yeahbutnobut

Red Phoenix In the imp: cinnamon! Well, it's cassia, but that's very much like cinnamon to me. It reminds me of Blood Moon, but lighter and a bit fruitier-I can smell plum and patchouli here too. Wet on skin: whoa, here comes the plum and patchouli-and tobacco too, and musk! The cassia sticks around, but now the other notes join the party. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! Now, all the notes are nicely balanced. It's a delightful mix of sweet plum, earthy patchouli, smoky tobacco, spicy cassia, and deep red musk. The tobacco's a tad stronger than I expected, but in here it works nicely. I think the mandarin adds the barest touch of fruity tang to it all, and there is a resemblance to Blood Moon, without it being totally identical. After a while: it's interesting what the plum and tobacco are doing here-they seem to be teaming up to add a dark, sweet, earthy-and, yes ashy-scent. I think patchouli may be contributing to this unusual, but pleasant (and appropriate) effect. The scent is bright and fiery with flames of red musk, mandarin and spice surrounding the darker, deeper ashes of tobacco and plummy patchouli. At one point, I get something that reminds me of geranium, which is odd…but I like it! Then after an hour or so, the blend lightens and lifts like the wisps of scented smoke from a fire. It's like incense. When I sniff, a cloud of tobacco-patchouli hits first, then clearing to reveal a core of fruity red musk with sweet benzoin and plum. It's amazing, the way the imagery of the phoenix is made into scent in such a vivid way. The final drydown is a gorgeous smoky musk. I think this will be fabulous as an autumn scent. Verdict: this is my favourite Phoenix, and the blend that captures the essence and imagery of this mythical bird so well! It starts off with a burst of spicy cassia and when applied to skin, all the other notes come out-the musk and the plum, the mandarin and the cassia with a smoky backdrop of tobacco and patchouli-it's like smoke and fire in scent. Eventually, the ashy scent of tobacco becomes more evident, the scent smouldering like the last embers of the fire, and it ends with wisps of tobacco and patchouli rising like smoke to reveal a core of vibrant, fruity red musk which then strengthens once more as the phoenix is reborn. It's quite an experience to have such imagery in a fragrance, and a wonderful scent as well. If Fawkes had a scent-this would be it. I think this will be lovely in autumn, with it's smoky red warmth. A very impressive, evocative scent and very true to it's name.

Pink Phoenix In the bottle: super-sweet strawberry syrup and honey, and a bit of sweet pea. I think the oil itself is a pink-ish colour, which is very cool Wet on skin: whoa, it's gone a bit sharp! the strawberry scent goes quite tangy and dry now-or is it the honey? It's very Pink Moon-ish. Dry on skin: hmm, not sure what to think. I loved the scent in the bottle but on the skin it's much tangier than expected! I think that may be the honeycomb and strawberry, and possibly the pear. It's now a sharpish fruit-honey scent with a bit of sweet pea on the side. It's not yucky though-this tangy scent may have the benefit of not making the scent too cloying and over-sweet. After a while: it doesn't take long before the initial sharpness starts to mellow, and the sweetness creeps back in after five minutes. There's still a twang of tartness, but now I can smell vanilla! That, and sweet pea seem to surround the core of honeyed strawberries and pear. It's improved now. It's similar to Pink Moon but not identical. Over time, the sweetness and sharpness alternate. After 30 mins, there's the sharp fruit-honeycomb scent which is now a bit stronger once more. After 45 mins or so, the scent becomes a pleasantly sweet vanilla-honey with a bit of sweet pea and the tangy fruit notes are toned down. It's quite a morpher! Then after an hour, the sweet pea returns once more, riding on the honeycomb-strawberry notes, with vanilla surrounding it. The final drydown this scent has is my favourite part-a soft vanilla-honey with sweet pea, and at this point, the scent has a nice creaminess. Verdict: this scent is, of course, the pinkest of the pink. It's funny how these LE Phoenixes seem to resemble past Lunacy scents (Pink Phoenix-Pink Moon and Red Phoenix-Blood Moon) but they are not identical to them, they have their own individuality. I wasn't so sure about this one-it went very sharp for a while on my skin-the fruit and honey went all tart and tangy and not the sugary scent I expected. But as the scent began to dry down, the vanilla made it's appearance, along with the gentle sweet pea, and they began to soften up the scent, like a fluffy blanket over the sharp fruits! Eventually, after a few hours, the scent is creamy vanilla, sweet pea and honey with just a passing fruity zing. I'm not sure about the sharp fruity scent I get at the beginning but I will keep the bottle I have because this is a fun and light hearted scent which captures the essence of pinkness perfectly.

