yeahbutnobut

Kabuki In the imp: sweet liquorice. I can make out a little musk but it's predominantly anise. Wet on skin: sweet, musky liquorice. It's actually quite nice. Dry on skin: now the juicy black cherry comes out. This smells like spicy-fresh anise, sugared cherry and a hint of lovely red musk underneath it all. It's much nicer than I expected though the anise does make this smell a bit medicinal (though it doesn't smell like Bonjela like some anise scents can do…) After a while: the anise now fades away so it's not as obvious as before-it still hangs around but it now lets the musk and cherry do their thing. And what a scent. I love the combination of red musk and fruit, and I get that wonderful cherry-red musk scent that I also get in Hollywood Babylon, but not as complex as those two scents. It's still a delightful fruit-musk, with an anise edge to it. Eventually the anise dies down completely and I'm left with that yummy cherry musk scent, it's sweet and I'm very sure that this is the base of Blood Lotus as well. This is like non-lotus Blood Lotus, not as complex, and slightly fainter. Verdict: this is what happens when the innocent pink anise-sweetness of Kyoto grows up and gets sexy! It starts out incredibly liquorice-y that it's almost off putting. I don't mind eating it (sometimes) and drinking ouzo and the taste of Bonjela, but not smelling of it-smells like medicine to me. But this does fizzle out and the scent becomes so much nicer after about 15 minutes, turning into cherry and wonderful red musk. It's that creamy, rich, juicy cherry musk numbed by the cool touch of anise. It's very similar to Hollywood Babylon and Blood Lotus's base, but doesn't have the richness, complexity and depth of HB and BL though. I do like it, and I'm a huge fan of Beth's fruity red musks but this one, though it's lovely on drydown, is a little bit too much anise-y for me at the beginning…I have other musk scents I prefer. But this is nicer than Kyoto on me... Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Hollywood Babylon, Kyoto

Arcana In the imp: lavender and rosemary, a very herbal scent. Wet on skin: now the neroli rises up from the lavender-rosemary scent. Dry on skin: mmm, not bad! This is a very agreeable scent-soft lavender with a tangy-sweet layer of neroli and verbena, a hint of greener rosemary. The frankincense isn't obvious but it lurks behind the scents, adding a soft resinous warmth to it all. After a while: the rosemary gets stronger after a while, mingling with verbena to form a very herbal-lemon scent which is almost savoury, very warm and grounded by frankincense. I don't get as much sweet, pale, fruity neroli now though. It's now herbs, herbs, and more herbs. After a couple of hours, the frankincense is much stronger, and it's really lovely. It adds a gorgeous resinous golden scent to the whole scent which is still predominantly herbal, and it smells very much like the remnants of incense smoke lingering in a herb cupboard (that's the best analogy I can think of!) Verdict: this is a very nice, uncomplicated herbal blend enhanced by frankincense. it starts off strongly lavender-neroli but this burns off quickly and the scent becomes heavy on the rosemary for a while, with hints of verbena, and the frankincense then comes in and makes itself known upon drydown, which is my favourite part of the scent. It's very pleasant but I'm not sure I like it enough to keep it-it does remind me somewhat of the Scales of Deprivation at times-that same Mediterranean evening with incense feel-but without as much complexity. I may or may not keep this. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Scales of Deprivation, Nero, Magus

Healing The scent: citronella/lemon verbena with a clear, medicinal (how apt!) undertone. The intent: wow. I used this oil to heal something minor, and it gives me a major effect. I first tried it to see if it would treat period pains. I rubbed the oil on my tummy where I have cramps, with intent, hoping that the pain would leave me, and it seemed to work, the cramp started to recede. The area where I rubbed the oil also felt very warm afterwards, which was interesting, and also soothing. And then the warmth just started increasing, and soon after I felt the most amazing sensation-I can't quite describe it but it was almost like being surrounded by comforting, reassuring, healing energy all over. In fact, it was a very, very loving feeling…I've had this feeling before and I have my own ideas about where it comes from which are quite personal to me, but I did feel it with this oil. And there was still that incredible warmth where I had applied the oil. It was almost like a 'deep heat muscle rub', or a hot water bottle…really soothing, very positive. I'm so impressed by this oil. It heals, but it doesn't just heal the specific ailment you want it to heal, it heals you all over. I also noticed that I slept a lot better that night than I usually do. I might get more of this oil. Though I also have Radiance of Ra, which is also a very effective healing oil (worked wonders on a cold!) and I prefer the smell of. However I'm just bowled over by the general Healing oil, because of the feeling it gives, the powerful yet gentle energy it calls forth, and it's efficacy.

I've seen Thanatopsis come in a very different bottle as well, it was also a picture I saw on Ebay (though I no longer have the link)-it was a sort of flat, squarish, very decorative clear bottle with a tarted label-I think it had a silver cap?

Dragon Moon In the imp: fresh, slightly soapy cherry blossom, a hint of Holiday Moon's tea-bamboo scent, and d-b. Wet on skin: lots and lots of cherry blossom reddened slightly by dragon's blood. Dry on skin: mmm, not bad. This is a very pretty scent-it's very pink, very springy, and very Asian. A calm, zen scent. Cherry blossom is dominant here, and it's quite lovely, I must say. I get sharp tea and cool, pulpy bamboo at the base. Maybe a hint of sandalwood. the dragon's blood is there but it just enhances the 'pinkness' of the cherry blossom. Whoever said this is a more spring like version of Holiday Moon is spot on. It does smell a little bit soapy though. After a while: this gets even more soapy, I'm afraid. This does smell more like Holiday Moon's bamboo with a lot of cherry blossom, but it seems that combination is reminding me of a certain soap I smelt somewhere…probably in a (clean!) public toilet. I'm not keen on this soap stage, despite the pretty and light scent it has at times. Eventually the sandalwood appears but the scent has become very faint and the scent develops a dry, flat scent, no depth or anything…just dry cherry blossoms on pale wood and dry bamboo. And then after many hours this turns to a sharp, dry, greenish, slightly acrid scent which reminds me of the drydown reactions I get from a few jasmine and honeysuckle blends. And I'm not so keen on this. It also smells like watered down dragon's blood. Verdict: I'm quite glad I didn't buy this, because it's my least favourite of the Chinese moon scents. The start was pretty, calm, and peaceful, it was like Holiday Moon painted pink. But then it began getting soapy, flat and one dimensional on my skin. I don't say this about most BPALs and I love Beth for her wonderful smells and usually the oils she make blow my mind, but I'm afraid to say that on me this scent is rather bland, there's no depth here, no richness, at least not with my chemistry. This scent doesn't do anything for me at all. It's not spectacularly awful, it doesn't turn nasty on my skin, but it's just quite 'meh' to me. And it had such a cool name too. Oh well…I may be having a bad skin day though, due to monthly matters. I'll probably swap or sell my decant. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Kyoto, Aizen Myoo, Holiday Moon

