yeahbutnobut

New Year's Eve in Dogville In the bottle: a strong neroli/petitgrain and cologne scent with champagne bubbles fizzing through. Wet on skin: sharp cologne, effervescent and perfumey. It smells strongly of citrus or neroli, with champagne. Dry on skin: perfumey but surprisingly pretty! I was worried this would be an attack of 'men's cologne of doom' but this might actually be quite nice. Indeed, the citrus based men's perfume is strong, and there's a hint of something woodsy/tobacco-like to that as well, but the champagne bubbling away adds a tartness of a different kind, adds life and sparkle. There's a pleasant floral-white musk scent, this may be a mix of hibiscus and osmanthus, because the 'flirty perfume' in here smells very much like that Japanese Salon scent, Itaso Kensai…but without the honey. After a while: the sharp men's cologne tones down dramatically, and a delightful floral-musk dances through the scent, it's a white or skin musk mixed with a sweet flowery mix of notes I can't identify but I'm guessing hibiscus, osmanthus, neroli, maybe lily or a green floral note. It's also a bit fruity and has a note to it that reminds me of passion fruit for some odd reason. Maybe it's passionflower? There may even be a touch of cherry blossom or rice milk/wine to this. And I think there's some vanilla and moss here too. The drydown is this lovely softly powdery floral scent, like a sweeter, drier version of Itaso or even Hungry Ghost Moon/Tamamo No Mae, it smells almost like an Asian scent. This playful floral-skin/white musk scent is almost like Stardust but with none of the smoky haziness of that scent, and this is a little sweeter, more youthful. Verdict: this is surprisingly good! At first I though 'oh noes! Death by aftershave!' and that scared me a bit with it's aggressive intro of sharp cologne, a very manly and perfumey scent, but then this faded to leave a gorgeous and very pretty scent of bubbly feminine perfume. I smell the champagne and underneath is a mix of flowers wrapped in skin musk/white musk which smells like a retro perfume at times, and at other times like a delicate and unusual floral which reminds me of some of the Asian scents. There's a touch of fruit to it as well. It gets better and better as the musk softens and a sweetness, like vanilla (or maybe vanilla flower) comes out, and a little bit of pleasant powderiness. Whereas Stardust was smoky, drugged up, messed up hair and smudged make-up, smelling like what you'd smell like in the small hours of a New Year's Eve do, this is the 'before midnight' scent, the party's just begun and you've only had one champagne and are waiting for the perfect partner to dance with. A youthful, light hearted, gently flirtatious and graceful scent which starts off as masculine but ends off as being more womanly. A lovely party scent and a lot better than I thought it would be. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I think this has replaced Stardust as my perfume of choice for New Year's Eve! If you like this, try: Stardust, Tamamo No Mae, Bon Vivant, Cottonmouth, Kindly Moon, Lantern Ghost of Oiwa, Itaso Kansei Jenkan…

This update was much more my thing than the last one...lots of amber, musk, witches and fairies and Good Omens too? I like that! My prediction for this update bringing hot, sunny scents was correct, as was my prediction for Leo containing amber. I'm now regretting buying second bottles of both Red Moon and Leo...Fairy Market looks so amazing, as does the Witch Queen, and Aziraphale and Crowley are coming home with me when I order on the 13th. My Saturday evenings will be boring again now that Dr Who is over... And I wish the weather could warm up a bit, it's almost July and it feels like October, but without the prettiness of autumn leaves. And the rain won't stop. I think the pizza and pasta cravings will return by next week, but the question is, will UK versions satiate them now I've tasted the real Italian stuff? Oh, and I need a job. Now. Not just for the money but for something to keep me busy during the holidays. It's nice being lazy but it gets boring just lying about doing nothing after some time. I need routine and something constructive to do. And some money would be nice.

Stranger in Camp Evergreen, damp grass, woodsmoke, birch bark, cedar, and Terebinth pine. In the imp: spicy pine. Definitely along the lines of a Christmas tree, but warmer. Wet on skin: Christmas tree! I love the smell of those festive pine needles, and this is the closest BPAL after Mistletoe to smell like that. Dry on skin: oh, now this smells even more interesting than just a Xmas tree. Now I get an almost vanilla-resin sweetness peeking through, like benzoin, and I get that wonderful Mediterranean pine resin scent I love so much. When I was in Croatia, I remember my lilo and beach bag getting covered with sticky sap from the pine trees-a pain to wash off, a joy to smell. There are some gentle wood scents here too, a gorgeous grass note (better than the one in One to Tie, I think) and a soft smokiness. Now this smells less like a festively decorated tree and more like a pine forest in the summer. I'm not a camper but I do love the smell of pine forests in warm weather, and especially the really sappy pines, which I get a lot of here. That sweetness is what makes this scent perfect though. After a while: the pine, which is almost spicy, tones down a little, letting that gorgeous tonka-benzoin sweetness through. It adds a wonderful cuddly warmth to the evergreen notes. The smoke note is so gentle, not full on campfire, but the scent wafting from the embers on a warm summer's night, with the smell of the trees and grasses all around. The gorgeous tonka-like background gets stronger and it reminds me slightly of the resinous sweetness from Black Forest, but it's not black musk, and doesn't have the heavy, syrupy feel of BF. It also reminds me of the smooth sweetness of Pinched with Four Aces, something that's not listed as a note adding a wonderful base to this forest scent. There's a gorgeous amber note that pops up after a few hours. This just gets better and better with wear. There's something almost Schwarzer Mond-ish to this now (not as dark, patchouli-ed and musky though), which I believe is the terebinth. Verdict: I think I've found my holy grail of BPAL pine scents. It is pine perfection, the best forest fragrance of all. This is everything I hoped to get in the likes of Slobbering Pine, Knecht Ruprecht, Black Forest, Hexxenacht and Yule...whilst those were nice, they weren't the perfect pine-forest scents for me. This is though. I've been looking for a really sappy, resinous pine scent and this has a resinous feel to it, along with crushed needles. It has that 'summer pine' scent reminiscent of Mediterranean nights that I love so much. I also smell the woods and the grass and a lovely subtle smoke. But there's a wonderful, gorgeous sweetness to it which makes it even more delightful and wearable, prevents me from smelling too much like a Christmas tree. It reminds me of amber, especially at the end, and it is so lovely and warm and glowing and sweet, maybe there's tonka here too? it reminds me slightly of the sweetness in Pinched with Four Aces but less creamy, more resinous. Beautifully outdoorsy but with that amber adding another dimension to it. If Wolf Moon was a pine forest in winter, this is the summer equivalent. I'm so glad I found the right pine scent for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yup! as I said, it's my perfect forest scent. If you like this, try: Black Forest, Nocnitsa, Talvikuu, Knecht Ruprecht, Thanatopsis, Wolf Moon 07

