a hint of lovely ginger to stop the scent from going all generic on me. I get a slight Thunder Moon vibe from this scent after a while, still with that spicy ginger and now, a hint of wood. It's a similar woodsy ozone cologne scent to TM, but not as mossy or electric, but still with that feel of aftershave and a hint of something outdoorsy and tempestuous. The ozone in here is a lot 'rawer' as well, more rugged. The wood and ginger-musk does get stronger with time, which I like. Verdict: I really wanted to love the BPAL pirate scents, but sadly most of them have an aquatic note which instantly 'detergent-ifies' on my skin, and smells more squeaky clean than a pirate should smell! This one has that aquatic note, also familiar from Jolly Roger. In fact, this is like the woodsy leathery washing powder of JR meets the ginger and woodsy-musky spice of Port Royal. I love this musky ginger scent I get in here, it smells like Devil's Night on the high seas. But for most of the scent, the freshly laundered ozone-aquatic dominates-it is very, very washing powdery in here. And it turns 'electric' on me, which is bad news because that means it smells like dryer sheets. I wanted to love this swaggering and rugged rogue of a scent, but he's much too fresh and sporty smelling for me-not piratical enough, I'm afraid! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I'm afraid this scent will need to walk the plank…or be swapped off. If you like this, try: Jolly Roger, Port Royal, The Sailor's Den, Sunrise and Sea Monsters, Kataniya, Thunder Moon

Lysander In the imp: caramel? What the? This smells like those smoky caramel blends, with herbs added. Wet on skin: lime, smoky pastry, blackberries (the non-catty variety) and herbal greenery. Dry on skin: hmm, this is weird, because this reminds me of Mr Nancy. Not just because of the lime which is very strong now, but because there's a scent of buttery smoky baking going on, almost caramelised but not sweet…it's like the pastry note in Jolasveinar. I also smell the lilac, which is a nice variety, a lilac cologne like in His Station and Four Aces. I also smell blackberry leaf, which is a green blackberry note that smells like brambles, not cat pee, and reminds me of Queen of Spades or Bewitched. I also smell something very herbal, which I think, is the myrtle. I don't get much violet. After a while: hmm, this tonka smells like champaca to me, which is odd. Normally I love tonka, when it gets all rich and sweet and gorgeously sexy like in Perversion, but this one is strange, and reminds me of overripe fruit. It reminds me slightly of Vaskakajja (sp?) now, creamy yet almost cloying, but it is surrounded by caramelised lime cologne, and something suspiciously like pipe tobacco. The myrtle may also be the note which smells almost fermented, it reminds me a little bit of Hemlock or the Hermit in here, a similar 'sweetly decaying herb' smell. I don't have problems with other blends with myrtle though. I don't know, but this blend isn't sitting right with my skin. The odd fermented scent does seem to leave, and then I get a soft airy tonka (which still smells like champaca in here) and now I also get some violet. Now the scent has a slightly silvery-lilac scent to it. There's also some of the smokiness I got before, which could be benzoin incense, and a little lilac too, but it's now a very faint scent. Just a trace of sweet violet herbs and smoke. There's something oddly vetiver-ish to the lilac not, it smells a little like the drydown of Bad Luck Woman Blues now, vetiver and lilac cologne with a touch of caramel and greenery, though not as intense. But it is dark and smoky. Verdict: this was totally different to what I expected. I was hoping for something almost like Sybaris, maybe a little more dapper and suave, but this just smelt a little jumbled up on me. First it smelt like smoky buttery pastry, borderline caramel, with lime. Think Mr Nancy but not as sweet, and with a green note of brambles overgrowing in a herb garden. it was interesting but not what I expected. Then it turned into an odd fruity-floral tonka, with violet and fermented herbs, before changing back to something caramelised and then eventually ending up smelling very much like Bad Luck Woman Blues, but less complex. Almost like there's vetiver or tobacco here. the tonka here is unusual in that it doesn't seem to work on me. This scent seems a little disjointed on my skin, the components don't mix well, they seem to combine in a slightly mismatched way, it's not certain or defined on me. It's not my thing, really. One to pass on. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Mr Nancy, Sybaris, His Station and Four Aces, Bewitched, Bad Luck Woman Blues

Roadhouse In the imp: a sharp greenness with a touch of hops. Wet on skin: honeyed dandelions, spilt cider and beer. Dry on skin: hmm, this isn't too bad! I was expecting this to smell like BEER! But it doesn't-it's actually a pleasant dandelion mead! It reminds me of the mead note from Litha, but with an extra spike of green from the dandelions, and a hint of beer from the hops. I'm keeping an eye (or nose) on the hops note (and the tobacco) because it threatens to turn into 'that drunk student stink', cheap lager and ciggies. But for now, it smells like a jolly dandelion mead scent, just a touch of beer but not much, grasses and weeds, smelling less like a roadhouse and more like a midsummer festival… After a while: BEER! It really does smell like a pint of beer now. I smell like a pub. A pub after the smoking ban. However there's a pleasant honeyed aspect to the hops, it still has that mead vibe, but the dandelion has fades so it's lost the outdoorsy scent it had before. And I don't really like the idea of smelling like beer! I know many lads who do though…maybe this could enable them? This beer phase is strong and offputting but luckily it fades leaving a nice honey mead scent behind. Maybe a touch of the lightest tobacco, but it's more tolerable now. I never got any hemp in this scent. Verdict: I was apprehensive about trying this because I had a feeling it would smell of beer. And I was right. However it's not all beer, there are also some nice moments of mead and dandelions. it smells light and summery and jolly, crushed grasses and weeds (not hemp, but dandelions!) a summery and celebratory scent very much like Litha. But then after the mead has gone round, out come the pint glasses and the cans of lager! It then moves away from smelling like a pagan festival and now more like a pub garden. It smells so disturbingly like beer it's quite scary! Needless to say, it's not my thing. I think I'll pass it on…I liked the honeyed dandelion scent, but the hops are much too strong and boozy in this one. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no! If you like this, try: Litha, One to Tie Two to Win, A Bold Bluff, Gluttony, Osun

Bat's Blood In the imp: floral dragon's blood. Wet on skin: floral dragon's blood but now with a hint of sweet spice. Dry on skin: dragon's blood with lilac, but also with a soft sweet layer reminiscent of the honeyed vanilla in Dragon's Milk, or the sweet ylang-musk in French Love, or heliotrope, or tonka. I also smell something like a creamy spice, like clove. There's always that bitter, sharp red bite of dragon's blood, but it's sweetened and softened a little. Hmm, interesting. They do say revenge is sweet. After a while: the dragon's blood now consumes the lovely sweet notes, and develops that odd 'crayon' scent I got in Dragon's Milk. Any oil which is bright red usually means that the DB will amp like crazy, and this is no exception. It reminds me of AhDuno at this point, but a little bit sweeter. In fact, this is what I was expecting from AhDuno, but that one was pretty much dragon's blood SN. Then the sweetness comes out again, that soft Dragon's Milky sweetness with a floral-spicy scent, now reminiscent of carnation. It seems the DB and the sweet spice are battling to see which scent wins and becomes the dominant fragrance on my skin. At one point it smells like red crayons, and then like sugared lilacs, and then back to dragon's blood. Verdict: dragon's blood, especially these days, is one of those scents that can amp like mad if there's too much of it. Some scents with it, like Red Moon, are perfect, but too much and I smell like colouring pencils or crayons. This has too much DB for me. Though the supporting notes are very pretty-I can't say what they are but there's something sweet, something floral, something spicy too. Maybe carnation or a spice note (clove?) and vanilla and heliotrope or lilac? Whatever it is, it is pleasant, and was what I was hoping to get with AhDuno. But in the end, the dragon's blood takes over and becomes a little too aggressively dominant for me to enjoy this as perfume. One for swapping/selling, I think. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no-again, it's too much dragon's blood. And I don't feel experienced enough to use it for it's voodoo purpose either.

Death and Life Completed In the imp: a soft lemon balm with herbs and woods. Wet on skin: the lemon balm is strongest, followed by cedar and juniper. Dry on skin: now I smell the amber, reminiscent of Lyonesse and Bat Woman, a slightly sharper and muskier amber than usual which mellows after a few minutes. This is surprisingly nice. It's a lemony-herbal scent on top of a layer of gentle woods, with a bare hint of floral. I can't really pick out anything specific apart from lemon balm and woods with a balmy, smooth layer of amber and a hint of spice from the carnation. The overall scent is sombre yet also warm and soothing, and very subtle. I swear I smell rosewood/ho wood here even though it's not listed-must be the other woods reacting with other notes. This reminds me of Polyhymnia. After a while: mmm, now I smell more of the carnation. I love the new carnation that Beth uses, it's spicy and sweet and warm, and in here it has an almost peppery/nutmeggy aspect. Now this smells like Pink Moon's more serious older sister. I also get a hint of hibiscus, like the petals used to make tea. It then turns into a soothing sandalwood and cedar scent, a wooden scent with a golden-blushing layer of spice and sweetish amber. It's so well blended that nothing sticks out too much, everything just melds together really nicely. It smells almost comforting at times. The lemon is gone now. Then something wonderful surfaces. Is it the grey amber and sandalwood? it might be because now I get a hint of Lyonesse to this. That wonderful mossy yet sweet amber scent with a pink-golden aspect and a lovely woodsy base. The amber is much richer now and merges with the carnation to make a truly delightful scent. This then turns to…rose and vanilla, of all things. I have no idea where the rosy vanilla scent comes from but it is so gorgeous-reminiscent of Monna Vanna and Hope, with a hint of Séance. The vanilla/amber then slowly dominates the 'rose' and makes it smell remarkably like Possets Frou Frou, which I love. Almost like pure vanilla extract with amber and sandalwood. Verdict: I wasn't expecting to love this as much as I do, I was expecting an austere and heavy wood scent with a similar feel to the Ars Moriendi oils, a melancholy scent. But this smells more like a celebration of life's warmth triumphing over the stillness of death. The woods are strong but they aren't overwhelming, they are a nice, reassuring, firm base for some beautiful notes-like delicate lemon balm (one of my favourite kinds of lemon notes), a beautifully spicy and exotic carnation scent and a delightful, rich amber. It starts off reminiscent of Polyhymnia, a studious and earthy scent with a lemony overtone, but then morphs into a spicy-amber-woodsy-floral scent with vanilla like nuances. There are times when the golden-pink scent of sandalwood, amber and carnation, and a hint of moss and cedar, just glows, really glows, off my skin, it has surprising throw, and is startlingly beautiful. I just love this drydown so much. I'm surprised at how much this scent has grown on me-I was definitely considering keeping this in imp form, but the drydown is glorious enough to warrant a bottle purchase. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely the imp…maybe a bottle in the future. If you like this, try: Polyhymnia, Pink Moon 07, Bat Woman, Queen Alice, Winter of our Discontent, Lyonesse

The Gibbous Moon In the bottle: oh yeah, this is a lunar scent, like Blue Moon but less complex. And lots of cucumber. Wet on skin: moonflower and cucumber, a very crisp lunar scent. Dry on skin: mmm, this is very pretty! This is like a simpler version of Blue Moon, almost like a lunar oil base. Cucumber and moonflower are the primary notes, but I also smell a lovely fresh hyacinth note which smells just like a freshly bloomed hyacinth flower covered in dew. There's also something reminiscent of Cancer 07, which may be the orris. I get a hint of lily as well. This reminds me of Midnight mixed with Squirting Cucumber as well. A crisp, cool and pale scent. After a while: is there a hidden lettuce component here? I now get a hint of the dark green, dewy lettuce I got in Cancer. I smell more of the cucumber now, as well as the moss, which is almost like Spanish moss but not as swampy…for some reason this moss seems more salty and marine? It's not as floral now either, it's a little greener at this point. Eventually it turns to moss, cucumber and lettuce resting on subtly scented white petals with a bare touch of orris (a very subtle orris-usually it is very powdery). It's less wet now, but still crisp and bright and moonlit. It does smell a little bit like there's a sea breeze in the scent, just a bare hint of salt or even seaweed (where's that coming from?) which is interesting. It's the moon reflected on the ocean. Verdict: yet another lovely interpretation of liquid moonlight by Beth. It has that distinctive 'BPAL lunar oil' scent to it, the crystalline scent of moonflower mixing with cool wet cucumber, but with hints of other florals and greenery gently mingling. The scent is pale white lunar blooms with soft green notes and even a hint of something marine, but not soapy. It is like Blue Moon without the herbs and woods, or Black Moon with lighter floral notes…it's an uncomplicated but beautiful moonlit scent, silvery and ethereal as Beth's moon scents always are, refreshing and slightly wet, cooling and soothing, and evocative of the moon over the sea. a very enchanting scent, it's not my absolute favourite lunar scent, but I love it a great deal, and it is another wonderful evocative fragrance capturing moonlight in a bottle. It also contrasts the Sportive Sun nicely. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely one bottle. If you like this, try: Blue Moon (any), Midnight, Squirting Cucumber, Cancer 07, Moon Rose, Nuit, Black Moon

If anyone's wondering, yes, the labels for the Snake Pit-or at least King Cobra-have now changed. I got KC in my recent order and it looks like a painting of a cobra, different to the photo that came before. I'd take a picture (along with my Yvaine and Fairy Market labels, also gorgeous) if my camera wasn't broken...

Red Moon 07 In the bottle: mmm, red musk with citrus and heliotrope! Wet on skin: red musk and orange! I also smell the floral/herbal notes. Dry on skin: oh yeah, this is good. This reminds me of things like Spellbound and Hollywood Babylon which I love, red musk and amber really showing off in here. Damn, I love red musk, and amber, and both mixed together. I can hardly smell the dragon's blood but the orange is lovely and tangy, and the heliotrope is gorgeous, a soft and powdery vanilla-fruity floral which is really prominent here like it was in the previous Red Moon. But in here it's not dragon's blood that dominates, but wonderful red musk. I also smell hints of the other florals, and the sunflower note is very much like the one in the Salon scent, Sunflower, which I love. After a while: the orange is gradually fading but the glorious red musk-amber is still ruling this scent, a heady, warm, languid scent which brings to mind a vivid red-orange sunset (or moonrise) at the end of a sweltering summer's day. I love the smoothness of this scent, it smells almost luxurious. The heliotrope is fantastic in here, boosted by the musk and the sunflower. The dragon's blood is just right in here-not too much to take over but enough to add that extra hint of red to the musk. Now it reminds me of Blood Lotus with heliotrope replacing the lotus, but with the same dragon's bloody musk. After a while I get a note of dry grass and hay and sunflower seeds coming out of the musky red haze, which enhances the 'late summer' feel this scent has. I get more of the herbs, with the golden scent of camomile in the lead. I don't know why but I also smell mimosa at this point. Verdict: I loved Red Moon 04, but this version blows it out of the water with a huge blast of red musk, baby! At first it is a truly glorious combination of orange, red musk, amber and heliotrope, warm and sexy and rich, sweet and warm and glowing. The red musk was fabulous and smelt as rich and full bodied as usual, and also added more oomph to the heliotrope which is usually a faint note. the amber was wonderfully round and sweet as ever. There was just the perfect amount of dragon's blood-enough to add a little more redness, but not enough to amp up and make it smell like crayons (which is what many DB-heavy scents have been doing of late). The drydown has an interesting grainy-seedy scent to it, like a harvested field with sunflowers and grasses and camomile, but is not as rich and smouldering and red as before. Nevertheless, I love this scent a great deal and am glad that I have two bottles! This is a perfect scent to evoke those lazy, hazy, late summer evenings. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? hell yeah! If you like this, try: Spellbound, Hollywood Babylon, Eclipse, Blood Amber, Dragon's Reverie, Sunflower, Blood Lotus

