yeahbutnobut

De Sade In the imp: deep dark polished leather with a hint of something a bit sweeter. Wet on skin: yup, leather! Like a real leather coat or a pair of new shoes. Dry on skin: this really does smell like new shoes and biker jackets to me-I smell like I've walked into a cobbler's shop, or the leather stalls in Camden Market. It's a lovely scent, pure leather, quite sexy, I think. It smells like the leather has been freshly polished. It's pretty much a leather single note. After a while: still leather, there's something slightly sweet, possibly resinous, which reminds me of polish, possibly shoe polish. It's so leathery, I'm amazed at how Beth can capture that scent so well. Verdict: this is a very good quality leather scent, a leather single note. It smells like freshly polished black leather-like new shoes or boots, new biker jackets, and so on. I'm amazed as how Beth does it! I've really warmed to Beth's leather note in particular, but despite this being quite a sexy scent for both men and women, I prefer leather as a note in blends like Dee and King of Clubs, but I'd definitely keep the imp to layer with other scents if I ever feel like adding a leather note to my non-leathery BPAL.

Phobos In the imp: sherbet lemons! Pure sherbet lemons with that fizzy sherbet note and candied lemon. Wet on skin: lemongrass! Citrus! tangy and zesty! This is really delicious and sparky! Dry on skin: the lemongrass note is very strong but mingles nicely with the other citrusy notes-the verbena and the grapefruit. I think the musk is adding something soft and almost velvety at the bottom of the scent, smoothing out the sharp citrus notes in here, adding a nice soft base contrasting the lemony tartness. After a while: the herbal lemon scents (verbena and lemongrass) settle down into a greener citronella like scent, with grapefruit adding it's tang, and soft white musk under it all. (I wonder if this keeps away mozzies?) Verdict: this is the most pleasant of the lemon-themed discontinued scents I've tried so far. It doesn't go soapy on me or fade too fast, there's a nice musk note anchoring the lemony notes down. It also resembles sherbet lemons at the beginning, which I love. I may want to track down an imp of this one day, it's a lovely perky citrus scent.

Nuclear Winter In the imp: cool, slightly sweet, icy mint. I see the comparisons with Frost Moon-I think it reminds me of Cold Moon and Tulzsha as well-maybe there's cucumber in here? Wet on skin: yup, I'm sure there's cucumber in here! This is a cool, liquid, white mint with a hint of greenness. Dry on skin: this is a gorgeous mint scent. Unlike Lick It which was sweet peppermint, this scent isn't as sweet, and has a more icy quality, very frosty and very white. I agree that it's a peaceful scent-it's like the eerie calm that may settle if a nuclear winter did ever happen, silent, still, but sterile. I also get something slightly green, brings to mind the green glow that radioactive substances have in cartoons, or mutated plant life in the vicinity of the blast. This cold aquatic scent I get here is snowy and icy, slushy almost, different to the snow notes in other snow blends-it's more sterile and bleached of life. I'm also very sure that there's cucumber in here-it's very similar to Tulzscha, and also seems like a twin to Cold Moon. I just wish it had the same skin cooling reaction-I think this will be a lovely summer scent too. After a while: oh, the drydown seems to be edging towards Ice Queen! I love Ice Queen and I'm getting a scent reminiscent of that in here-I'm wondering if there's a white musk note in this? It's a soft, snowy coating of slightly ozone-y cucumber and white musk. I love this stage of the scent and it means I won't be pining for more Ice Queen once my imp of that scent runs out! Verdict: this is another gorgeous minty and wintry scent from the Lab. Totally different in mood and scent to Lick It, this is a white, calm, cool, iced mint scent, a winter-mint with green notes, something aquatic or ozone, and something which I'm pretty sure is cucumber, and also a white musk. This is-as many others said in the reviews-what I hoped Numb would be like. This to me is very similar to Cold Moon, almost a twin scent, but the drydown is more like Ice Queen. The scent is calm, silent, still and serene like a frosty night, but it's almost lifeless, like a major cataclysm has occurred, and the area has been partly destroyed and sterilised. But all is not dead, there's still a hint of something green and alive, albeit something mutated and glowing with radiation. The vicinity of the blast is covered with ice and snow, frosted and eerily white, the silence of the place is unsettling and yet it entrances and lures you. (But, as Olympia says in her fabulous review, don't eat the glowing green snow!) I think this scent will be lovely for winter-but also wonderful as a cooling scent for summer.