In the imp: cypress, juniper and labdanum, a sombre mixture of woods and resins. Wet on skin: dry, pale woods, resinous notes, piercing juniper and maybe some yew? Dry on skin: interesting! This is such a fascinating blend. I now smell the aquatics, adding a freshness to the scent, contrasting the darker notes. I smell cypress, sticky resinous labdanum, the juniper's bright sharpness, pale sandalwood…no floral notes yet though. This is both a scent with heavy, mournful tones but with cool aquatic notes splashing around the edges. After a while: hmm, I don't know but I'm not so keen on it now. the cypress and labdanum are still there, but the aquatic note has turned really soapy. It's a real 'washing detergent' scent now and less like pleasant watery notes. Usually it's ozone notes that turn to washing powder but this time the aquatic is doing that. I get hints of rose now, and something deep green that smells almost like vetiver (maybe a combination of cypress and yew?) but I'm not really into the soapy smell that surrounds it. Eventually this turns into a weird scent of labdanum, 'vetiver' and soap. No sign of the rose, lily or benzoin. And then it's all labdanum, soap, and smoky…tobacco? And vetiver. I have no idea were those notes come from. Verdict: this was the only let-down in the Salons so far. It had a promising introduction, a deep, doleful scent of dark notes like cypress and labdanum with deep green yew (I think) as well as juniper, surrounded by watery, fresh notes. it really fitted the name. But then it turned soapy. Really, really soapy. Like washing powder. A really weird mix of clean laundry and dark, heavy, sombre notes which just didn't do anything for me. The drydown is even weirder since one of the notes mysteriously morphs into vetiver of all things, and clashes with the 'soap'. No rose to be found here. Such a shame really because this scent seemed like it would be so unique and wonderful in a good way, but not so on my skin. I'll let someone else have my decant. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Hades, Jolly Roger, R'lyeh

