yeahbutnobut

I love the Phoenix labels! And the Winter Fairy on a polar bear is really cute...and that little sadface snowman in the Silent Forest!

OMG I need to get the bath oils just for the labels! They are gorgeous! (and does anyone else think they look a bit like they'd make awesome tattoos?)

I love the Pumpkin Princess label-and the Autumn Cider one (because of the KITTY!)

Has anyone posted the labels for the Black Moon scents from 2011?

Ops In the imp: like freshly baked bread. This is yeasty. I don’t think I’ve tried a bread-scented BPAL before but this is definitely bread, not cake! Wet on skin: bread flavoured with savoury herbs like rosemary, thyme, dill, sage, even a bit of cumin. Dry on skin: this one is really unusual. The dominant scent is BREAD! Freshly baked bread from the oven, soft and yeasty and warm. But this isn’t just bread. It has a sweet glaze, maybe a honey coating or even a bit of jam. But the bread has savoury spices and herbs-I smell fennel now, maybe some coriander, rosemary and sage. Maybe a hint of the savoury spices from Ein Kuss Von Krampus-the mustard and pepper maybe? It actually reminds me of focaccia, maybe there’s a dash of olive oil to this too. I don’t smell butter, or cream, I don’t smell any dairy really. Just lots of dry floury spicy herbal notes. After a while: though there’s a dash of sweetness, I swear I smell salt. Something that reminds me of sea salt crystals, like on a pretzel. Maybe some seeds, like pumpkin, sunflower or poppy seeds? Or perhaps it is caraway or fennel. The bread scent becomes drier, a tiny bit saltier, and definitely more herbal. It loses that sugary scent. This is really unusual. At times it smells a bit like the TAL oil Temple Greek, or a milder, less sweet/boozy Delphi without that note that turned to parmesan on me. It smells like offerings of warm bread with wine and olive oil, and dry dusty stone with wild herbs growing around. Verdict: this scent is so unusual for a foody…it smells of bread and herbs and olives! It does smell like the kind of offering fit for the Roman goddess of plenty, and there are also hints of honey and wine too, and spices as well. I’m impressed at how bready it is and I like that, especially those moments when it turns to rosemary focaccia, but there are some odd, savoury scents here that I’m not sure about, something a bit like cumin or caraway and even some salt. I decided to pass the imp on, but I’m still impressed by this scent and how unique it is-there’s nothing in the BPAL catalogue like it. (can we have more bread scents please?) Is it a keeper? Not sure…it’s so intriguing but I’m not sure I can pull it off as perfume. Maybe as a room scent.

Heroine In the imp: sharp, cologne-soaked rhubarb and a hint of leather. Wet on skin: sharp green-red rhubarb and maybe some apple. Dry on skin: this one is interesting. This is a sharp, piercing scent, with the rhubarb and petitgrain leading the way, giving this scent a cologne like top note, but because this is rhubarb, this is a much more intriguing cologne than usual. The skin musk is probably the sharp, slightly lemony variety that’s in Velvet Nudie, I think that’s enhancing the tangy rhubarb. I think I also smell some apple blossom, but there’s also a deep green scent to all of this. I can’t smell the dark notes or the amber yet. After a while: whoa, this has changed…just look at (or smell?) that Nepalese amber go, go, go! It’s all about the amber now, and this is the same incredible amber from L’Estate. In fact, the whole thing smells like L’Estate to me, the same slightly lemony, musky, gloriously warm, spicy and reddened amber, with a hint of Liberty (the apple blossom). I can’t really smell leather, patchouli or dark musk though, just amber and fruity rhubarb. Actually the more I smell it, the more I smell dark musk-it’s gentle and not as heavy as usual, this is the dark musk that isn’t very sweet, but it is very sexy. Verdict: in the same vein as Boadicea and Liz, this is feminine yet feisty and smells absolutely fantastic. At first it has a sharp, attention grabbing tangy perfumed scent thanks to petitgrain and rhubarb, but then it softens and transforms into glorious amber stained red with rhubarb juice. The musk and leather add a nice deep undertone without getting in the way, the apple blossom adding a very subtle hint of floral. I love this; it makes me feel confident when I wear it. Excuse the cheesy pun but I have to admit I’m a Heroine addict now! Is it a keeper? definitely. I may use up my bottle very fast… If you like this, try: Boadicea, Liz, L’Estate, Liberty, Motley, The Shadowy and the Sublime, Amaterasu v3 (warning: rare!)