Philosopher in Meditation In the bottle: sweetened grapes! Like a sweet red dessert wine and honey. It reminds me of Cairo, for sure, but also of Tum without the herbs. Very Tummy, this one is. Wet on skin: mmm, now the kyphi really shows off, like raisins soaked in honey and incense, with a hint of smoke. Dry on skin: mmm! This is like Cairo, but more intense and much darker, without that lemongrass tang. The kyphi in here is stunning! It smells more like one of my kyphi incense mixes than Cairo did, I can smell the honeyed raisins and wine mixed with the resins and spices here. There's also a drier, woody, almost Midnight Mass-ish incense note to it, which I'm assuming is the Abremalin? It is a little bit cinnamon-y and reminds me of some of the oude notes I've smelt in other scents. And there's a gentle hint of smoke to this, like incenses smouldering softly. No more 'sugary grape juice', this is more like a deep red wine. After a while: the drier woods take a back seat now as the rich, fruity and deep kyphi does it's thing. it smells like wine matured myrrh now, with honey and raisins, a sticky scent but not too sweet, thanks to the smoke wafting from the incense. It really does smell like ancient incense, complicated and warm and mysterious. After a couple of hours I see the Urd comparisons, it is a little bit like Urd with the patchouli and nag champa replaced with resinous incense. It reminds me of the raisin-y scent of Haloa but not as foody-sweet or creamy-oily. This is just like sniffing a fine batch of aged kyphi, or the smell of that incense lingering in a dimly lit room. The scent becomes a wonderful rich myrrh after some time, like Priala's myrrh, but less sweet and without as much spice. Verdict: I am such a kyphi ho, and this is probably my favourite kyphi scent in BPAL, and fast becoming part of my top ten BPAL incense scents. Whereas Cairo was sunnier and more energetic in feel, this is introspective and, indeed, meditative…and the kyphi is much truer in here as well. It smells drier, less fruity, stickier, more resinous and smoky. I smell the honeyed raisins and the rich red wine and the myrrh, also some spices and woods, some of which may be part of the Abremalin incense, and that lovely wood smoke giving the impression of incense burning gently. This is a fascinating scent, very deep and complex, it smells incredibly ancient and aged. It's the sort of scent I want to get lost in, like getting lost in deep thoughts. The scent fits the thoughtful and calm colours and theme of the painting as well as smelling like an arcane blend of ritual incense, occult, alchemical, magical. Very beautiful incense, definitely along similar lines to the likes of Midnight Mass, Al Azif and Urd, but very different as well. Damn this is fantastic stuff, I love what Beth does with resins. I feel the urge to burn some kyphi now… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Of course! This is an incense orgasm! If you like this, try: Cairo, Tum, Priala, Al Azif, Midnight Mass, Haloa, Riding the Goat, Anubis

Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Those Condemned to Death In the bottle: mmm, delicious! I see what others mean by chocolate, though to me it smells more like dates and figs mixed with almonds and honey and spices, a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dessert. Wet on skin: gorgeous honey and saffron come out now with the hyssop and almond following. Dry on skin: mmm! Now I smell what could be the poisons, a dark herbal undercurrent of either belladonna or hemlock, with a floral note which I can't identify. Something about this honeyed scent reminds me of Penitent Magdalene, there's a feel of flowers and golden pollen to it-not sure where that's from in here. I smell honey and saffron mainly, with almonds and myrrh, a hint of herbs too, it is a very smooth, warm, exotic scent, it smells almost foody and enticing at first, but there's a darker undercurrent. It is also on very similar lines to Bastet. The peach kernel note is intriguing in that it smells a little peachy but not juicy, it's husky and nutty, and works well with the almond. After a while: the throw far from my wrist is an alluring and summery golden-brown honeyed nut scent, almost like coconut oil at times but not quite, it reminds me of almonds and figs soaked in honey. It makes me think of a luxurious body oil from ancient times. Close up however, the smell is a little more floral-herbal, I think one of the poisons showing up a lot more, along with a myrrh note which seems almost golden and reedy. I also smell the dry green scent of palm. There's still that sweet exotic oily scent sensually veiling the poisons. The scent then turns to a smooth but unexpected fragrance-a bright golden honeyed floral with a dry sandy almond backdrop. It's a sunny scent, which is dry and light, very much like the immortelle in Penitent Magdalene, or the honeyed almond lily in Bilquis. I have no idea why it's turned floral but it's very pretty. There's an undertone of very subtle vetiver which may be part of the belladonna accord (I smelt vetiver in the RG Belladonna scent) and there's still that sweet, exotic, oily feel to it, the nuts and resins and spices, golden brown and glimmering. It also reminds me of Bastet without amber and musk and with honey in it's place…not furry like Bastet, this makes me think of smooth, dusky brown skin with a hint of sand-almost beachy but not quite. Verdict: I knew this would be fabulous and it's even better than expected! I was worried that the poisonous notes would turn too herbal and dirty on me like they did in their respective RG scents, but they were very pleasant here. The scent is a wonderful, decadent and exotic mix of golden oriental notes, the honey, almond, saffron and peach kernel being strongest. I get the impression of a gorgeous honeyed-nut-spicy dessert, something I'd imagine Egyptian queens feasting on, with ancient anointing oils applied to royal skin after a good long milk bath. However I also get an unexpected yellow flower note, like a pollen-y spring floral, maybe it's the aconite? It is very pretty and not soapy at all, whilst the hemlock and belladonna and palm add a dry, earthy greenness at the back. But overall, it's a glossy honeyed oil scent, rich and mysterious and very fitting for a queen. I also think the resins will get richer and stronger with age. It's a very unusual, complex but well mixed scent with aspects of gourmand, oriental, herbal and floral, and not surprisingly, I love it. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Of course! How could I not refuse this asp-kicking scent? If you like this, try: Bastet, Great Cry in Egypt, Bilquis, Queen of Sheba, Penitent Magdalene, Hemlock, Belladonna

...in rainy London. I suppose it's nice to have a break from +100 degree heat but I do miss the nice weather. I had a wonderful time. One of my favourite holidays for a long time, it's been memorable and eventful in many ways. Oh, and the food has been stunning. I should have put on weight with all the pizza and pasta and ice cream I wolfed down but all the walking I did (climbing Etna!) must have burnt it all off. Here's a little summary of how it went: Highs and Lows: -as I said, the food! I am very pizza and pasta-ed out now but the pizzas here, and my mum's tomato sauce, are nothing compared to the pizza and pasta I had in Sicily. Don't get me started on the ice creams. -Cefalu, the town I stayed in, is possibly the most charming little Mediterranean town I've stayed in so far. Lots of lovely little alleys and wonderful restaurants, and it seems pretty untouched by the full tourist thing (ie, no McD's or Starbucks yet), and with a great beach. -the mozzies treated me like a pizza and I ended up looking like one thanks to their feasting. I've never had bites so big and itchy! -the heat was unreal. I mean, 47C? (not sure what it is in fahrenheit but I know it's over 100) Even on the beach? It was truly Saharan out there. There were wildfires aplenty, followed by blackouts and even water shortages. (As my 'doomsday dad' would say, that's a taster of what's to come for the UK in 20 years time!) I also got a sunburnt arse, which is pretty hurty. -climbing Etna was amazing! It was sweltering at the coast and yet there was snow at the top of the volcano, right alongside hot steaming vents. It looked like another planet. And it was so gusty and dusty. But so worth it. -there was one tour guide we had who was a total bitch and treated the English speakers like shit whilst she was all favouritist with the people who spoke German (and when we asked for translation into English she said 'I already told you this already' really rudely), and her English was crap anyway. At one point the tour guide's 'friends' ganged up against us English speakers and it got really aggressive. I've never had a guide so bad before. -there are some fascinating historical sites all over the place-from ancient Greek temples and theatres, and wonderful Roman and Byzantine mosaics...my favourite though had to be the Palermo mummy catacombs. That place has an amazing collection of dried out dead guys that outrivals the British Museum, I think... So overall this was a wonderful holiday (despite the mozzies, the fires and that guide) and I really do miss being there-I definitely want to return though. Now I'm back from hols, I can't wait for the UPDATE!!!

Is it me or has the label for Dee changed? I got a bottle of Dee and it has a really cool label-almost like the GC ones but with Dee in big letters and a Monas at the back (like the locket) which is Dee's symbol. Is this a new label or has it always been like this? I'm wondering if this is to do with the Alchemists collection (and I also wonder if Saint Germain also has a cool alchemical label too?)