Ok, so I admit I didn't splurge as much as I thought, which is a good thing because student loans don't arrive until late September. I'm making another order on Saturday because my dad gave me some money and I'm going to put it in my bank account tomorrow...ok, so what do I think? Update musings... The ones I got-bottles: F5 Aloe, white musk, lime peel, fresh mint, seaspray, verbena and green tea. I love it. F5...what a cool, minimalist, modern name for a scent. Almost mainstream, and fitting with it's notes. I wonder if it will smell like a fresher, more gender neutral Berenice with a little bit of Embalming Fluid? The only note that could turn odd is verbena which can be gorgeous or soapy. MME. MORIARTY, MISFORTUNE TELLER Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum. This has such a stellar cast of notes. It also brings to mind Snake Charmer. How could I refuse a scent named after Beth herself? THREE BRIDES -- Moroccan rose, king mandarin, red sandalwood, Egyptian amber, orchid, carnation, benzoin, tonka, calla lily, vanilla flower. This reminds me of the Haunted Palace with hints of Moscow or LitA. I adore Egyptian amber, rose, red sandalwood, carnation, vanilla (vanilla flower sounds especially nice-it seems like it will be softer than the bean) so I think this will be fantastic on me. The ones I got: imps LES BIJOUX Skin musk and honey, blood-red rose, orange blossom, white peach, red apple, frankincense and myrrh. Reads like a who's who of favourite notes and notes I like and won't ruin the scent. I should have got a 5ml straight away. TANIN'IVER Lilith’s monstrous dragon steed: dragon’s blood resin, patchouli, pomegranate, myrrh, mimosa, cassia, blood musk and smoke. What an amazing cast of notes. I adore cassia, blood musk and myrrh. Like pom, patch and mimosa. The smoke and DB could be either nice or not so good. But the surefire winner notes outnumber the questionable ones, so this one's destined to work on me. MANHATTAN sheer amber, black leather, white mint, lemon peel, white tea, grapefruit, kush, teakwood and orchid. Could this be my new favourite of the leather scents? I am reminded of that other fantastic leather scent, Bow and Crown, only this looks more slick and sophisticated, and more complex, maybe sharper. I'm interested to see what kush is like-is it really cannabis? URUK Thick bitter almond and heady night-blooming jasmine with saffron, cinnamon leaf, red patchouli, river lilies, bergamot, fig leaf and the sacred incense of Inanna. This looks like it will be stupendously beautiful. I do like jasmine-night blooming ones work nicely on me. Saffron, patchouli, fig and almond are all good. Cinnamon, water lily and incense are favourites. if this doesn't work, I will cry...the Sumerian civilisation is my second favourite ancient civilisation... COCKAIGNE milk and honey, sweet cakes and wine. Hoping the milk and honey are more Dana, less Milk Moon. And CAKE! Gimme cake! cake! I want cake! I vant ze cake!! LYONESSE Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss. This looks absolutely spectacular. I love vanilla, musk, stargazer, and sandalwood. I'm a bit iffy about grey amber, if that's the note that turned sour in Ides of March. Elemi I'm not familiar with. But this looks very, very promising. Will get: THE PENITENT MAGDALEN -- Immortelle, lily of the valley, gaiac, amber, honey, white sandalwood, almond flower, blonde musk, and hyssop. The gaiac, immortelle and almond flower are unknown to me so I can't wait to see what they smell like. Honey (the sweeter, the better), amber, sandalwood and musk are favourites. This is set to be another stunner. CARNAVAL DIABOLIQUE opium smoke, lemon flower, heliotrope, tuberose, black musk, vanilla, coconut, apricot flower. The opium smoke worries me, but the other ingredients either intrigue me (lemon flowers-the flowers of the lemon tree, I know for a fact, smell gorgeous) or delight me. Heliotrope, black musk, vanilla, coconut, are all favs, and apricot flower intrigues-will it smell like the fruit? MIDNIGHT ON THE MIDWAY sugared incense and night-blooming flowers. Mmm, looks interesting. Vague, but promising. I'm just a little worried that the nasty variety of gardenia could be among those night bloomers. But it could be like Midnight with added candy floss and incense... MELISANDE, THE PUPPET MISTRESS Jasmine sambac, dark musk, violet water, vanilla bean and mimosa. I wonder if 'jasmine sambac' is a rich, deep, heady jasmine? Violet water looks interesting. And it has vanilla! GENNIVRE, L'ARTISTE du DIABLE Hyson tea leaf, pale mint, sugar cane, orange blossom, lemongrass, and honey. Once Macha said this was inspired by Moroccan tea, it made me even more eager to try it. But lemongrass could overwhelm it all. But this looks so promising, so fresh and sweet. THEODOSIUS, THE LEGERDEMAIN Earl Grey tea leaves, a white fougere, jasmine leaf, pearlescent white musk, and vanilla bean. First thing that pops into my mind is Dorian. I loooove Dorian. So if this is Earl Grey Dorian, I will probably adore this (if it smells like Tetley's Earl Grey Vanilla tea, I will do a glee-squee). I wonder if jasmine leaf is floral, or leafy? I DIED FOR BEAUTY The Venusian splendor of ylang ylang and violet stirred by hyssop, frankincense, and grave loam. Love the loamy scents (apart from Zombi) so this could be lovely. Like ylang, hyssop and I love frankincense. THE JERSEY DEVIL Pitch pine with blackberry leaf, cranberry, cedar wood and tomato leaf. What an interesting note list. Good to see cranberry and tomato leaf here. I've never smelt tomato leaf and I've seen it's praises sung on this board so much it's aroused my curiosity. This could be a gorgeous nature/garden sort of scent for autumn. Imp. CALIBAN The scent of the salty seas, bittersweet wine, palm and tropical ferns. This looks like a good summer scent-I like the marine notes so far. Fern and palm and wine looks like a very unique mix. LADON The hundred-headed dragon that guards the garden of the Hesperides: dragon’s blood resin, golden apple, apple blossom, white musk and hyacinth. DB and apple? Interesting. And there's hyacinth! Apple blossom can be dry on me, but I'm hoping the apple note is sweet. MAG MELL The warmth of amber, the puissance of white ginger and the clarity of verbena, with fresh green grass, lush sage and cleansing droplets of summer rain. This looks intriguing, indeed-fresh and clean and green. The rain may turn odd on me, but this looks amazing. I would love to see how the amber works with the fresh, bright notes. PONTARLIER Swiss ferns, lilac, blackcurrant, Gallic rose and lavender with a dollop of sugar and absinthe. All the ingredients apart from absinthe look gorgeous so I'll get this soon. PORT ROYAL Spiced rum and ship’s wood mixed with the body-warmed trace of a prostitute’s perfume and a hint of salty sea air on the dry-down. Arrr! I need to get this for it's piratical associations. I'm a bit intrigued and slightly concerned about the 'prostitute's perfume' though. To my modern-day mind it brings to mind cheap, sleazy scents, but back in the old days, such perfume must have smelt a lot better (and this is Beth, mind, and she doesn't do cheap, tacky stuff!) so I have high hopes for that. DEATH OF THE GRAVE DIGGER -- Snow, soil, opoponax and myrrh. I wonder if this snow note is that lovely pine-citrus scent from Skadi and Snow Moon etc? This one looks intriguing-snow and soil and resins? Wow. ELIXIR VIII: BITCH -- Snappy-quick PMS relief YES I NEED THIS. (is currently going into the dreaded monthly mood.) ELIXIR IX: TKO -- Sleep, sleep, and more sleep. Ditto. I hope this will be the mother of all soporific scents. My insomnia is so bad that I need something equivalent to chloroform-hopefully this will have that effect but with a nicer smell. Ones I'm interested but unsure of: THE PHANTOM CALLIOPE black cherry, patchouli, cassis, cardamom and verbena. Love cardamom. Not so sure about cherry and verbena but this is worth a decant too.This seems like it will be sharply fruity but...cardamom! THE CANDY BUTCHER Dark chocolate with a heavy cream undertone. Oh dear. If this does a Bliss on me (ie turns fake and bland smelling) I will cry. My dream is that it smells like that delicious, thick, indulgent, rich hot chocolate I drank all the time when I was in Paris. Both in the bottle and the skin. THE ORGAN GRINDER Almond milk, sarsaparilla, tobacco smoke, black patchouli and white pine bark. This sounds a bit masculine but I'm intrigued by almond milk and salsaparilla... PULCINELLA & TERESINA Labdanum, cedar, teak and red rose. Seems like a nice, uncomplicated mix of notes-and I love some rose. DOC CONSTANTINE Sheer musk, cedar smoke, fir needle, black amber and leather. Aagin, seems masculine but definitely worth a try. I need a boyfriend now to test these on. XANTHE, THE WEEPING CLOWN Guava, orange peel, white pepper, spun sugar and apple blossom. Guava...mmm. I've not smelt a guava perfume before. Apple blossom is hit or miss. Spun sugar looks yummy. ANTONINO, THE CARNY TALKER White musk, wild plum, vetiver, black coconut, verbena, fig, and lavender. The notes here are making me drool but I'll get a decant for now, especially if the vetiver is too strong. But plum, white musk, coconut? mmm. King of Spades, anyone? THE TAVERN OF HELL White gardenia, ambergris bouquet, lavender fougere, orange blossom, melissa, tobacco flower, coriander, ebony wood, ylang ylang, absinthe and aged whiskey. The ingredients that give me pause are gardenia (can be the Note of Doooooom on me), absinthe (can turn to soap) and whiskey (may be too boozy). Other notes sound a bit masculine. I wonder if melissa is lemon balm though. THE ISLES OF DEMONS The scent is of wet, dark greenery, carnivorous flowers, volcanic gas, and the hot black musk of the demons and wild beasts that populated the islands. Hmm. This sounds very feral, very wild. And the 'volcanic gas' is kinda offputting (sulphur??) But I might give it a try. I want to see what it's like to smell like prehistoric times. JEZIRAT Al TENNYN The Dragon’s Isle: smoke and fire, earth and wind. The rage of the elements blasting over a primordial paradise. Oooh, a vague description. Will wait for reviews. KUMARI KANDAM Thick incense, clay, stone, and hothouse blooms with a spike of frost, a hint of decay, and heavy, dolorous aquatic notes. This also looks very intriguing, with it's notes of clay, stone, decay and frost. Now those are things you don't see much in perfume. Will wait for reviews. CLOISTER GRAVEYARD IN THE SNOW -- Three white musks, ozone, frankincense, mint. Decant. The ozone could spoil it but I'm a sucker for musk and frank. This might be wonderful for hot summer days. THE FOX-WOMAN KUZUNOHA LEAVING HER CHILD -- White tea, cherry blossom, wisteria, star jasmine, and teak. I'll get a decant but this seems like another one of those lovely, zen-like Asian scents which Beth does really well. SILENCE -- White sandalwood, iris, blue musk, lotus root, moonflower, plum blossom, green tea, white mint and white peach. THAT PICTURE IS AMAZING. I love the musk in Nuit, so this blue musk looks good. A lot of the other notes look good too but this may go all 'Budding Moon' on me, and I wasn't so keen on that moon. Decant. So yeah, that's the update rundown. Wow, what an incredible one that was. Luckily a lot of scents will be up either indefinitely or for a year so there was nothing too urgent here. All I can say now is...roll on Chrysanthemum Moon!