Marquise de Merteuil In the imp: a soft, muted amber-peach, though not as bright as Aglaea’s and Imp’s amber peach notes. Wet on skin: there’s a slightly sharper, piercing note among the amber and peach which I can’t recognise. It’s still very nice. Dry: hmm, interesting. It’s not unpleasant, but this is an amber-peach scent with bite! There’s a sharp note in there which I’m not familiar with, I think it’s a bit green? It seems to be growing stronger and quite astringent. Maybe it’s the jonquil and something else. On either side of this sharp spike of scent are the gentle peach and possibly some sweet floral notes. This is the darker, sharper side of peach, it seems. After a while: that sharp greenish note tones down, it’s less astringent and now more of a ‘fresh’ scent, quite cold and bright. The peach and amber are now much stronger on my skin. The scent now is much, much sweeter. I think I get some floral notes underneath but I can’t tell what they are exactly, but one of the notes is slightly powdery and white. I don’t get the vetiver yet, so I think this blend uses a softer vetiver, but that note is sure to come more apparent after a few hours. After an hour or so, this scent is still going strong. It’s got incredible throw! It’s now become a rich peach scent with amber and a powdery floral background. There’s something quite stately and grand about this scent, and it has a powerful presence. The scent lasts for ages, wafts like crazy, and after 5-6 hours I still, surprisingly, don’t get any vetiver! There must be a phenomenally tiny amount in this, since I amp vetiver at times. The scent that remains on my skin though is a powdery sweetness which is both fruity and floral, with possibly the remains of amber. Verdict: this peach scent packs a punch and is very powerful! This is a more mature, darker sister to the likes of Aglaea and Tamora, like them, it has an amber peach combination but this one is a lot more forceful. At first application, a sharp, biting note comes out, I don’t know what it is, but it’s piercing and cold. This tones down after a short while, letting the peach note strengthen incredibly, and it wafts off my skin-this stuff has serious throw. It’s a very pleasant peach scent, a bit more grandiose and traditional in feel than the other peach scents, it’s also a bit powdery, and I’m assuming that’s due to the floral notes. For a long time I get wafts of peachy flowers. The amazing thing is I don’t get the vetiver mentioned. I like this scent but I do prefer the other peach-amber scents to this, I find this slightly more austere and commanding and less youthful and sprightly than the others. I think I’ll keep the imp though.

Nocturne In the imp: violet, with either lilac or tuberose. Wet on skin: still violet, but the lilac and tuberose notes come out more now. Dry: this is a pretty scent! There’s a nice mix of all the notes in here-the dusty pale violet, a nice twist of lilac, and dewy tuberose. Very nice, a gentle and ‘pale purple’ floral scent. After a while: this softens out nicely into a soft powdery violet and sweet tuberose scent, a little bit of dry lilac still lingering. It’s a bit fainter now, but very pleasant. After a few hours, the violet smoothes out and becomes a gentle powder scent, like a dusting of scented powder on the skin. I think this scent would be lovely as lotion. After about 5-6 hours, the scent that remains is a very light lilac. Verdict: this is a very pretty, feminine, gentle floral scent, traditional and delicate. A soft violet, lilac and tuberose fragrance, all the notes are evenly balanced, making for a pleasant, soft dusty purple scent. It’s powdery at times (in a violety way) but the tuberose and lilac break up the violet nicely. I think it would be even nicer as a lotion-it’s a lovely scent but not one I need a bottle of, but I’ll keep the imp because I like it a lot.