Deathrock In the imp: perfume-y and sharp but with promising hints of incense. This oil has a very unusual colour-it’s teal! Wet on skin: I don’t smell hair dye but I smell expensive shampoo here-and I like that! There’s a hint of smoke but it’s not the smell of obnoxious cigarettes. Dry on skin: this one is really unusual but also quite wearable! I definitely smell the hairspray and there is a scent like hair dye-a very, very subtle hint of chemicals but not the really strong fumes you get when dyeing hair-I’d actually say this smells more like hairspray and post-dye shampoo/conditioner with floral and musk notes, the kind used in hair salons. There is a bit of smoke but it is subtle, and the resins add depth and a hint of incense. There’s also a wash of perfume over the whole scent-a bright yet slightly sharp/cologne-y scent. There’s a note, sweet and amber-musky and airy, here that reminds me of Night’s Bridge (which I love). After a while: the hair dye note is still there, and it’s a little unnerving! The scent of that expensive shampoo and amber-musk-floral perfume which I like is still there, as are the resins (I guess it’s the styrax and benzoin I smell most of, that’s probably where the amber note comes from) and the cigarette smoke is actually behaving, which is unusual. But the hair dye is a bit annoying and gets in the way of me enjoying the smoky, haunting, resin-touched perfume. Verdict: this smells a lot nicer than I expected. It does have a scent of hair spray and dye but it’s also got a good amount of resin and a glorious blend of something like musk and amber with a waft of floral perfume. I love the resinous notes and whatever it is that makes the sweet, ambery, slightly floral warm musk scent with a hint of cool air, like the scent of warm, sensual perfume wafting through a sultry smoky night, but the hair dye/spray note is a little annoying. I think I prefer Night’s Bridge-I’m sure the two scents share components (they both have an unusual blueish colour) but NB lacks the smoke and hair product scents in here. Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Night’s Bridge, Stardust, Tavern of Hell, Midnight on the Midway

In bottle: this smells absolutely SUMPTUOUS. It’s roses and vanilla. The note list may not mention vanilla, but the list of ingredients mentions it twice (vanilla planifolia and vanilla infusion) and I certainly smell it here, along with a rich velvety rose note. On skin: oh my, this is so beautiful! It’s a rich, voluptuous, divinely opulent rose and vanilla scent. There’s nothing sharp or haughty about the roses, and the vanilla isn’t foody. The roses smell smooth and velvety, dark red petals with a full, deep scent. The vanilla is sweet and almost intoxicating, without smelling like dessert. The ingredients also mention cistus, which is labdanum, and I smell resins here, I think the labdanum and benzoin add extra depth to the vanilla. The musk note here seems to be akin to a red or dark musk, but it’s not overly musky but it does make the vanilla rose scent even more sensual. I don’t smell anything remotely like champaca or dragon’s blood, and no mandarin either, but I think I smell a bit of tuberose and some berries (they add a hint of subtle juicy fruitiness to the overall deep red scent). This smells like pure unadulterated luxury in a bottle and I don’t want to use it in the bath because I’d feel like I’m wasting something precious once I pull the plug…I’m going to use this as moisturiser or even perfume. I’m so glad I got a bottle of this.

