yeahbutnobut

Mr Jacquel In the imp: a wonderful spicy amber with patchouli, reminiscent of Sin and Aureus. Mmm. Wet on skin: mmm, now an almost papery patchouli note surfaces from the amber, and I smell dusty spices like ginger and cardamom. Dry on skin: oh, this is wonderful. This is dusty amber, so dry and warm, mysterious and soft and also brings to mind ancient papyrus and linens covered with the dust of ages, and arid desert sands. Golden and sunlit, yet shadowy. The patchouli adds a soft earthy feel whilst the spices add the perfect amount of heat. But it’s really the scent of dust and faded golden spices over golden amber and a hint of dry earth, ever so evocative. After a while: there's definitely some cardamom in here, which is a good thing since I adore that spice…maybe a touch of cinnamon as well (but not 'red-hot' cinnamon!), and dry pale ginger. It actually reminds me somewhat of a dry chai mixture, but more discreet, without the outright hot spiciness, this is just gentle warmth, a dry, soft spice. But it still smells like the warmth and luminous gold of amber muted and softened by dust and sand, faded and aged, but rich and sweet. This doesn't change too much over time, it does get a little sweeter and more amber-y, but really it just remains as a beautiful mix of dry desert spices, dusty patchouli and warm amber. It also has a soft 'fuzzy' feel to it, which seems appropriate for a scent with slightly canine associations, a little bit like Coyote but less woodsy and a bit dustier. It also smells a little papery. This seems like a softer side of Anubis (the god, not the scent-this is very different to the Excolo fragrance). It dries down to a beautiful warm sandy furry amber-patchouli with spices all over, smooth and warm and so gorgeous…the sort of scent to snuggle up to. The patchouli and amber are very nicely merged together in this scent. At this point it is very reminiscent of Bakeneko, even though this scent is inspired by a jackal god, not a monster kitty. I wonder if this has a slight musk to it as well. I love the way this feels old and timeless but also strangely cuddly and cosy! And it wafts so nicely…and the amber really comes out after a few hours, like a warm sunset of scent. This now resembles scents like Jacob's Ladder and Ozymandias, and also a lighter version of Aureus. Verdict: I knew this would be amazing, and it surpasses even my expectations. This is a beautiful earthy amber-patchouli scent topped with a dusting of sun-warmed spices. Like Beth's other Egyptian scents, this is incredibly evocative-as well as the listed components I smell ancient dust and sand here, I get vivid images of dark dusty tombs full of golden treasure, desiccated linen, fragile papyri covered in funerary spells. Whilst the Anubis scent is like sticky ancient embalming resins and fragrant offerings to the god, this evokes the character and domain of Anubis himself. The spices are wonderful-I smell cardamom mainly, a little cinnamon too, almost like chai at times, but not a blatant spice-more like a dusty warmth. As the scent progresses, it changes slowly to a furry, comforting scent, golden and sand-dusted amber with a fuzzy patchouli aspect like what I got from Lycaon, but gentler. And there are some points where it really reminds me of Bakeneko, it has that same huggable furry spicy amber feel, but with a more Egyptian-and less feline-slant. I don't see a similarity to Luperci like others do though, but even so, I adore this scent from start to finish. In fact, this is a hot contender to become one of my top favourite Egyptian themed BPALs. Now I really want to read AG. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Of course! This may even be better than Anubis. I want more. If you like this, try: Anubis, Coyote, Ozymandias, Bastet, Bakeneko, Jacob's Ladder, Sin, Aureus, Shroud, Eshe

Mr Ibis In the bottle: a soft fresh green aloe-papyrus with the unmistakable fresh tang of Egyptian musk. Wet on skin: fresh and breezy light musk, this is almost like a cooler Ozymandias. Dry on skin: mmm, this is really nice! It smells very clean and tangy-fresh, almost effervescent, and breezy. This isn't the heavy Egyptian musk in Debauchery, or the furry Egyptian musk from Bastet. This musk is the fresh, tangy Egyptian musk variety that I've smelt in other EM scents, it's almost aquatic and very cool, like a river breeze. The aloe makes this scent even greener, the combo reminding me of Et Lux Fuit meets Embalming Fluid, with a bit of Ozymandias (the airy fresh E-musk that may be perceived as 'soapy' by some is similar to Ozy's clean top note). I can just about make out a hint of dry, dusty papyrus underneath. This is beautiful. After a while: this musk is very tangy, almost salty-it has the 'sun warmed skin with a hint of clean sweat' scent I usually get from paler Egyptian musks, but the aloe adds a cooler aspect, more like 'moonlit skin' here. It's a very bright, white luminous scent. The scent fades to a gentle aloe-touched fresh pale musk, like Embalming Fluid without the lemon tea, with a little bit of dry papyrus at the base, the papyrus isn't as strong as the reedy note I got in Meshkhenet, but I definitely recognise it. It's really a skin scent as well, as E-musk notes tend to be. Then it fades to a dry skin musk. It is soft and with a slightly bitter aloe note (bitter in a good way) and a touch of papyrus, still cool and airy but without the effervescent tangy scent I got before, and now it's a little bit dustier and more papery. The scent is very gentle and soft. I don't get very much vanilla. Verdict: I have an affinity for Thoth, so I needed to get this. And thankfully, I love this scent of fresh and airy musks, including a sharp, zingy variety of Egyptian musk-very clean and refreshing-it has a similar feel to the airy ozone notes without smelling like ozone. Unlike most Egyptian musks which have a sun-warmed aspect to them, this is very cool, a musk of the night. I also like the way this scent is both ancient in feel, and almost modern, at once. On the one hand it gives of a freshly sophisticated and almost clean cut scent to it, it is very unisex and understated-it strikes me as being a perfect refreshing scent for those hot days when I don't feel like slapping on anything with mint or citrus/tea. But there are enchanting evocative moments when this ethereal, breezy fragrance is like a soft wind blowing over the Nile at night, cool and slightly damp but still mostly dry from the desert all around, with a faint papyrus note. I haven't read AG so I don't know if this fits the namesake character, but it is an incredibly fitting scent for Thoth, I think. It is cool and silver-white, and reminds me of moonlight-and Thoth is a moon god. It is papery, also clear and focused and also quiet, a little papery and studious, but not stiff and dull…yet it does resemble Embalming Fluid's musk-aloe, which seems appropriate. A subtle, yet beautiful, bright and cool scent, perfect for everyday and especially good for hot weather. I'm going to wear lots of this once summer comes. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely. This seems to be one that will be worn a lot in summer. And how could I refuse a Thoth scent? If you like this, try: Embalming Fluid, Ozymandias, Et Lux Fuit, Dolce Stil Nuovo, F5, Meshkhenet