Manila In the imp: ooh, exotic bananas! It smells sweet and tropical, like bananas with something else added. Wet on skin: still bananas, but there’s something else here which is slightly woody (palm?) and something smoothly sweet. Dry: this is very nice. It’s a sweet, moist, tropical jungle scent-I get a real feeling of humidity from this scent, it’s hot and steamy and damp, reminds me of those tropical botanical greenhouses like the Eden Project and Kew Gardens. The note I recognise most in this is banana, but this isn’t blatant banana, I think it’s slightly green (makes sense, it is banana leaf, not the fruit). I also get some other notes I’m not too familiar with but I think I get something that may be palm…it’s slightly dry and wooden-green in scent. I’m still amazed at how well this scent evokes being in a jungle. After a while: there’s now a feel of decay to the scent (but not in a bad way-it’s like decomposing plant life on the rainforest floor) and the banana scent ripens and becomes sweeter. I think the palm scent is a bit stronger now, adding a nice contrasting dryness to the damp feel that the overall scent has. The banana note darkens, sweetens and ripens even more as time passes, almost over-ripening. Eventually I get something else-a creamy smoothness, which may or may not be floral. Interesting. There’s also a hint of pineapple at times, which really fits in with the tropical feel of the scent. Verdict: I’m always amazed at how Wanderlust scents can be like nose-journeys (travel the world without leaving home!)…this scent really does give a feel of being in a humid jungle, it’s steamy and hot and with a scent of bananas and other exotic plants. It’s sweet, damp, and with a slight feel of decay to it (though not in a bad way). I’m at a loss as to how Beth can not only capture the scent, but the feel and climate of a place in a scent-in this case, sultry and damp tropical heat. Other than banana’s fruity sweetness, I get a hint of dry palm and some other notes I’m not familiar with. It’s a lovely scent and very evocative of island rainforests and jungles, but it’s not something I need a bottle of. I’ll keep the imp though, as it’s a great antidote for winter.

Omen In the imp: patchouli, piercing juniper, and possibly some sweet myrrh. Wet on skin: ooh, not bad! This is a sweet, dark, and very earthy scent. Dry: I like this. This scent is very earthy and shadowy, though the juniper adds a touch of something bright and piercing. The myrrh is really nice in this-I think that’s what’s adding the dark sweetness to the whole scent and of course, there’s the patchouli which, in this, is quite lovely but not too obvious. After a while: this gets better! There’s a definite shadowed sweetness to the scent now, it’s much stronger than when just dry. I think it’s the myrrh causing this-I really like it. Seems patchouli and myrrh make for a very nice combination-I can smell the remnants of the juniper simmering underneath it all…there’s a strange (but very pleasant) dark effervescence here. I also get more moss now, at this point. If this scent has a colour, it would be a muddy, swirling brown. Quite similar to the oil’s actual colour. After about 2 hours, I can really make out the myrrh more than ever-that wonderful deep resin scent which, at this point, starts to develop a smokiness. Along with the dark patchouli, the juniper and moss now add a ‘night time forest’ background to the overall fragrance. I find this scent very grounding and I think it would make an amazing incense scent, as it smells a bit like incense on me at times. Verdict: this is a deep, earthy scent-it’s slightly dirty (in a good way, as in earthy dirt) in scent, but also with sweetness. There’s a sense of mystery in this scent, of darkness and shadows and incense smoke, all the notes mix nicely in this scent-the earthy patchouli and oak moss, the smoky, resinous myrrh and also a nice piercing juniper note. It all gets sweeter and more balanced upon drydown, the scent improves nicely. I like this, but I’m not sure if I need more. I’m keeping the imp though, and I think it would make a lovely room scent, or incense.

January: Snow Moon/Talvikuu February: Niflheim (something cold and foggy with a promise of flowers) March: Asphodel (dewy and springy floral) April: Al Araaf (gentle spring blossoms) May: Alice/Fae June: Two Five and Seven July: Sea of Glass (for summers on the beach) August: Fruit Moon/Mi-Go (summer fruit cocktails) September: Harvest Moon/Mabon October: Samhain/Trick or Treat November: Devil's Night/Djinn December: Hearth 05/Gingerbread Poppet (or any Yule scent)

I know-I saw Ultraviolet's pic, but I want a close up of that cute lil' devil face on the bottle...

