yeahbutnobut

Et Lux Fuit In the imp: soft pale musk and powdery florals, with a little hint of lemon. Wet on skin: gorgeous soft powdery pale floral notes and now more lemon… Dry on skin: lemon! This is very lemony, and very fresh as well…I am reminded of La Fee Verte and Zephyr-it's almost soapy but not quite. It's a clean, fresh, warm scent. I can make out the honey, mingling with the lemon, sharper notes against a background of white musk and soft flowers that are as pure and white as clean linen drying in the sun. This is a very luminous scent, very pure, very bright. No amber or vanilla just yet. After a while: this gets whiter and more powdery. The lemon still remains a bit. Still has a less-herbal LFV scent to it-as in this is LFV with lemon fruit instead of lemon herbs. This is the scent of powdered white light, if there is such a thing. I hope the amber comes out soon-I can't smell any heliotrope or spicy carnation yet or vanilla-just pure lemon-touched musky clean floral whiteness. I do like it though. After about an hour or so, I do get something sweeter and deeper filtering though the soft powdery scent-it could be vanilla or amber. The musk-vanilla combination here now reminds me slightly of other vanilla musks such as Antique lace (though not as strongly vanilla-y) and of course La Fee Verte. This seems to be improving nicely. Then I get a scent of sharp-ish honey, a hint of amber, and a lemony-waxy white floral powder…it smells so much like LFV but with a hint of amber. I wish that amber was a bit stronger…a slight greenish tone appears at times-is that the daisy? Verdict: this, to me, is the lovechild of Zephyr and La Fee Verte. It has Zephyr's powdery, clean, almost 'washed linen' lemon musk and LFV's lemon-honey sharpness. It's a pretty scent-luminous and white-it's sunny at times but to me it's more like sunlight diffused in white cloud, or hazy sunlight, than pure golden sunlight. It's pure white light, powdery and soft, in perfume form. I do like it, but I'm a bit saddened to say that it didn't blow my mind. I thought from the stellar cast of notes that it would be incredible but it didn't wow me as much as I thought it would. The amber doesn't show up as much as I'd hope, nor does carnation or vanilla, and the first half of the scent smells so much like LFV without the herbs. it's just a pretty, almost soapy-clean white powder, a clean linen scent. It's nice and I will keep the bottle-it may get better with age or wear or maybe I'm just having a bad skin day. I have other sunny scents I prefer-like Litha, Ra, Ahathoor, The Lion and Aureus. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: LFV, Zephyr, Lyonesse

Lolita In the imp: sweet, lemon-tinged orange blossom. Wet on skin: orange sugar fizz! This is an effervescent, candied citrus scent. Dry on skin: so pretty and ever so bubbly. This is a youthful, bright scent, a citrus-floral sprinkled with sugar…I smell the orange blossom, made even more tangy by lemon verbena, giving a cute lemon-orange combination, and I'm sure it's the heliotrope adding that sweetness to it all…I can just detect it, that soft, powdered sweetness. I love me some heliotrope. After a while: the orange blossom fades slightly and the lemon verbena loses it's lemony scent, and turns a tad olive like (I've had that happen in other scents, but not all) I can smell the heliotrope a bit more now, and just the barest, barest hint of honeysuckle. The drydown is a very pretty heliotrope (though in here it's a lot more cherry like than usual), but with an odd greenish scent to it which I'm not so keen of-I think it's the honeysuckle going a bit dry as it can sometimes do on my skin. And then, after a couple of hours…all gone. Poof. Vanished. Verdict: at first I was so pleased with how pretty and lively this scent was-a very youthful scent of tangy citrus notes dusted with sugar. It was reminiscent of orange and lemon sweets and it was such a fun scent! But I'm not so keen on the drydown. The verbena goes odd on me and the scents becomes a dry green scent which I'm not really into. And then it disappears. If there was a musk or a deeper note to ground these evanescent notes I might have preferred it, since I love the wet stage, but unfortunately it's not really my thing, so off to swap it goes. Emoticon rating: at first but then becoming If you like this, try: Glitter, Phantasm

Has No Hanna In the imp: jasmine and…oh dear, it must be my nemesis, Evil Gardenia. Wet on skin: erk! Evil Gardenia on the rampage! Dry on skin: this scent is almost all dominated by the gardenia note that hates me with the fire of a thousand suns. It has turned green, pickled, celery like, acrid, sharp and almost burnt on me as usual. Bugger. I do get hints of something else green, and a hint of jasmine and honey…but it's almost all gardenia. This may do like Hanging Gardens or Sacred Whore, which both smelt scary for about 15 minutes before turning lovely, so I'll give it a chance. This does, I must say, resemble the scent of the TAL oil, Lucky #20, which makes sense because this is a lucky oil too. After a while: after 15 minutes, it still smells like burning celery with jasmine. As for it's effects…I'm not sure. It's not doing the Felix Felicis thing on me just yet and the scent isn't uplifting on me at all. The drydown is a sharp, green, almost 'rotten flower' sort of smell. It's less like gardenia and more like one of the Lab's jasmine notes that goes odd after about 2 hours on my skin. Verdict: it's a shame, because the description made this seem like an oil I'd like-luck and happiness? Yes please! The reviews mention roses, amber, vanilla, spices, musk, apricots and all sorts of wonderful things. But this scent on me is a full on attack by my arch-enemy, Evil Gardenia. Now there are some BPAL gardenia notes that I adore (like the one in Euphrosyne, which is beautiful) but not this one. It comes up, bites my nose and doesn't let go. Vicious little flower, how dare it take over and spoil this. The scent on me is green, acrid, celery-like, pickled petals...definitely not a scent I'd wear as perfume-this may be more for purpose though. I want to swap this because the scent on me is just so bad, but I might give it another test for efficacy. I think there are other lucky oils in the TAL section that I prefer for effect and scent to this. Emoticon rating:

Strangler Fig In the imp: deep green and figgy sweetness… Wet on skin: honey? there's something almost honeyed about the sweetness in here… Dry on skin: mmm, this is nice. I think the best description for this is a darker version of Eden. It's fig leaf, but darker, deeper, less astringent, with a deep, rich, earthy fig note which is riper and sweeter than most fig notes I've encountered in BPAL. In fact, it's like honeyed ripe brown figs covered with torn fig leaves. This is deep green with a hint of leaf juice and a hint of earth to it, and a whole lot of ripe fig. After a while: eventually the leaves take a back seat and the scent is like a lovely honeyed-fig paste. Ripe or dried figs, deep and sweet, all mashed up with honey, maybe some almonds thrown in for good measure. Sun dried honey figs bought from a market stand in Greece. A fig filled dessert, like a tart or a stewed fig compote or a fruit cake made with figs. It's decadent and gorgeous and is has the truest fig note ever. Eventually, I'm sure I can smell sandalwood in here too, or maybe cedar. And that's a good thing…it really goes nicely with the fig. Darker Eden, indeed, with a hint of Hetairae. Maybe some spices mixed in too just to make it even more yummy. This smooth honey-fig-wood scent lasts until the end, and I love it. Verdict: this really is like Eden's darker side. Less green and more figgy on me, this is probably the most genuine smelling fig scent ever. I was a little let down by the Fig SN because that smelt a bit like unripe figs at times but this smells like ripe-to-bursting, sweet, plump figs, or a fig paste made from sun dried figs. And I also smell honey in here, delicious sweet sticky honey, and then I get a wood note (cedar or sandalwood), making the scent earthier and richer. I love this scent a lot more than I was expecting-it's delicious honey-drizzled fig scent and beautiful sweet warm wood drydown, I'm impressed by this. In fact, this does to figs what Death Cap did to mushrooms and soil. I might get a bottle one day-not yet, but the imp is mine for the keeping. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Intrigue, Death Cap

Marie In the imp: rose and sweet violets. Wet on skin: rose and violets. Dry on skin: rose and violet, pure and simple. The darker, richer, full-bodied scent of red rose contrasts nicely with the soft, pale, powdery and pretty scent of violet. This scent really does have an old fashioned feel to it-it's a fragrance that does seem to belong to the era of Marie Antoinette. The powdery aspect of this scent does bring to mind her powdered wigs, and the rose is haughty and and full of itself. After a while: still rose and violet. This scent doesn't morph much-maybe the violet is a little bit more powdery, but this is an uncomplicated scent which is very stable on me. Verdict: another simple and effective rose-with-one-other-note scent. Rose and violet, the two notes blend very well, both equal and contrasting nicely. This really does seem a scent straight from the 18th century, this grandiose and proper scent is sophisticated and traditional. It really seems fit for Marie Antoinette-but if there was a bit of cake (as in, let them eat cake) and the metallic sharpness of a guillotine, it might have been even more appropriate and maybe nicer smelling on me. It's nice, but I have many other rose scents I prefer, this is a little bit too old fashioned for me though-it's a nice scent but I feel too young to pull it off, unless I were going to a French Revolution themed party or something and even then I'd choose Versailles as my scent. Swap. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Versailles, London, Lucy's Kiss, Peacock Queen, Pride

Magus In the imp: woods and incense. I smell cedar and sandalwood very easily, a hint of frankincense, and something sweet. Wet on skin: sweet sandalwood and cedar with a little bit of frankincense. Dry on skin: dry, dry, dusty woods. This is so woody! It's like planks of cedar and sandalwood polished with resin-it's a very nice scent, warm and almost like incense. I get a sweetish note to it all-not sure if that's high John or galangal. This is quite a pleasant scent. After a while: eventually it's a gorgeous cedar scent-pretty much all cedar, which is lovely, with a hint of sandalwood's warmth and frankincense's golden accents glistening through it. There's a slight spicy scent to it-almost like ginger, which may be galangal. There are times when this reminds me of Shadow, but without the lemon. Then the end drydown is a lovely sweet sandalwood-the two wood notes like to swap places in here, each one showing itself more over time. Verdict: I really like this scent-it is very, very woody but pleasantly so. It's a warm, dry, dusty scent of cedar and sandalwood and I really like the incense feel of the scent. There's a hint of sweetness to it all-not sure what's causing it, but it's predominantly woody. This is also a good, but non-lemony, substitute for the discontinued Shadow. Not one for a bottle but the imp's a keeper for now. This may be good to wear when reading Harry Potter or other wizardy/magician themed books. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Arcana, Shadow