Mitzvah In the bottle: beautiful butterscotch! This smells so edible-it's caramel goodness. I want to drink this! Wet on skin: oh dear, a buttery note now surfaces-I really hope this butter note doesn't overpower the other sugary notes! Dry on skin: now the scent has lost that lovely sugary goodness and I get a scent which smells a little bit like overcooked burnt butter, or burnt toffee that's lost it's sweetness. I also notice it has that same dusty note shared by the likes of Midway, Spooky, Eggnog, Sugar Cookie 05 etc-at times this note bothers me, at times it doesn't, but in here it's annoying. What a shame, this was so promising in the bottle! It's not nauseating or cloying, but it's lost much of its glorious sweetness-it’s like my skin completely sucked out the goodness from the scent. I'll leave it for a while and see if it improves-it may also be a PMS/time of month thing? It also seems to be fading away! After a while: it does improve a bit-the caramelised sugar does come back to the scent, but it still smells burnt and overcooked, and a tiny bit metallic. Damn you evil skin chemistry, a pox on thee! Verdict: I hate what my skin did to this scent. In the bottle it smelt so wonderful, so gloriously sweet and butterscotch-y, I wanted to drink its contents! But on the skin, it turned to overcooked butter and burnt caramel. I am gutted. I will give this another try when I'm not pre-menstrual or menstrual-it may be that. But I'm really let down by my stupid skin chemistry. Oh well, I'll decant away most of it and keep the bottle to sniff because that's where it smells nicest-in the bottle.

Gingerbread Poppet In the imp: like last year's, this is pure gingerbread dough-spicy, sweet and slightly buttery. Mmmm. Wet on skin: this is delicious! The ginger note gets a tad stronger… Dry on skin: this is really nice, but unlike last year's, there's a note there that smells a bit dark and, dare I say, a bit burnt? It's not so much a dough scent now, but more of a baked gingerbread scent, and it's slightly smoky like it's been cooked in a wood-fired oven (like the kind you cook Italian pizzas in!) as opposed to your standard electric oven. At times it smells a bit burnt, at others, it smells more like wood smoke, and I also get a hint of treacle in here, a traditional gingerbread made with fresh stem ginger, treacle and spices, cooked in the traditional way. After a while: what the? Now it smells like gingerbread and smoky leather! It seems the burnt note has turned something vaguely leathery or smoky on me, a bit reminiscent of one of the notes in Herr Dross…a very unexpected reaction! Verdict: in the imp, this is so promising…on the skin, it's also quite nice, but not the deliciousness that was the 04 version. There's a note here that makes it smell a bit, well, burnt. Like burnt gingerbread, or gingerbread with hints of charcoal-like it's been cooked in a traditional oven, the old fashioned way. This burnt scent then turns to something a bit like smoky leather. That does let the scent down a bit-a shame really because I love the spicy sweet scent I get, the scent of moist gingerbread made with chunks of stem ginger, treacle and syrup, and spices. If it wasn't for that burnt scent, I would be in love, but I much prefer the 04 version.

Azazel In the imp: lemongrass, sage and lavender. Very herbal, like an aromatherapy blend. Wet on skin: who, strong lemongrass in here, eclipsing all the other notes… Dry on skin: this is a very lemongrass-y scent. I can make out hints of other herbs in here, but mainly lemongrass. It's a sharp scent, piercing and tangy. I'll wait a bit for the lemongrass to fade. After a while: the lemongrass edge dies down a bit, leaving a herbal scent on the skin that may be sage and bay. It's quite pleasant as a scent, but to me it feels more like a nice scent for a soap or bath, or for an aromatherapy scent, than as a perfume. It also reminds me of the TAL blend, Concentration. Verdict: this scent starts with a huge blast of lemongrass, piercing and sharp, that takes over the scent for about 15 minutes, before toning down to reveal the herbs underneath. it's a pleasant scent but not something I'd wear as perfume-I think it would be nicer in a soap or burned as room scent-the lemongrass is good at unclogging an unfocused brain! Nice, but not a favourite.