Incantation In the imp: hmm, smells a bit like men’s cologne, a lot fresher and lighter than I expected. Wet on skin: mmm, not bad. It’s a clear, fresh, almost mossy and a bit green woody scent. Still quite masculine smelling though. Dry: hmm. There’s something in this that doesn’t agree with me. There’s one note that smells a bit unpleasant…I have no idea what that is. It smells a bit charred and sawdust like at times, but it’s also got this other aspect which smells ‘off’, even a bit rotten, on me. Apart from that, I get dry, greenish woods and vetiver. It’s very much a manly scent, to me. I think this would be really nice on a guy. It does smell a bit burnt though-the sandalwood note here is truly ‘blackened’. I don’t get much lemon. After a while: after 10 mins, that off note doesn’t smell as off as before but now I smell like I’ve been at a lumberjack’s or like a man (yes, a man) doing DIY. It’s so woody and sawdust like now-like I’m sniffing freshly sawed planks! There’s also a current of men’s aftershave here. It’s not bad, but this is to ‘blokey’ for me. Not as much vetiver as I expected, but it’s there, lurking under the woods. It still retains it’s dry woody scent with a masculine undertone after an hour, but it’s a bit lighter now. It’s now more outdoorsy as a scent, smells more like broken trees and less like DIY makeovers. After about 2 or so hours, it darkens in tone as the vetiver creeps out. Verdict: this is one of the woodiest smelling BPALs I’ve tried so far. I usually don’t mind wood notes but this one smells too much like sawdust here, and there’s a scent here that’s too masculine for me-it’s like a men’s aftershave (a good quality one though), surprisingly green and fresh with a hint of vetiver. It’s not a bad scent but it’s too manly for me, and there’s a note there that doesn’t jive well with my skin, smells a bit off on me. Off to swaps.

Ouija In the imp: sweetish woods and roses with lilac. Wet on skin: ooh, not bad! Sweet dewy woody, rosy and lilac notes, it’s very pleasant. Dry: I like this a lot! First thing I smell is rosewood, with perhaps some dry oak in the background. I also get some gorgeous rose in here which strengthens as the scent dries even more. And then there’s the lilac, which is really lovely and stronger than I expected. There’s a nice contrast of moist, dewy floral notes and dry, dusty wood notes is very nice. After a while: after just 10 mins, I get this wonderful juicy floral scent bubbling up from underneath the rosewood-is this osmanthus? I don’t know but it’s lovely…it may be that, along with lilac and a delightfully crisp rose. It’s a full, fresh and dewy floral note resting on a solid and dry woody base. This reminds me of Ephemera but it’s less dusty and old smelling, though this does have a feel of age and Victorian nostalgia about it. The drydown after an hour is a bit more cologne-ey. I don’t mind, but now it smells a little bit woodier and fresher, and slightly more unisex than before. There’s a darker woody note coming through that could be teak. Verdict: this one is surprisingly nice. It’s a lovely contrasting mix of rich, fragrant floral notes and dry, grounding woods. The lilac, osmanthus and rose notes are full and heady yet also dewy and fresh in scent, and these aromatic blooms rest on a nice solid base (or a wooden Ouija board?) of fragrant, slightly dusty woods-rosewood being most prominent and mixing with the rose notes nicely. It’s a haunting and evocative scent, it doesn’t smell old fashioned and stuffy, but does have a feel of something nostalgic and traditional about it-it seems to me a very Victorian scent, along the same lines as Ephemera. The drydown is a bit like a fresh, unisex cologne scent. I’m not sure if I’m up for a bottle of this yet, but I’m keeping the imp as I’m quite fond of this scent.

Anyone have a pic of the Hellion label yet?

Phantasm In the imp: tangy green tea with jasmine! Jasmine tea, if you like, but freshly picked as opposed to dry tea and jasmine. Wet on skin: the green tea sharpens up on my skin-now I get the lemon verbena as well. Dry: this isn’t bad-it’s a light, gentle yet tart scent. The tea and verbena first hit, but the jasmine is there, smoothing it out, adding its floral touch. I also get the neroli, which is somewhere in between sharp and floral-it’s not very strong in here but I definitely smell that orange blossom tang. This is quite nice! After a while: after 30-45 mins, this sharpens up a bit more. The verbena comes to the fore, its herbal-lemon scent is now quite strong, and I think it’s mixed with the green tea note. The jasmine isn’t as noticeable any more. It’s a bit dry at this stage, and the sharpness is a bit too much now, it’s not the delicate balance of tangy notes and soft floral notes the scent had when first applied. At times it also reminds me of those lemon scented serviettes you get in planes and Chinese restaurants... Verdict: a little note: I’m one of the lucky few whose skin doesn’t turn jasmine into disaster, and it’s a note I’m very fond of. This is a pleasant green tea and jasmine scent, light and delicate but with a definite tart bite to it. I like the way the sharp, tangy, fresh green tea and verbena (and neroli-which isn’t too strong here) contrasts with the smooth, heady and floral jasmine note. I notice there’s a nice balance of scents in here-all the notes can be smelt equally. It does get a bit drier and sharper smelling on drydown, it’s not as nice as the initial wet-just dry stage. It’s not an OMFG wow scent like some others but it’s a lovely scent none the less, it would be lovely for spring, I think. I’ll keep the imp.