A Bachelor's Dog In the imp: oh wow. A sweet, gentle musk. No leather or tobacco, just a lovely sweet powdery musk. Wet on skin: now a slightly nutty, dry tobacco note comes out, along with soft black leather and that lovely musk. Dry on skin: mmm! This is truly gorgeous. I certainly get the Buck Moon comparisons but this reminds me more of Death Cap, with the earthy notes replaced by leather and tobacco. It's that same sweet, light, almost coconut-sandalwood like musk, it also reminds me of Brown Jenkins without the incense. The delightful soft musk also reminds me of Morocco and Bow and Crown (especially the latter, thanks to the leather). So it's a cuddly sweet musk with a suave undertone of leather and a hint of tobacco leaf smouldering away gently...in fact, the smoky pale musk (which also smells a tad spicy-yum!) reminds me of Devil's Night. After a while: erm, what the? It could just be a trick of the nose or mind. But the more I smell this, the more I smell a hint of dog to this. Yes, dog...but not 'stinky wet dog', more like that 'clean, cute, loveable puppy' smell, under the soft powdery sweetness of the musk. Soft fur and a slight milkiness. It's very subtle, this doggy scent, and could be a skin/nose thing but it's very appropriate! Although the rest of the notes don't smell like anything puppy-like...the tobacco has strengthened a tad and smells less like unburnt cigars and more like subtle smoke, and the leather is sexy and smooth. After a little while the tobacco smoke fades and disperses, leaving that soft, powdery and fluffy musk behind. It's the olfactory version of hugging an adorable puppy on a leather sofa, it epitomises comfort. There's also a hint of that sandalwood-like, nutty scent I got in Death Cap. Verdict: I'm so glad I bought a 5ml of this one...it reminds me of some of my favourite leather, tobacco, and light musk scents. Almost like a mix of aspects of a few of my favourite scents-such as Devil's Night, Death Cap, Bow and Crown, Buck Moon, even a hint of Morocco makes an appearance. But thankfully the scent is also quite different to those. For starters, this scent fits the name perfectly. The musk in here has a fleeting hint of something canine about it-how does Beth capture the scent of a dog? Thankfully it doesn't smell of wet dog (and believe me, I hate that smell), but it reminds me of puppies...the scent makes me think of a well groomed gentlemanly dog lying on a leather sofa, the smell of cigars lingering on his fur. Warm, comforting and cuddly musk, soft and furry and loveable, but given a suave, sophisticated edge from the leather and tobacco. This is a really cosy scent but the black leather of course makes it a little bit sexy. This seems like a stunning scent for both men and women. A new leather-musk love of mine. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! So glad I bought a bottle-this is a lovely comfort scent. If you like this, try: Death Cap, Bow and Crown of Conquest, Brown Jenkins, Loviatar, Devil's Night

It's really bad that this occurs on the day before I head off to Sicily. I was going to write a little entry about how much I looked forward to tucking into real Italian food, the best pizzas with the thin crispy crusts, pasta cooked in the best tomato sauce, and the finest ice cream in the world. But then I hear some truly saddening news. My aunt passed away today. The melanoma which I thought was being cured successfully with chemo (in the last phone call I had with her, she was so optimistic) finally claimed her life. It is really terrible, I didn't know her that well have haven't seen her much, I wish I'd seen her more. Now it's too late...cancer is a horrible thing and it has claimed many of my relatives, my aunts, uncles and grandmothers. It frightens me and has made me a little scared to go out in the sun (and I'm going to Sicily of all places) even if my skin tone is more sun-resistant than hers. I wish I got to know her better in life, and I did say some things about her in life which I regret a little now (mainly jokes about her obsession with Cliff Richard and her phone calls where she constantly went off at tangents about friends of her friend's boyfriends mothers...) but nothing too serious. It's bad timing that it happens before I leave for what should be a relaxing holiday, but life and death like that-full of bad timing, sadly. I suppose the good thing is that now the pain and sickness really is over, she's free from it, in a better place.

Pinched with Four Aces In the imp: dry coffee with sweet creamy cinnamon-like a chai latte! Wet on skin: now I smell the dry, crisp, smoky smell of tobacco mingling with bitter coffee and creamy cinnamon chai. Dry on skin: mmm, this is lovely! The cinnamon note in here is so wonderful-it reminds me of the creamy cinnamon from the original version of Three Witches, which I adore. It smells like milky vanilla chai in here, but with coffee, this scent does have a feel of spicy latte to it, reminiscent of Christmas at Starbucks. The tobacco and woods add a gorgeous soft dryness but the tobacco doesn't overwhelm. A very comforting scent! After a while: the wonderful milky scent of the spice in here reminds me of some of the clove scents, so smooth and cosy, it wraps around the tobacco and the fragrant woods like a blanket, with just that hint of coffee, and it's not the bitter coffee I feared. This is what I hoped Misk Uni would be like-it's not caramelised or as dusty, but truly gorgeous. It also reminds me of Count Dracula, another favourite of mine, but without the leather. There's an almost tonka-like sweetness to the scent though. The scent becomes less dry and tobacco-y and woodsy and becomes sweeter, creamier, softer and smoother. It really does smell like there's some tonka or vanilla in here-maybe both, but none are listed. It just smells like a lovely creamy clove (not cinnamon) scent now. Like a delicious milky spicy drink, but there's a lovely woodsy base that grounds the scent. This will be perfect for rainy days and winter. Then at the very end of the scent, about 5-6 hours later, the most beautiful vanilla scent comes out, like pure vanilla beans, and it reminds me of that wonderful vanilla in Lyonesse…it also reminds me of benzoin. Verdict: why, oh why, oh why did I decide not to get a bottle of this? I was thinking 'should I, shouldn't I?', thinking the cigar tobacco would be too heavy, and thinking the coffee would smell bitter and overwhelming. But now I've tried a decant, I pine for more. first, it is the most wonderful chai latte scent. the perfect amount of coffee and the perfect type of coffee-it's not bitter. The tobacco plays over the creamy spicy coffee with it's dry, smoky, crisp tones and the woods are dry and dark, but smooth. The coffee does fade and the scent becomes creamier, smoother, and something in here makes it smell beautifully sweet. is it tonka? Or maybe benzoin? or amber or vanilla? I don't know, but it is good, it smells both like a warm cup of milky vanilla chai (reminds me of the Nocturne Alchemy chai scents but with cinnamon instead of cardamom) and also like a deep and rich vanilla-amber/benzoin-tonka scent with a wonderful wooden backdrop. Think the golden vanilla extract scent of Lyonesse (without the mossy flowers) meets the woodsy tonka of Count Dracula and the tobacco-tonka of Perversion-sweet and luxurious and sexy! And it lasts for ages on me. I want mooooore…but it seems this one is on the 'most wanted' list and is quite a rarity…I'd rather not but it seems I'll need to save some Ebay funds for a bottle because it really is that magnificent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, and I'm kicking myself for not getting a bottle! And it's now becoming as coveted as some of the rarer, most coveted LEs… If you like this, try: Miskatonic University, Three Witches, Count Dracula, Ventriloquist's Dummy, Perversion, Lyonesse

Kelly Pool In the imp: Parma violets and washing powder. Smells like, yes, Numb, but sweeter. Wet on skin: it still smells like fizzy violet sweets and a fizzy white musk-ozone-soap scent. Dry on skin: this is an unusual scent! It smells like wool which has been washed and perfumed, cleaned wool-not the smell of the fabric, but it's texture, felt like and fuzzy, and the smell of the perfume/soap it has been scented with. The scent itself is violets with a fizzy white musk, a touch of ozone and a lot of powder. It smells like Numb or Yog Sothoth, but also reminds me slightly of the wet stage of Stardust (after it stops smelling of hairspray), it's a very retro perfume scent, but quite old fashioned. The wood is there, a soft hint of rosewood underneath it all, and it adds a hint of roses to the overall scent. After a while: the Numb-ish violet powder gets stronger and more powdery. It now smells more like washing powder with a whiff of old ladies' perfume, like a woolly scarf that an older lady wears. The rosewood is very strong underneath it, smelling floral and woody, also a little pickled as rosewood sometimes can smell, but it adds depth to this pale, powdery scent. The scent becomes a highly powdery 'old' rose over time, a dusty, faded, musty scent. Verdict: this really isn't my thing. It's wool that's washed in very strongly scented washing detergent, dusted with scented old-fashioned powder, and sprayed with old fashioned perfume. It reminds me of a scent that one of my old au-pair's used to have. A smell of dust and untidy home filled with lots of old nostalgic objects like little dolls and plates and trinkets that have been crammed onto wooden shelves gathering dust over the decades, mixed with washing powder and soap from the bathroom. There's a wooden aspect to the scent, and at drydown the rosewood becomes dominant and smells of roses-normally I don't mind that but in here it smells like a really old stuffy 'granny' rose scent, much too mature for me I'm afraid. This one will need to be swapped. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? no, it's a little too 'old fashioned' for me. If you like this, try: Numb, Séance, Pulcinella and Teresina, Taurus, Winter of our Discontent, Gha'agseblah