Brahmin In the imp: ohh, this smells resinous and spicy. Reminds me of the very spicy amber of the Lamia prototype. Wet on skin: spicy myrrh! It’s extremely spicy, it crackles with peppery fire. Dry on skin: fiery pepper explodes through this scent like a firework, backed up by equally heated notes of caraway (which in here smells like proper spice, not like pencil shavings) and ginger. This scent is dominated by the pepper but it seems like it is rooted in resin and vanilla, and I love that, I love how the sweetness stops the spices from smelling savoury. I’m surprised there’s no clove in here because I swear I smell it. Maybe it’s the mix of myrrh, vanilla and pepper. The myrrh is stronger than expected and it’s gorgeous and has amber-like qualities. However I smell none of the rose, orange or mandarin. After a while: this doesn’t change much, if anything it becomes smoother and more resinous, the myrrh gets stronger, but the pepper is still dominant. It’s a bit smoky at times, like spicy incense. I still can’t pick out any rose. Verdict: this is one of the most beautiful pepper scents ever. It shows off the black pepper note to the max, whilst enhancing it with resin and vanilla and other spices. I love the fiery bursts of spice here, so different to other spicy scents in BPAL because it’s not about cinnamon or cloves or ginger, but pepper…and it’s so unashamedly, blatantly spicy and I love it! However this is spicy enough but stops short of smelling like Indian food. It’s more evocative of an Eastern spice market, the pungent scents of all the spices mingling around you, overloading the senses. It’s a very exotic fragrance, and it’s very hot, I could see myself wearing this a lot in the winter. Is it a keeper? I want a bottle! If you like this, try: Copper Phoenix, Mama Ji, Al Shairan, 13 (April 07 and May 11), Interfector

Minamoto No Yorimitsu Cuts at the Earth Spider In the imp: this reminds me of the tobacco-musk-sandalwood scent of Smoky Moon, but sweeter. Wet on skin: a perfumey smell pops up, I guess that’s the castoreum, along with tobacco and sandalwood. Dry on skin: the castoreum isn’t too bad here, it has turned oddly rubbery on me in the past but here it smells like a musky-leathery-floral scent that is quite pretty. The tobacco flower has the potential to turn very smoky or ashtray-like but for now it seems to be more floral than usual and has a scent almost like orange blossom. My skin must be out of whack because I swear it reminds me of Cabaret Goth right now. A smokier, woody version of CG, but I don’t understand why as the two scents don’t share any notes. I also smell a soft sandalwood and the glorious bourbon vanilla sweetens the scent. After a while: now it reminds me more of Tavern of Hell but it still has a hint of Cabaret Goth to it, that same citrus-touched floral amber, however the smoky scent of the tobacco is too much…but it’s nowhere near as ashy and cigarette-like as some tobaccos can be. The sandalwood and vanilla are also stronger, but also smoother, at this point. It reminds me of a warmer version of Smoky Moon, whereas SM was silver, this is more like a soft dusky brown with hints of gold and purple. Verdict: this one is interesting. I think I’m becoming more familiar with the castoreum accord and less apprehensive of it, here it smells really nice like sweetish leather with perfumey floral-musk tones. Though the sweetness could be due to the amazing vanilla in here. What surprises me most is the resemblance to Cabaret Goth I get, which is really lovely, at times it’s a smoky take on CG. The tobacco flower does amp up at times, which rather spoils the subtle nuances of the musk and vanilla with the sandalwood, but it’s one of the nicer tobacco flower notes I’ve smelt. That said, I don’t know if I like this enough to keep it, maybe if it were a little less tobacco-y I’d prefer it. Is it a keeper? no. If you like this, try: Dia, Tiersias, Schmendrick, Tavern of Hell, Smoky Moon, Vampire Tarot: The Priestess, Black Lace, Cabaret.Goth (if you can get it)

Io In the imp: fizzy pomegranate juice with crisp cranberry. It’s rather acidic. Wet on skin: still fizzy pom & cran, but now I smell blackberry. Please, please, please don’t do the cat pee thing on me… Dry on skin: this isn’t too bad. I’m not too crazy about the fizzy sherbet note that pervades the whole scent, it smells really sharp and artificial, reminds me of sour fruit pastilles. But the fruit notes underneath are nice. The pomegranate is almost like the one in Swank or Pomegranate II (the citrus one) rather the deeper spicy one, and its tartness is enhanced by cranberry. The blackberry is there, but-miraculously-it’s not turning to cat pee. Unfortunately I don’t smell any of the herbs or the red musk, which I hoped would stop this from smelling too much like a soft drink. After a while: after a short, fleeting moment when this turns into a fruity red musk and mango scent along similar lines to Spawn of the She Demon (but lighter) or Corazon, this then morphs back into fizzy pomegranate and sour sweets, but then swings back to mango again, though the mango has that sharp sherbet background to it. Verdict: I was looking forward to this one but I was a bit let down. It reminds me strongly of something from the Atomic Luau, but without booze. It also smells like sour sweets, with that artificial sherbet-like effervescent sourness to it. The pomegranate isn’t the rich crimson scent from Fruit of Paradise or Red Lace, but the synthetic smell from Swank, and the cranberry made it even more tart. Thankfully the blackberry never turns bad, but the red musk and herbs don’t do much to redeem the scent either, I was hoping for more of those notes. Is it a keeper? probably not. If you like this, try: The Dodo, Spawn of the She Demon, Pomegranate II, Swank, any of the Atomic Luau cocktail scents, Corazon (rare)