Imp In the imp: deep fruity musk! It’s like a red musk enhanced by juicy peach and patchouli. Wet on skin: oh, this is lovely. Peach and red musk, or maybe a light musk made ‘red’ by patchouli. Dry: oh wow. This is gorgeous stuff. This is Fae’s (or Tamora’s or Aglaea’s for that matter) dark twin-a fruity rich musk scent enhanced by peach, amber and patchouli. It’s bright, yet darkly rich and sweet, sunny and juicy, yet sensual and deep. On the skin, the peach becomes more pronounced, and it smells almost creamy at points-which might be to do with the musk…this is a very pleasant scent! After a while: (1 hour) this smoothes out nicely. The musk isn’t as deep and ‘red’ as I first thought-I think it’s the patchouli that gives that impression. Now it’s a gorgeous golden amber-peach scent resting on a smooth light musk base, a golden, sweet scent with a very slight hint of patchouli in the background. It’s very similar to Aglaea, and possibly Tamora, at this point. As time passes, the amber and peach merges nicely into the musk, creating a smooth, creamy drydown with a nice juiciness remaining. Verdict: finally, I try the scent that shares its name with the Lab’s infamous sample vials! And damn, it’s good. If Fae, Aglaea, or Tamora had a darker twin, it would be Imp! This is a wickedly good peach scent, it has the same sunny, juicy, golden amber-peach combo as Aglaea, but this has a deeper musk, almost a red musk with dark patchouli…but as it changes on the skin, I also think it could be a light musk deepened by patchouli, as I get a lovely smooth light musk with amber-peach resting on top after an hour. I’m becoming very attached to the Lab’s peach scents and this is another one that I’ve fallen for-I’m not sure if I’ll get a bottle of it yet as Tamora and Fae still remain my favourite peach BPAL scents, but I love it anyway!

For me, June is 2, 5 and 7 because of the roses (it always reminds me of Regents Park rose garden in June) or Strawberry Moon, or, of course, June Gloom.

Polyhymnia In the imp: bright, sunny, sweet lemon (balm) with something else underneath making it sweeter. Wet on skin: the lemon balm sharpens a bit, it smells like citronella, which I love. I think I get a bit of myrrh and orris underneath it. Dry: this is a lovely scent! It’s like a slightly dusty/powdery sweet lemon scent, bright and awakening, and also gentle. It smells like the citronella my mum uses as ‘natural mothballs’ (I actually like that scent, so that’s a compliment) but I think I also get the myrrh which adds depth, and the dry, warm notes of sandalwood and orris. I don’t get much honeysuckle yet, and the herbal notes are just barely noticeable. After a while: after 20 mins, the lemon balm tones down a bit-it isn’t as sharp now, letting the other herbal notes through slightly. The red sandalwood is more noticeable now-it’s warm and slightly spicy, and I get myrrh and orris underneath it all. I still get a nice smooth-sweet lemon scent on top of it all, with a smooth woody-creamy base. (1 hour) this is now an effervescent lemon scent with herbs and a nice woody base. I also get a bark note at this stage, which might be the rowan, and I also like the way the myrrh adds depth to the scent. The eventual drydown after a few hours is a smooth, slightly herbal, slightly woody, dry and dusty (in a pleasant way) and sweet scent with just a hint of lemon remaining. It’s very nicely balanced now and I really like this stage of the scent. Verdict: this was a very pleasant muse scent that is so much better than I was expecting. I was expecting it to be very dry and dusty smelling, but it isn’t-it has a perky lemon balm note reminiscent of citronella, balanced nicely by the herbs, the sandalwood, the orris and myrrh. It’s quite sweet, and pleasantly dry, with a nice warm and sunny feel to it, like a warm summer afternoon. After an hour or so, I think I can detect the rowan bark. It’s one of my new favourite lemony scents, and it’s herbal-lemon scent is quite good for perking up my sluggish brain, so this will come in handy during my studying and writing. The drydown is very pleasant too-a smooth orris-wood-herb-lemon smoothness. I may get more of this.