A Bold Bluff In the imp: honeyed cherry tobacco with a hint of sweetness. The honey-like scent here reminds me of Hellfire. Wet on skin: anise? Now I smell anise with tobacco, the bitterness of hops, and sweet smooth tonka. Dry on skin: mmm, this is actually not that bad! it smells oddly like liquorice, but the tonka here is gorgeous. The tobacco isn't the heavy, dark, cherry-scented tobacco from Hearth 04 or Herr Drosselmeyer, but a more sophisticated mix, less cherry like and more like a sticky, mushy mix of tobacco held with resin. The hops add a hint of booziness without smelling blatantly of beer. (Maybe that's adding that odd 'anise' smell too?) But the tonka is the star of the scent, smooth, sweet and gorgeous, it adds a lovely soft and almost powdered sweet base to the rich tobacco. After a while: the tonka really smoothes the scent out beautifully. I don't smell as much hops, the tobacco smells dark and 'chewy' (that's the best way I can describe it) almost like it's covered in caramel but doesn't smell like caramel…the tonka is this warm, soft, blanket of broad and full-bodied sweetness-like vanilla but more sophisticated-under the tobacco. In fact, as it dries down, it smells almost chocolate-like, or like some kind of posh chocolate filling, chocolates being eaten in a dapper gentleman's lounge, served with a pipe. It's that rich sweet brown scent which is almost gourmand but not quite. The tobacco shows up again when the scent fades, and it smells drier, more cigar like, at this point, it's lost the tonka sweetness. Verdict: this is a lot nicer than what I was expecting from the description. I thought the cherry tobacco notes in Hearth 04 and Herr Drosselmeyer were much too overwhelming and masculine, and I feared that the hops would smell like beer. But this is really nice-and the tonka is what makes it such a pretty scent. there's an odd liquorice scent to this at first but this then fades to leave a soft gummy tobacco scent, dark and slightly sweet but nothing really cherry-like to it. the tonka is amazing here, really sweet and rich and soft, gently powdery, like a non-foody vanilla, it rounds the scent up really nicely. This is a very nice mix of tonka and tobacco, both notes show themselves off at different stages, and the tobacco leaf drydown is almost reminiscent of crisp autumn leaves. This is a nice scent but not a favourite-not one to get more of but it was surprisingly good. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not sure. It's an unusual scent and I like it better than expected, but I'm not sure I'd wear it much. If you like this, try: Gluttony, Perversion, Hellfire, Riding the Goat, Herr Drosselmeyer

The Unheavenly City In the imp: soft creamy sweetness with gardenia, maybe some night blooming jasmine. Wet on skin: oh dear, gardenia is turning harsh and gritty, but not overwhelmingly so. There's still that lush sweet floral aspect, like red musk and lotus, at the back. Dry on skin: mmm, this is nice! It does have that gritty gardenia note to it but not too much, so it doesn't distract. I'm tempted to call this 'Sacred Whore of Portland' because it reminds me of Sacred Whore of Babylon. There's a wonderful red musk background and it's almost fruity in here, definitely floral. It reminds me of the red musk and lotus (and dragon's blood?) combo from Blood Lotus, one of my favourites, although the sweet white floral here seems more like magnolia than lotus. it also reminds me of Hollywood Babylon, maybe there's a fruity note to this as well. After a while: oh, this is beautiful! The harsh 'evil gardenia' scent is gone now and I'm left with a beautiful, rich, sweet and creamy floral. It feels full and lush and plump and quite sexy, there's that red musk adding it's sensual depth. It really reminds me of Blood Lotus and possibly the Haunted Palace or La Belle au Bois Dormant, a heady floral, very feminine…the word that comes to mind is 'voluptuous'. This scent encapsulates that word perfectly. I don't get any of the roses that others get, nor do I get foody notes, but I think there's a bit of vanilla here making this sweet and luxurious-smelling. The musky magnolia-gardenia glory sticks around, and it smells like a creamy, blushing, glowing flower in a cocoon of musk. Verdict: at first I thought 'oh dear, gardenia of death! That's a good thing because it means I won't pine for this scent when it appears on Ebay!' but the drydown this has is wonderful. I smell the red musk, which bonds well with a bunch of heady, sensual white blooms like gardenia (which loses it's 'evil edge', thankfully), magnolia and jasmine, and a sweetness like vanilla. Very sensual and sexual-I agree with Beth's comment about it smelling like a whorehouse! This is rich and sexy and sinful in feel, it reminds me strongly of a few favourite scents of mine with that floral-fruity-musky-vanilla feel to it. The full-bodied floral scent becomes even nicer at drydown when it feels plush and lush with that sweet, raunchy red musk enhancing it. I really like this one but the harsh gardenia intro keeps me from loving it, and I find it similar to Blood Lotus and Hollywood Babylon, which I like better and are GC. At least my cash is safe-I'm keeping what I have and I'm fine with that. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I don't need any more as I prefer a few other similar scents but I'm keeping my decant!

One to Tie, Two to Win In the bottle: mushed up leaves and wet crushed garden weeds. Reminds me of Cambienne with less blossoms and earth, or of Lush's grassy-scented stuff. Wet on skin: dandelions, crushed leaves and stems, herbs and grasses. Dry on skin: oh yes, this is good stuff. It's not the smell of mown lawns that I expected though-there's definitely a cut grass aspect but it's more like crushed leaves and stems and dandelions. it actually reminds me slightly of the crushed green leaves scent I get in other BPAL scents, and it reminds me ever so slightly of the greener aspects of Possets Cambienne. It's incredibly green and fresh, a little dewy, and a tad spicy, with a lovely yellow floral aspect, and a feel of warmth like summer sunshine. After a while: hmm, this now smells a bit like the lilac-bluebell scent I got from Poisson D'Avril (which turned weird on me, a bit bitter and waxy) with an added bitter-green scent. Very much like Envy's 'herbs' (I got no mint, lime or lavender in that scent). It really does smell like dandelions, crushed and mushed, but it also smells like other flowers and a bitter green stem scent…it's not a bad scent in any way, it's still realistic, but not as fresh as it smelt before. it does risk turning into soap though. The scent teeters on the brink of soapy and non-soapy. There's another flowery scent to this, almost like lily of the valley or bluebell, it's a slightly waxy floral scent. I now smell dried dandelions, dried up by the hot summer sun, the flower wilted and the seeds all blown away. I also smell dry grasses all around mixed with the remains of green notes and deep green bruised leaves, the grass now smells a little more realistic, I can almost envision a grass stain on my wrist when I smell this…but it's not the lawn scent I hoped for. Verdict: I love that smell of mown lawns, and I bought this one hoping it would smell like that, and bring back fond memories of playing in the park in the sunshine. The scent is pretty but it's not as wonderful and grassy as I hoped. It does smell grassy but it's not the perfect lawn scent I hoped for. I think there's more of a dandelion scent here, as well as some crushed leaves and herbs, which aren't grass, but smell very green and wet and fresh. The wet stage is very pretty, like dandelions in the summer sun, but I'm not keen on the drydown, when it turns oddly bitter and waxy, a little soapy as well, and reminded me of Poisson D'Avril which also didn't turn out as nicely as I hoped. Strangely it also smelt of dry grasses. It's a nice scent but didn't wow me as much as I hoped it would-and it faded pretty fast, the scent blowing away like dandelion seeds in the breeze. I feel bad saying that it's not living up to my expectations when many people are raving about it-oh well, hopefully the bottle will find a good home. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? just the decant-I don't need the bottle. If you like this, try: Garden Path with Chickens, Poisson D'Avril, Temperance, Envy