Atlas In the imp: eek, vetiver! This isn’t promising, as vetiver is all I smell. Wet on skin: still heavy on the vetiver, but now I smell fluffy mallow coming out. Dry on skin: yes, the vetiver is still there, it’s definitely more like proper vetiver rather than the incense like (sandalwood-distilled?) scent of khus, but there’s also a gorgeous scent of mallow. It’s fluffy and soft and fuzzy, and it is sweet, but I wouldn’t say it smells sugary sweet like the usual marshmallow notes. It’s a gentler sweetness…actually this smells more like a vanilla musk than a marshmallow scent. I smell hardly any coffee, other than a hint of something roasted and smoky under the cloud of mallow, this gives the scent a brown hue, like the dusty brown of a moth’s wings. I don’t smell oak but I do think there’s a bit of wood (hinoki?) boosting and grounding the mallow. I do wonder if there’s mallow in Antique Lace, because I swear there’s a slight resemblance here. After a while: I’m a little sad. Because this has a scent to it that is so much like Antique Lace! No, really, it’s the same vanilla musk scent. It’s glorious, so cosy and sweet but also with something sophisticated to it. But I’m disappointed because underneath it all is a really prominent vetiver note! This vetiver (with a touch of instant coffee bitterness) is spoiling the Antique Lace-y scent with its scent of burnt rubber/asphalt, which really clashes with the soft sweetness. It’s a shame as I was hoping this scent would be a substitute for AL. Verdict: I’m torn when it comes to this scent. The reason why is because it smells like a battle between the most beautiful mallow note fighting against a contrasting, clashing scent of harsh burnt-smelling vetiver. This vetiver is so aggressive, thankfully the mallow is also very strong, but the vetiver is much too distracting for me to enjoy this. It saddens me even more because this mallow smells INCREDIBLY similar to Antique Lace! If it wasn’t for that khus note, I would have found my replacement for AL when it runs out, but it isn’t to be. Is it a keeper? I may keep a bit, but no bottle. If you like this, try: Arabian Dance, The Phoenix in Autumn, Black Lace, Morocco, Antique Lace (if you can get it!)

Chellah v4 In the imp: sweet loamy dirt, like VT The Lovers, or maybe Worm Moon. Wet on skin: mossy stones, dirt and sweetness! Dry on skin: this is really intriguing. It now smells less like the Graveyard Dirt type scents and smells more like a blend of sweet and lightly spicy notes, maybe a bit of musk or amber, and moss covered crumbling ancient stones! There’s still a hint of something mossy and earthy but it smells more like dry dusty earth mixed with the scent of hidden crypts and tombs, the cool air of underground chambers abandoned for millennia, with moss on the walls. However the dominant scent is a sweet sandy scent, golden and warm, like amber or maybe musk and spice? It’s really beautiful and adds something exotic and sultry to the scent. I agree with the Penny Dreadful comparison (earth and amber/musk perfume), but I say that it also reminds me of an earthy Morocco, but that could be because of the name… After a while: ah, I’ve worked out why this reminds me of Morocco-it’s sandalwood! I smell a wonderful sweet warm sandalwood note, dry and dusty in a desert-like way, but with a hint of moss and weathered stone, and something else which is either amber or golden musk. Verdict: I’m surprised there’s not more love for this. Maybe the strongly earthy/crumbly ruins/freshly dug soil notes are too much, but once they retreat a little, I get the most amazing sweet sandalwood musk and amber scent mixed up with the soil and worn stone fragments of an archaeological dig, hints of sand and dust too, maybe to evoke hints of the desert. There’s something almost like Morocco to this, under the mineral and mossy notes. This seems incredibly fitting because that's where Chellah is located. So this is almost like a dirty, ruined, ancient version of Morocco, or like a bottle of Morocco that’s just been excavated from the ground. It’s really unusual but I love it. I’m glad I went straight for a bottle of this and I’d like to see Chellah go live one day. Is it a keeper? Yes. If you like this, try: Penny Dreadful, Yorick, Vampire Tarot the Lovers, Morocco

I just want to say how awesome Jinx Removing is. I rediscovered a little decant of it and since it said that this oil is to be used on the night of the new moon, I used it tonight. I didn't have time or enough oil to use in a bath, but I dabbed some on my chakras and visualised the accumulated negativity I get from day to day just flowing away, before dabbing the rest of the oil on a small tealight (a white candle, as per the instructions). The effect was instantaneous. I felt an incredible cooling tingle where I had applied the oil, but it was especially strong on my third eye. I know it's the peppermint (the oil has the smell of peppermint tea) but even a small dot of oil made my skin tingle intensely, and it was a pleasant feeling, it cleared my headache and also cleared my cluttered up mind. I now feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Amazingly powerful stuff.

Does anyone have pictures of the Bat's Day bath oil and spray bottles?

Chaotic Neutral is an amazing combination. Both scents are beautiful musks, so naturally they would go together. The hot, fiery, deep musks and spices of Chaotic are softened by the clean floral musk in Neutral, but also the springy freshness of Neutral is given a kick by Chaotic, it’s revved up and made a little more rebellious. However I think the Neutral picks out more of the rooibos and heliotrope notes in Chaotic, highlights them nicely. The scents blend well and there’s a good balance of both scents-I smell equal amounts of both scents.

I now want to know what Idris aka 'Sexy' the personified Tardis would smell like...any suggestions?

I was thinking of BPALing Doctor Who characters so I'll add my contributions... 9: Time Does Not Bring Relief, perhaps? That has leather, and there's 'time' in the name... 10: something with satsumas/tangerines or tea. I keep thinking Schrodinger's Cat because the quantum theme seems to fit, and it has a tangerine note. 11: definitely needs custard, but no fish fingers! Rose: I keep thinking a combination of The Rose with Wolf Moon (for Bad Wolf) Jack: I think his scent needs an immortelle/life everlasting note. Rory: Antony seems to fit. It's got a Roman theme, and Antony was devoted to his lover, just like Rory is devoted to Amy! Donna: I think her scent needs ginger, and should be loud and spicy...there's also La Bella Donna Mia Mente simply because it has Donna in it but it seems a little too gentle for her? Martha: something that relates to nursing, healing...maybe Nostrum Remedium? I'll have to think about Amy and Mickey and River-she needs something that screams 'strong female', but also needs a hint of mystery and mischief... Cybermen: the most obvious scent would be the Android prototype. Or perhaps Mechanical Phoenix. The Master: maybe Delirium to represent his madness (maybe a dash of Kingdom of Sweets to represent the jelly babies he loves) Silurians: Reptoid Dominion, without question! Sontarans: Great Sword of War because they are such a warlike race. Daleks: I think Malediction could work because they are pure hate and evil, maybe some Kroenen to represent something malevolent and metallic. Weeping Angels: Les Anges Dechus or Nephilim (because they are fallen angels of a kind)

Virginia Bath Salts These are really gorgeous. The scent is a lot subtler and less sweet despite the two vanilla notes, but this scent is not gourmand vanilla, like Celeste, this is a woodsy vanilla or even vanilla incense-in fact, this is more of a sweet sandalwood scent than a vanilla one. And what glorious sandalwood this is! It’s rich, woody, warm and a little bit spicy, a very complex and exotic wood given the perfect level of sweetness by the vanilla. The vetiver note is subtle but I can definitely smell it, grounding the scent, adding a hint of smoke and earth to it. Because this isn’t a concentrated perfume, I tolerate this usually troublesome note better in here. The scent was quite subtle in the bath-sometimes I could smell sandalwood; at other times the khus was stronger. But I rubbed some of the oil remaining in the baggie on my skin afterwards for the full vanilla-sandalwood effect. It’s very different from the perfume but it compliments it nicely because it smells like dry sweetish incense. I am very impressed by these bath salts so far!

Celeste Bath Salts The scent: CAKE BATTER. Pure and simple. This smells like I’ve bathed in a vat of vanilla cake batter. There isn’t much of a butter note but it is a creamy, sugary, incredibly rich and gourmand vanilla. There is a tiny hint of Playdoh to it but it’s not distracting. I don’t smell much of the honey other than a tiny bit of a lovely milky honey or nougat note (I think it’s the same honey from Dana O’Shee) and I really like the hint of spicy warmth from the saffron. But really and truly, this is cake batter. (If I had a boyfriend, he’d probably be licking me!) I was a little apprehensive at first because it smells a tiny bit plastic in the bag, but that goes once it hits the water. I must admit I do prefer the complex, deep and nuanced vanilla in the perfume, but as a bath scent, this is perfection.

Kitty Bath Salts The salts: I love these! Even though the biggest grains don’t really seem to dissolve well and there’s a slight grittiness because of this, the salts make the water feel very soft. The oil makes the bath incredibly moisturising. The oil does float on the top of the water rather than dispersing like with the bath oils, but even so, it doesn’t feel like an oil slick and my skin feels so soft afterwards! The scent: glorious! It’s very similar to the perfume, except it lacks the orchid note, and it’s a lot heavier on the strawberry and vanilla, it’s a lot more gourmand. The spicy musk is more prominent in the bath/steam rather than on the skin, this occasionally has a hint of cinnamon that is really lovely. The scent that lingers on my skin is strawberries and vanilla cream, absolutely divine. I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on some more of this.

Are the Steamworks imps getting different labels? I just got one for No 93 Engine which is covered in images of brass cogs-though I wonder if this unique to No 93 Engine because my recently ordered imp of Smokestack doesn't have the brass cogs-just black cogs. I also love the fact that the Atomic Luau imps have cute images on the labels. Is the same true for bottles of these scents?

Phyllocrania Paradoxa v1 In the imp: yes, it is like Anti Saloon League. Creamy vanilla, sassafras and something musky. Wet on skin: ooh, this is nice. It’s like ASL, but it’s a tiny bit more cologne-y. Is that petitgrain? Dry on skin: interesting. I smell something a bit leathery like U, but the leather is sharper, lacking that grass and old books scent from U. The dominant scent I get here is a sharp, piercing men’s perfume, with a tangy cologne note of petitgrain or neroli. Underneath that I smell the slick black musk that’s in Reptoid Dominion and Titus Andronicus. There may be a bit of resin, probably copal, which to me often smells like high-end perfume. The ASL-style creamy vanilla is also there, but it’s pushed to the back of the scent by the strong and rather masculine perfumey scent. After a while: after a while the strong men’s musk cologne quietens a tiny bit and the vanilla-tonka-root beer scent becomes stronger, and it’s really gorgeous. But there’s something about this scent that gives me a headache, and I don’t get that from ASL. I think that petitgrain/black musk/leather perfumey scent is the culprit. But this sharp scent does fade slowly and the drydown is all about the vanilla cream musk, very much like the ice cream float scent I get in ASL. I’d say this one had a bit of wood to it as well, maybe teak? Verdict: I’m not sure about this. The first two or three hours of wear give me a headache and it smells too much like one of those black musk based manly scents, maybe with hints of deep dark wood, leather, a resin note, maybe even tobacco or cognac, with a piercing topnote of cologne. But underneath is a sublime vanilla musk with hints of cream, pale warm wood, tonka and subtle sassafras, and this becomes the dominant note after a few hours. I love that scent, it’s soft, cosy, sweet but not cloying or gourmand, and also sophisticated. But I’m not sure about the headache-y stage I have to endure before I get to that beautiful drydown. I’ll stick to Anti Saloon League, which smells similar to me. Is it a keeper? Maybe I’ll keep my tester, but I won’t need a bottle. If you like this, try: Anti Saloon League, Antikythera Mechanism, Stimulating Sassafras Strengthener, Morocco, Tombstone, Haloes, Fern Frost, U, Liz

Celeste In the imp: slightly boozy vanilla with a bitter saffron note. The vanilla is awesome though. Wet on skin: whoa. The saffron here is strong and almost chemical/alcoholic, but there’s a glorious vanilla underneath. Dry on skin: nooo, plastic! I am sad. This develops a scent of PVC! It’s like vanilla sugar and PVC and polished shoes. I really hope this scent dies because the vanilla sugar I smell here is so nice. It’s like the vanilla amber sugar in CC Female, I agree, maybe also like XCDL13. But that PVC smell is really annoying. I’m not sure if it’s the floral part of the orchid or if it’s the saffron. After a while: so the PVC note is receding a little, and turning into saffron. It’s fierce saffron though, with a scent of polished leather to it. It’s not subtle like the one in Underpants, but it isn’t medicinal wintergreen like Love’s Philosophy either. The vanilla on the other hand is magnificent. A little sweeter and fluffier than the one in Elf v4 or Underpants, this is vanilla sugar blended with a very feminine, slightly floral vanilla musk. It’s a very pink vanilla. Eventually (I think it takes an hour or a little less) the PVC is totally gone! What I’m left with is the most glorious pink vanilla sugar scent. It’s a bit like candyfloss and ice cream but there’s a sophistication to it as well. Verdict: I wasn’t sure about this in the decant, but the bottle I ordered is so much nicer! Not as PVC-scented and with a lot more vanilla. And I love this vanilla so much! After the biting saffron note fades away, clouds of fluffy vanilla (which if they were visible, would be pink) waft around me. Celeste is fittingly named because this is heavenly vanilla. I love how much throw the vanilla has, and how long it lasts on me. It’s a vanilla note that’s like a cross between vanilla sugar and candyfloss. I tend to find that Madagascar vanilla has a sweeter, more sugary, slightly cake-ish scent to it whereas Bourbon vanilla is deeper, darker and sometimes a little smoky. This vanilla is definitely the sweet fluffy variety that at times has a hint of cake (just cake, no icing/frosting/filling) to it, however at times the orris adds a hint of something almost musky and the orchid gives it a sophisticated floral aspect. This scent is really growing on me and I can’t wait to see how the vanilla develops as it ages. A must for all vanilla-philes. Is it a keeper? Yes. I may even get a backup in case the vanilla ages amazingly. If you like this, try: Clockwork Couture Female, Love’s Philosophy, Morocco, Signior Dildo, Staged Moon Landing, Lyonesse, Underpants

Serket v5 In the imp: hay and dates, maybe a bit of fig too. Wet on skin: dried fruits and dried straw. Dry on skin: interesting. This smells like dried fruits, burning myrrh, hay and grains, and an arid sandy note. It’s like Gomorrah with less of the darker fruit notes (no currant) and with hay instead of herbs. There’s also a slightly nutty note that my skin seems to turn into peanuts (what the?) as well as the one myrrh note that I don’t like because it smells burnt and weird on me. But the dominant note in here, at least to my nose, is date. This is full of mushy brown dried dates. It’s really nice and very unusual. These are dates on a base of sand and dried grains, and maybe some healing balsams. I think there’s also fig and maybe some dried apricots? After a while: the scent becomes drier, more arid and gritty. It’s what I’d imagine being in a sandstorm would be like-it’s really abrasive in scent, there’s a harshness to it, not sure if I’m keen on that. It’s very dusty, it almost makes my nostrils itch. There’s also that acrid myrrh note, identical to the Light Myrrh SN, which is the only myrrh note that doesn’t work on me. That particular bitter scent does seem to evoke a hint of venom though. The sweet fig and date scent is still there though, it’s just turned really sandy now. There is a note to it that I’ve just pinpointed-palm. Possibly date palms, but I smell the dried leaves and husk/bark of the tree itself as well as the fruit. Verdict: this is a very good evocation of the habitat of a scorpion: sun beaten sands, parched grasses, oasis palm trees, desert spices, heat, aridity, dust, but there’s a hint of sweetness that softens it a tiny bit, a sweet scent from dried fruit notes like figs and dates. Hints of offertory incense and healing resins, balms and dried plants can be detected as well. It’s very atmospheric as a scent but my skin does strange things to the myrrh here and the dusty note is a little too authentic, in that it tickles the throat like real dust! But I’m glad I got to try it and would love to see a Serket scent go live one day. Is it a keeper? Not this time-I may keep a bit for myself, but not a bottle. If you like this, try: Gomorrah, Black Lotus, Set prototype, Nyarlahotep