Herr Drosselmeyer In the imp: sweet pipe tobacco. It's similar to Hearth 04 but without the uber-cherry/almond scent, though it's slightly cherry-ish. Wet on skin: smoky dark tobacco, something cherry like, and rich leather. Dry on skin: this is a really comforting scent. It's a dark sweet tobacco with deep leather. I think the sweet cherry scent may be one of the woods (cherry wood maybe?) I also get a lighter, fresher note that I cannot pin down, it just flits through momentarily through the scent- this may be the linen. It's smoky and rich, dark and smooth, and also quite sweet and syrupy in scent, and smells a lot nicer on the skin. It's very similar to last year's Hearth but I think this one's a bit more wearable-for me anyway. After a while: this softens up and lightens up. There's something quite nutty or fruity about this scent, it smells slightly treacle or maple syrup like, and there's something in there that reminds me of almonds. It also smells a bit like Christmas cake served in an old library with leather chairs and polished wooden floors, with pipe smoke lingering in the air. Verdict: this is this year's answer to last year's Hearth. I prefer this to Hearth 04; I find it a bit more wearable on me. This is a deep, rich scent of smoky pipe tobacco and worn leather with cherry wood (though not as much as last year's) and a bit of linen. This scent is very masculine in feel, grown up and mature, it has a paternal air about it, warm and comforting, like the scent of a gentle father or grandfather. It's a very cosy scent and makes me want to curl up on my leather sofa like a cat by the fire. I'm not sure if I'd wear it much because it seems a bit manly for me, but I'd definitely love to smell this on a guy!

Snow Moon In the bottle: very, very similar to Snow Bunny and Skadi-that chilly, icy, sweet berry and slight citrus and menthol/eucalyptus or icy aquatics with a bit of frozen evergreen. It's less tart than Snow Bunny, and not spicy like Skadi-I think this one is floral. Wet on skin: yup, still Skadi-esque, but with more of an evergreen sharpness now. Dry on skin: this is lovely. This is darker and more serious in tone than Snow Bunny (this one seems to be 'of the night' whilst SB was more of a 'daytime' scent) and is more or less a twin to Skadi (I find this more similar to Skadi than Talvikuu). It has a strong fir/birch note, along with the cool grapefruit/aquatic/menthol/eucalyptus-y 'snow' notes, but I think I'm getting the floral notes underneath-they are not very strong, it's like flowers encased in ice, the essence frozen and just barely perceptible. The scent is chilly, I'm thinking there may be something like eucalyptus making this scent feel cold and frosty. I'm hoping the floral notes come through more as the scent dries down. After a while: it's like the ice is thawing. Bits of cool evergreen remain but now I get a lovely soft floral sweetness, like sugar covered petals with something vaguely reminiscent of grapefruit. Apart from rose and perhaps narcissus, I'm not too familiar with the other floral notes and ever so the flowers are so well blended I can't tell them apart or recognise them very well in here, but that's no bad thing. I just wish the rose note were a bit more recognisable but even though I can't pick it out, I love the soft muted frosty floral scent I get here. Verdict: I was expecting a feminine Talvikuu but this is, to me, 2005's answer to Skadi. It is Snow Bunny's darker, grown up sister- she is quiet, reserved, icily beautiful yet withdrawn whereas SB was youthful, extrovert and jovial. Like Skadi, this scent has the same frozen evergreen with ice (which is a combination of a grapefruit like scent, chilly aquatics, ozone maybe, and perhaps menthol and eucalyptus) with something sweet. But whilst Skadi had berries and spice, Snow Moon has flowers. The floral notes add a sweetness and softness but at first, they are not prominent-it's like they are covered with snow, trapped in an icy covering. They become more noticeable as the snowy notes thaw away gradually, and I get a nice sugary floral scent-I can't pick out each flower because they are very well blended. This is another beautiful winter scent that I am glad to have bought.

WHOA!!! That's an amazing label!!!