Queen Alice In the imp: soft sweet delicate posies of flowers, with an undertone of treacle and subtle booze. Wet on skin: so pretty! Now the carnations come out, as well as a touch more wine. Dry on skin: I really like this one! I smell the same wonderful carnation that was in Pink Moon 07, along with some other floral notes-I'm sure I can smell freesia in here. Maybe phlox too as it really does remind me of Pink Moon. I also smell something fruity and sweet almost reminiscent of plum/plum blossom, or maybe champaca or lily? There's also the wine, cider and treacle notes-the wine is nice and deep and red, the cider adds a lovely apple-y fizz to it and the treacle is being good and not taking over the scent, but it is adding it's dark sweetness to it all. After a while: there's a plum-like note to this, not sure what, but along with the carnation I get the impression of a lighter, pinker Frumious Bandersnatch in here. I still smell the soft florals (which are now very fruity-sweet), as well as the cider and wine and dark treacle. This is a complex mixture but the notes seem to mix very nicely, giving a light, dainty but booze-tinged fruity floral with a hint of spicy sugar. The amber seems to hold everything together, maybe that might be what's giving it that fluffy (white amber is a little airier than other amber notes, to me) yet rich sweetness. There's a moment when I worry that the sweet fruity-floral note will make this cloying but then that tones down, and the scent rounds off into a gorgeous pink carnation and freesia scent, a posy of scented flowers, kissed with spice and deepened by amber and red wine. But after a few hours, the scent does the most amazing thing. It could be skin chemistry doing weird things but this now smells like…a pink stargazer lily. Yes! I've been looking all over for a scent of stargazers in BPAL-the pink ones with that heady, spicy aroma, and none were perfect enough, not least the SN…this is the closest match I've found. Maybe there's a lily note in that posy of flowers. So as well as smelling of carnations, this smells like a bunch of pink fragrant lilies and I love it. At times it also reminds me of that Qliphoth oil that smells of lilies and carnations, and also of Morocco without the musk. And then it turns to almost all Pink Moon style carnation. Verdict: this is Alice, all grown up, the innocent milkiness replaced by deep rich wine and with a fuller, spicier carnation to it. At first this is a posy of fragrant blooms placed by glasses of red wine and fizzy cider, there's a touch of treacle but nothing cloying or heavy to it. The flowers I smell are the carnation and something strongly reminiscent of freesia and pink stargazer lilies, floral scents I adore and haven't smelt much of in BPAL, with something which reminds me of plum. The carnation here is wonderful-I love the carnation note that Beth uses these days, it reminds me of Lush Potion, and this scent is very reminiscent of Pink Moon 07. This scent is beautiful-there are stages where I worry that the fruity-floral scent will go out of control but the clove like carnation and that gorgeous amber background prevent this from happening. And there's a magnificent stage where the scent smells like stargazer lilies, and the drydown is very much like a more floral, carnation-heavy and musk-less Morocco, so this scent is really growing on me. I'm not getting a bottle yet though, because this is so similar to Pink Moon 07. At least I know what to get when I'm running low on that scent now. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I'll keep the imp, when my Pink Moon stash runs out I'll get more! If you like this, try: Pink Moon 07, Alice, Frumious Bandersnatch, Morocco, Hod, Ghagiel

Croquet In the imp: sour fruit sweets! This smells like lime and grapefruit, but a little sharper and sourer. It’s also a little peppery/spicy, oddly. Wet on skin: ooh, now the sage comes out along with nectarine! Dry: mmm, this smells like sweets! The citrus notes smell very sugary, which I like, they also smell like gummy sweets. The nectarine adds a ripe, juicy, peachy scent. Such a fun, summery fragrance, this is a smile in a bottle! However under all that candied fruit lie some deeper, grounding notes of sage and patchouli, a little bit of rose, and that lovely fuzzy musk that I recognise from other animal themed scents-with the sage and wood it reminds me of Buck Moon or Coyote…with pink sugar on top. This reminds me of Treat #1 with an earthy undertone. After a while: once the citrus notes fade, the scent is of pure powdery-woodsy pinkness. It’s almost dusty, I get roses and dusty pink woods in here now, but it does remind me of a batch of Baghdad I had which didn’t have the spice and amber-musk to it on me, but smelt of roses and powdery ‘pink woods’ and potpourri. Back to Croquet…the ‘powdery pink woods’ seem more suited to this scent, the musk makes that scent even fuzzier and the nectarine adds even more sweetness. Eventually this odd dusty stage does improve as the sugary nectarine strengthens a little (though this smells more like a peach-it’s fuzzy!) along with the sage, the scent still feels warm and velvety, and still pink, but has less of the odd ‘potpourri’ scent I got before. This settles into a soft, velvety but slightly powdery-dusty drydown of pink rose petals, peaches, pink sandalwood (not listed but it smells like sandalwood to me) with a brush of herbs and musk, all of which have a little sprinkling of sugar. A scent of pink and light brown…which becomes a little bit spicy after some time. Verdict: I'm not sure what to think about this-I like it, that's for sure, but I'm not sure if I love it yet. I love the start of the scent when the citrus notes just sparkle. The scent starts off a wonderful blend of happy lime and grapefruit and nectarine dancing over a gorgeous sage-patchouli-musk scent, with 'hedgehog musk'-turns out it's that same furry soft musk that I love from other scents inspired by mammals, like Buck Moon, Coyote, and the Groundhog. It reminds me of the sugary tangy fruity candy of Treat #1 over a soft and snuggly yet earthy base. But then the scent does something a bit weird. It turns to powdery pink rose potpourri and sandalwood. It reminds me of a batch of Baghdad I tried, with that same dusty, old-fashioned pink powdery sandalwood scent. And I wasn’t as keen on that Baghdad batch, I preferred the spicy, exotic rose and amber scent from my imp. This dusty pink potpourri phase does seem to fade, with the scent turning into a comforting fuzzy scent. It's nice, but I'm not sure whether I love this or not. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I'll keep the imp around. If you like this, try: Enraged Bunny Musk, Baghdad, Treat #1, Rose Moon

The Knave of Hearts In the imp: buttery caramel and fruit. Reminds me of Cockaigne and Drink Me more than Eat Me. Wet on skin: oh, now I smell roses and berries coming out even more. This is delicious! Dry on skin: mmm, wonderful! It does have that buttery caramel note to it but it's not too overpowering now. It smells of roses, blackcurrants and pastry! I can smell rich velvety fruity roses, just like the ones in Rose Moon, mixing with a tart yet sweet blackcurrant filling (though this also reminds me of the blackberry note in Bitter Moon) with a wonderful warm undertone of crumbly sweet just baked buttery pastry. Not too buttery but enough to make the pastry smell delicious, and there's a layer of cooked sugar on top. This reminds me of the wonderful pie scent I got in Bloody Mary, but with currants instead of cherries. After a while: the rose really blooms after a while, along with the sharp currants (which smell like blackberries here-not the cat pee blackberries though!), and the two notes go beautifully together. There's a fruity aspect to the rose that mixes wonderfully with the currant, almost creating a 'rose petal jam' scent. The sweeter, foody notes underneath aren't taking over either, it still smells like pastry and baked sugar, and I want to bite myself. It's like Bitter Moon, but less bitter and less melancholy-this is indulgent, wholesome and warm. The slightly smoky, oven-baked scent of the pastry reminds me of Jolasveinar, but not as cloying. Eventually it becomes hard to tell the rose and currant apart, they've merged so well. it's lovely and tangy, a sharp currant sauce with deep red and purple roses. But they rest beautifully on that warm pastry crust, with maybe just a hint of cream. Some lovely sweet jam like tones appear in this scent every now and then, but it's not over-sugared. The end drydown is a gorgeous smooth 'rose pie', a mix of smoky pastry (like it's been baked in a traditional oven-but not burnt smelling!) with fruit and roses. Verdict: I love roses and I love Eat Me, and this is a wonderful fusion of foody and floral. I am reminded of Possets Indy 499, the 'peony pie' scent, only this one is a rose pie, and has a lot more oomph to it. at first I worried that this would end up being too foody on me but this wasn't so. It was perfectly gourmand and smelt exactly like a tart…crumbly golden pastry with just the right amount of butter, a glazing of brown sugar, and a gorgeous sour blackcurrant filling which cuts nicely through the sweetness. And the roses just go really well with it-there's a fruitiness to rose, and a sharpness, which mingles very well with the blackcurrant note, especially at drydown when it smells like rose jam. The great thing is that this is a heavily sugary and almost treacle like scent but it's not cloying or sickening like those scents can be. I love the MTP scents and their fun, light hearted nature, and I remember the Knave of Hearts poem fondly from childhood (when my big Lewis Carroll book was one of the most memorable books of my youth), I am definitely getting a bottle of this yummy rose scent! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes-and I need more! If you like this, try: Rose Moon, Bitter Moon, Hope, Eat Me, Drink Me, All Souls, Cockaigne, Two Five and Seven