Orpheus In the imp: crushed green stems! Yes, this really does smell like green stems, with a hint of lavender and DAFFODIL! This is springtime encapsulated. Wet on skin: green stems, with flowers, like walking into a florist's. And there's lavender. Dry on skin: gorgeous. This scent is stunningly green, wet, and lightly floral. I am reminded slightly of Beltane 05 before it became all floral. I smell the stems, the lavender, citrus notes sharpening the whole scent up, hints of neroli here and there, and a narcissus note that smells so much like a freshly bloomed daffodil. This really is springtime, dewy grasses and daffodils with hints of other florals drifting in the moist breeze, willow branches swaying, lavender just beginning to bloom, all being warmed by sunlight. This scent is incredibly complex as well, so multi-dimensional. After a while: the scent is less tangy-green now, with no more lavender, but the scent is now considerably sweeter and more floral. The greenness is still there but I can now smell narcissus and stephanotis more, and there's even a fruity (non-citrus) aspect to the scent now. I think the benzoin also sweetens and adds a hint of depth to it all. At times, this scent even resembles Peony Moon, despite not having any peony in it…eventually I get a crisp fruit scent which I can't identify but it's almost like apple without the sweetness, or even a starfruit, surrounded by wet, green sunlit grass and narcissus, with a smooth, neutral musk base. Verdict: if there's a scent that screams spring to me, it's this. Along with the blossom scents and other scents featuring spring flowers, this is the greener side of spring. It also has a fantastic daffodil scent to it. I'm sure the narcissus is doing this-it's going wonderfully daffodil like on me. This scent is moist and dewy, very much a wet scent, but brightened by the floral notes and balanced by musk at the end. This is perfect for smelling of spring but without smelling blatantly of fragrant blossoms. A complex, well blended scent that is begging to be 'explored' and experienced as well as just worn as a fresh, bright fragrance, I will keep the imp I have of this, not sure about a bottle, but it's a keeper. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Beltane, Peony Moon

Lucretia In the imp: soft, powdery orris and violet, with a sweet undertone. Wet on skin: powdery orris with a hint of green sage, amber, vanilla musk and darker woods. Dry on skin: oh, this is very pretty. I'm reminded slightly of Morella thanks to the orris-sage combination, but this has more depth to it-it's less floral and has deeper, more exotic base notes. I can smell a gorgeous dark wood, a rich wood that I've not encountered before-maybe it's the Kashmir wood. I get sweet dark amber and also a little hint of musk mingling into the powdered violet-orris. This scent is mature, grown up and refined, but with bolder, more mysterious undercurrent. After a while: the scent warms up, becomes less pale in feel-it's still powdery and soft but I can smell those fabulous woods gilded by the slightly smoky amber, all of it rounded by a delightful light musk which, while not as vanilla-y as I hoped, is gorgeous. Verdict: Lucretia in the painting may not exactly be, erm, the prettiest thing out there, but this scent shows her inner beauty-look beyond her face and see what lies beneath. Soft, gentle, refined powdered notes of orris, violet and light vanilla musk dusted lightly over a richer, sweeter undertone of exotic woods, and amber. Now when I say powdery, I mean it in a good way-this is powdery done excellently. There's a scent to this lingering around the base which reminds me of expensive perfume, and that's a compliment. This is a scent of subtle, sublime beauty, a calm, reserved scent which is growing on me, I will mull over whether I need a bottle or not-it does seem a bit too mature for me, but I like the fragrance enough to keep the decant. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Morella, Florence

In the imp: frankincense and geranium-and what a fantastic geranium. Wet on skin: now I can smell ylang, the scent sweetens and deepens and becomes more floral. Dry on skin: this is beautiful! The dominant notes here are geranium and ylang-ylang, gilded by the resinous notes with just a hint of herbal hyssop and probably the angelica. The ylang is very prominent-in certain BPALs I can't really smell the ylang or recognise it outright despite its heady sweet scent, but here it smells like it should. This is a very good quality ylang. The geranium sits behind it and smells rich, deep, and slightly rosy. I love the golden effect of the frankincense over it all. After a while: after some time the scent becomes less floral-heavy and more of a balsamic, herbal, resinous scent with a warmth to it which is almost spicy. The scent is almost peppery at times, and sometimes smoky. It is very comforting, and has great throw. It eventually turns into a very similar drydown to Midnight Mass but with added herbs and with copal too, it's almost musky-floral at this point as well. At times I think I can pick up the soft golden hay-like scent of heliochrysum too (I think that's what it smells like anyway). Verdict: soft, calm, warm, balmy, meditative are all words that come to mind when I smell this gorgeous mix of floral, resinous and herbal notes. It announces itself with a burst of heady ylang ylang, with beautiful geranium. Then the resins follow, adding their golden, almost spicy warmth. At the base, soft herbal notes of hyssop and helichrysum smooth the scent out. Overall, I get a soothing balsamic scent from this, golden and gently warming, very balanced, and with delightful musk-incense-smoke notes popping up from nowhere upon drydown. This is a gorgeous scent, very well crafted…I'm not sure if I need a bottle but I'm keeping it because it smells so different and would be nice to use for meditation or when I need calming. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Arcana, Scales of Deprivation, Penitence, Midnight Mass