Snow Bunny In the imp: yup, this smells like Skadi! It also has a bubbly, effervescent citrus note to it. Wet on skin: what a fun and happy scent! Cool, fizzy fruity and berry scents with ice. Dry on skin: this is Skadi's younger, outgoing, fun-loving sister. Whilst Skadi was more menthol-spice, this one has a fruity scent to it which reminds me of a cocktail. It's like a fruit cocktail scent served with lots of ice, it has something citrus-y to it (grapefruit?), and possibly a berry note, and maybe some melon and peach or even some champagne as well? I do get a hint of snowy pine and slush-this scent makes me think of a sophisticated and adult 'Slush Puppy' drink, maybe a granita with added booze? This is such a fresh, fun, lively scent. After a while: the fruity aspect of the scent has strengthened-I now think there may be some cranberry in this. It's tart and tangy and also sweetly juicy at the same time. It reminds me of a fruity sorbet, and there's a light booze note in this, maybe white wine or even vodka? It's still cool and icy, a cocktail served chilled. The drydown of this scent is reminiscent of Midwinter's Eve-a sugared berry scent with a hint of ice. Verdict: this is very similar to Skadi, but more light hearted, youthful and zingy. This is like a fizzy cocktail served at a ski resort, made from fruit juices of various kinds, with maybe a dash of champagne or white wine, served with lots of ice, or even fresh mountain snow from outside. A hint of that cool mountain air wafts through the scent, chilled pine and frozen aquatic notes. I love this scent-it's very cute and fresh, light and gentle, fun and very girlie indeed. It's not often I link scents to sounds, but if this scent had one, it would be a high pitched giggle! I'm glad to have a bottle of this scent, it's a perfect representation of winter's lighter side and the fun and exciting aspects of snowy weather.

Snow Bunny is a very light hearted scent, I think. It's got a fresh, fruity giggly effervescence to it which to me is very lively and fun.

Silentium Amoris In the imp: rose and ylang-ylang, simple as that. Wet on skin: still rose and ylang ylang, a nice balance of the two notes. Dry on skin: ooh, this is lovely. Full bodied, slightly tart and greenish, velvety petalled rose with the heady floral sweetness of ylang. It's a lovely combination, an uncomplicated scent-only comprising two notes, but very effective and pleasant. After a while: it stays pretty much the same all along, rose and ylang-though the rose is stronger at times. Verdict: this is another one of those simple rose scents, when rose is combined with just one other note. In here, it works really nicely with the ylang, it's a lovely feminine scent, uncomplicated and not fussy. It's a lovely smell, but not my favourite rose scent-I have many rose scents I prefer to this. I may want to track down an imp of it one day but I won't be pining for this scent.

Sugar Cookie 05 In the imp: oh dear…butter! And rum too! Totally different from last year's spicy dough, this is buttery dough with sugar and booze…I hope this doesn't go all Jack on me! Wet on skin: mmm, it's quite pleasant-it reminds me of Christmas desserts, soaked in rum. It's a rum soaked cookie scent. The butter fades away, thankfully. Dry on skin: I get a hint of the 'dusty' scent I got with Midway and Spooky (the note that some people interpret as plastic-to me it's dusty paper). One could say this is Spooky without the mint, cocoa, or coconut-it has the same buttery rum, vanilla, sugar and dough scent. I hope this dusty scent fades a bit because it clashes slightly with a delicious sugary dough scent on top. I adore the throw of this scent-wafts of sugary loveliness surround me, but close to the wrist, I get that dusty paper scent. After a while: the dusty note seems to fade, and the delicious sugary dough scent strengthens nicely. Now I'm beginning to like this, so far, this is my favourite stage in the scent. Verdict: I was a tiny bit let down by this year's version of SC. Last year's was a gloriously spicy cookie scent with no off notes whatsoever. This year it's a bit boozy, but that doesn't bother me. I'm not keen on this 'dusty cardboard' note that I get with this. I also got it in Midway and Spooky, but in Midway it seemed to go well with the other notes and in Spooky the cocoa-mint-coconut blotted it out a bit. But it seems a bit off in this scent. It's a shame really because though this dusty note is pretty noticeable in here when I smell close to the wrist, there's also a sugary dough scent which is truly delightful, and it wafts around me like crazy, and gets stronger as the scent dries down. That's my favourite bit of the scent. I just wish this year's version had that cinnamon scent that I loved so much about last year's, and none of the dusty note I get in this. I'm keeping the bottle I will get, but I much prefer 04's SC and hopefully next year's SC (if it gets remade next Yule) will have that spice note once more.

Mistletoe 05 (I haven't smelt the 04 version.) In the imp: pine! Winter pine and fir. Like a Christmas tree. Wet on skin: pure Christmas tree! Dry on skin: so far, this BPAL is the most authentic smelling Christmas tree smell I've ever smelt! It really smells like a fir tree has been brought into the house, and I'm sniffing it's branches…or like running through a Christmas tree farm. Deep green, slightly smoky and sappy, this is pure essence of a festive fir ready to be decorated and covered with baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights. After a while: it remains true to it's Xmas tree scent but the sad thing about this scent is it fades so fast! Within about 2-3 hours, it's gone! Verdict: I don't know what actual mistletoe smells like, but this smells EXACTLY like a Christmas tree. It's uncanny, I'm bowled over by how accurate this is. A lot of BPAL scents with fir and pine have hints of Christmas tree about them but this one is spot on! Its like concentrated essence of Xmas tree, like the lingering scent of one in the house times 100. I'm not sure if I'd wear this as perfume, but this would make the most wonderful room scent, and it sends nostalgic shivers down my spine. (now all Beth needs to do is make a satsuma scent and I'd have my perfect Christmas fragrance!) The only disadvantage is that it doesn't last on me. The scent is too fleeting and disappears in a few hours. What a shame, because I've been looking all over for the perfect Christmas tree scent, and this is it.

Talvikuu In the imp: oh goodness, this smells like Ice Queen! Maybe a bit sweeter, but it's that soft musk scent, the snowy musk from that scent. Wet on skin: yup, still Ice Queen, I also get something a bit citrus like in this scent, almost like grapefruit. The scent is cool and fresh. Dry on skin: I think another appropriate name for this scent would be Ice King, since this complements last year's Queen perfectly. It has that same icy cool musk to it, that soft snowy scent with hints of citrus or iced aquatics or ozone, but this one is a bit darker, a bit greener, and less feminine. I can smell the fir in here, possibly the birch too but I'm more familiar with the fir note. This fir is like a Christmas tree 'in the wild', uncut, snow covered, waiting to be chopped down, but you wouldn't dare chop this tree-it's perfect as it is, here in it's frozen forest, it is alive, and it stands strong against the chill. I adore the white musk note this scent has, too. After a while: the scent gets darker and less soft now, I think the fir and birch notes come out more. there's an odd, slightly bitter note in here that I'm not sure about, it seems a bit strange. That might be the birch. But apart from that, the scent is cool, chilled, frosty and with bits of greenness encased in icy notes, with bits of icicle sharp citrus/aquatics/ozone and smooth snowy musk. Verdict: this is the Ice King, Ice Queen's male counterpart, this is to my nose a much more gender-neutral version of last year's gorgeous icy scent. It shares those snowy, cool, white musk notes that I got in Ice Queen, but with fir and birch, darker and more woody and evergreen. It's a very atmospheric scent, very evocative of winter forests, trees covered by thick layers of snow, it smells cool and brisk, like a chilly wind. There's a slight bitter note I'm not so keen on, I may get used to it, and if I do, I might get a bottle. This is wonderful winter scent…but first I'm going to try my other snowy scents before I decide whether it's a favourite or not.

The Cracked Bell In the imp: dragon's blood or red musk, with a hint of sweet and resinous scents, I'm thinking amber and frankincense. It does bear a similarity to Blood Amber and Scherezade. Wet on skin: there are times when I think red musk and dragon's blood smell similar and I can't tell which is which unless they are listed in the blend. I get that here. It's a musk/blood scent with amber and incense. It's lovely. Dry on skin: oh wow, this is really quite gorgeous! There's something slightly 'perfume like' about it-but that's a good thing. I'm thinking there may be Arabian musk in here, as sometimes that turns to a 'posh perfume' scent. I'm also getting amber, and maybe some other resins, and something smoky. The dragon's blood/red musk is still there, but it's not as prominent now. This fragrance bears similarities with Bastet, Scherezade, Blood Amber and something else-either Othello or Rapture, I can't remember which. It's a sophisticated, deep, haunting scent, and I think it has an exotic quality to it-it's a scent that wouldn't be out of place in a Middle Eastern bazaar. After a while: now the red musk/dragon's blood returns to the scent, adding a musky redness. There is a metallic quality to the scent, there's that blood scent from Blood Moon, and something that makes me think of gold, to me, it is a red and gold scent…this cracked bell is made of gold or brass, and is pulled by a blood-red velvet rope. Other than this, the scent still retains its exotic amber-incense-resin-musk scent though. This scent morphs so much, it's so complex. After an hour or so, it is at a stage of sweet amber and red musk and/or dragon's blood, maybe some spices and resins scattered through it. This is now Blood Amber and Scherezade's lovechild. And another morphing twist. Metallic blood, sweet resinous musk, and a deep smoky background. Verdict: this is an amazingly complex and shape-shifting fragrance…far from being a sinister cold scent, this is very exotic, warm and quite sensual. There are elements from Scherezade, Blood Amber, and also Bastet and maybe Othello and some of the other Arabian musk/exotic musk scents-I can imagine a belly dancer smelling like this! It has a metallic aspect to it that brings to mind red blood (that same blood note from Blood Moon, possibly some dragon's blood too) and gold, like a golden bell. The scent morphs and changes like crazy, from red to gold, from musky to resinous, amber to smoke, to resin to blood and gold, and back again. It does have nuances of sophisticated musk perfumes, but due to its morphing qualities and unusual blood and incense notes, that is what adds an interesting twist. I may have to give in to a bottle, this scent is very intriguing, unique, and spellbinding.

Snow White 05 In the imp: very similar to last year's gorgeous sweet-fresh snowy goodness. I can see where people get 'pina colada' from, there's definitely coconut here, but the fruit note is more like apple than pineapple to me-like a crisp green apple. (well, it isn't surprising that an apple note would be in a blend named after a fairytale character who had issues with poisoned ones!) Wet on skin: soft, sweet, crisp and slightly fruity and green, similar to last year, but without the 'burning rubber' scent I got last time. Dry on skin: there's a sharp green note now, but offset by that gorgeous creamy sweet background that I love, like a carpet of freshly fallen snow. I'm hoping the green note fades away because I love the creamy scent I get here-it's more foody and sweet than last year's, I think. After a while: the green note retreats, letting that lovely white scent through. There's a spike of something a bit sharp and crisp, but it's not as strong now, the scent is now smooth and gentle. I'm thinking vanilla, coconut, green apple, a little bit of icy aquatic (ie, the snow itself), maybe some pine or another evergreen, possibly white florals, and that elusive and legendary lily musk are what I can smell. This beautiful downy creamy white scent gets even better as time passes, before eventually turning into the marshmallow scent I love so much. Verdict: this is pretty similar to last year's, except that this one doesn't have the 'burnt rubber' scent last year's had when wet. This version also has a sharp green spike of scent with fringes of smooth creamy white sweetness on either side. This spike of scent brings to mind an icicle, which is a very fitting image for this scent! The scent conjures an image of a soft coating of snow on the roof with icicles hanging down. The drydown is, like last year's, gorgeous and fluffy and sweet, like plump white marshmallows. This is one of BPAL's classics, a lovely scent that I am pleased to have a bottle of.

Hearth 05 In the imp: oh dear, butter! A bit like Jack, but I get a brown sugar and nut scent underneath. Wet on skin: now the green fresh scent of pine comes out, the butter retreats, the sugary chestnut scent remains. Dry on skin: oh, this is lovely. I get the cool freshness of pine, a green Christmas tree like scent, with the scent of caramel-coated chestnuts by the fireside. A very comforting scent, very evocative of cosy Christmas scenes, but I'm also surprised that the pine note is a lot stronger than expected-it prevents the foody scent from getting cloying or too rich on me. I'm glad the butter note has taken a back seat as well. This is a very pleasant festive fragrance. After a while: The pine note settles down a bit, and I'm getting a slight whiff of smoke-that may be the cedar smoke. Still the sugared chestnuts remain, though not as strong as before. Now the scent has balanced out nicely, all the notes are nice and even, so the scent is a combination of foody, woody and smoky. Verdict: this is much nicer than last year's Hearth-it's also much more wearable. At first I though the butter note would go all Jack on me, but it pretty much faded as soon as it hit my skin, soon replaced by pine. This pine note threatened to overtake the scent but never did…it also prevented the scent from being too overwhelmingly sugary and nauseating, the sugared chestnut note in this is lovely. The drydown is even nicer-an even mix of smoke, sugar, nuts and pine. Very comforting, warm, and festive, I'm keeping my decant, though I'm unsure if I'll get a bottle yet…

Midnight Mass In the imp: beautiful, beautiful sweet incense. Frankincense, myrrh, and something else…amber or benzoin maybe? Wet on skin: ohhhh…gorgeous resinous-incense loveliness. Dry on skin: still as beautiful as ever. A delightful mix of resins and smoky incense notes. I know there's frankincense and myrrh here, but there are loads of other things. I'm getting a woody note or something slightly green in a wooden way (sandalwood or cedar?), a sweet resin which may be amber or benzoin, possibly some labdanum, and I'm getting a definite smoke scent, and it reminds me of candle smoke as well as smouldering incense. It does bear a similarity to Cathedral and Aureus, but it's unique and ever so pleasant in it's own right. After a while: there's a honeyed 'golden green' myrrh note in here which reminds me so much of Anubis, strangely enough. I'm pretty sure it's the same myrrh component. I also get a dark smoky background and a sticky resin background. All the notes seem to have balanced out nicely but the myrrh is the prominent note, I think. The final drydown of this scent is reminiscent of autumn air with bonfire/incense smoke wafting in it, with the scent of dry autumn leaves, and a hint of something sweet and slightly fruity which reminds me, oddly, of fig. Verdict: this is a wonderful incense scent, along similar lines to Cathedral, Aureus, Penitence etc but different to those, and possibly more complex. It also reminds me of Anubis, I think they share the same myrrh note…whether this smells like true Catholic incense, I cannot say, but it does smell 'churchy' to me! It's both dark and smoky, and golden and glowing at the same time. I get the traditional resins of frankincense and myrrh here as well as a blend of other ingredients I do not recognise but I can take a stab at guessing what they may be-amber, benzoin, labdanum, something woody, and also candle smoke. Whatever this contains, it smells beautiful, sacred, holy-and even though I'm not Christian/Catholic any more, I am in love with this scent and can't wait for my bottle to arrive.

I'm the total opposite, because amber never goes powdery on me, not even the lab's...it always smells sweet, golden and translucent. I must be lucky. The lab uses different amber blends which may react differently with different skin chemistries-I'm most familiar with the Egyptian amber(that's the one with the golden luminous scent, on me), but there's also black amber, Peruvian amber, and many more...I'm not too familiar with those but I tried one blend with black amber and it smelt different to normal amber-deeper, I think. Don't give up! There may be an amber note that works on you!

Yuletide 05 In the imp: pine/fir and cinnamon. I think this is a truer pine-cinnamon than last year's, which was a tad soapy/candle-y on me, but I'll see what my skin thinks. Wet on skin: oh dear, I think this is getting soapy on me… Dry on skin: ah, now, it's not too soapy. It seems to have stopped short of smelling like pure soap. Now it smells like Christmas trees and cinnamon and cloves. I do get a bit of last year's 'Badedas at Christmas' scent, but this one's a bit stronger on the spices, and the pine/fir note smells both of bubble bath and Christmas trees. Like last year, I get absolutely no berry scent from this whatsoever at this stage. And it does still smell like a candle scent- a good quality candle, that is. After a while: the notes seem to have fused together, a smooth, slightly soapy, a bit candle like, pine and spice scent. Not dissimilar to last year's in fact. No berries here. Verdict: to me, this isn't the scent of holly berries, but the scent of a lovely Christmas candle, with notes of pine, cinnamon, clove, maybe fir too. A very festive scent. it's very similar to last year's though I think the cinnamon note was a bit stronger at when wet in this version. Like last year's version, this scent would be more suited to a room fragrance than on my skin. I'll keep the imp though.

Midwinter's Eve 05 In the imp: this has the same berry, sugar plum and 'watermelon candy' scent I remember from last year. Wet on skin: still sugar plums, but this one's a tiny bit sharper and tangier. I get a scent reminiscent of candied citrus. Dry on skin: oh, pretty. This is similar to last year's but I think this is a bit nicer. This smells a bit like candy floss/cotton candy! It's a fruity sugar scent. This isn't the deep, juicy plum that is usually used in BPAL plum scents, this is a lighter, sugary plum, sweeter and 'pinker' (that's the only way I can describe it) than a normal plum. I get no flowers from this scent, just fruity sugar. It does also resemble a candle, but it hasn't turned waxy (last year's dried down to candle wax on me.) and I must say that it also reminds me slightly of Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo! After a while: the sugared plum scent grows stronger. It now smells like plums that have been soaked in fruit syrup have been sprinkled with sugar. However the scent isn't cloying-it's light, dainty, candied and pink. As I said before, it's the fruit note from ACJM (or Bastet's Laughter, for that matter), but this time in a more festive form. No sign of candle wax yet, I think this one may be nicer than last year's. Verdict: this version of Midwinter's Eve is similar to last year's, but so far, it's nicer on me. To me, this is the festive equivalent of Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo, it seems to share a note with that scent. the plum note used here is not the ripe, juicy, deep purple plum I smell in many other BPALs, this is a pink, syrup soaked and sugar covered plum lying on a bed of candy floss. I don't seem to get flowers here, just fruity sugar. Far from being melancholy and deep, this scent is fun and sprightly, sweet and dainty, the scent of the sugar plum fairy, I think. I don't need a bottle but I'm keeping the decant I have of this.

Lick It In the imp: mint! This does smell exactly like a candy cane-you can smell the sugar in this. Amazing! Wet on skin: gorgeous minty goodness-but now I'm getting that vanilla scent, and yes, it resembles Black Opal! Dry on skin: I love this! First thing that hits your nose is a refreshing blast of peppermint that clears your head. I think this would work wonders on headaches. But underneath the mint, is a gorgeous sugary vanilla musk, reminiscent of Black Opal or Antique Lace, but much sweeter and lighter. This vanilla musk adds depth and uniqueness to the scent-it smells like a candy cane, but much more interesting. And I've noticed another thing-it has a cooling effect on my skin-and I've just come out of the shower! After a while: the mint has faded, leaving behind that gorgeous Black Opal scent of vanilla and musk, but this time slightly fresher, thanks to a tiny amount of leftover mint. Verdict: this is possibly one of the loveliest mint blends ever, and a proof that a blend that's predominantly mint can make for a fabulous perfume without smelling like chewing gum or toothpaste. In the imp, it's pure candy cane in a liquid form, but on the skin, it changes. The peppermint is cooling on the skin, refreshing and good for clearing a clogged up brain, I think. But underneath the minty coolness, is a beautiful vanilla musk scent which is similar to the likes of Black Opal and Antique Lace. This is what makes Lick It such a fabulous scent-it's that vanilla musk layer underlying the mint. I think I'll need a bottle…because of it's cooling action on the skin, I think it will be wonderful for summer!

Goona Goona In the imp: patchouli, and something sharp and a bit sour? Wet on skin: oh my, is that geranium I smell, surfacing from the patchouli? I think it is…this is the first time I can actually smell a prominent geranium note in a BPAL. There may be rose in here too, maybe lavender? Dry on skin: whoa, this is now a good strong geranium scent, with a bit of patchouli, and maybe a little hint of rose and a lemon herb like lemongrass. But mainly geranium-that slightly herbal, slightly lemony, and with a rich, full, almost rose like scent. This may even be my mum's favourite-Bourbon geranium. After a while: now it smells more like rose. it's also slightly herbal and dusty/powdery and dry at this stage. I think the geranium is lingering a bit. There may be orris or sandalwood in here as well. It's also a bit sharper now. Verdict: such a shame that this was discon'd, because this is, so far, the only BPAL I've tried with a good, strong, prominent geranium note. It smells like my mum's Bourbon geranium oil, and it's the dominant note in this blend-though there is also some patchouli and possibly rose or lemon verbena/grass, and maybe sandalwood too. The drydown is a sort of sharp rose with herbs. I love the smell of geranium (always reminds me of mum) and I'm glad to have tried this scent. I'm hoping it's positive effects will take hold-I may need to give this another try before I send the circular swap on (this is part of the discontinued swap circle) to test out the scent's intent.

Blood Rose In the imp: sharp wine and rose, with a dragon's blood note that reminds me of red musk. Wet on skin: I swear there's red musk here, the scent now reminds me of Spellbound with wine. Dry on skin: oh wow, this is quite nice, I think. The dragon's blood note smells almost like red musk in here-maybe that's what happens when it combines with wine? However it doesn't smell as musky as it was in the imp, it now smells more like dragon's blood. I can also smell the tart twang of wine here, with a rose note that is starting to blossom on my skin. It smells not too dissimilar to Spellbound. After a while: this really, really smells like a sweeter, fruitier Spellbound with dragon's blood and wine seemingly mimicking red musk. I'm surprised, but it's a very nice surprise! Verdict: another lovely rose scent from Beth. The rose isn't the dominant note in this-it's very nicely balanced by dragon's blood and wine, all three notes seem to share equal parts in the overall scent. interestingly, I get something similar to red musk from this scent, I'm assuming this is the components reacting together on my skin-and the result is a scent very similar to Spellbound-maybe a bit fruitier and more dragon's bloody, but I'm surprised at the red musk like scent I pick up in this scent. This is rich red and voluptuous, indeed. I'm not sure if I'll get a bottle as I do actually prefer Spellbound to this, but I might keep the imp.