Voodoo Queen In the imp: spicy, herbal incense. Maybe some musk. Wet on skin: now I can smell smouldering incense with spices… Dry on skin: this is gorgeous. Now I can smell a clear, golden resinous scent which must be amber. Sweet, delightful amber but it's a different amber to the usual BPAL golden or Egyptian amber I'm used to and I love. This one is sweeter and has a smoky incense like twist to it-it's a heavier amber, maybe it's black amber or ambergris? I also get lots of spicy, herbal notes-I'm not sure what spices but I'm thinking a little bit of pepper and ginger, maybe some saffron and clove. I also have that incense scent which may be a wood note-possibly sandalwood. I think I smell tobacco too. And there's musk. Probably two musk notes-a clear, light, fresh white musk with a smoky autumnal feel which reminds me of Devil's Night, and also a sweeter, deeper musk note which is just about noticeable. This scent does have slight resemblances to Devil's Night and Doc Buzzard but is also very, very different to anything I've smelt. After a while: a light, clear, sweet golden scent interspersed with spices, smoke and strong light musk. This brings to mind the image of real amber fossils-golden and clear with bits of insect and darker flecks suspended in the resin. This is, like others have said, is a more feminine counterpart to Doc Buzzard. Eventually, an almost oily scent appears-as in it’s almost like vegetable oil for cooking, it's a tad salty as well. This oily scent doesn't last, and then I'm left with a lighter, less sweet, more golden resin scent-copal perhaps? It ain't frankincense-this is lighter and does remind me of Greed, a bit. Around this resin scent, the herbal/spice notes still remain. Then the amber scent makes a comeback, sweetening the scent up again. I now detect the slightest hint of gentle vetiver. Verdict: what an intriguing and unusual scent! this is very much unlike many other BPALs-despite having passing similarities to Doc Buzzard and Devil's Night at times, most other times this is something quite unique. It's got an amber note that I've not smelt before-or maybe it's this amber combined with the unusual spices and incense notes that I've not encountered. It's a gorgeous amber though, and I smell a blend of herbs and spices that I can't really identify, a veil of smoke and a hint of wood, some musk notes, a hint of other resins and maybe some tobacco and/or vetiver. It's a complex, haunting, mysterious blend, it fits the name very well. It's so unusual and such a rarity and I am glad to have some-even if it is only half an imp. Emoticon rating:

Rosalind In the imp: dewberry! Yes! It smells very much like the Body Shop's Dewberry, which I used to wear a lot. Wet on skin: still dewberry, with a hint of grapefruit and a hint of green. Dry on skin: yup, still dewberry. Which shouldn't come as a surprise since the description mentions both dew and berries…but this is a little more complex despite it's similarities to the TBS scent. I get something like grapefruit, or citrus at least, it's a tangy fruit scent, it's very fresh. I also get grass notes, green and tangy, surrounding the berry. It's a very wet scent, dewy and moist, and also very refreshing and alive, a real springtime or summer morning scent. After a while: I think I'm getting flowers now…very soft, gentle, fresh spring blossoms…I can't say what flowers they are but they are very pretty. The dewberry-citrus scent is still very strong-in fact, the citrus note seems slightly like yuzu now, I get a slight Aizen Myoo similarity at times. The drydown is all dewberry with a hint of flowers, but I'm really surprised at how long the 'citrus' (if that's what it is) is lasting-it got remarkable staying power in here. Eventually this becomes a sharp white floral-citrus that fades away quickly. Verdict: I used to wear dewberry lotion and wash with dewberry soap a lot as a kid/pre-teen. This smells just like the TBS dewberry, or the Boots dewberry which smells identical to me. This is, as far as I know, the only BPAL which smells of dewberry (Cheshire Cat had a hint of something like it at the end, but not like this) however, this scent has a little bit more to it. I get lots of citrus-grapefruit or yuzu, sharp and crisp. I get a little greenery, and just the faintest hint of white spring flowers. Oh, and the dew? I'm amazed at how Beth can make a scent smell wet without any blatant aquatic notes-she gives the impression of dew amongst flowers and fruit. Despite the incredible longevity of the citrus note here (if it is citrus) the scent as a whole doesn't last long on me. I might keep the imp-no bottle yet-because this is a fresh, zesty, happy and light scent, great for summer, and because of the old dewberry nostalgia. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Cheshire Cat, Aizen Myoo

Dragon's Musk In the imp: mmm, a soft scent of sweet, Snake Oil/Smutty musk… Wet on skin: gorgeous black musk with a slight tinge of dragon's blood. Dry on skin: wow, this is really good stuff. It's surprisingly light, at first, a close-to-skin scent of sweet black musk and red musk, there's also a Smut like scent to it which must be the legendary Siberian musk I've heard so much about. I get a lighter, slightly tangy skin musk over it all. The dragon's blood just adds a red, slightly metallic scent to it all, it goes very well with all the musk notes without taking over. This is a subtle scent-but a very sexy one, I must say. After a while: eventually all the other musk notes seem to fade a bit, and the scent I'm left with is extremely subtle. But when I sniff my wrist, I get a hint of something very much like vanilla, very reminiscent of Snake Oil or toned down Smut…I'm wondering if this is Siberian musk sweetening up? It could also be the remains of black musk. I also get a slightly tangy, translucent, very barely there, 'glowing sun warmed skin' scent which to me, is Egyptian musk. This really is a skin musk, enhanced and deepened slightly, sensual and despite its subtlety, I occasionally catch wafts of it away from my wrist-wafts of vanilla-esque musk and darker musk appearing from nowhere. After a period of barely there, the musk is a bit more noticeable now, soft, smooth and sexy. Slightly feral and animal but in a good way-this doesn't veer into the forbidden civet territory where very few scents should tread. But it's still very subtle. After another period of incredible subtlety, it then strengthens a touch to become a delicious, sexy and sweet dark skin musk with a hint of incense…oh yeah, this is good stuff. Verdict: this is like the soft porn version of the very X-rated Smut…but that's no bad thing. This is much more subtle, sophisticated and gentle-not full on and hardcore. At first I get lots of deep complex musks but then the scent retreats and becomes a very barely there scent. More like a flush of scent, momentary and evanescent but beautiful. Wafts of soft, vanilla like musk with hints of flushed skin and deeper, more feral tones rumbling gently underneath. This scent pulses, it moves between periods of deep, soft but noticeable musk to times when it's almost non-existent and seems to disguise itself as the scent of my own skin, but I get hints of it that catch me by surprise. This scent is unbelievably sexy, sensual, gorgeous and a real masterpiece of the musk scents…in fact, this is my favourite Ars Draconis now. I don't know if I'll get a bottle yet because there are parts when it's a little bit too faint for me but I'm definitely keep the imp and get more some day. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Smut, Snake Oil