The Death of Sardanapal In the imp: mmm, spiced wine! Cinnamon spiced mulled wine-it's a very sweet wine too. Wet on skin: spicy cinnamon/cassia filled wine with sweet honey, and a slight greenish herbal note. Dry on skin: very nice! This is like honeyed mulled wine with an exotic twist. The cassia is very strong, as usual, a dark cinnamon scent, mingled with the wine it actually smells very festive. The honey in here is of the sweet, runny kind, and I get a wonderful smoky incense background which I'm guessing is myrrh, as well as deep, boozy cognac and a slight greenness from palmarosa. The lemongrass is surprisingly subtle here. This scent is very decadent and almost woozy with its extravagance. The scent close to my wrist is gorgeous but I'm sure that the scent away from it is oddly cooking-oily (extra virgin olive oil, in fact), which I'm not sure about. After a while: the scent becomes less intensely boozy, the cassia calms down a bit, letting some of the more herbal notes (very quiet lemongrass and palmarosa) and possibly the resins and the balsam come out a bit more. There's a slightly oily feel to it away from the wrist (not as much as before) but close up, the scent is very pleasant, warm and spicy-incensy with just a hint of honey wine. Then the scent takes another turn for the better but it's also quite unusual at this point-I'm getting a dry, pale wood scent. behind all the honey-wine and spicy incense is a lovely warm pale resin-wood scent-maybe that's the gurjum? Or the elemi (which I think is a sort of pale resin scent)? It also reminds me of sandalwood, for some reason. The honey in here is fabulous, I must say. It's like Litha's honey. Verdict: this is a lovely, unusual, decadently exotic scent, warm, languorous, spiced and rich. the honey-wine with a hint of incense reminds me very slightly of Litha without the herbs and flowers and with a much stronger wine note. The cassia is fantastic, adding a 'mulled wine' scent to it all, with incense and exotic herbs making it even more delightful. I adore this scent when I sniff my wrist-from the boozy beginning to the golden, woody drydown, but for some time I get a very odd olive oil scent far from the wrist-it's a greenish, oily scent, slightly honeyed but ultimately reminding me of olives. Shame really because the scent around the wrist is so good-I'll give this a try again since I'm still debating whether it's worth getting a bottle. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Red Phoenix, Athens, Cockaigne, Tanin'iver

Two Monsters In the imp: peppered leather, earthy patchouli with a hint of vetiver. Wet on skin: patchouli and leather dusted with pepper over leather. Dry on skin: ooh, this is quite sexy. Smoky leather warmed nicely by pepper and ginger, darkened by patchouli and vetiver, with a hint of something sweet, reminiscent of Hellion (probably a mix of musk, champaca and patchouli) and a soft light orangey floral-I wonder if that's the pittosporum? It is mock orange, after all-I do get a scent so slightly reminiscent of it. What an interesting scent-it has a feel of Geek and Torture King with Hellion but it's also very different, thanks to this mischievous floral flitting over the top. After a while: this smoothes out even more and becomes almost creamy and a tad fruity. The black musk here is less like the sweet, deep, slick stuff, but more like Hellion's dark musk-less sweet and more smoky. The peppered leather lies underneath this thick smoky musk which seems to have absorbed the floral scent of either champaca or pittosporum and has changed it into something less bright and floral, and more like a shadowy, slightly fruity sweetness. I think I can smell the ambergris a bit now as well, sweetening and adding a slight oily scent to it all. It has a very autumnal feel and this smooth, fruity musk scent is very characteristic of BPAL-once you smell it, you know it can only be a Beth concoction. Vetiver smoulders underneath it all-deep and ashy but not overpowering-this isn't like the leather-vetiver of Highwayman at all. It's much more sombre now, not as bright. The fruity-sweet stage doesn't last. At drydown, the leathery vetiver gets stronger, the patchouli-musk becomes even smokier and develops a haziness, and I get a woody scent to it all, which is odd but nice. Verdict: this is a very nice, dark, unisex scent. Smoky, deep, swirling and smouldering, this scent is mainly about the pleasant interplay of leather, vetiver, musk and patchouli, often supported by the spices and ambergris. The florals lighten and sweeten the scent at times, before being dragged down and losing themselves in the darker notes. There's an overall earthy-incense floating over leather scent to it, which is really nice. I bet it would be even better on a guy-it brings to mind a less sharp Torture King, with the incense of Hellion. Not a favourite-despite it's light-hearted moments, it's a bit too dark and moody for me to pull off, but it's a very nice scent-I may keep the imp. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Les Infortunes, Hellion, Omen, Voodoo

Satan and Death with Sin Intervening In the imp: tea! And orange blossom. A bright, fresh, tangy scent almost like Tweedledee, but a tad darker…hehehe, evil Tweedledee. Wet on skin: sharp white tea and orange blossom, a bright, effervescent scent. I get a hint of resin at the back. Dry on skin: very nice! I get an interesting scent which is a mix of fizzy lightness and sweeter, smokier darkness. The tea and orange blossom on the top and nice and tart, but underneath I get a lovely smoky scent of vetiver smoothed out by the sweet, dark resins of opopanax and benzoin-they lessen the impact of the vetiver, I think. I get a dark woody scent, probably mahogany. This is a very intriguing scent. After a while: the tea/orange blossom still hangs around on top, very nicely balanced with the dark, sweet resins underneath. I love those resins. deep, sticky, incense like. I can't really make out the mahogany or the karokarounde (I wouldn't even know what it smells like though-I'm guessing it adds to the lighter floral-tea scent though.) The drydown is less tea, more resinous vetiver, and it's lovely. Verdict: this is what happens when Tweedledee traverses to the dark side. It has a bright, sprightly mix of tea and orange blossom which also reminds me of 13, but with a much deeper, sinister but ever so delicious scent of resins, vetiver and wood lies underneath-not taking over the tea, but enhancing it, making a lovely contrasting layered scent. The vetiver is also very nice-not overpowering, it leaves that lovely green-yellow dirty scent upon drydown mingling so nicely with sweet deep resins with the tea always adding that lighter tang. This is my favourite of the darker, more gender neutral Salons so far, not sure if I need a bottle yet but I might consider it. A keeper! Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Tweedledee, 13

I think from your description on the other thread that you have an oil from Atropa's Cottage, not BPAL.