Kanishta The Other Woman. The scent of dark desire, heady with intrigue, shadowy with deception: black opium, Haitian patchouli, jasmine sambac, French magnolia and kush. In the imp: a really dark, but quite sharp jasmine rooted in patchouli. Wet on skin: the jasmine is still very sharp but a creamier magnolia comes out, and there's a hint of greener incense. Dry on skin: oh, this is quite good! It reminds me-but smells quite different to-Venom, in that it's jasmine soaked in darker notes, this time patchouli and opium. The jasmine and opium are quite sharp for now but the magnolia adds a gentler floral touch. The patchouli adds an earthy darkness, and I also smell a greenish incense smoke, vaguely like weed (yes, that's right!) which I think is kush. It doesn't make me smell like a pot-head though, don't worry! After a while: after a while, the jasmine tones down dramatically and mixes with the magnolia to form a beautiful creamy soft white floral. (The sambac variety tends to do that-smells sharper at first but then tones down to become beautiful, unlike the regular jasmine note that usually tends to do the reverse) and now it also smells beautifully spicy! It's like an exotic spiced floral incense, flowers sprinkled in spice with patchouli and opium smoke floating over the top, and the opium starts to remind me of the hazy poppy note in Stardust. Now it reminds me more of Venom and also Noir, only without the berries/plum and not as sweet. This is gorgeous and sensual. It also smells a bit musky. And at the end it smoothes out so beautifully and gives rise to that wonderful 'fruity-floral autumnal musk' scent I love so much and that is common to many BPALs. This is a floral scent that isn't like the usual sultry summer jasmines, this is one that speaks of that autumn, earthy and rich, I'm sure it's the patchouli giving this impression, as it smells very similar to Lot and his Daughters now, which has a very similar patchouli. I'm sure there's a musk note to this too, maybe some fruit? It also reminds me strongly of a floral Hellion at this point, I could swear that there's plum or another fruit here. Verdict: this is probably the most 'femme fatale' scent I've come across (other than Noir, which is so rare anyway). Dark, seductive, shrouded in mystery and with a sinister feel, this is a beautiful mix of flowers surrounded by exotic spicy incense. First the jasmine bites with an almost acrid sharpness, but the incense like notes all around attempt to calm it down. And it seems that this jasmine does calm and becomes charmed by the magnolia, patchouli and opium, transforming into a creamy floral with mysterious depth and smoky undertones. Voluptuous and alluring, very sexy and mature as a scent. and it gets even better with time-it gradually turns into an earthy, creamy, musky patchouli drydown similar to a few other scents and is unique to BPAL, it brings to mind autumn, only this time with a floral aspect to it. It is deep and hypnotic, smoky yet smooth. Beautiful. In fact, I think Kanishta is a sister to those elusive beauties, Venom and Noir, she has that same dark shadowy jasmine feel. I have a bottle coming of this wonderful, seductive, darkly feminine fragrance. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! This is so gorgeous. Bottle ordered. If you like this, try: Hellion, Lot and his Daughters, Melisande, Feu Follet, Stardust, Darkness, Vechernaya.

Smut 07 In the imp: almost a single note of red musk. Very similar to last year's. Wet on skin: now I smell cognac! Lots of dark cognac mingling with red and Siberian musks, and some vanilla too. Dry on skin: this is very much like last year's, right down to the almost patchouli like dark and dirty-earthy scent which pervades the fragrance, the cognac, the sugar, and the musks. For now though, I'm not getting as much of the condom rubber scent that I got last year, but I do get slight hints of it (it's still 'safe smut', better than no smut at all…), but the scent is still as goddamn sexy as ever. After a while: the rubbery scent does seem to weave in and out of the scent-at times it's strong, but right now the boozy notes are incredibly strong. I think this may be boozier than last year's, it still smells similar, but it seems the cognac is almost drowning out the musk. and it seems to stay boozier for longer, the musks still subdued by the strong cognac scent. I wanted the sugary vanilla and musks to come out like they did in last year's to create that Snake Oily drydown I really enjoyed. The drydown is sexy red-toned musk, but still soaked in dark dirty liquor. It's not as Snake Oil like as last year's was after a long wear time, this Smut seems to stay pretty consistent, smelling of booze and musk and a little rubber…or even kinky PVC! Verdict: this is very similar to last year's musk-o-rama, but I think there's even more booze in this one. It starts off smelling like Smut 06, a faintly rubbery boozy musk, red musk being the most obvious note along with cognac, but there's also some Siberian musk in here too, I think. In last year's, the drydown was a wonderful 'hardcore Snake Oil' scent, like the vanilla-patchouli-musk of SO but with more musk to it. This one still keeps it's boozy scent right until it fades completely. And it retains it's rubbery scent, which makes me a little uncomfortable. I do like Smut a great deal, especially the 06 version, but because it does seem such an intense and powerful 'no-holds-barred drunken fuck!' scent, it's not a scent I wear every day. And that oddly rubbery scent it has is very fitting, I must say, but a little too fitting if you get my drift…and at other times the booze notes are too strong. But when I do feel the need to slap on the Smutty stuff, I think my bottle of the 06 version will suffice. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I have a bottle of 06, which has more musk than booze, I think one bottle is enough…it's such an intense and X-rated scent! If you like this, try: Sed Non Satiata, Snake Oil, Mme Moriarty, Lust, Scherezade

Wulric In the imp: this oil is like a lava lamp, dark cocoa blobs floating in a paler oil. The scent is the most gorgeous lavender flavoured chocolate (and yes, I can actually buy lavender chocolate at Waitrose). Wet on skin: wonderful lavender flavoured chocolate. This is just like the Possets Naturals cocoa scents, a very natural chocolate fragrance. Dry on skin: ohh, this gets better! The vanilla and sage start to creep up out of the lavender chocolate, maybe with a little musk as well. This is so delicious! It is rich, warm, sweet, decadent, and also quite fuzzy! It's like a great big chocolate hug, with an almost Dorian-esque vanilla-musk to it as well, and a soothing herbal aspect. It also reminds me strongly of another favourite-the new version of 13. After a while: after the heady, hypnotic lavender fades away, I'm left with a beautiful smoky vanilla-chocolate-musk scent. I have a feeling the smoky, almost wood-smoke like scent I get here is the birch tar, as it does have a very slight-but pleasant-asphalt like scent to it. The cocoa and vanilla and musk have merged into the most gorgeous smooth soft furry scent ever-the sort of scent I want to nuzzle in to, it reminds me of a mix of 13 Revisited, Dorian, Velvet and Underpants. And the vetiver is so subtle-this isn't the evil stuff that takes over a scent, this vetiver is perfect. Over time the vanilla turns a little creamier and fuzzier, and I smell a little more of the vetiver. It also reminds me of the Bow and Crown of Conquest now, with cocoa replacing the leather. After many hours, the scent is a delicious cocoa tinged vanilla-musk, like Theodosius sipping hot chocolate instead of tea, I think the vetiver is really giving the other notes incredible staying power without smelling like blatant vetiver-I love that! Verdict: it seems this year that Beth has been on a lycanthropic kick, and this is probably the best werewolf scent ever, knocking Lycaon off the top spot. At first it's the scent of a wonderful lavender flavoured chocolate (which, believe it or not, tastes very nice-the chocolate, not the Wulric! I didn't taste this oil!) with hints of vanilla and sage. Once lavender leaves, the scent becomes the most amazing vanilla musk over soft velvety cocoa with a sublime scent of wood-smoke wafting over it all. The cocoa absolute Beth uses in here is breathtaking, and the vetiver is perfect-not the 'vetiver of doom' which amps on me exterminating all other notes, this vetiver adds just the right amount of long lasting, gritty earthiness to the scent and helps the scent to stick around. I can't get over how much of a fabulous comfort scent this is. So delicious, a real 'hug in a bottle' scent, warm and fuzzy herbal chocolate vanilla musk with a wild, dark, smoky undertone to it to prevent it being too foody, it's beautiful on me, I can just imagine how sexy this would be on a man. I think I need multiple bottles of this yummy chocolate covered wolf man! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I need more, asap! If you like this, try: 13 (new version), Dorian, Velvet, Bliss, Bow and Crown of Conquest, Theodosius, Lycaon, Monster Bait Underpants, Cerberus