Leo 07 In the bottle: mmm, sweet and sugary-foody. I see what others mean by it smelling of frosting, but it's not buttery (thank goodness). It smells like spiced sugar and amber. Wet on skin: fizzy? Why am I getting some kind of fizzy drink from this? A sort of lemon Coke smell? Dry on skin: now I smell the walnut. This is very nice now. It's lost it's initial blast of smelling like a soft drink, but the amber isn't really showing off as much as I hoped. Maybe later? Now it smells like citrus, a sort of effervescent lemon scent, along with hot saffron and walnut bark, which smells like a walnut husk to me. There's a bare hint of smoky frankincense as well. I think the amber in here is like my batch of Egyptian amber that has a slightly lemony-spicy scent to it, as opposed to my E-amber that smells like a lighter, translucent golden amber. After a while: now it smells like cool iced tea (camomile tea?) and lemonade in a desert oasis. Clear, golden and sparkling, and warm. The frankincense is being quiet in here and the walnut has calmed down too. Now it's all about glittery lemony saffron, olfactory gold dust mixed with sugar, and a clear golden sweetness like sunlight. It brings to mind sunshine shimmering off sand. The amber is lovely but not as upfront as I hoped it would be. There's also that exotic oily quality which I also got in Cleopatra Testing Poisons. Then the frankincense shows up! Now I can smell more of the piercing resin, and there's a wine soaked, olive leafy, buttercreamy-gourmand quality to it that reminds me of Haloa. It also reminds me of Lycaon at this point, with that hint of lemon. This sure is a fascinating scent! The drydown of this scent is a lovely golden sugary scent like amber covered in sugared cream swirled with syrup, with a dash of citrus, nuts and spice. I can smell more of the lovely Egyptian amber at this point-it’s not as strong as it was in the Lion, this is more of a gentle kitten of a scent now…and I smell more of the walnut once more. Verdict: this smelt totally different to what I expected, but I really love this one. Less of a proud lion and more of a playful lion cub, I think of young Simba when I smell this. Overall this reminds me of a CTIII scent I got last year which smelt like a sort of fizzy drink with spices, amber, and a feel of desert heat, with a creamy amber drydown. An interesting mix of clear golden coolness and hot solar notes. The effervescence of this scent was a surprise, but I like it-it smells like powdered sunlight mixed with lemon sherbet. At times it even smells creamy and sugary with a touch of saffron buttercream. And yet with it's youthful fizz and moments of smelling almost gourmand, it still manages to smell exotic and glowing, thanks to the frankincense, and the wonder that is Egyptian amber. I was hoping for a little more of the amber, I was expecting it to be the star of the scent like in The Lion, but it's in the background in here, but it definitely shows itself, with that beautiful golden shining sunny sweetness ever present. Now I wonder if my prediction about the zodiac scents which are not in my chart working on me is coming true…because I love Leo a great deal, even if it isn't the Egyptian amber-fest I hoped for. I'm sure it will get lovelier with age as well! Emoticon rating: (there's no kitty emoticon, or any emoticon that expresses 'rrrawwr!' so this will do!) Is it a keeper? yes-both bottles! I was hoping for more amber and frankincense but this is very good. If you like this, try: The Lion, Three Gorgons, Bastet, Cleopatra Testing Poisons, Haloa