Himerus In the imp: sweet, woody notes with hints of musk and lilac. Wet on skin: ooh, I like this. It’s very sweet, I get the orchid and lilac, but also the sharp fresh note of juniper and dry sandalwood/rosewood. Dry: this is a very nice scent! I don’t find it too masculine, it’s very wearable on women. The musk note is strong, sweet and deep, almost fruity. I get lilac and orchid adding their sweet floral touch, and the woody notes of juniper, rosewood and sandalwood are also there. I’m surprised at how sweet this is on me-I think that could be the musk and orchid notes. After a while: (20 mins) it’s so sweet, almost syrupy! That may be the orchid pairing up with the sweet red musk, but it’s a pleasant sweetness. I don’t get as much of the juniper now, I do get hints of lilac and sandalwood/rosewood in here though. (1 hour) This becomes even more floral, and softer as well. I’m not sure, I think this has a slightly soapy throw but it certainly doesn’t smell like that near the wrist-there it’s a musky floral with a hint of wood-a pleasant scent. After a few hours, I get a smooth creamy musk with a sweet floral and something golden and fruity, and a little hint of something woody and smoky reminiscent of autumn, I get this in a few other BPALs, it’s a drydown that I’m very fond of, but in this, I’m not sure what notes are producing this lovely drydown! Verdict: this is a nice scent, which to me doesn’t seem very masculine-I find it quite feminine, myself. It’s a sweet musk-floral scent with a hint of juniper at the beginning, and with a woody undertone. The scent sweetens a bit after drying on the skin, but eventually settles down into a soft floral-musk scent. I like it, but not enough for a bottle-I’ll keep the imp though.

Shadow Witch Orchid Orchid tubers have been used extensively by witches in their love philtres, both to promote amorous attention and the attainment of true love, and, conversely, to wither misplaced passions and sever romantic bonds. This perfume is a dusky orchid, subdued and ethereal. In the imp: I’m not too familiar with the scent of orchid, but the scent I get here is a gorgeous one-a heady, sweet, exotic floral. Slightly similar to jasmine and lily, I think, but darker. Wet on skin: still a rich, full floral, it smells ‘purple’ and swirling, and very sweet. Dry: this is beautiful. This is a full bodied, complex floral, which is gentle and light yet dark and shadowy; it’s sweet, rich, heady, intoxicating, very feminine. It’s a bit like some other floral scents I’ve smelt, but I can’t remember which. It’s also a very exotic scent, in a tropical way, and brings to mind the colours of dusk and twilight. After a while: this scent wafts around me like crazy! And that’s a good thing. It stays quite consistent, doesn’t morph too much though I think over time it’s become a bit sweeter, and it smells a bit vanilla like now. I can’t get over how lovely this is. Verdict: this is a wonderful floral scent, heady, spellbinding, and mysterious. It’s lush, deep, and very complex, with a hint of lightness, but also balanced by a dark sweetness and possibly a bit of vanilla. It seems to me like a ‘dusky purple’ scent, mesmerising and voluptuous, feminine and sultry. I never realised that orchids smelt this good! This is one for the big bottle list, I love it.

Highwayman In the imp: dark leathery vetiver with just a hint of floral. Wet on skin: dark, dry vetiver-leather with a hint of slightly sharp gardenia (which isn’t too strong here) and possibly cinnamon. Dry: hmm, interesting. Despite all the floral notes mentioned, there are barely there-apart from the sharp scent of dry gardenia, but apart from that, the scent is pretty much all vetiver and leather, it’s a warm scent, which I think could be due to the cinnamon. It reminds me of other leather and vetiver BPAL scents, and the floral notes are just faintly noticeable, adding a somewhat lighter touch to the scent. It’s a masculine scent, that’s for sure. After a while: (30 mins) I now get a scent of half-sharp, half floral garden, with deep leather and vetiver warmed by a hint of cinnamon, with a bit more floral noticeable, possibly the jasmine. I was hoping for a bit of rose though. (after an hour and a half) I don’t know why, but I find this scent strangely comforting, even though it’s too manly for me. I think I get a bit of rose at this point, it seems to be smoothing out a bit. After an hour or so, I think I get a bit of rose coming through, it's smoothing and sweetening out a bit now. Verdict: despite all the floral notes listed, I don’t get much of them in here-it’s all about the vetiver and leather. This is a dark, deep, rugged scent, warmed by a little bit of cinnamon and with a fleeting glimpse of flowers. The gardenia in this does go a bit sharp but it’s pretty much blotted out by the vetiver and leather. This is very masculine, not something I’d wear much, but I do find the scent comforting and it’s got a lovely warmth to it. I know that I would love this scent on a man…but I’m not sure whether to keep it or not.