Blue Moon 07 In the bottle: herbal bay, cool juniper, green galbanum, cucumber and a pale white dewy floral note. Wet on skin: juniper, bay, moonflower and cucumber. Very cool and clear. Dry on skin: oh, this is very pretty! I can't actually remember exactly what the original was like but I think it definitely had the same feel as this. The juniper is strong without smelling too pine-y or masculine. I can smell the cypress, the bay, sage and mugwort add a soft herbal feel, the galbanum and palmarosa add a spike of greenness, the cucumber is as cool as it usually is, and the floral notes of moonflower, orchid, ylang and iris are graceful, delicate, and pale. This, like the original, is a cool scent of the night, like what I'd expect moonlight reflected on water to smell like if that had a fragrance. It feels a lot more luminous than Black Moon, this is definitely a scent of silvery-white moonlight and indigo blue night skies. After a while: the floral notes seem to merge as the strong herbs and juniper fade, and now I can smell a pale scent reminiscent of the Asian moons, or of bamboo. Maybe those are the Asian woods? I still smell the moonflower, that crisp and bright floral, and also some cool aloe mixing with the cucumber. It's a bit faint but not too much, airy and light, but also a bit watery, dewy. The word 'ethereal' pretty much sums this scent up. The scent becomes a bit more floral, still with that zen-like scent of Asian woods and tea, there's something almost like Holiday Moon to this, though the fragile notes of iris and moonflower really do give this an Evening Star feel. ES is a favourite of mine, so the fact that I get a similarity here makes me happy. There's an almost reedy, dusty dryness that appears, almost powdery but not quite because the moist notes prevent this from smelling too dry or powdered. But it does feel very lunar to me, moon dust and dryness and all that…it is alluring and silvery and aloof. Verdict: this is a beautiful lunar scent-the ultimate moon scent. Mysterious, light, cool, pale and magical. I can't remember much about the first Blue Moon scent but I do think they are similar-there's that same ethereal, slightly wet, silver-blue and glowing feel to it. At first the scent is incredibly complex and spellbinding with warm herbs and woods really showing off along with the white moonlit blooms and wet cucumber. These herbal notes fade away after a bit and the scent becomes a serene and luminous fragrance of Asian woods and delicate flowers. I'm reminded of the Evening Star which is a very good thing, although this isn't purely floral like that blend, the soft woodsy notes and the cucumber add a different dimension. all in all this is a scent of the night, slightly chilly but not icy, dewy and calm, radiant and enchanting. The scent does become quite faint after some time but doesn't fade too fast, I like the gentleness of this scent and it's intriguing complexity. It's the perfect opposite to Black Moon which it shares similarities with, but this one is brighter and airier. I'm glad I have two bottles of this, it is the perfect full moon scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! This is a beautiful tribute to the Blue Moon. If you like this, try: Midnight, Black Moon, Holiday Moon, Squirting Cucumber, Nuit, Evening Star

Rose Moon In the bottle: a rich, mature, fruity rose with honey. Like Lady Luck Blues' older sister. Wet on skin: a mature rose scent, grown up, almost traditional, but with something woodsy at the back. Dry on skin: beautiful roses with a patchouli base. The honey and Bulgarian rose give the scent a similar feel to Lady Luck Blues, only this isn't as sweet. I smell the dry crispness of tea rose accentuated with a citrus bite of lemon, and a hint of lilac pops up here and there, and I think I can just about make out a haze of opium. But it's mainly rose that rules the scent, and it's so good to have such a wonderfully rosy scent. After a while: the rose becomes fuller and richer and there's even a hint of something sweet and almost like fizzy lemon sweets behind it. This isn't a dusty, musty rose at all, but a youthful, sparkling one. I think I smell a hint of jasmine, but it's not the nasty jasmine that my skin hates, but a woodsy one. The patchouli is almost reminiscent of the one in Croquet, a soft and earthy scent. I don't smell as much of the honey or lilac now, just the bright and delightful rose with that woody background. there's a hint of something sweet which reminds me of the tonka in Bitter Moon, and I wonder if this could be the woodruff? I've not smelt that before but I learned that apparently it has a similar scent to tonka so that may be what this is. I get a hint of violet after a while, but it's not the traditional violet scent. There's also an almost berry like feel to the smoky rose, like the blackberry-rose-opium of Bitter Moon, but with much more rose and much less berry. The blend now feels rich and sumptuous, and brings to mind red velvet. Verdict: I've been looking forward to Beth making a new rosy scent which was very much dominated by the rose-I adore the complex rose scents but I wanted something truly rosy, with just a hint of something to back it up. and this fits the bill perfectly! Rose Moon seems like the more grown up, more regal version of Lady Luck Blues, with that same honeyed rose combination, a tonka-fruity base, only this scent is a tad rosier. Not a sharp rose like Peacock Queen, nor a cold one like Rose Moon, this isn't sugary like Hope or as giddy as Two Five and Seven. This is a warm summer rose, velvety petals, richly fragrant, surrounded by a lovely supporting cast of notes like lemon and honey adding a sunny touch, patchouli grounding the rose, soft dreamy opium and a sweet, mysterious note which makes me think of berries and tonka. (The tonka may be woodruff.) This is beautiful and elegant, but also approachable, not a 'granny/old fashioned' rose scent at all, with a bright crispness contrasted by a soft, sweetish-earthy depth. I love this interpretation of rose and I'll need to look for another bottle! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! Another one to add to my collection of rosy beauties. I'll need to ask a will-caller to get another bottle… If you like this, try: Moon Rose, Hope, London, Croquet, Two Five and Seven, Bitter Moon, Knave of Hearts, Lady Luck Blues

Ecstasy of Infatuation In the decant: cherry-almond, grape, fruity floral notes, a sweet tropical cocktail of a scent. Wet on skin: cherry-almond with fizzing champagne and citrus notes. Dry on skin: whoa, this smells incredibly effervescent! Not just with the champagne and the fruits, but also the musk-it's an airy, bubbly white musk note. The cherry becomes more fruity and the grape note is dominant (it smells more like purple grapes with champagne now), the Hawaiian florals are also present-indeed, it now reminds me of fruity Pele. And Pele smelt like Alka Seltzer with weak floral notes on me…I smell the fizz from that scent but so far, the scent is quite agreeable. After a while: just like Pele but with sweet fruit. There's a hint of purple grape flavoured sweets to this, with a touch of white grapes, cherries and flowers. The sweet fruitiness reminds me of those Asian gummy sweets that I've received in swaps and forum sales. The floral scent though has become an oddly flat and chalky smelling scent like a hangover cure tablet fizzing in a glass with just a hint of flowers. It's a little disappointing, since the white musk note is very pretty, but it smells like fruit flavoured sweets and flowers drowning in tonic water. It goes disappointingly one dimensional and a little bland after a while (I really hate saying such things about BPAL, especially ones with lots of notes and with lots of potential to be unusual and complex, but that's skin chemistry for you), despite that white musk note. The drydown is pretty much like Pele, with white musk added. There's something almost blackberry or black raspberry like to it as well-a tart purple fruit which isn't cherry or grape. After a few hours of wear, it becomes a pretty, airy white musk with purple fruit and Pele flowers, but it seems a little faint now. Verdict: this is my least favourite of the Ecstasies, I'm afraid. It had promise, it started with a fizz and a sparkle, but it went flat on me, literally. It smelt very flat and plain despite it's pretty and complex notes. At first it reminded me pleasantly of gummy sweets, champagne and tropical blooms. It was very pretty and light. But then the florals turned a little bit strange on me…I'm one of the few who disliked Pele, and this reminds me of fruity Pele…a strangely bland floral with a hint of sugary fruit flavoured sweets. It had an odd fizz to it after a while-no longer champagne, and more like a tablet fizzing in a glass of water for soothing achy tummies or hangovers. I like the white musk that appears at the end but it's not worth waiting through a scent which my skin turns into a non-event, rather than the celebration it should have been, for that stage. Not an infatuation for me, I'm afraid! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No, I'm not infatuated, sadly.