Bloodlust In the imp: dragon's blood, patchouli and that heavy-as-lead vetiver. Wet on skin: I can smell a little bit of cinnamon, but this isn't the nice, sweet stuff, this is a drier, more brutal cinnamon with intense red notes behind it. Dry on skin: whoa, this stuff is powerful. It's almost like Serpent's Kiss meets Wrath. Tons of dragon's blood, earthy patchouli, dense vetiver, a spike of cinnamon…no musk yet but I'm sure it will appear soon. This is such an intense, red, and seething scent! More angry than Wrath or Rage, in fact. After a while: metallic dragon's blood and spicy vetiver. This now reminds me of Umbra, but with lots of dragon's blood…it's dark, growling, still seething away but not lashing out as before. And yes, this vetiver has the potential to last several showers. I was hoping for some red musk, but I can't smell it-the vetiver just rampages through this blend destroying everything in its path. It's all vetiver vetiver vetiver on me with no sign of letting up. Verdict: this is probably the angriest smelling BPAL ever on me. Rage was too wussy for me. Wrath was too anger-managed. The Enraged Musks, so far, smelt lovely but didn't smell enraged to me. This on the other hand, is absolutely furious. The dragon's blood and vetiver are really crazy in here, eating all the other notes alive. At first I got a little bit of cinnamon and patchouli but then it's all dragon's blood and it's psychotic partner in crime, Vicious Vetiver, dominating the scent, fuming and growling. The red musk is much too scared to even show its face. It certainly fits the name, I must say, and Beth has really captured primal rage excellently. I just wouldn't wear this as perfume. I'm an angry Aries, this may make things worse. I much prefer Blood Kiss for if I want bloody-vetiver. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Wrath, Mars, Blood Kiss, Rage, Brimstone, Umbra

Greed In the imp: whoa, patchouli! Another scent that's got a whopping punch of patch to it. no bad thing though-BPAL's patch is earthier, drier and more incense like than blatant 'essence of hippy'. Wet on skin: now I get some golden resin appearing-must be the copal! Dry on skin: this is lovely stuff! Patchouli and copal! Like patchouli incense, but more golden. I've always wondered what copal smells like and I couldn't really make it out in other scents but I'm certain I can pick it out in here-a golden, sharp resin, slightly green and dry, almost herbal. Not as intense and piercing as frankincense. Come to think of it, this is definitely what I smelt in that oil beginning with X that I can't spell. I can also smell the moss as well, but no heliotrope, yet. After a while: there's a lot more moss at this point-that smooth, powdery, verdigris scent. I'm still getting lots of copal here, and patchouli as well. Still hardly any heliotrope though-where is that soft, sweet, almost cherry-vanilla scent hiding? It may be adding to the powdery scent, but it's not sweetening it as I hoped it would. I do get a Luperci-lite vibe from this scent as well. Verdict: I really like this earthy, patchouli-heavy blend, and I also like the way it has familiarised me more with copal. I can really pick it out here and it's lovely, all golden and resinous but not too piercing. This is a scent of earthy, mossy ground with sunlight shining on it. The patchouli is nice and strong, the moss adds a soft, powdery feel to it but the only disadvantage about this scent is that I can't smell the heliotrope-a note which I love. I can only barely make it out at times but it's not adding it's sweetness to the scent as usual. But even so, this is a pleasant scent-not sure if it's a keeper yet though. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Dance of Death, Luperci, Urd, Omen

Lurid In the imp: soapy lavender, but not a bad soapy scent. I can totally get where the Lush 'It's a Date' comparisons are coming (thanks, Lush NA forumites!) from because I get a similar scent here. Wet on skin: oh yeah, it really is a cross between It's a Date and Twas the Night Before Christmas. And that's a good thing. Dry on skin: I like this a lot. There are some soapy-ozone scents that I don't like but there are others that are lovely-and this is one of them. I love this because, as I expected from the notes, it smells like Lush Black Pearl (not BPAL Black Pearl) or Twas the Night, with a little bit of It's a Date/Sugar Plum. It's an effervescent lavender-currant scent with airy musk and fresh ozone-I swear there's some citrus here too. maybe some sweet resins as well. After a while: yup, it still smells like Twas the Night, or maybe Blackberry Bomb. It's a lovely 'purple' scent of blackcurrant (but surprisingly, it seems the lavender is still sticking around) with a very pleasant, clean ozone and light musk note…I think I'm getting some resin underneath, maybe it's benzoin? It's a sweet resin note. The only problem with this scent is that it fades very fast…it's so faint after a short time, leaving just a trace of currant-musk. Verdict: I really like this a lot-despite it having a definite 'soapy ozone' scent to it. I like it because it reminds me of so many Lush products-including one of my all time favourites, Sugar Plum, but it's lavender-blackcurrant-resin-soap scent does make it smell like Lush Black Pearl as well. a very purple scent, fizzy and lively, fruity, very clean and refreshing, with that delightful white musk smoothing it out. I wish it was a bit stronger and lasted longer on me, because I like this a lot better than I expected. I'm not getting a bottle yet but I'm keeping the imp thanks to it's resemblance to Sugar Plum. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Villain, Ode on Melancholy, King of Hearts