Envy In the imp: green! It’s mainly green herbs, but bits of lavender, mint and lime are also in there as well. Wet on skin: now it smells like a florist’s shop, this is pure chlorophyll. Dry: yup, this is so green! It smells like I’ve stepped into a florist’s, or have rubbed some crushed leaves on my skin-it’s such a realistic green scent, wet, moist, with a definite feel of spring. The mint adds a coolness but doesn’t smells blatantly minty, the lavender is just barely detectable, but there’s no trace of lime. After a while: huh, what’s going on here? Seems there’s a floral note poking out here, it seems, reminiscent of lily of the valley or honeysuckle. I have no idea where that comes from-I think it’s the way my skin reacts with some of Beth’s ‘green’ notes as I get a similar reaction with some of the greener tarot blends. No more mint, lime or lavender, just this incredible green with a little hint of spring floral. Like leaves drenched by rain-in fact I’d imagine that may be what a rainforest smells like. It hasn’t soaped out on me like some green scents do, either, but it’s quite sharp and a bit astringent. Verdict: this is probably the greenest BPAL I’ve smelt so far. It’s like pure chlorophyll, like crushed wet leaves, like all the cut stems and leaves that fragrance a florist’s shop. Lavender, mint and lime flit through this at the beginning, but then it’s all about the GREEN. I also get something slightly floral which is odd as no florals (apart from lavender) are listed in here, but it’s very natural and doesn’t smell soapy or fake on me-but whilst I quite like it, it’s not a favourite. I’ll keep the imp for any time I feel like smelling greeeeeeeeeen.

Tamora In the imp: oh, this is gorgeous. Sweet fruity amber vanilla, a golden and delicious scent. Wet on skin: peach! This is a lovely gentle ‘peaches and cream’ scent now, but it’s more than just that. Dry: this is such a beautiful fragrance! All the notes in here just work so well-there’s golden amber with fruity peach (well, on my skin, peach blossom smells just like the fruit, it seems) and heliotrope too, surrounded by delightful creamy vanilla. This reminds me somewhat of several ‘vanilla amber’ fragrances that I have tried from other e-tailers (I think these were Ambra de Nepal dupes-I haven’t smelt the original, but these dupes also happened to turn to peaches and cream too), but this is so much nicer, more complex, richer and fuller. After a while: now all the notes have just smoothed out and blended into a lovely, rounded, sweetly golden scent. I can’t make out the notes as I did before but it’s now a smooth vanilla with a bit more heliotrope at this point and a bit of peach remaining. It’s a very well blended scent. I'm surprised-a lot of people mention that this blend doesn't last on them-but it's still going strong on me! After 3 hours or so, it's morphed into this very pleasant vanilla-amber scent with a hint of sandalwood and...almond! That's definitely the heliotrope, as sometimes this note smells a bit like vanilla-almond to me. I'm still besotted by this scent, it smells round and full and very comforting. Verdict: this fabulous scent is like peaches and vanilla ice cream, but so much better-it’s more like peaches and ice cream of the gods! The notes in this scent work very harmoniously with each other to create a fabulous fragrance of golden, sun-kissed sweetness. It bears a slight similarity to some vanilla-amber scents from other e-tailers, but it’s so much better, and more complex thanks to additions like heliotrope, sandalwood and, of course, the peach blossom which smells almost like the fruit in here, which adds a juicy aspect to the scent. I think a big bottle of this scent is needed, pronto!

Absinthe In the imp: eek, sharp booze! This is a ‘clear alcohol’ scent, amplified by anise, made colder by mint. I haven’t tried absinthe so I can’t say if it smells like the real thing. Wet on skin: it now gets greener and more herbal, I get the lemon note. Dry: it’s now the scent of herbal, slightly boozy lemon. It’s a cold, clear, and green scent. It’s not too bad now, the boozy aspect of the scent has toned down a bit, but is still there. The scent is very cool, like it’s been chilled… After a while: the anise note is coming out more, making this smell a bit like liquorice. The herbal-lemon-booze scent still remains. The mint isn’t blatant in this, but it gives the scent a definite sense of coldness, and there’s something very fluid and translucent about the scent as well. I just wish I got cardamom from this though… Verdict: I don’t know what absinthe really smells like but this scent is certainly boozy, clear, and cold…it’s herbal and lemony with a definite anise base. It smells green yet transparent at the same time, and I’m also surprised at how chilly it smells, and I think it’s from the mint-even though the mint isn’t that noticeable. I’m not sure if it’s a perfume I’d wear that often but it’s far more pleasant than I expected, and I think it would be quite nice in summer. edit: it turns to soap on me after a few hours. Dang it.