Tamamo No Mae In the bottle: peach tea with rice wine. It's sharply fruity…it also reminds me of the osmanthus scents. Wet on skin: white tea with a fruity, peachy, sweet undertone. Dry on skin: this is beautiful! It does smell very much like Hungry Ghost Moon-probably my favourite Asian themed scent-but this one has a strong tea note, a crisp, tangy white tea over a smooth fruity base. It reminds me of peach, or of osmanthus, or sugar cane, but those aren't listed. I can make out some sandalwood (which smells similar to the ho wood in HGM in here) but no smoke. Maybe the sweet smoothness is caused by the musk? The rice flower reminds me of rice wine. Overall, this is a surprisingly creamy-fruity and smooth and fresh scent, it's enchanting. After a while: the sharpness of the tea tones down a little, and the creamy-fruity floral base becomes even smoother. It now smells like a peach wine, slightly tangy but very fruity, but there's also a beautiful flowery scent to it, like no other floral I've smelt in BPAL so far. Is this the locust flower? If so, then damn, it smells magnificent (despite having a creepy-crawly name to it!), it doesn't smell like sweet pea but it smells sweet and luscious. The musk adds an almost velvety but pale smoothness, a touch powdery but not overly so, it makes me think of the pale makeup of geishas, and their graceful beauty. The wood adds a nice soft firm base for the other floral-fruity-tea notes to hang on to. It still reminds me of HGM but not as foody-sweet, though there's something here that reminds me of sugar cane, or maybe lychee. The scent seems to move between smelling tart and tea-like with fruit, and sweetly floral with cool musk. It reminds me of Aglaea at times, it has that sparkly feel, but less blatantly peachy, and more subtle and intriguing. It moves through stages of fruity, floral, tea like and skin-scented, sweet and crisp, dewy and lush. The drydown is a soft powdery pearly skin musk with sandalwood and fruity sweetness, but I now get a hint of smoke to it, like a Japanese incense stick burning gently, a subtle woodsy smoke scent. Verdict: Asian scents are hit or miss on me but some of the recent Japanese scents-specifically the lunacy shapeshifters-have been wowing me. First it was Bakeneko who made my life purr-fect, and now Tamamo has won me over with her foxy charm. I had no idea what this would smell like (other than smelling like Beth's Japanese scents) because I haven't smelt half the notes in here, but now I'm so glad I bought a backup bottle! She smells like a more sophisticated and aloof version of Hungry Ghost Moon. Whilst HGM was more complex and candied and had a feel of festivity to it, this one is less sugary, more grown up, and mysterious. A tang of tea replaces the grapefruit of HGM, but there's a similar fruity-sugar cane scent to it even though no such notes are listed. However, a stronger musk, more flowers, a peachy scent, and a slight hint of incense make this different. I have no idea where the peach comes from, or whether that lovely floral is the locust flower or rice flower, but I love this so much. light, graceful, fresh, enchanting, beautiful for the summer months, and very well blended. So far many of the lunacy shapeshifters (apart from Oborot) have been fantastic on me, and this is a new favourite of mine. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! This is beautiful and I'm glad I ordered another bottle from a Convergence goer! If you like this, try: Hungry Ghost Moon, Itaso Kansei, Lantern Ghost of Oiwa, Fire Pig, Fae, Aglaea

Monster Bait: Ventriloquist's Dummy In the bottle: dark, peppered woody patchouli with a slight hint of nutty sweetness. Dusty woods are dominant here. Wet on skin: peppery, dusty woods with patchouli, reminiscent of the Rat King, but sweeter. Dry on skin: mmm, woods! This is a dark, rich, almost incense-like dusty wood scent with patchouli and sweetened by the sugary notes, with a hint of nuts. It's predominantly cedar, but there are some other fragrant warm woods here as well (oak maybe?), and they have an aged 'attic-like' feel to them, evocative of a wooden dummy that has been stored in the loft for years, covered in dust. The patchouli adds a deep, dark, shadowy feel. However, the sweet notes lighten the scent. It smells like lightly caramelised toasted hazelnuts, and the great thing about the caramel/sugar/butterscotch notes in here is that, unusually, they don't overwhelm the scent and turn it to 'all-consuming caramel of doom', they add the right amount of playful sweetness. I also smell the barest hint of dried apricots. I like this a lot! After a while: the hazelnut, woods and patch merge together to give a dry, faded, dark, old and dust-covered scent, which reminds me of the Rat King, but not as sour. Instead, there's a covering of brown sugar and a hint of treacle, the perfect amount, not intense like Gluttony, but enough to add a sweet twist to the dry scent of attic-stored woods. This sweetness also prevents the scent from smelling too 'musty' or masculine. The apricot used here is certainly not the syrupy or freshly picked apricot of other BPALs, this smells uncannily like dried apricots do-it's like Depraved with more patch than apricot. In fact, over time, this starts to smell more and more like dried apricots, tart and fruity, with sugared nuts in a fragrant wooden chest. The wood notes begin to smell less grey/pale and smell a bit warmer, almost like sandalwood, over time. Warm and soft and dusty, a little ashy like incense, and with a lot more patch. There's a hint of burnt wood at the end, like the wooden dummy has been singed a bit. Verdict: I like this one a lot better than I expected! I feared it would turn really masculine or really oversweet, I thought it wouldn't work at all. But it does work and it works wonderfully! It strikes the right balance of woods and sweetness with a shadow of patchouli. The woods really do evoke an old dummy stashed in the attic, dusty and faded, but this is a good dusty scent. the woods are strong and rich, fragrant and solid, but gender neutral. The sweet notes are so nice-I was expecting the 'million calories of death!' scent I got from Gluttony but despite three potentially over-sugary notes listed, they never take over. The nutty sweetness is just like a soft glazing of nutty caramel over the woods. the apricot, another note that can oversweeten, doesn't smell very sweet at all here, but smells like dried apricots. The patchouli shows up a little more after a few hours and the woods turn to a soft incense scent with a hint of dark sugary sweetness. This is a surprise hit from the Monster Baits, not my absolute favourite but definitely worth keeping a bottle, it's a new favourite in the 'heavily woodsy' scents…so far 6 out of 7 MB scents work well or wonderfully on me. I can't wait to see next lot of Monster Baits if there are more planned for next year! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I like this a lot more than I though I would-a perfect balance of woods and sugar. If you like this, try: Clio, Depraved, Rat King, Magus, Séance, Gluttony

Riding the Goat In the bottle: pickled olives and red wine? On second sniff it smells more like a glass of port on a polished mahogany table, in a room with walls made from polished dark woods. Wet on skin: after an initial blast of salted olives, the scent changes for the better by turning to a sweetish incense cologne with hints of polished wood. Dry on skin: tobacco and incense with polished wooden furniture. This is very much like Parliament of Monsters but without the opium haze, there's a similar tobacco-incense feel to it though, as well as that hint of olive I got from PoM and also Succour. But this is better than PoM, it's richer, darker, more sophisticated, also a little bit perfume-y. It brings to mind a mahogany panelled gentleman's lounge where pipes and incense have burnt, ebony tables oiled until they have a mirror like finish. The incense note in here is rich and resinous, a gorgeous dry incense blend, both similar and a little bit different from the church incenses-not as intensely frankincense-y, but definitely with frankincense and myrrh to it, a meditative and ritualistic scent. After a while: there's a hint of something like wine to this, or sherry. Something sipped at a gentleman's club. The hint of olive does get stronger and seems much more apparent when smelt from afar, but close to the wrist the darker woods and the tobacco (much less intense and not as sweet as Her Drosselmeyer or Hellfire) have become stronger. The scent really does bring to mind polished mahogany, it is refined and also evocative of old houses, wooden floors and panels and furniture. After about 2-3 hours, the olive scent disappears and the incense becomes beautifully sweet, and slightly ashy as well, like it has burnt completely, with that soft woodsy tobacco. The incense now reminds me slightly of Al Azif, but drier and less sticky. I love this stage most of all, it smells comforting and gentle but still with that ritual incense feel to it. There's a wonderful rich and sweetish myrrh note at the base here, like the one in Eshe, Priala and Minotaur, as well as something almost amber-like. This dark amber becomes the remaining note as the scent dries, it reminds me of the wonderful black amber in Schwarzer Mond's drydown. Verdict: another lovely addition to my collection of incense scents. At first I was unsure of this-there was a weird 'olive' scent to it which kept popping up, and only three other incense scents have turned to olives so far-Succour, Yule and Parliament of Monsters. I was worried that the olive like scent would overtake like it did in Parliament, but thankfully it didn't, as the woods and incense notes in here are gorgeous. The woods smell sophisticated, well buffed with a mirror like sheen, dark ebony and mahogany furniture, with a bare hint of pipe tobacco. But it's the incense I love most about this scent. a dark, dry, gently smoky and mysterious ceremonial blend, almost church like but not quiet, this is almost like the Pit and the Pendulum but without the strong frankincense, almost like Al Azif but not as sticky-sweet. But after about 3 hours-the resins go all sweet and dark, like a wonderful rich myrrh and amber combination. I think Beth has been using a delightful new myrrh note in a lot of her recent scents, including this, it smells dark and deep and sweet and amber-like. I love this woodsy-resin drydown most of all. The strange olive note at the beginning of the scent keeps it from being a true favourite in my incense collection but the drydown is worth the wait. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes, definitely keeping my bottle If you like this, try: Parliament of Monsters, Dee, Hellfire, Isaac, Al Azif, Pit and the Pendulum, Brown Jenkins

Bad Luck Woman Blues In the bottle: an unusual but very nice mix of caramel with spicy mossy woodsy cologne. This has the potential to be really good. Wet on skin: caramelised fresh green woodsy cologne. Dry on skin: oh, this is surprisingly good! It is a masculine scent, very much a cologne fragrance, but it's a wonderfully complex and unusual fragrance with many layers and notes. As well as caramel, I can smell hot sparkling pepper and soft sage, the lime, smoky and rich tobacco, and the same lovely moss and cypress combo from Roux Ga Roux (and like that scent, the Spanish moss here isn't turning to 'swamp monster of doom' on me!). It's a mix of herbs, spices, smoke and deep woods with a hint of lime, and it's all contrasted-yet complemented-by a topping of sweet, delicious caramel. It's not an overpowering caramel note, but it is deep and treacle like. I can't smell musk, vetiver or lilac yet. After a while: the moss comes out a bit more but all the other notes seem to restrain it so it doesn't overpower the scent. It becomes spicier, the pepper really tingles my nose, but it also smells greener-this scent is a rich green scent, like thick sprawling greenery, almost swampy but not humid, like Roux, this is a fresher take on the swampy scents. It's also very earthy and rich. It reminds me of the unreleased oil Kweku Anansi, but it is more complex. The caramel fades and the scent becomes darker, drier, deeper and woodsier, with the pepper, tobacco, cypress, moss and herbs becoming dominant. Dark green, hot, dry yet lush and complicated. At this point the scent moves away from being more gender neutral to being very manly. This would be so sexy on a guy, it feels dark and mysterious and smouldering. The scent becomes a little bit like a dark, viscous, almost tarry scent after some time, I think the vetiver may be doing this, though amazingly, I don't smell anything blatantly like vetiver here. It smells like a burnt pitch like resin with charred woods and tobacco…but it's not too bad as a scent. it still smells more like a man's perfume though. There's also something about it which is almost evergreen or forest like, almost like pine needles. And after about 8 hours (this stuff has serious staying power!) I can finally clearly make out the vetiver. It was always there, making this scent stick, but now I smell that husky, dark, gritty and earthy scent, and thanks to the tobacco, it has a very smoky feel. Verdict: this is a fascinating scent, it's very masculine smelling on me but very interesting as well. the first stage is wonderful-the caramel is strong at this point but it's not overtaking the scent, it's the right amount of caramel to add a gorgeous sugary sweetness to this mix of moss, spices, herbs, woods and earthy notes, a mix of green and brown scents, smoky and rich and with that gourmand twist to make it really interesting. I love this stage most, as it is really complex but also gender neutral-but over time, the scent becomes more and more masculine, smelling darker and less sugary, smokier, more mysterious, woodsy and almost pitch-like. It is heavier on the moss and vetiver (the vetiver here is strong but it's not the 'evil' variety, this one is smoother and sophisticated) and it reminds me of a good quality man's perfume. Something that would smell breathtaking on a guy, for sure, but despite the lovely just-dry scent, the drydown is a little too heavy and masculine on me. The scent lasts for ages, and it's one where the moss and vetiver don't overwhelm like they usually do. I like this scent and it's unusual mix of notes enough to keep a decant though. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! It's a bit manlier than most but I like it a great deal to keep some. If you like this, try: Roux Ga Roux, Tiresias, Red Lantern, Arrival at the Sabbath, Bayou, Dance Macabre, Kweku Anansi

Poisson D'Avril In the bottle: a crisp, dewy, and bright spring floral. Smells like lilacs and wisteria, even though those aren't listed notes. Wet on skin: lilacs! I know, it's mad, because it's not listed, but I smell lilac in here, along with daffodils and bluebells. Dry on skin: this is very pretty! It smells like a whole host of pretty spring blooms and their leaves scenting the air. I smell daffodils and bluebells, and also wisteria and lilac. I have no idea what most of the other notes smell like but I don't smell the rose, sugar or honey-for now this isn't sweet at all, but very crisp and fresh, sharply green, but mainly a mix of bright and lightly fragrant spring blossoms and crushed leaves. It reminds me of Ostara without resins, or a less sweet Flower Moon. After a while: the sharpness does tone down a little but the honey and sugar don't seem to show up. the floral notes seem to have merged nicely into one soft white damp petal scent, reminiscent of spring blossom notes, with still that lilac/wisteria note in the background. However, it seems to be veering close to soapy territory. I just hope it doesn't cross that line. The scent does seem to become a tad soapy as feared…although it's more of a waxy petal scent. Now I am reminded very slightly of the drydown of Possets Cambienne (the early spring versions), there's that same yellow-pink spring blossom scent to it, but it doesn't have that fresh rainy-earthy scent. it fades fast as well, leaving a trace of bluebell and tulip behind, with a hint of soapiness. Then the scent turns to a waxy white lily scent, like calla lily, with lilac on top. Verdict: this was surprisingly disappointing on me. I really wanted to love this-I love spring scents, I'm an April girl, and I absolutely love Beth's sugared flowers and honeyed flowers, I was hoping this would be a little bit like Al Araaf or maybe Flower Moon. But I got nothing remotely sweet or honeyed, and no rose either. I got a lot of flowers, but not what I expected. I didn't know what half the floral notes in here smelt like but I was very surprised to get lilac and wisteria. I also got a lot of greenery, like the leaves and shoots of spring plants. It wasn't bad and I really quite liked the just-dry stage, even if it was a little too sharp for me at times. I was a bit let down by the drydown though-it turned to bitter lilac/wisteria, waxy white petals, and even that dreaded hint of soap that I was hoping wouldn't show up in this scent. And still no sugar, honey or rose. What a bummer. I don't hate the scent but I do prefer a lot of other spring scents-such as Ostara, and notably Possets Cambienne-to this one. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? It's pretty, but I think the bottle will be passed on. It's not as nice as expected If you like this, try: Ostara, Orpheus, Melancholia, The Ghost, One to Tie Two to Win, Arkham (Revisited), Garden Path with Chickens, Asphodel, Temperance