Blood Kiss In the imp: honey, cherry and wine…maybe a little vetiver? Wet on skin: whoa, this is the vetiver of doom, the stuff that sticks to my skin for days…along with honeyed wine and black cherry, maybe some opium smoke? Dry on skin: wow, this is intense! Dark, dramatic, very theatrical, I think. Deep red fruit notes (cherry and wine) covered with a beautiful honey note, possibly sweetened by vanilla, a hint of clove to spice it up, and a lot of vetiver, adding a dark, ashy, sinister backdrop to the scent. There's something metallic to the scent-probably the vetiver and clove doing this-which really fits the name and works very well with the scent. I really like it. After a while: the sweeter, fruity notes have gathered together to make a delicious honey-wine scent smoothed out by sugary vanilla and a little bit of red musk, whilst there's a definite separate layer of smouldering, incense like vetiver underneath it all. This is a very nice scent-I quite like what the vetiver is doing here and how the honey wine and vanilla is softening it a little. Verdict: this such an interesting scent because it's sweet, sexy and fruity but has a dark side-the vetiver lurking underneath it all. I love the sweet honey note here-it mixes so nicely with the wine and the cherry is very nice as well. It's sweetened further by vanilla, and I get the lightest hint of musk and clove. But underneath that gorgeous, decadently sweet layer is a sinister, brooding note of vetiver-the 'evil' kind-the type that will take ages to fade and smells deep, dirty, gritty, smoky, and almost like incense. It has a metallic twist to it, which is fitting for a blood scent, and I think the poppy may enhance the vetiver's smoky scent. This is a very well crafted scent, dramatic, sinister, voluptuous and very well named-not a favourite but certainly one of my preferred heavy vetiver fragrances. I'm keeping the imp. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Blood, Bloodlust, Death of Sardanapal, Voodoo

Olokun In the imp: hmm, there's some dark residue at the bottom of the imp. The only other scents where I've seen that is Bliss and Virgo. The scent on the other hand…smells like Kingsport with melon! Wet on skin: melon, but now with a bit more of the salty aquatic notes coming out. Dry on skin: this smells of fresh honeydew melons and the sea. This is very similar to Yemaya (both GC and TAL) only with more of an emphasis on the marine notes, therefore making this slightly more gender neutral or masculine. There may be a bit of cucumber in here as well, but it's mainly melon and aquatic, salty, fresh notes, the scent of sea spray, maybe with a little bit of algae? Possibly some white floral notes too. I was expecting this to smell like Cthulhu but it actually smells very similar to Kingsport on me, it has that same sweet-salty thing going on. After a while: yup, it's turned to Kingsport on me. Which is a good thing since I quite like Kingsport. It's slightly more melony and tropical though-like a sea breeze from a warm sea with delicious refreshing melons. It also has a resemblance to Dirty, thanks to the floral note I detect in the background mingling with the marine ozone. Verdict: if you love Kingsport and are looking for a good GC alternative, then Olokun is for you. This is a bright, summery, breezy sea scent with a lot of melon thrown in for good measure. It has a very similar fruit-ozone, sweet-salty scent to Kingsport to it, there may be some floral notes as well, white and smooth, under that fresh, marine scent, and the melon note makes this scent very similar to Yemaya as well, though less sweet and melon-centred. This scent is refreshing and clean, almost effervescent and to me, this isn't the dark, unfathomable depths, but the breaking of waves and spray on a tropical beach. I don't know if I'll keep the imp since, as I said, it resembles Kingsport and Yemaya, but if I run out of the former I'll get more, this scent is another one that just screams 'summer'! Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Yemaya, Kingsport, Sea of Glass

Dragon's Reverie In the imp: a little bit of opium, a lot of ylang-ylang, maybe some amber. Wet on skin: deep, heady smoky flowers with the barest hint of dragon's blood. Dry on skin: wow, this is gorgeous! Rich, sweet and heady, I smell strong floral notes of ylang and poppy covered with sweet, sticky amber the dragon's blood is detectable but not too invasive-it adds it's distinctive, almost lilac like note to the scent. This is a heady flower-amber scent that is deep and soporific, almost perfume like but with resinous touches. After a while: whoa, this has become even more balanced, rounded, richer and warmer. I can smell the dragon's blood a bit more, it's metallic redness mingled with lilac tones, but this scent takes d-b and enhances and sweetens it with that gorgeous amber scent and a huge dose of ylang. It does also have the feel of a sophisticated perfume to it. It's very beautiful, I think, warm and sultry like a summer's night, and I get a little bit of smoke at the end-the remains of the poppy/opium? There are parts when this scent reminds me of Blood Amber (which is understandable) and also, to a smaller degree, the Cracked Bell. Verdict: this is an enchanting scent-very heady and rich, it draws you in, a cloud of heavy fragrance that feels soporific, dreamy, with a hint of smoke from the poppy, and a lot of ylang and amber. I do get dragon's blood but this is enhanced dragon's blood, dragon's blood from a dream, more beautiful than reality. It is feminine and mature, a grown up and sophisticated scent, sultry and exotic. This scent is one for the night-be it for an evening out, or for sleeping with-I wonder if it will induce nice dreams? I don't know if I want a bottle yet but I'm keeping the imp around because this is one of my favourite Ars Draconis scents, along with Milk and Claw. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Blood Amber, Blood Kiss, Cracked Bell