Thaleia In the imp: fruity honey! It’s like apricots and oranges covered in honey. Wet on skin: it gets tart and sharp, I’m guessing that’s a combination of orange and, yes, gardenia-the variety used in catalogue blends usually goes sharp on my skin. This reaction isn’t too unpleasant though. Dry: I quite like this! It’s an interesting mix of sweet and sugary with a tangy twist-there’s definitely a slight astringency from the gardenia, strengthened by orange, but for now it isn’t off-putting. I get lots of honey, apricots, orange, and I also get the floral notes at this point. It’s a fresh, juicy and crisp scent with a tart bite. After a while: the gardenia tones down into it’s nicer floral scent, and now the scent has become truly delightful. Honeyed apricots drizzled with orange juice lying on a bed of soft fragrant blossoms. It’s a lovely ‘glazed’ scent, like apricots covered with a shiny layer of honey, and brings to mind the colours gold and orange. It still has a tart edge which stops the scent from becoming over-sweet. Then after about an hour or two, the scent is mainly honey and apricot, with a little hint of something that could be tonka. After a few hours, I get a wonderful scent-an apricotty, softly floral scent touched by honey, it's warm and gentle and golden and I love it. Verdict: this is a very pleasant and joyful scent, very sweet but with a juicy tartness balancing it out. I wasn’t sure what to think of the first stage which was a little bit astringent and sharp, but this eventually settles after ten minutes into a lovely honeyed fruit and floral scent which is very nice indeed, but thanks to the orange adding a crisp bite to the scent, it doesn’t become cloying or sickly sweet. It’s a glazed golden-orange scent which is sunny and carefree, and very warm. It certainly made me smile, and the floral-apricot-honey drydown is fabulous. I’m not sure if I want a bottle as I’m not sure about the first stage, but the honeyed orange and apricot smell is really growing on me!

The closest to a grass scent I have found in BPAL is, unfortunately, in an unreleased scent-Val Sans Retour. It also has pine and foresty scents as well as possibly citrus or herbs, but I got a 'green grass in summer' note from it too.

Phobos, if you can get your hands on it, is pure LEMON goodness-it smelt like lemon sherbets on me. Also, the panacea Lustration smells like fresh squeezed lemon and lemon peel (as well as other citrus) but doesn't last long on me.

Euterpe In the imp: hmm, this is interesting. I get fizzy lemon iced tea or lemonade at first sniff. Then I sniff again and I get carnation, and a slight floral scent which reminds me of my local 'exotic treasures' shop, almost like the incense they burn there…maybe that's poppy? Wet on skin: a bubbly, tangy, sherbet like lemon, with hints of powdery soft iris, carnation and white musk. Dry on skin: this is interesting. This scent is very effervescent. It makes me think of that sherbet powder that fizzes and froths in your mouth. It's a very fizzy scent indeed. That's possibly the lemon. I also get a dry, powdery white floral scent that I'm guessing is a mix of iris and poppy. I think I get carnation in here as well, and honeysuckle too. Behind it all is a brisk, airy white musk that seems to 'sparkle', it's a fresh musk. The mix of white musk and iris is very slightly reminiscent of Black Pearl. After a while: this, to me, seems like a 'brighter' version of one of the 'starry' blends-either Stardust or the Evening Star. There's something glamorous about this scent, and after an hour it now really does have something Stardust like to it, which might be the musk and poppy. Verdict: this is a fun, effervescent mix of tangy lemon and light white powdery florals, a little bit of carnation and a soft white musk base. It's a sparkling fragrance, fresh and zingy at first but with a powdery, dry undertone. There is no darkness here, nothing profound-this scent is flashy and bright but the musk anchors it nicely without darkening the scent. At the drydown, it is slightly reminiscent of Stardust. I'm not sure if I want a bottle yet but this is a lovely, light scent that will be perfect for spring and summer days but also good for nights out. edit: I must say that Olympia's icon for this scent is fantastic! Musical muse with an iPod! So clever and so funny