Oborot Balkan fir sap, dark mosses, Greek Mountain tea flower, black pine, salty ocean spray, deep black earth, and a moon-touched magickal incense of sandarac, frankincense, and ravensara. In the bottle: dark and earthy. It actually smells almost like asphalt here, but with evergreen notes over it. It also reminds me of vetiver's depth and darkness, without smelling of vetiver. Wet on skin: green! This smells like crushed plant stems and fir needles, with a thick layer of tree sap. Dry on skin: now I smell a bit of sea spray, and a lot of pine, as well as mosses. This scent is an intensely dark green scent, or dark green against black. It smells like crushed herbs and torn leaves, freshly cut trees (when the wood smells slightly green and wet as opposed to a more familiar dry wood scent) evergreens and a little gritty earth-not the same wet loam as the likes of Penny Dreadful though, this is darker, and drier. Unfortunately the pine and sea spray combine to give a soapy/pine cleaner scent that I'm not sure about. After a while: this reminds me very strongly of another scent…I think it's by Propaganda Bath, I think it's their 'Orion' blend? That's a patchouli-evergreen-resin scent, and this smells quite similar. The evergreen notes of pine and fir (especially pine) are the most attention grabbing notes, but there's an earthy darkness behind it all which reminds me of patchouli or a darker musk. I get very, very subtle hints of frankincense and smoke wafting through on a sea breeze. The pine is a little too much like cleaner for my tastes but there's something intriguing to this scent, dark and mysterious and wild. Eventually the loud pine calms down a little and the scent left behind is surprisingly good. No longer as green as before, the scent that lingers now is dark, yet warm and balsamic. I can now smell the incense, golden and slightly spicy, softly smoky, with a dry herbal touch of what I think is ravensara, over an earthy, mossy base. There's also a golden balmy resin to this which is different to the frankincense, almost like copal, I wonder if this is the sandarac? And I do get something almost vetiver-like after a few hours. Indeed, as this dries, I'm sure there is dark, almost metallic vetiver lurking at the base of the scent-it is unmistakable, but thankfully it's not a strong, all consuming vetiver. Verdict: this is a very unusual fragrance that does transform and shape-shift into very interesting stages, from pine to sea air to moss to black dry soil and incense. It's very conceptual, very much evoking the landscape and mystery of its description, a scent that tells a story, a story that is entrancing and magical but also wild and unsettling. It starts off heavily pine and fir with sea spray (though in here it smells a little household cleaner-like I'm afraid) very fresh and green but with a very dark undertone of gritty earth, not the usual 'wet soil' note but something a little harsher. But once the pine fades, there's a gorgeous bit in the scent when the resinous notes shine through and a slightly golden incense scent winds it's way around the earth and moss and green darkness. This is really lovely, warm and intriguing, my favourite stage of this scent. this lasts for a little while before fading and leaving just the black-green and earthy notes behind, softened by moss, but with an almost sinister base that smells uncannily like vetiver. It's a very unique scent, strange and entrancing, but despite it's narrative feel and morphing complexity, there are bits when the scent smells a little too soapy or like pine disinfectant (the dreaded 'pine sol' reaction people talk of) and overall the scent is a little too masculine for me. I think I'll pass this on, but I really enjoyed experiencing this one of a kind fragrance, certainly not a perfume you'd find elsewhere. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. The soapy pine blast at the beginning is off-putting, but the drydown is intriguing and unusual. I'm not sure if it's a 'me' scent though so I may pass it on. (I'm being really harsh with my bottles these days!) If you like this, try: Black Forest, Thanatopsis, Zombi, Danse Macabre, Omen

Saw Scaled Viper In the bottle: whoa. Spicy. I can smell the cassia. But there's a lot of red ginger too…and this smells like the ginger that turns to rubber on me…oh dear. Here's to hoping it won't. Wet on skin: oh no, ginger's threatening to turn bad here…will the other spices save this scent from turning to the smell of hot car tyres? Dry on skin: hey, the ginger's being calmed down by the cinnamon and cassia! Yay! It does threaten to turn rubbery but for now it smells like ginger root, kept guard by the gorgeous sweet spices of cinnamon and it's darker sister cassia. For now this is all about the spices, hot and biting yet sweet and delicious. This is the best of both worlds when it comes to spice, the spices are both fierce and fiery, yet also comforting like a cup of chai. The Snake Oil isn't coming out just yet but I think that's what seems to sweeten this a little. After a while: now the spices seem to melt into each other. Ginger has submitted to the charms of cinnamon and cassia and now merges with them to form a very nice hot spice scent over a deep, sweet, softly Snaky base. The spices are natural in feel, and very dry smelling, it brings to mind a home made chai recipe, or dry gingerbread. Now is when it starts to smell a little Shubby as well, and also reminds me of Three Witches. Over time, this dry spice becomes more cinnamon-dominated, and increasingly dark and musky, almost like Smut, in fact…spicy Smut. I think the musk and patchouli of Snake Oil are showing up a lot here. And at the end, the Snake Oil vanilla slithers out of the spices and blooms beautifully, filling the air with its deep, rich, indulgent sweetness. I love this drydown so much…and it's also rare in that it strengthens with wear instead of just fading. Damn, this is going to be orgasmic when aged. Verdict: this was another Snake I was looking forward to-I mean, cinnamon Snake Oil? That's got to be the best thing ever! (Along with chocolate Snake Oil, aka Boomslang, which is also magnificent, but that's another story…) But as I smelt the oil in the bottle, I was a little scared of the obvious red ginger, which doesn't play well with me most of the time. Thankfully, the cinnamon and cassia beat the pesky ginger into submission, and prevented this scent from turning into something nasty and rubbery, and turned it into the perfect spiced Snake Oil. Like Snake Oil chai. It's even better than the 'cinnamon Snake Oil' experimental blend, as it's more cinnamon-y than that was. The spices play very nicely on my skin-I don't suffer from cinnamon burns anyway, but the ginger doesn't turn nasty on my skin at all. this is a hot, fierce scent with a warming undertone to it, it would be perfect for winter months. The drydown is even nicer-that's when the Snake Oil really comes out, and when it comes out, it has such throw. I love the way this scent broadcasts its vanilla-musk-cinnamon-patchouli-incense scent after a few hours. I'm so glad I got a bottle of this straight up, it really is as good as I hoped, and then some. I think I'll need more bottles of this just for aging! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! I can't wait to see how this spicy snake matures with time…and I think I'll get more! If you like this, try: Shub Niggurath, Bengal, Al Shairan, Snake Oil, Three Witches, Chimera, Priala

Crow Moon This is the final Full Moon of winter. The call of the crow signals the end of the frost, and their scent, of vervain, black violet, white musk, and Chinese cedar, is brushed by the last cold wind of winter on their wings, and the scent of evergreen boughs touched by the season’s final flowers and the first blossoms of spring: wintersweet, green-barked dogwood, primrose, snowdrop, and lenten rose hellebore bouquet. In the bottle: soft, sweetish herbal-floral. This does smell quite perfumey, but in a good way. Wet on skin: out comes the hollow wooden scent of cedar, with hints of fir, violet and musk, but also something rather perfume like. Dry on skin: mmm, this isn't bad! It is totally different from the 'snowy' moons that came before, this smells cool and airy but this is an early spring night with a slight chill in the air, not a freezing winter one covered in snow. I smell something almost like mint here, a very subtle evergreen, as well as a soft ozone like note- probably winter wind, as well as the musk, cedar (this is a particularly nice cedar) and violet. There's also a perfumey aspect to it, almost reminiscent of the nicer perfumes from a department store. I wonder if that is due to the floral notes…I get something reminiscent of Black Hellebore (which also smelt quite posh and perfumey), and hellebore is a component here. It also reminds me of Arkham (Revisited), but less sweet and much cooler. I smell hardly any verbena here-just a tang, nothing more, maybe the vervain is a softer, less lemony version. After a while: this becomes more and more perfume-like and the throw increases. It now reminds me of Arkham even more, but without the cloying sweet note that made me dislike that scent. The cedar is now a lot quieter, the violet and white musk are now at the fore, fringed with green notes and with a background of pale, soft, fresh floral notes I can't identify. It does smell very sophisticated though, very sleek and chic, and quite unisex. It also reminds me of a face cream my mum used to buy. Eventually this becomes a soft, smooth violet perfume. But this is not your usual violet scent-it has none of the 'old fashioned' feel that can sometimes appear in violet scents-this smells like a more 'modernised' violet, smart and stylish, violet graced with chilled silvery musk and a background of warm woods and bright flowers. Verdict: I was expecting something very similar to Wolf and Hunger Moons, ie with the 'snow note' to it. But this is totally different, in fact this is a highly unique BPAL and smells surprisingly like a well made expensive and modern perfume. This could definitely be a scent wafting from a perfume counter, but as it's BPAL, it is more unusual and without the sharp slap of alcohol. It's such a well-blended scent, aloof, sleek as a crow's feathery coat. It is silvery, a gentle and mysterious scent with a very pretty and fresh violet note which is like no violet I've smelt before (no 'old lady' or 'Parma Violet sweets' here!), a solid cedar base, fresh ozonic notes and white musk, a little evergreen, and some dewy floral notes. It manages to be ethereal and ghostly and evocative of those last cool nights of winter leading to spring, and yet it also smells very contemporary and classy, and mature. This is what I wanted Numb to smell like, actually, when I heard it was an ozone-violet-perfumey scent. this is quite different to most BPALs I've smelt, it really is one of a kind…though it does remind me of Arkham Revisited but colder, a little frostier. It is a beautiful scent, and I admire the artistry of this scent, and it's uniqueness, but I think it may be a little too perfumey for my tastes. It's lovely, but I'm not sure how much I'd actually wear it-I think it's because it reminds me of something my mum used to wear? I might try it again though-it may be one of those scents that grows on me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure. It is very well made, intriguing and unusual, but a little too perfumey for me. If you like this, try: Arkham (Revisited), Black Hellebore, The Raven, Black Ice, Snow Flakes, Jolasveinar, Numb

Khandita In the imp: a spicy yet bitterly herbal black musk scent. Wet on skin: whoa, the rosemary is harsh here, and I smell something almost medicinal as well. Dry: what an unusual fragrance! This is a bitter, harsh and heated scent. The neroli is of the bittersweet kind, not the citrus-floral kind, and the rosemary gives this a sharp herbal bite. The saffron is hot and fiery, but there’s a sweet black musk behind these notes. After about a minute the notes no longer seem to clash, though I do smell something almost like anise to this. This is an odd mix of smooth and slickly sweet musk with a seething bitter herbal-spice layer on top. After a while: the initial anise aspect of the scent does calm down, letting the musk through. For now saffron and musk dominate this scent, with saffron dancing like sparks from a fire over the black musk, and it’s not as angry any more-it’s still hot, spicy and sharp, but the musk seems to soothe the scent out very nicely with it’s dark, smooth sweetness. There are times when the musk mellows out very beautifully in here and it’s like Haunted with saffron sprinkled on top. Mmm. Indeed, this is what the scent settles into at the end-a sweet, almost amber/vanilla like black musk, sleek and sweet and dark, touched with saffron’s warmth. It’s still slightly edgy but not as fierce…it seems this irate lady has been anger-managed quite nicely now. Verdict: this does seem like a very ‘hell hath no fury’ scent, indeed. At first she bites and hisses with sharp stabbing notes of bitter neroli and rosemary with seething saffron over a deceptively sweet musk, overall there’s a scent of ‘enraged liquorice’ to this scent. (I suppose another name for this would be ‘Enraged Ex Musk’?). The tempestuous melee of notes is quite a jumble of scents, confusing and edgy, hot spices and herbs with jagged edges. But over time it all calms, as this scent’s temper cools, the musk starts to smooth everything out with a sweet, almost syrupy-sleek, and richly dark. It turns to pure black musk spiked gently with saffron, a spicy version of Haunted, I even smell something like amber to it which adds a golden sheen to this slick black musk…and it wafts nicely and lasts for ages on the skin as well. I’m not sure I love the first stage of this scent much-a little too harsh for my liking so I don’t need a bottle, but the drydown is worth the wait and worth keeping the decant for. It's one of the nicer, more wearable 'angry' scents, to me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely the imp, not really a bottle scent-the drydown is lovely though. If you like this, try: Chokmah, Phantom, Haunted, Wicked, Wrath, Great Sword of War

Abhisarika In the imp: mmm, this smells like the beautiful orchid from Shadow Witch Orchid, with a hint of something ‘perfumey’, possibly the musk. Wet on skin: oh, this is beautiful! I can’t smell the rose but the orchid in here is irresistible! Dry: oh wow. It’s mainly the most delightful sweet orchid, reminiscent of Shadow Witch Orchid, but with a background of something highly sophisticated and ‘posh perfume’ like in the best way. I suspect that’s the Kashmir musk, which seems to have bonded with the rose to produce a scent reminiscent of Othello and Rapture behind the orchid. I don’t smell cream, but this is gorgeous. Very grown up and ‘dressy’ as well. After a while: eventually the floral sweetness and heady orchid tones down, it’s not as sweet but it is still fresh and pretty. The scent has become a touch more perfumey now, it doesn’t smell like Othello as much any more, but does smell more unisex, fresh and tangy, and resembles very expensive perfume. I’m sure this is the Kashmir musk at play here, it smells almost woody as well, like Lucretia’s Kashmir woods, but with that sharp top note reminiscent of the nicer perfume counter fragrances. This is the sort of scent that just screams to be worn with the most elegant dress for a night at the theatre or a date at an expensive restaurant... There are times when a delightful creaminess surfaces to smooth the chic musk…it’s not a dairy or sweet cream scent, but more like the scent of a luxury moisturising cream scented with perfume that costs a million dollars. Eventually this becomes a soft creamy musky wood scent, with just the barest hint of flowers. The rose has been surprisingly quiet. Verdict: this is such a stunning scent, and as one of Beth’s more perfumey fragrances (as in, it resembles perfume counter stuff, but is much nicer, and there's no alcohol), it instantly gives off an aura of glamour and sophistication, femininity at it’s most refined. At first it starts with a burst of the most glorious orchid note, rich and heady, with a sparkling musk background reminiscent of mature, high-end perfume. The rose is very subtle here and just helps to back up the musk, it gives the scent a similarity to Othello as well. The drydown is less orchid-y but much more glitzy and much more perfume-like, a creamy bright musk with a hint of something sharper to it reminiscent of more upscale scents. This scent makes me feel grown up and womanly, it’s a scent that feels like it should be worn with designer clothes or smart evening wear, not jeans and a t-shirt, although even just wearing it with casual clothes makes me feel classy inside even if I don’t look it. This is a beautiful and well made scent, and it’s also ideal for anyone who’s making the transition from designer scents to BPAL. I have a bottle on the way. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes, I need a bottle. If you like this, try: Shadow Witch Orchid, Magdalene, Othello, Rapture

Khajuraho 07 In the imp: this smells like the 06 version…sandalwood incense and flowers. Wet on skin: now the flowers really come out! They smell intoxicating, almost boozy. Dry: mmm, now I smell the dry sandalwood incense I remember from last year’s fresh Khaj. It’s similar to many the ‘honeyed woods’ scents that have come out this Lupercalia, this year there’s a theme of India and honeyed woodsy incense to the Lupercalia scents (and that’s a good thing!) so this scent fits right in. I smell flowers in here (mainly rose and tuberose), but I smell more of the dates, honey, sandalwood and maybe a bit of vanilla too. Very exotic and complex. After a while: oh, this gets better! Last year’s one went a little cloying after a while but this one doesn’t, I think the champaca in this year’s Lupercalias is softer. Now this smells like a beautiful warm honeyed amber sandalwood spice incense, with just a little bit of floral to it. But then the champaca does return with renewed force…will it overtake? It is very, very sweet, like very ripe fruit. But the champaca doesn’t go crazy, and I like that. This scent does have some truly beautiful moments when the champaca calms down and the amber, date, vanilla, honey and sandalwood come out and do their thing, mingling into a smooth, slightly fruity, soft and sweet gorgeous fragrance, warm and sensual. The sort of scent I want to nuzzle up to. It dries down as a feminine version of Luperci, with soft sweet notes taking the place of the patchouli and moss and juniper, but with the same honey-incense feel. I swear I even catch a hint of vetiver. Verdict: I actually prefer this version of Khajuraho to last year’s. This is all the best bits of Khaj 06, but whilst the champaca in last year’s seemed a little overwhelming at times, this is much nicer-it’s sweet, but there’s just the right amount of champaca in here, I think. Or maybe Beth is using a batch of champaca which doesn’t turn cloying on me this year, as other scents with this note are working much better on me than expected. But apart from that, the other notes get a chance to really show off a lot more-the honey, the vanilla, the amber and sandalwood, the floral notes as well. All those other notes are fabulous in here and there are some drop dead gorgeous moments when the amber, vanilla, honey and sandalwood, maybe the date too, merge into a gorgeous incense-y sweetness, honeyed and soft and smooth, comforting and exotic. This really is the feminine counterpart to Luperci, I think. I liked the original Khaj but was a little disappointed at the sweeter moments, but this new and improved version is perfect! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I think I might like this better than 06. I’ve ordered a bottle. If you like this, try: Temple Viper, Luperci, Vasakasajja, Svadhopatika, Dr John Seward

Kalahantarika In the imp: very herbal lavender. Wet on skin: herbal, almost incense like lavender. Dry: mmm, this isn’t bad. It’s heavy on the lavender, but this seems to have an incense like base to it-maybe the elemi? The hyssop makes this smell more herbal, but I also get a scent of Indian incense behind it, like saffron or sandalwood-I have no idea what this is though. It also reminds me of one of the tarot/chakra/panacea scents which has lavender in it, but I can’t remember which one. It also reminds me of Gaueko, maybe Somnus too as it has a ‘knock you down lavender’ scent to it. After a while: oh wow, this sweetens beautifully! Now it smells like sweet herbal lavender over incense. What is causing this sweetness? Is it the Peru balsam? It now smells very soft and soothing, this, like Viparlabda, is very much a calming and healing herbal scent. I could definitely use this as a sleep scent. It becomes more ‘herbal incense’ as the lavender disappears, and I swear I get a little champaca here too, and something sandalwood/peppery as well. This does, however, become very sweet over time. A little too sweet, in fact. It smells like champaca, but this note isn’t listed…I don’t know what this sweet, almost cloying note is but it’s a little much. I do really like the incense and herbal scents that weave through the scent. The sweet note and the incense do seem to take it in turns to be the strongest notes in the scent. There are also times when I smell a slight hint of parchment or paper to the scent, similar to that of Clio and Dee, and I really like that-a nostalgic and stirring touch. It dries down to a soft herbal incense, very similar to the incense base that seems to run through the Lupercalia scents as a common theme, but this one is less woodsy-sweet, and smells a bit like patchouli. It now reminds me of a less masculine Clio. This strikes me as being a studious, serious scent. Verdict: at first this reminds me strongly of Gaueko, that soporific lavender incense, a heady purple haze that definitely seems to want to knock me out. Very herbal, almost therapeutic, it then gains a soft sweet incense scent, like a background of sweet Indian incense burning over lavender. Soft and herbal and dry and slightly smoky-ashy, very fragrant. I don’t know why but I also get a very strong and heavy sweetness behind it, almost hypnotic, it’s like tonka and/or champaca, but those notes aren’t listed. It has a softly papery drydown which is almost melancholic, it almost gives the impression of love letters on old paper, or letters of apology and reconciliation…but with a hint of incense to it. I like this scent a great deal and it certainly fits the theme and description. I’m not sure I’d wear it much-sometimes it is a little too sweet for me, but this could definitely be one scent to de-stress or fall asleep with, with its soft, herbal, sleepy lavender incense scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Maybe just the decant. If you like this, try: Gaueko, Somnus, Old Scratch, Ace of Swords, Vishuddha, Clio, Arcana, Vipralabda

Enraged Groundhog Musk In the bottle: a slightly buttery cake scent…and yes, I smell cassia here. It smells very similar to MB Underbed, only lighter. Wet on skin: now the cassia transforms into cardamom, and I get a slightly tangy undertone, possibly the cherry. Dry on skin: mmm, this is good! This smells like a delicious spicy soft vanilla caramel with a covering of dark and white chocolates! There is cardamom but I also think there may be a little cassia here (not plain cinnamon) as this reminds me of Underbed, but with less cake and no coconut. The cherry is really nice-like that of the Phantom Calliope, it doesn't go medicinal, but smells like sour cherry sauce. I even get a hint of, believe it or not, Buck Moon style musk, which must be the groundhog musk itself. This is such a fun fragrance! After a while: call my nose crazy, but I swear the musk in here is similar to that of Buck Moon's, that soft, fuzzy, slightly tangy skin musk, even with the slight greenery of the Buck. There's lots of gorgeous cardamom sprinkled over it (not as much cassia now) and I still smell the sharp fruity tartness of the sour cherry sauce, as well as dark chocolate. This is so good, and I love the way the musk detracts from the foodiness, adds an interesting twist to what would be an all-foody scent. And the caramel in here is surprisingly subtle! There's a surprising woody greenness to the scent that sometimes pops up, and the sharpness of the cherry is sometimes very prominent (it's not a bad sour scent though), but the soft furry vanilla-musk with chocolate and dry warm cardamom scent is very nice. There's also something almost toasted about this scent. And at drydown, the vanilla peeks out a little more, and the scent then begins to resemble another fuzzy little critter… namely, a beaver. This now reminds me of musky, cherry-chocolaty Beaver Moon! Then the drydown after about 5-6 hours is a fizzy-fruity sweet cherry over fuzzy vanilla chocolate musk, lighter and sweeter than before…indeed, the sweetness is like that of sugar cane, light and juicy. Verdict: this is possibly my favourite of the Enraged Musks so far. It's a fun, light hearted and delicious blend of happy foody notes, but there's nothing cloying here, nor is it a Gluttony-style overload. The caramel was very well behaved, and the spices were fantastic-yummy cardamom, dry and spicy and exotic, with a touch of sweet cinnamon-y cassia. The vanilla is warm and rich and turns slightly Beaver Moon-like at the end, the chocolate covered cherries are like good quality sour cherries covered in a dark chocolate ganache. But the musk, a fuzzy, soft skin/furry musk highly reminiscent of Buck Moon, prevents this scent from being 100% foody. It adds a fuzzy softness that is especially nice at the end when it merges with vanilla. I love this warm, playful fragrance, it is a fabulous mix of musk and gourmand-spicy notes. There are a few moments when the cherry's sourness prevents this from becoming a top favourite of the foody/spicy genres but at other times this is truly delicious, and I'm definitely glad I got a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? of course! If you like this, try: Monster Bait Underbed, The Phantom Calliope, Bakeneko, Velvet, Vice (I haven't tried this but it's chocolate cherry…)

Hope In the bottle: ohh, this reminds me of Possets Silver Roses, which I love. It's a gentle rose backed up with sugar and maybe vanilla. Wet on skin: the rose sharpens as soon as it hits skin, so this is sharper than SR now. Dry on skin: mmm, so beautiful. This is very different to SR now, which is a good thing. This is a sharp tea rose dusted in soft sweet sugar. I get a hint of something vanilla like underneath but it's mainly dry rose petals mixed with white sugar for now. This reminds me strongly of Kurukulla in that it smells of sweetness and sharp roses. After a while: now this softens so nicely. The rose's sharpness has settled a little and a gentle vanilla sugar starts to show itself. Now this starts to resemble Possets Frou Frou/Silver Roses a bit more, but it also smells a little bit like sugared Rose Red and Bearded Lady. This is gorgeous now. it becomes more and more like Bearded Lady over time, the scent of soft powdery icing sugar dusted over dry rose petals, and a subtle hint of vanilla. It also reminds me of rosy Antique Lace/Black Opal…I'm sure there's a white musk component to this. Verdict: I've tried a lot of 'sugared roses' scents and this is one of my favourites. It bears a few passing similarities to versions by Possets, Mara Fox and others, but it is also distinctly different and has that special 'Beth touch' to it. This is a beautiful fragrance where thorny tea rose contrasts with a delightful dusting of vanilla sugar. The rose here is surprisingly sharp, it's got real bite to it (makes me wonder-shouldn't Hope be the one baring her fangs in the picture?) I love the sugar in both twins, it's not the heavy caramel or brown sugar, it is actually very similar to the 'sugar' in the Lick It scents, except with flowers taking the place of the mint. Hope seems to me like the more confident twin, her rose note is gutsy and strong and tart, almost overtaking the sugar when wet. But at drydown, the powdered sugar comes out, sweetly infused with vanilla and with what seems like a little bit of white musk to round it off. This scent also seems like a great substitute for Bearded Lady, there's that same powdery soft rose aspect to it after a few hours. She is my favourite of the twins and I love this interpretation of the sugared rose theme as done by Beth. Gorgeous and feminine, a perfect contrast of sweetness and crisp sharp floral. I think I'll need more! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? yes! It's one of my new favourite BPAL roses. One to stockpile. If you like this, try: Kurukulla, Two Five and Seven, London, Rose Red, Lucy's Kiss, Bearded Lady, Black Opal, Lick It (Again)

Faith In the bottle: Parma Violets! This smells like sweet violets covered in sugar. Wet on skin: sweet sugar coated violets! This is such a pretty scent. Dry on skin: ah, now I see the Antique Lace comparison, although to me it seems closer to Black Opal, or Lick It with violet instead of mint. This is powdered violet mixed with icing sugar, but it actually smells more like Parma Violet sweets (right down to the chalkiness of such sweets). This is unbelievably pretty, and one of the few violet scents that doesn't smell 'old fashioned' to me. After a while: goodness, this really does smell like Parma Violets now. Just like those little purple pastilles-violets, sugar, and even a powdery chalky scent. But that's no bad thing at all-I really like this violet sweets scent that I get here, it's fresh and delicate, sweet and delightful. Eventually a soft powdery vanilla musk starts to appear, very much like the Lick It base, it smells like a fine powdery sugar and vanilla with violet on top, and a little white musk. The scent ends off nicely on that pale, sugary, powdery violet, a delightful fragrance. Verdict: this is the ultimate sugary violet scent. And it is a liquid version of those Parma Violet sweets I used to get in my Christmas stocking. I've said that about a few violet BPALs now but this one is the most 'Parma Violety' of the lot. Nothing can beat Faith for that title now. And surprisingly, it seems I really like smelling like this…for one, it's not the usual old-fashioned violet scent, it isn't dusty, traditional, cold and faded like some violet scents can be, it doesn't smell 'old' at all. The sugar in here is soft and crumbly, it's like icing sugar, and strongly reminds me of the sugar in Lick It, making this smell like a violet flavoured sweet, right down to the chalky-powdery scent of those sweets, but there's something like white musk at drydown which smoothes the scent off beautifully. This is light and dainty and uncompliacted, Faith is the softer twin here, and this scent is delicate and youthful. I do prefer Hope as I am more of a rose fan but this is my favourite of the violets so far along with Melisande, she is the violet cousin of Antique Lace, a younger Melisande or a more playful Le Serpent Qui Danse. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Of course. Thankfully I'm very fond of Faith as well as Hope. Definitely a set to stock up on. If you like this, try: Le Serpent Qui Danse, Melisande, Black Opal, Antique Lace, The Raven, Bearded Lady, Lick It (Again)

The Jersey Devil In the imp: pine and cranberries, and a warm, deep green note which I think is tomato leaf. Wet on skin: pine and berries and mushed up leaves. Dry on skin: mmm, this is really nice. Whilst most pine scents at the Lab are distinctly wintry and often dark, this one is warm and rich and brings to mind a garden by a pine forest in summer. This is a scent of sun warmed leaves and berries…I think the tomato leaf gives a very 'garden-like' scent to this, whilst the pine suggests wild forests, I smell blackberry brambles here too. I smell cedar at the base, a soft wood binding the leaves, pine and berries together. After a while: after a moment when I worry that the cranberry would turn to fermented fruit (like it did in Punkie Night, I think) it then turns to a pleasant dry cranberry scent. The pine has retreated and the deep green of tomato leaf and the warm wood of cedar are now more dominant. This now smells like mashed leaves and berries spread over wood and warming in the sun. It's a little faint now, though. It does smell like what I hoped Alecto would smell like (that blend turned to uber-olive on me). Verdict: this smells like a garden in late summer-early autumn, bordering a pine forest. I smell warm green tomato leaf and sun heated cedar planks, mingled with crushed berries and wild brambles and pine, a real mix of the garden and the wilder outdoors. It's very evocative, very fresh and natural. It doesn't last long but the drydown of dried cranberries over woods and deep evergreen greenery is very nice, and also very warm. It's not something I see myself wearing a lot but it's a very nicely crafted scent, genuinely outdoorsy, and it makes a change having a summery pine scent as well. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I like it but it's not something I'd wear much. Nicely evocative though. If you like this, try: Alecto, Lampades, Bewitched, Hemlock, Punkie Night

In the imp: yikes! VETIVER OF DOOM! I smell some black musk too but mainly Evil V, the heavy stuff that won't come off! Wet on skin: lots of vetiver, whoa. This stuff is so strong! Dry on skin: mmm, actually, this isn't so bad. It's packed with the heaviest vetiver, but even that doesn't overwhelm. In fact, I can smell the musk, patchouli, pomegranate and perhaps the barest hint of ginger, and I can also smell Egyptian amber. Indeed, this actually smells a little bit like Mme Moriarty! I swear I'm getting hints of plum, or something fruity at least, and the patch in here smells similar to Mme's patch, with it's woodsy tobacco scent. The vetiver is strong but I actually like this a lot. After a while: now the vetiver is starting to take over. The fruity amber scent I got before has faded, and the scent is now beginning to resemble Typhon, with it's black musk and vetiver scent (the black musk adds a sleek deep sweetness to the gritty vetiver). The patchouli in here is also strong, it's very much like Mme Moriarty's dry smoky-woody patch, and it is on equal footing with the vetiver. It also has a nuttiness to it that reminds me of Erich Zahn's nutty musky vetiver. After a few hours the vetiver begins to turn distinctively metallic and smoky. And it gets stronger and stronger as the hours pass. That's a rare thing for a scent but the vetiver in here is powerful. It does turn slightly incense-y (heavier vetiver often does this and it's one of the nicer things about Evil V). I also wonder if the ginger here is red ginger (like in the SN and Moxie) as I get some asphalt in here too…and it smells like Brimstone now, though less rubbery/burnt. I preferred the amber-fruity-musky scent I got before. This vetiver needs the steel wool treatment… Verdict: at first, this goaty guy smells surprisingly nice, and he's the lovechild of Typhon and Mme Moriarty. This scent has the deep musk and intense vetiver of Typhon, and the exotic incense-y patchouli and fruitiness of Mme Moriarty, with hints of amber popping up here and there. It is dark and quite sexy at this time, a lovely fruity vetiver musk with gritty, woodsy patchouli, smooth and powerful. However, vetiver does what it does best, and this Haitian vetiver is particularly potent, like it was in Samhainophobia…it amps up and strengthens even as the rest of the scent fades, and becomes the dominant note, all other notes are powerless when vetiver rules supreme (mwa-ha-ha!). It is one of the few scents where the scent doesn't taper off as usual, it strengthens surprisingly a bit after a few hours. It's a lot nicer than I expected, but in the end, it seems the vetiver in here is a little too much for me-I much prefer the 'manly Moriarty' stage I got at the beginning. I prefer the other amber-vetiver Salon II scent, Three Gorgons, to this. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. It's better than Malediction, but still too much vetiver for me, I'm afraid. If you like this, try: Mme Moriarty, Typhon, Samhainophobia, Brimstone, Music of Erich Zahn, Two Monsters

This BPAL perfume is just perfect for the eclipse. I find the scent really matched the maroon, dark amber and russet shades that the moon took on as it slipped behind the earth's shadow. I could also have worn Blood Moon as that also is a very suitable eclipse scent, but tonight I felt like slapping on the Schwarzer...and it was a good choice. It was one of the best lunar eclipses I've seen, especially in binoculars. My camera was playing silly-buggers with me so I only took a few photos...I'm not even sure how good my camera is with night images...I'll upload some on Monday if they are any good!

My gorgeous little kitty cat has just gone to the other side now. She had to leave today-I just got a call that she was so weak today that she couldn't eat, sleep or move much. A neighbour had to take her to the vet where the only option was to put her down. Now the house where she lived is so empty. I'll never hear those odd clicks and 'rrrrr' noises she used to make instead of meows. I'll miss her purrs and her soft fur and those bright white whiskers against a black face, her flashing green eyes, her elegant mannerisms-she was so expressive and intelligent, and so gentle-she'd never hurt a soul. Now without any feline presence in my life, I feel so lonely. The death of a pet is unbelievably harrowing to go through. It's the second time I've had this now. At least I still have her memories and I know she's still there, albeit in a place that I cannot reach for now-it almost feels like my departed loved ones are on the other side of a plane of existence, another dimension or universe that feels so close that I could touch it, and yet is physically inaccessible. But they are not gone completely. RIP my beautiful furry friend. You're with your sister now, in a happier place. eta: I just heard from my mum's friend who was looking after kitty as she slipped away. She mentioned seeing a pink glow in the conservatory where the cat used to sleep. It was probably a sunset reflection but I think it was more than that...I think she was saying goodbye as she followed the sunset, to join her sister among the stars. I think she's truly happy now. I am wearing BPAL Bastet in her honour, as she was always a true divine feline to me.

In the imp: black pepper with a hint of greenish flower stems. Wet on skin: hot black pepper and ginger and green lily stems. Dry on skin: this is very unusual! The most obvious note is the piquant fragrance of cracked black peppercorns. This is backed up by the heat of ginger. However I also smell a bouquet of white funereal flowers-not just flowers but their leaves and stems, stately callas and dainty lilies of the valley. These flowers risk turning to soap, but for now it smells like I've taken the pepper grinder and ground some pepper over some flowers, why I would do such a thing, I don't know, but that's what it smells like. It's a very unusual scent. After a while: lilies and lily stems. Now it smells like that sharp green stem scent I get in a lot of calla scents, but slightly blackened, almost burnt, and still peppery. It's almost soapy, almost waxy, but not quite. It just smells like slightly burnt, peppered flower stems. The scent fades fast leaving only a peppery but slightly soapy green flower stem scent behind, now a lot drier than before, it is quite faint after just a couple of hours. Verdict: at first this was a highly unusual mix of pepper and flowers. Dark, crackling pepper and a little ginger over white, wet flowers and their stems. Spicy flowers with a spike of greenery, and with that florist scent to it. After a while the pepper merges into the blooms and the scent becomes oddly smoky or burnt. The flowers of course do become soapy and sharply green as usual, mixing to form an odd peppery-burnt-soapy-white floral scent. I prefer my calla lily/lily of the valley scents to be well grounded with lots of heavier notes otherwise they turn to soap or waxy petals on me, and the pepper's spice, although interesting, doesn't ground the scent enough, and that also makes it fade fast. A very strange and intriguing scent, unique, and befitting the picture, but not my kind of scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? not really. If you like this, try: Temperance, Kweku Anansi (if you can find it), The Reaper and the Flowers, Asphodel

In the imp: interesting. I smell sophisticated manly perfume and a lot of moss. Wet on skin: lots of Spanish moss (yes, it is amping on me) with blackcurrant and tobacco, maybe some mahogany too? Dry on skin: whoa, this smells like very posh men's perfume. Very mossy, that's for sure, but at least the moss is letting some of the other notes come out. I can smell the fruity sharpness of the currant, and something 'perfumey' that reminds me of Manhattan, maybe it's the leather and khus (kush?), I also smell some tobacco but I can't identify most of the notes in here, but this overall smells like very expensive masculine perfume. I could imagine this wafting from the men's perfume counter in Harrods, but this doesn't smell as overwhelming as perfume-counter scents. After a while: the moss has now taken over the scent. Still, it's not as all consuming as the moss in Renfield or Bayou, it's a little drier as well, not as 'swampy'. It's now a little more powdery-green and the deeper notes seem to have moved off, I now smell orris in here, and a hint of musky ambrette. It almost smells like there's violet in here. It's still very much a man's scent. The drydown is a soft green powder of orris and moss, and the moss in here is very much a 'lichen' scent now, like moss on old stone. It's not as 'I smell like a well groomed gentleman' now. Verdict: this is very much a man's perfume, it's almost 'mainstream' in scent, sleek, grown up and sophisticated, any man wearing this scent oozes style and panache. I'm not familiar with at least half the ingredients here but the dominant note is moss, without question. I also get some sharper, cologne like notes, a bit of blackcurrant, some leather and a woodsy-perfumey fragrance that smells so much like something expensive from a department store. The Spanish moss, although prominent, behaves nicely here, and lets the other notes shine through, and the scent dries to a more powdery, soft scent with orris. It's an extremely well crafted scent, smells expensive and classy, like something from one of the big perfume houses. However it is really, really masculine, a little too much for me…I bet it would be gorgeous on a guy but this is one of the few male-oriented BPALs which is too manly for me to pull off…it smells vaguely aftershave/older man's cologne like on me. Not my thing, but I appreciate the artistry of the scent. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No, it's too masculine for me. If you like this, try: Manhattan, RM Renfield, Bayou, Cathode

Vasakasajja In the imp: a sweet, fresh fruity floral! Wet on skin: I now smell something grainy-maybe the amaranth? But it’s still sweet and fruity-floral. Dry: this is very pretty! It smells like cool wet tropical blooms-there’s champaca here but it’s not taking over just yet-and hints of grainy and fruity notes all around. It smells like sweet scented flowers soaked by rain-it’s a very cool floral scent, and surprisingly wet as well. I think the orchid is the main note here, with champaca supporting it and an unusual ‘cereal’ scent, like oats (but it doesn’t make me smell like muesli/porridge). The vanilla and tonka are subtle for now but just add to the sweetness. After a while: wow, the champaca isn’t turning to ‘banana blossom of doom!’ on me! It does have slight banana like tones to it but they aren’t all-consuming or cloying. This is a softer champaca, sweetened by vanilla, with a hint of something oaty or hay like, and with orchid on top, this orchid is probably gives the impression of a fresh watery floral. This now brings to mind flower petals floating on a crystal clear stream, and soft creamy pink coloured flowing silk robes. The champaca does threaten to make this scent quite cloying or over-sweet at times though, thankfully the scent’s gentle watery scent tempers the champaca nicely, and there’s an odd reedy/dry grasses scent which seems to have developed from the oat-like scent I got before. This floral scent does have a similar feel (but doesn’t smell like) Peony Moon, for some reason…it’s a very springy scent. The grain like note does smell a little bitter and strong at times, like harsh dry grasses (think Scarecrow), contrasting with the soft floral sweetness. But I do love the pretty fresh floral scent I get most of the time. Verdict: at first this beautiful sweet floral gives me the impression of exotic blooms drenched by monsoon rains or floating on clear streams, and of billowing silk curtains. It’s a very cool, wet, fresh and clean sweet floral, exotic and voluptuous but also youthful and dewy. This strikes me as being so cooling and fresh, it feels like a fresh wet breeze after a heavy rain, it seems made for stuffy summer days. The drydown is when the champaca comes out a little more, but it never becomes the cloying sweet scent I fear. There is an odd note to this that smells like grain, sort of like oats or wholemeal…I’m wondering if that’s the amaranth (which is a cereal)? This note does seem to turn oddly straw-like at times, and I’m not so sure about that scent…but other than that, the cool sweet watery flowers sweetened even more by the tonka and a little vanilla is gorgeous. It’s a scent that’s made for hot weather, I think. I’m debating whether to get a bottle or not-the floral scent I get is so unique and pretty, I’m not sure about the oddly 'straw and oats' moments, but I definitely want to keep the decant at least. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes. Not sure if I need a bottle (I’m considering it) but I’m keeping the decant. If you like this, try: Regan, Dr John Seward, Khajuraho, Peony Moon

Chintamani-Dhupa In the imp: a sweetly honeyed woody incense-it’s almost like a mix of Svad and Luperci. Wet on skin: mmm, now the honey and sandalwood are very noticeable. It’s very reminiscent of Svad at this point, but maybe sweeter. Dry: sandalwood and honey, with a hint of something softly floral and a clean note which may be pine. This is really pretty! I agree that it smells clean, but it’s not soapy or washing powdery…this smells like a cool mountain breeze scented with exotic incense-it’s not heavy or resinous, just softly woody and sweet and fresh, like a mix of the smell of trees in the forest and Indian incense. After a while: eventually the ‘clean blast’ settles down and the scent I then get is a beautiful sweet sandalwood. Very soft and lightly spicy, this is a gentle exotic wood, very sandalwood-y, but maybe with a little oude lurking nearby, with other spices and honey too. But it is subtle, in the best way-it’s like the smoke that lingers after burning good quality sandalwood incense…but it’s not headshoppy/hippie-like either. This smells like something I’d expect to smell in an Indian temple, not Camden market. And the throw it gives off-unexpected wafts of spicy sandalwood-is even more beautiful. This is really growing on me…it gets richer, spicier, sweeter, more fragrant and warmer with time, there are times when this smells like a spice market, it really is a ‘spices of the orient’ scent. there are times when the sandalwood even develops a slightly lemony-spicy scent, reminiscent of some other ‘Egyptian sandalwood’ scents from other companies. After a while I get an almost frankincense/saffron like warmth at the base of the fragrance. It also reminds me of Tushnamatay, Ahatoor and Kathmandu at this point-a warm, soothing, golden incense. This is beautiful! There’s a lotus/frangipani like floral sweetness to it at the end after a few hours, giving a softly pink blush to this golden scent…and at this point the scent is reminiscent of the drydown of Sol Invictus, for some reason. Verdict: I have a feeling this will become one of my top favourite sandalwood scents in BPAL, right up there with Underpants and Morocco. It does start with that clean scent other reviews mention-though it’s more like clean linen and mountain air than washing powder. But after this moment of cool airiness, the scent warms up and the sandalwood begins to work its magic. It then turns to a wonderful sandalwood incense, warm and spicy, it smells just like eastern spice markets and the scent of incense that has burnt and just lingers in a room-it’s not very smoky though. Delicious tones of sweet honey and spices as well as a beautiful creamy floral wind their way through the scent, and the gorgeous golden-pink drydown of spiced sandalwood resting on soft flower petals is beautiful. It’s a subtle scent-sometimes too subtle but I also like the gentleness of this scent-it’s like the whisper of incense lingering caught in a perfume. I love this and need at least two bottles! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. I think I need to stock up on this. If you like this, try: Svad…, Luperci, Kathmandu, Sri Lanka, Khajuraho, Tushnamatay, Sol Invictus

I know. It's hard when a pet's life is so short...I've lived with my cats for most of childhood so it's particularly painful this time because there's no furry company. It'll hurt even more when I go home...the hardest thing is getting back to doing my work tonight-it has to be done, but it's really hard when this has just happened.

She's still alive, but I've never seen her so weak before. She's got stomach tumours, just like my other cat, but not as painful so we're not putting her down just yet. They're eating away at her life though. She's so old anyway, I knew it would be the end soon, I just didn't expect it to be that soon...I just hope I can see her again next weekend. It will be so sad to no longer have that feline company I loved so much.