I stink of: Tulzscha, and sweat...ick. Well, maybe step-aunt is more accurate. I just got some wonderful news from my older half sister-she's pregnant! I'm so pleased for her, I always though she and her husband would make wonderful parents. The baby's due January. This is so exciting! Anyway, it's the hottest day of the year-so hot that even my BPAL ultimate heat-beater, Tulzscha, isn't working. Maybe I should apply some Lick It, since that worked wonders in Crete. I love sunny hot weather, and it's the same temperature here as it was in Crete and I coped with it ok there, but for some reason, it's much more unbearable in London. Maybe because it's not coastal or dry heat, or simply because there are no decent pools in the vicinity to dip in-I'm craving a dip in an outdoor swimming pool right now, or a dip in the sea... And I think I might be getting a job come August-I've had a lot more offers for some simple courier jobs, market research/telesales and even a job at Lush. I hope that I can get at least one of those jobs. Although maybe not when it's too hot, since the Tube is treacherous at this time of year...

#20 Love Oil In the imp: almonds and sharp, almost pickle like, 'voodoo spices'. Wet on skin: spicy, peppery almonds. It's a very unusual scent, like a whiff of a spice cupboard filled with arcane, mystical spices and herbs used for potions-not the usual kitchen spice. Dry on skin: whoa, this tickles the nose. This scent just crackles-it's like pepper but with other, unfamiliar spices that crackle and sparkle like fireworks. However, come to think of it, nutmeg might be in here, or maybe even chilli or paprika? I get a little bit more almond-though not the cherry scent, more like a raw nut scent, and also some rose at the back, which has the potential to grow stronger. After a while: rose! Now a lot of rose has surfaced. The scent now has similarities to TAL Amor, Red Devil, Harlot and Seraglio, only this is much more spicy, pungent and unusual, it has a real voodoo/potion feel to it-a brew of hot, smouldering, fiery spices and unconventional herbs. I do get cinnamon now, I think. Eventually, this scent is less spicy and much more of a powdery rose…and now I smell sandalwood. this really does resemble Seraglio now. Verdict: this really does smell less like perfume, more like the sort of scent I could expect to waft from a cauldron where a potion is brewing and simmering. Full of unusual spices that I'm having real trouble identifying-but I'm certain that there's pepper here-several varieties, possibly including chilli-but the note I recognise most is rose-and lots of it. There may even be a touch of orange and cinnamon here too. This hot, crackling scent also brings to mind the image of fireworks-quite apt for an amorous, passionate scent, I must say! The drydown scent is nicer and more perfumed-lots of sandalwood rose. This is very intriguing and different and almost confusing at the start, the drydown is pretty, but I do prefer Seraglio, Harlot and Baghdad to this-they are very similar and smell much nicer on me. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Red Devil, Seraglio, Harlot, Baghdad, Lucy's Kiss

Elegba In the imp: buttery rum, slightly caramel like, very similar to Grog. Wet on skin: like Grog with tobacco. Dry on skin: lots of butter rum, it's almost caramelised and has that same dusty scent to it (which I think is a skin thing), only this has a deep, rich cigar scent to it. It's a smoky, dark, dry, almost gritty tobacco scent at the base but I really like it. I get a desiccated coconut scent to it-like dry, grated coconut, not the creamy coconut of Obatala. I've just seen PotC2 so my mind is filled with Captain Jack Sparrow asking why the rum is always gone…this is very much a darker Grog or a less incensy Red Lantern. It's warmly spicy as well. After a while: the throw to this is a gorgeous caramelised coconut, soft, smooth and summery. The scent closer to the wrist is more tobacco-y, darker and drier, much smokier, with shredded coconut and the remains of the sugary rum. After a few hours, Elegba takes a break from rum and starts to smoke a cigar. the tobacco is much more pronounced and a lot smokier-but it doesn't smell like horrible cigarette smoke (not many BPAL tobacco blends smell like that anyway). This is good tobacco, like the crisp, deep burn of a cigar or pipe or even burning autumn leaves and bonfires-it's like a waft of smoke in the air, it's a lovely scent. There's a hint of sweetness, almost vanilla like, and coconut to it. It now reminds me of Arcana Soap's Devilish, only more coconutty. Verdict: I really like this scent-to me, this is Grog's grown up, chilled out brother. This starts off very similarly to Grog, with the exact same caramel-butter rum scent, swaggering up to my nose like a certain well-known pirate from a movie, but the drydown is what distinguishes Elegba from Grog. That's when the tobacco comes out-warm, deep, gently smouldering and leaving a scent that makes me think of bonfires in the autumn, with a hint of coconut-sugar sweetness lingering. I love the way that BPAL has changed my mind about rum and tobacco scents-this is such a pleasant scent, with elements of summer and autumn to it-not one for a bottle but I'll keep the imp around for the gorgeous smoky drydown. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Grog, Ogun, Spooky, Red Lantern