Coyote In the imp: dry dusty woods and green, tangy, herbal notes a la Buck Moon. Wet on skin: dusty woods-I think I'm getting the doeskin now, warm and dry. Dry on skin: gorgeous. I'm now getting sweet amber rising through the scent. The doeskin note is really nice-I was worried it would be too much of an animal skin type scent but instead it reminds me of warm fur and something almost like leather, but lighter. I get a mix of dry and green grass and grey woods at the base. The musk isn't noticeable just yet, it mixes nicely with all the other notes. This scent is warm, muted gold and dusty, and does indeed bring to mind images of the Southwest US…the wood note reminds me of Yggdrasil and Jupiter, it's solid and grounded, and with a nice dry feel. After a while: the scent deepens and warms even more. The doeskin and wood are gorgeous here. I smell greyish, sun bleached planks of cedar wood layered with dust and dry grass, and dry doeskin, with a hint of lovely amber. The musk just enhances it all. This is a rugged scent, yet nicely worn and muted, and something about it reminds me of western movies. Eventually a smoky quality appears in the scent, that lovely smoky wood musk drydown, though here it's a lot woodier than usual…and I think I can smell redwood in here as well as cedar. Then I get a gorgeous amber drydown with deep woods and a little musk. I love that BPAL amber scent, it's soft and golden but never overwhelming/heavy. The scent gets very faint quite fast but this could be due to today's crazy humidity and my resultant sweating… Verdict: I really like this scent-it's one of the more masculine amber-musk scents but it's lovely. Very woody, slightly grassy and with a delightful dry doeskin note which is pale and musky and 'furry', this is a dusty, warm, muted scent, rugged and 'Western' in feel, warm and comforting. Outdoorsy, but in a dry, desert plain like sense-the warmth and dustiness give it that ambience. The drydown of amber is even nicer-a wonderful golden amber sweetness with woods on top. I like this enough to keep the imp-not sure about a bottle yet-and I think it would smell yummy on a man as well. Well crafted, evocative and unique. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Tombstone, Fenris Wolf, Yggdrasil

In the imp: sweet woods and incense, and some pepper. Wet on skin: now tobacco comes out and the scent becomes drier. Dry on skin: what an interesting fragrance. I get a very outdoorsy wood scent-I'm sure it's the redwood, it's a very raw wood scent, warmed by sandalwood. The pepper spices the scent up nicely without feeling like it's going to induce sneezes. The frankincense isn't obvious but it's there, it binds the scent together whilst tobacco is strong and dry and smoky, it's a pale tobacco note. This scent is quite masculine but very natural. After a while: after five minutes, the scent smoothes out completely. I get a lovely dry pale tobacco scent, on top of a drier wood scent-more balanced between sandalwood and redwood now-with a light golden coating of frankincense and a sprinkling of pepper. The scent is warm, cosy, it make me think of log cabins… It's got a very nice 'fatherly' or 'grandfatherly' feel to it-a mature, distinguished but kindly man in a cosy forest home. This scent sweetens a lot over time, it reminds me of the sweetish scent certain wood chips can have when they decompose. It's now a more mulchy wood, with damp tobacco-it's not as dry as before. still, it's very natural as a scent and I really like it-it's very earthy now. After a moment of damp wood chip soil, the scent dries out again and becomes tobacco-y. this is the tobacco from Red Lantern, but without the spicy exotic sweetness. The tobacco lasts until the scent departs. Verdict: to me this is the summer equivalent of Hearth 04 and Herr Drosselmeyer. A comforting tobacco scent, fatherly and kindly, warm and dry, but not heavy and very outdoorsy indeed. The wood scent is so natural-this is like smelling wood chip mulch, or freshly cut timber. The woody scent is so raw and natural, think log cabins in forests of towering sequoias with a hint of decaying wood, sweet and moist. Then I get tobacco, dry and pale, smoky but not as dark as usual-this is a crisper tobacco. The frankincense holds it all together and the pepper adds a nice crackling warmth. This is a very evocative scent-and quite masculine, mature, and very different. I don't need a bottle but I'll keep the decant. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Herr Drosselmeyer, Magus

Bat-Woman In the imp: sweet lavender with dewy night florals…slightly soapy, in a nice way. Wet on skin: the floral notes blossom gorgeously on my skin, broadening out… Dry on skin: interesting! After an odd, slightly sour note at first reminiscent of Ides of March (I think it's grey amber, as both blends share this note-this fades within the first 30 seconds which is good), I smell a beautiful, sweet mixture of floral notes. Soft lavender, crisp moonflower, dewy jasmine, and a wonderful honeysuckle that is so much like the stuff currently blooming in the garden, all anchored by a sweet, nectary note-is this ratkirani? Whatever it is, it's beautiful. There's a lovely, dewy, sultry summer night feel to it all-an airiness which isn't ozone but it's definitely night air, reminiscent of Chiroptera (but better) and Midnight. This is the perfect tropical garden at night smell. After a while: something slightly lemony surfaces-is that the verbena? It's a much nicer verbena than I'm used to. There's a lovely soapy feel to it-now there are good soap scents and bad ones but this is good-it brings to mind bubbles and gentle froth. It's a warm, clean, steamy scent. It makes me think of taking an outdoor bath in a luxury bathtub-probably with jacuzzi-with the finest floral bubble bath, in a warm fragrant garden at night, moonlight and candles, petals of jasmine and honeysuckle falling in the bath and floating all around. The scent eventually becomes like the faint scent of dry lemon-herbal-flowers lingering on clean, warm, freshly bathed skin. Verdict: this is definitely another scent to add to my collection of night scents. I love the night time scents from BPAL and this one is breathtaking. This is what I hoped Chiroptera and Twilight would be on me, and then some. I love the new honeysuckle note used in recent scents like Litha and in here…it smells so much like real honeysuckle and doesn't turn acrid after a couple of hours. Ditto with the verbena. I love the way the notes mingle and merge so nicely to become one and yet there's still complexity and uniqueness here. There's a pleasant soapiness here, reminiscent of luxurious bubble baths, steamy scented night air, bathing by moonlight with flower petals floating in the frothy fragrant water. Needless to say, I adore this scent and need a bottle soon-this scent is perfect for those sultry summer nights where the scents of honeysuckle and exotic blooms linger in the heavy starlit night. Beautiful. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Nuit, Buck Moon, Urania, Midnight, Twilight, Midnight on the Midway

Cinnamon In the bottle: it's cinnamon, but not what you expect. This actually smells like a nicer, creamier version of my Cinnamon Leaf essential oil, as opposed to the foodier bark scent. Hints of pepper and clove can be detected here as well. Wet on skin: warm cinnamon leaf. Dry on skin: warm, heated, spicy cinnamon leaf. This smells like a very superior cinnamon leaf essential oil-not as harsh as some, this is creamy and smooth, and with a real 'allspice' feel to it-I get hints of clove and pepper as well as cinnamon. It's very nice, cosy, pleasant, warmly comforting. I just wish it was a foodier cinnamon, like the scent of the powdered spice I add to my food…unless that's cinnamon bark, or even cassia? After a while: this gets smoky after a while, also a bit darker, drier…I'm reminded of both versions of Three Witches. There's a slight hint of orange in the background and I'm reminded of Christmas. Then the scent smoothes out a bit more and becomes a drier, lighter cinnamon. Verdict: this is a gorgeous cinnamon scent-very different to what I was expecting-this is a cinnamon leaf scent, dry, warm, spicy, slightly clove like and peppered, and smoky. It's lovely and natural, there's absolutely nothing 'red hots' about this scent whatsoever! The only disadvantage is that I was hoping for a sweeter, foody cinnamon scent-like the scent of cinnamon sticks, or cinnamon powder I use in cakes, cinnamon toast and so on-I really wanted that perfect cinnamon scent but despite this SN's loveliness, it's not the cinnamon I was hoping for. I do like it though-it smells so much nicer than my cinnamon leaf e.o. Emoticon rating:

Red Musk In the imp: mmm, red musk. Deep, dark, slightly fruity, spicy, a tad feral. Mmm. Wet on skin: this gets darker, and a tad resinous, with a hint of Smut. Dry on skin: gorgeous! Gorgeous red musk-this is the beautiful rich musk note in some of my favourites-Scherezade, Hollywood Babylon, Spellbound, I'm sure there's some in Blood Lotus, Sin and Shango. This is the dominant note in Smut…and it's just so lovely on it's own. Rich, dark, deep, mysterious. Spicy. Definitely incense like. Something almost patchouli like. And with an underlying sweetness which has the potential to turn creamy. A twinge of something animal but nothing civety whatsoever. This is wonderfully complex for a single note, and it's very sexy. After a while: this sweetens a little, and I now get a delicious creamy undertone to this sweetness, under the spicy sexy musk scent. This is still such a stunning scent! It's not as strong now but it clings nicely to the skin, begging me to come closer… Before I think it will fade, it becomes darker once more, deep and dark and inviting, but still sweet. Verdict: red musk on it's own is such a wonderful scent. I love red musk in blends but alone its just as fantastic, it's very complex and delicious, exotic, warm, sexy as hell. Deep, rich musk, mixed with soft incense tones, spices and a creamy sweetness smoothing it all out. This musk is to die for. Now I really wish Beth could release single notes again, even as LE scents-I love this and want mooooore! Emoticon rating:

Chaos Theory III: CLVIII (158?) In the bottle: what is that? It's a sweet, dark almost drink like smell-maybe booze. It smells a bit like raisins…it's almost a fizzy drink smell as well, maybe it's root beer? Root beer and raisins? Wet on skin: now it smells like Coca-Cola, maybe a dash of Cherry Coke! It's a soft drink alright! Sweet, dark, and fizzy-yup, it smells fizzy. Dry on skin: fizzy Coke. I'm amazed at how this one smells so much like Coke (or Pepsi), complete with carbonated effervescence. There's a hint of spice lurking here, warm spice…maybe some root beer as well, but it's all Coke for now. After a while: sugary Coke still lingers but the scent is much drier now-I smell something now almost like dry grass, or hay, or grain, or some kind of dry golden note. Warm dusty dryness with a hint of Coke, there's also an airy, hot, shimmering hazy feel to it which makes me think of heat hazes or mirages over the desert. Like having a refreshing Coke at a desert oasis café. I then get a little vanilla at the base-well either that or an incense note, even a sort of musk. it reminds me of the darker base note from Queen of Sheba, one of those mysterious spice notes underneath the honeyed almonds of that blend. I can't tell, though it still smells like lightly spiced Coca-Cola in the desert. There may be a little bit of cardamom here actually… Then, suddenly, I get a hint of resin incense smoke wafting through-as in, frankincense. How unusual. Coca-Cola and incense. It gives an even more golden, sunlit tone to the scent. It's also sweeter, but I think the sweetness may be more of an amber sweetness, not vanilla…omg it really is amber! I love amber. I still get hints of cardamom. The frankincense/amber scent is a lot stronger after about 3 hours…it now smells less like a drink, and more like spiced resin incense. I really like this stage…it's mysterious incense with a hint of amber and spice, almost like a lighter, less heavy, less intense mix of Great Cry in Egypt meets the Lion. Gorgeous. Verdict: what an unusual scent…first it smells so much of Coke! Sweet, dark, fizzy, it's the real thing! It's a little bit more unusual than just plain soft drink though-I get spices, sweetness, incense, notes like frankincense, cardamom, amber, vanilla and dry grasses/grain notes. The scent is very warm after a while, it's a hazy, shimmering warmth, a heat haze, a hint of dust, and desert heat. The drydown is much nicer, a resinous amber-incense-spice. Such a strange and quirky fragrance-that's why Chaos Theory is so good, because you get unlikely combinations that really work. It's not a favourite but I do like it enough to keep it-and I love the resinous amber-tastic drydown. Emoticon rating:

Brimstone In the imp: not sulphur, thank goodness. Instead I get vetiver, ginger (I hope this isn't the nasty red kind that turns evil on me) and incense. Maybe patchouli. Wet on skin: vetiver of doom with ginger… Dry on skin: ginger, deep, heavy vetiver, and a twinge of incense, dry earthy patchouli, autumn leaves, with a hint of sweet resin to it-maybe frankincense. This is an earthier, less spicy, vetiver-based version of Djinn. It's intense and very much dominated by Vetiver of Doooooom, but it's not bad. It's dark and ashy, like wet charred wood that was once part of an autumn bonfire, with dead leaves on top. After a while: I'm sure I'm getting a slight hint of burnt rubber…yup, the ginger here is probably red ginger. Dang it. it's not overpowering though-because vetiver is still king here. Smoky, incensy, gritty, dark, sweetish vetiver, with a scent to it reminiscent of damp, decomposing bark chips. And then the scent becomes nothing more than rubbery red ginger and evil smouldering vetiver. It'll take ages to scrub off, this will. It does remind me of the vetivery drydown of a TAL/voodoo scent, but with a burnt rubber scent that I'm not into at all. The scent does have a feel of something ritualistic about it which seems fitting. Verdict: whilst it seems appropriate for the description and is a very good representation of brimstone without any sulphurous tones, I wasn't very keen on this scent. Dark, smouldering, gritty, ashy, burnt, destroyed, almost apocalyptic. It has the heavier, darker vetiver that can either be very nice or can ruin a blend, and worse than that, it has red ginger, which, from experiencing the SN, turns to rubber on me. This scent was all burnt rubber ginger and vetiver. Occasional hints of patchouli and resinous incense try to lift the scent at times, make it more bearable, but are scared off by the dominating presence of these two evil notes. If I want a burnt scent, I think I'll stick with Djinn-it has a slight similarity, with ginger and vetiver but also spices and a whole lot more incense to make it lovely. This is going to swaps. Emoticon rating: If you liked this, try: Djinn, Sloth, Hurricane, Muladhara, Umbra

Dragon's Hide In the imp: leathery dragon's blood. Wet on skin: dragon's blood and warm, dark leather. Dry on skin: red leather. This is crimson red leather in a scent-the dragon's blood makes this smell red, and the leather is warm, rich and delightful. I also get smoke wafting through the scent, a hint of smoke lingering around the resin and leather notes. After a while: the d-b fades over time, leaving smooth black leather and smoke. It's like De Sade, only less like 'new shoes' and more worn, and with smoke clinging to it-not cigarette smoke, but bonfire smoke. The last stage of the scent is pure, smooth, aged leather. Verdict: at first this is very much dragon's blood and leather, but eventually this fades to a very pleasant leather single note-well almost, since there's a smoke component. But the leather here is much softer, warmer, more comforting than De Sade, and has a nice 'worn' feel to it, like a leather chair. This scent is comforting and I think of a sleepy dragon, dozing away, each little snore making some smoke come out of his nose and it passes over his smooth, leathery hide as he dreams. It's a nice scent but I prefer leather in more complex blends such as Bow and Crown or King of Clubs. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: De Sade, Dragon's Blood

Block Buster The scent: totally different to the voodoo oil-this doesn't smell like cinnamon apples, but of patchouli and mint. Scent wise, I prefer the voodoo version, but this one might pack more of a punch where efficacy is concerned. The intent: I wore this for my first job interview-it's for a part time job, which I need. Opening up options in my life, opportunities, success, flexibility and adaptability are just what I need for my summer job-I'm hoping to work as a courier. I applied some to the back of my neck so that I could have the oil's influence working on me as I went to the interview without interfering with my perfume. It seemed to work very well-the interview went by easily, the interviewer was very good, and told me I have a very good chance of getting the job. Review may be updated if anything else of note occurs.

Crucible of Courage The scent: a gorgeous rosy-lavender version of Lionheart-that same amber-musk-heliotrope scent but with extra floral notes. The scent is beautiful, reassuring, and warm. It calms and soothes. The drydown is very similar to Lionheart, which I love. If this weren't ritual oil, I'd wear this as perfume. The intent: I think this oil might come in handy for me because I tend to panic a lot. And when I panic I lose control of myself and my confidence shatters completely, and I feel weak, not in control, scared. I hope to use this in a situation that might weaken me with panic, and also for smaller, scary things-I will wear this on the day I get my exam results because that is one thing that is terrifying me at the moment-what my results are and whether I have passed or failed. I also wore this in conjunction with Block Buster for my first job interview because I was losing sleep over it and it makes me feel jittery. I don't want to break down and mess up the interview. It worked…but it also helped me to feel confident, less intimidated by the everyday things as well-I live in a dangerous neighbourhood and the guys nearby make me feel uncomfortable but not today. I think I might use this when I have to do something that I don’t normally have the guts to do. Whilst Lionheart is more of a day to day confidence booster, this is good for when situations are a little more difficult and uncertain and when I am faced with a crisis.

Hungry Ghost Moon In the imp: gorgeous candied grapefruit. A bright, happy, sunny grapefruit. Wet on skin: fresh grapefruit with aloe and fresh cut ginger. Dry on skin: fresh, tangy, sharp and very citrus-y. This has so much grapefruit, but that's a good thing-it's tangy and bright, and I think the aloe is there too-I get a bit of something like Berenice from the aloe-white musk combo in here. Maybe rice wine too? This smells like cologne on me-very fresh and almost perfume like. I don't get any vanilla or resins for now. After a while: still grapefruit-aloe sharpness with clear white musk, but the scent seems to become 'broader' and not as tangy-I can now make out ginger. Not candied ginger, but fresh ginger root. I think I can also smell some vanilla and perhaps some resins and woods…yup, I smell a delightful vanilla note now, underneath the grapefruit-ginger. This scent is just perfect for summer and for some reason, it makes me feel nostalgic. Maybe it reminds me of a close relative's perfume, a holiday somewhere or a good friend but I can't tell right now-all I know is that I am reminded of happy summer memories which are hazy now but still make me smile. The scent becomes a bit greener after an hour, not as blatantly citrus-y but still fruity and juicy. It's now more of a greenish-aloe-musk with a hint of sandalwood and vanilla that seems to have impressive throw. This scent is becoming even more unique and complex. And then, about two hours later, I get the most wonderful scent…hints of aloe surrounding a delicious, moist, juicy scent of sugar cane further sweetened by vanilla. It's both fresh and green but also rich and creamy and sweet with a hint of musk…it's gorgeous and so unique. Then I get a woodier drydown-the sugar cane remains but I'm getting more wood now. Verdict: this is one of the most complex and wonderful-in fact my favourite-of the Asian moons. It starts off with a sharp, grapefruit dominated blast, zingy and zesty, with fresh ginger and aloe, it had an almost cologne like feel. But the drydown was even more amazing-the most incredible fresh-sweet/foody scent ever. Green aloe and clear musk with herbs and 'juicy' notes contrast with wet sugar cane (it smells like fresh sugar cane, the stuff I used to chew on) and creamy vanilla against sandalwood. It's beautiful and I've never smelt anything like it in BPAL or anywhere else for that matter. The scent has excellent throw and is delightful as a summer scent. I love the way it slowly morphs and has many facets, it's complexity fascinates me, it's sweet-fresh scent so much nicer than I expected. I should have bought more of this. HUNNNNNGGGGGGRRRRRRYYYY!!! Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Berenice, Manhattan, Holiday Moon, Aizen Myoo