The Scales of Deprivation In the imp: soft lemon, sage, lavender, and labdanum-this labdanum note smells just like the rock rose in my garden, the smell of the leaves on a warm day. Wet on skin: now I can smell the frankincense, and the scent becomes a lovely, warm, resin-herbal scent. Dry on skin: this is nice. A soft, warm, balsamic and herbal scent, with lemon, herbs and resins. It seems quite a Mediterranean evening scent, it's the scent of warm evening air filled with citrus and herb scents, in here this is combined with resins-warm frankincense and labdanum, and soft lavender and a little bit of sandalwood. I really like this, it's warm and comforting to me, the scent of summer evenings on holiday. After a while: this scent is very soft, quite faint, on me, but I really like it. It really does remind me of holidays in Greece and the south of France. And the frankincense is gorgeous-adding just a touch of incense, wafting through the fragrance. This is a very smooth, balmy scent. I don't get much vetiver here-it must be a very light variety. But I do get lots more labdanum on the drydown, after a few hours it's a honey like scent with a hint of amber and musk to it. Verdict: far from being a deprived, famished scent (though this is a quiet, subtle scent with a hint of emptiness and openness, it's also peaceful) this scent is incredibly pleasant to my nose, mainly because it makes me think of summer holidays. It has a scent to it that makes me think of Mediterranean evenings-it's is warm, balmy, and herbal, with a little lemon and some lovely resin notes to it. It reminds me of being on holiday and going out in the evening when the heat had calmed a bit, the soft golden light of the sun going down, the dry and dusty pathways, the chirping of crickets, the shrubs, herbs and fruit groves, mountains and hills in the distance and the sea nearby. This scent, to me, is calm, quiet, almost meditative, very subtle. It's not something I need a bottle of but I'm keeping the imp around just for the good memories it evokes. Emoticon rating: If you like this, try: Death on a Pale Horse, Arcana, Nero, Calliope

Ogun In the imp: melon and tobacco! What an unusual combination! Wet on skin: now I smell some honey, still a lot of melon, and some juniper with the tobacco. Dry on skin: this is such a strange mixture of notes but it seems to work! I get sweet, juicy, light melon drizzled with a tart note of honey, a hint of gin that reminds me of Twenty One, and a dark, smoky undertone of tobacco. This is very different to anything I've smelt before. After a while: gradually, the honey note starts to become dominant, there's less melon now, and less gin…the scent has become a wonderful honeyed tobacco. It's gorgeous, a deep, smoky (but not too much), dry cigar tobacco sweetened so nicely by honey. I still get just a bare hint of fresh melon but I really like the honeyed tobacco scent I have here. The honeyed tobacco scent lasts for ages and it's so nice! Very comforting, I think. It's not too masculine either. Just the scent of good cigars (unlit) and soft honey. Verdict: this, at first, had one of the most unique combinations of notes ever-it's something Beth pulls off so well though, I must say. Fresh, juicy wet melon with dry, dark tobacco, a piercing and clear gin note and honey? Now that's not something you get in everyday perfume. But eventually this changes and the scent becomes a delightful honeyed tobacco. I was surprised as to how much I liked this scent of cigars and honey but I find it incredibly pleasant-it has a 'kindly grandfather' feel to it, for some reason. Warm, deep and soothing, but sweetened by a wonderful honey note. I won't be needing a bottle just yet but for the lovely honey tobacco scent, I'm keeping the imp. Emoticon rating:

Urd In the imp: patchouli incense with a hint of something sweet. Wet on skin: now I can smell the grape coming through, but the scent is still patchouli dominated. Dry on skin: ooh, I like this. I smell grape juice-or wine, perhaps, which is the muscadine note. And then there's a ton of patchouli, but this is good stuff-it's earthy and rich and dry. The nag champa adds to the hippy feel and gives a real incense note to the fragrance-dry and smouldering, and smoky. I don't know what cereus smells like on it's own but there's a sweetness here that I've smelt in Zorya and DDLM, so that must be it. After a while: soon, this scent starts to smooth out, the grape strengthens a little, and I get that wonderful smoky-fruit-musk drydown, only with patchouli instead of musk. It's a soft, smooth, autumnal scent now, a delicious wine note with smoky, almost musky patchouli and nag champa, dark and mysterious but very nice. Then the grape fades and I'm left with the smell of (clean) hippies. Patchouli and nag champa. My mum might love this, I think it will bring back loads of happy 60s memories. Verdict: what a unique fragrance, taking a hippie fragrance of patchouli and nag champa and adding grapes to it…it seems strange but it works here. the muscadine goes nicely with the dry, dark, patchouli incense, before becoming that gorgeous 'autumnal earthy smoky fruit' scent that I get in a lot of BPALs, this is something to wear during the cooler months, when the leaves are falling all around. The end stage of the scent is very strong on the patchouli and nag champa and yes, it smells like hippies and headshops…but that's a good thing. I like it but I wish it was a little bit stronger on me-it's a little bit faint at times. But this is one of those few BPALs where the patchouli really does stand out-in other scents it's in the background but here I really notice it. Emoticon rating:

Suspiro A Latin word that means to sigh or draw a deep breath, that also suggests longing, desire, yearning, and a passionate wish. Ylang ylang with white plum, white orchid, jasmine, calla lily and lily of the valley. In the imp: jasmine and a host of other white flowers. Wet on skin: jasmine, with a hint of fruit, lots of white flowers. Dry on skin: very pretty! This reminds me of another jasmine/night flowers themed scent-either Pannychis or Morgause. I get a little bit of plum adding a sweet juiciness to the scent. The jasmine and lilies are quite dry, almost sharp, in this scent, but they aren't too sharp, this scent is very pleasant. I get a little bit of ylang that gives the scent a heady feel. After a while: this scent has become fruitier, all of a sudden. There's also a greenish scent that has popped up within the floral notes. The fruity note at times smells like banana or wine, and then it smells like plum, it's an odd note, but not too bad. The ylang is a little bit more noticeable now-I think that may be what's enhancing the plum note. This fruity stage doesn't really last though, and the scent then becomes a greenish floral which is rather faint. It's also a bit sharp and bitter now. After a few hours I'm left with a faint but sharp greenish scent which I'm not keen on. Verdict: this was quite pretty for the first few minutes it was on-plum and white, nocturnal flowers-it was very nice but this stage didn't last. It went through some odd, banana-wine stages before fading and leaving a not-so-nice greenish scent on my skin. it had the potential to be lovely but my skin doesn't like it much. Up for swap. Emoticon rating:

Desire In the imp: sharp neroli, but with a darker, sweeter, musk-patchouli-vanilla background. Wet on skin: this sweetens as the musk starts to creep forward, and I can just about make out the apple. Dry on skin: oh wow, this is amazing. Complex, dark, sexy and mysterious. I get the sharp, fruity notes of apple, bergamot and neroli contrasting with the darker backdrop of sleek black musk, patchouli and vanilla, and a hint of wood, which must be the teak. The rose is barely there but I can just about make it out. It's a very interesting combination, very unique. After a while: it's not long-maybe about five minutes-before the scent becomes even nicer. No longer a scent of clearly contrasting note layers, now I get something even nicer…apple musk. It may seem an odd combination but it works, oh yeah, it works. The apple note-which smells like the gorgeous apple in Verdandi-has merged wonderfully with the dark patchouli-musk and vanilla wraps around it all (and of course, vanilla and musk are scent soul mates). I get little hints of rose around the edges but for now I adore this sweet, vanilla-apple-musk scent I have here. It's so unique and I've not encountered such a note combo anywhere else. Wow. Then the scent takes on an almost caramelised feel (although it isn't caramel-scented, it just sweetens and darkens so nicely) and all the notes are even smoother and more delightful. The late drydown is a deep, seductive vanilla-musk with just a bare, bare hint of patchouli. Verdict: this is a scent that really took me by surprise, in a good way. I knew it would be nice, but not this good. Desire is the sexier version of Verdandi to me-it has the same sweet, gorgeous apple note, but it's paired up with a sweet black musk and vanilla, and this combination is so irresistible. I've never smelt apple and a darker musk together in a perfume until now-and they work fantastically together. And the vanilla just makes this scent even more delicious. This scent is very biteable, sensual and also very unique-I think I will need a bottle of this. Emoticon rating:

Seraphim In the imp: wisteria! With a little bit of Rose Cross's rose-frankincense. Wet on skin: wisteria and resinous rose. Dry on skin: this is very much like Rose Cross or All Saints but with added wisteria and lily. it's not bad but there's something about it that's going weird on my skin-it could be the wisteria doing that as I know the flowers can have a slight bitter scent to them…though BPAL wisteria is usually nice on me. But it also could be the lily? I don't know. It smells like salty olives and something rotting on me, and a little bit of pickle. It's not particularly nice-something about the way the notes interact that I don't like, despite the fact that I can smell the nicer rose and frankincense underneath. After a while: it does eventually settle down and it's a lot more pleasant-it's not as dissonant. The wisteria and dry sandalwood seem to work nicer with the resinous rose note, it's quite nice at this point, but I'm not in love with it just yet. And then the scent becomes much nicer upon late drydown. The rose and sandalwood merge so nicely to form a rosy and woody note that is soft and warm, with a little bit of frankincense lingering, and wisteria clinging on to the edges. Verdict: I really didn't like this on my skin at the beginning-it smelt really off and the notes just didn't seem to co-operate very well, everything clashed and conflicted. Not exactly angelic behaviour. But it does improve over time-but it takes a lot of time (about 2 hours) before the scent becomes a pleasant rose sandalwood combination which I really like. it's very pretty, warm and woody at this point, but I really couldn't bear the first dry stage of this scent so I think it's one for swaps. I prefer Hymn, Rose Cross and All Saints to this. Emoticon rating:

Goneril In the imp: cedar and herbal geranium. It's not a bad scent so far… Wet on skin: geranium! I really like the geranium in here-it's very prominent and that's something I don't usually get in other BPAL geranium scents (apart from Rage). Dry on skin: lemony geranium and a hint of…hair dye? I smell a very pleasant geranium note, not the full, wonderful rose geranium or Bourbon geranium I love, but a lighter, more lemony variant. But there's a scent in the background that reminds me of hair dye or some kind of shampoo they use at hairdressers. It does remind me of being at the hairdresser's. I do get hints of cedar and lily, loads of geranium, but there's something here that smells like hair dye, sort of chemical and odd, which I'm not really digging. After a while: hair dye, or one of those salon-brand shampoos, or hairspray. Chemical and soapy. I still smell lemony geranium but this seems to be sucked into the hair dye/spray scent that I dislike. Verdict: I was hoping to give Goneril some love. But it turns out she doesn't want my love. There's a very pretty geranium note here-very much a leading note at first, a rarity for BPAL geranium scents where this note always stays at the back, but not here. unfortunately this smells like hair dye or one of those salon shampoos. And it's not a nice shampoo scent but a harsh, chemical scent. it smells so much like some kind of hair product, it's uncanny. But I don't like it as perfume. So it's off to swaps. Emoticon rating: