yeahbutnobut

Oisin In the imp: my nose must be off kilter today because I’m getting liquorice from this!!! Light anise and musk. Wet on skin: oh, this is nice. Fresh green herbs with a bit of musk and that odd anise note, which is nice in this. Dry: I like this a lot! This is a very fresh, light, bright musk scent, herbal and quite masculine. I’m not sure what’s in this, what the herbs are in here…maybe the anise like note could be fennel? I also get the musk, it’s a lovely fresh and breezy musk scent, and I also get something mossy or forest like, or reminiscent of leaves? It smells like a moist forest floor, with something herbal, possibly ferny, to it. I don’t get much in the way of flowers here. I think I also get a tree sap note here, sticky and smoky. This scent is a complex and intriguing mixture, very outdoorsy. And very manly! After a while: another scent that stays consistent. This smells like good quality aftershave-not the cheap chavvy stuff that most students wear. This is a sophisticated men’s perfume, but with a hint of something more natural to it. This still has that gorgeous musk, and that deep, sweet sap note. Verdict: this is a delightful scent which I think would be even more delightful on a man…a fresh, herbal, clean musk scent, this is what aftershave should smell like-forget Lynx, this is what really good looking boys should wear if they want to get a shag from the girls! It’s a gorgeous combination of breezy white musk with a mixture of outdoors scents-from meadow herbs to ferns to leaves to mosses and tree sap and evergreen needles. I also get a note which reminds me of liquorice, I’m wondering if that’s fennel. The scent isn’t just all bright and light, it also has a depth that grounds it, a scent like a forest floor. It’s a lovely fragrance-very nice on me, but if I had a boyfriend, I think it would be much nicer on him…as I said, this is a manly scent, maybe too manly for me, but done in the best way possible.

Antique Lace In the imp: a soft, gentle, barely there white musk. Wet on skin: now the scent begins to warm up and come out…a gentle vanilla musk with a hint of floral. Dry: oh yes, this is the scent I love. Sweet, soft vanilla with that gorgeous warm white musk-the kind I like to call ‘mmmmmmmmmusk’ because it’s so delightful, and with a hint of something clean and airy, almost ozone like…like freshly washed linen. Normally, such scents are a bit soapy on me, but this is a freshly washed sheets note that I love, it works fantastically in this scent, it doesn’t smell soapy but it does smell clean, breezy, fresh and white. With the musk and vanilla, and perhaps a fleeting hint of floral, possibly carnation, the combination is divine and makes me feel all cosy inside. After a while: this is very similar to Black Opal, but much lighter and daintier. Now the vanilla note has strengthened, sweetened, it’s become even more lovely. I think the vanilla here is much stronger than Black Opal's and it's almost foody but the other notes prevent it from being so. Still the musk and the clean linen scent remain, this blend stays very consistent, if not improving with time. Verdict: I tried this scent at a meet up with Fallow Deer when it was discontinued, and fell in love, and now I am so glad it is back for good, because this is a BPAL classic, and rightly so. It’s one of those vanilla-musk scents that Beth does so well, and it’s truly beautiful and unique-a combination of gentle yet strong vanilla sweetness with a comforting and warm white musk note, but backed by the slightly ozone like, airy, clean and fresh scent of freshly washed linen and possibly some floral notes. I totally understand the similarities with (good quality) Morocco, Buck Moon, Black Opal etc, but this is still different to those. All these scents have their own character, and Antique Lace has it’s own. This scent is comforting, downy, clean, sweet, nostalgic without being too old fashioned and certainly not ‘granny-ish’-if anything, this is the scent of youthful innocence of days past. It makes me want to curl up like a contented cat and purr with delight. Believe the hype, Antique Lace is a classic.

Fallen In the imp: soft, angelic, slightly musky florals with gentle sandalwood. Wet on skin: ah, here comes something a bit more sinister…I get a hint of piercing dry woods now mingling with the white flowers, and I also get violet now. Dry: hmm, this is an unusual scent, but it seems fitting. You get a sense of something heavenly and yet something dark lurks underneath. Lovely light flowers with musk and a hint of sweet amber dance on the top of the scent, but then a harsh, almost burnt, woody scent hits your nose. A dusting of violet covers the scent. An intriguing scent that seems fitting, but I’m not sure about this harsh woody note yet. Maybe it will calm down. I’m not getting vetiver yet. After a while: that harsh wood note calms down-it’s still there but it’s softer and mixes better with the scent. Now I get this lovely soft coating of amber, musk, sandalwood and flowers, with the darker notes simmering underneath. The vetiver isn’t amping up like there’s no tomorrow in this, but I do get a hint of it. I like smelling like Lucifer…now I never thought I’d say that! The soft, gentle musk-sandalwood-floral scent reminds me of another BPAL-is it Ave Maria Gratia Plena? I’m not sure but it’s lovely and it gets stronger in this scent, and I can hardly smell the dark notes after a while. Verdict: I really like this scent, and angelic, luminous scent with a dark side. At first I wasn’t sure of it-there was a harsh woody note that freaked me out a bit, smelt burnt and odd on my skin…but that fades, leaving behind a gorgeous halo of scent-a delightful mix of soft flowers, velvety light musk, sandalwood and amber, a radiant white scent that seems heavenly and gentle…though the darker notes lurk underneath, they don’t disturb the supposed purity of the scent. This is a very pleasant and light scent, though I’m not sure I would get a bottle because of that strange burnt wood note I got at first, but the drydown is fantastic. I’m keeping the imp.

Lampades In the imp: mmm, fruity red musk. I find that red musk seems to bond very nicely with fruit notes-such as the strawberry and cherry in Hollywood Babylon. In here, it’s bonded nicely with cranberry. Wet on skin: crisp, tart cranberry with rich, fruity red musk. This is very nice. I get a bit of gingery warmth here too. Dry: I like this a lot! I love the way the cranberry and musk work so well together in here, they complement each other very nicely. I don’t get much lily yet but I think the ginger and spices are adding just a touch of warmth to the scent, but it’s the cranberry-musk that’s dominant in this deep red scent. This is lovely for the cooler weather. After a while: maybe this isn’t red musk after all, I’m now thinking it’s a darker musk…it seems deeper, more intense, very smoky. It still works nicely with the cranberry, which is a bit sweeter and not as sharp as before, though now it's a dry cranberry scent as opposed to the juicy scent it had before. Verdict: this is another lovely fruity-musk scent. This time, cranberry teams up with a deep musk note and the two notes combine very nicely. Hints of ginger, smoke and spice flit through the scent every now and then but it’s mainly smoky musk and tangy cranberry. The scent is rich, juicy, deep red and sensual, warm and very nice for autumn and winter. It’s a pleasant scent but I do prefer other musk scents to this, but I’m keeping the imp.

Temple of Dreams In the imp: lavender, and something herbal…rosemary? Thyme? I’m also wondering if it’s basil? Now that’s a nice note I haven’t encountered much in BPAL. Wet on skin: this is lovely, a very soothing herbal lavender scent, it’s also very warm in scent-I’m wondering if there’s a wood or resin note there. Dry: oh yes, this is very herbal indeed. Thyme and lavender are most prominent, I think there’s sage as well, maybe rosemary? I’m sure there’s basil here too, which always makes me think of Italian food. It’s like a real culinary herb scent like my mum’s herb patch in summer. I’m reminded of my cat who loved to lie in the lavender and herbs on hot sunny days, when she wanted to be all lazy and sleepy. This blend makes me feel warm and lazy and sleepy like a cat about to have a nap… After a while: suddenly this feels less like cooking herbs and lazy lavender, and more like sacred herbs and incense. There’s definitely rosemary, sage and/or thyme here, I’m sure, but I’m also thinking there may be some woody notes, maybe cedar? Maybe my nose is out of whack but I’m also sure now that there’s light frankincense here. It now has that warm, bright, resinous quality to it-it’s not the heavy, incense type, but it’s very appropriate for a ‘temple’ scent. There is also something sweet to this-maybe a floral note like carnation, or amber? Maybe there’s also a spice note in here-possibly nutmeg or maybe even the lovely cardamom. Or maybe clove, which could be carnation also? I really like this stage in the scent-funnily enough, as opposed to making me feel downright sleepy, I feel oddly focused and clear-minded? Is that a good thing to feel before sleep? I still feel tired though-and that’s a good thing! I will see what happens as I go beddy-byes now. *yawn* The morning after…damn, I had freaky dreams last night. The first one was rather sad, it was about my cat who passed away recently and I dreamt that she was alive again (I dreamt about her lazing about in the garden amongst the lavender, funnily enough) but when I woke up, I felt tearful because it was just a dream. The second dream was scarier-I dreamt the boys in my flat had broken into my room, vandalised it, and used it to sleep with the girls from the flat next door…*shudder* Verdict: scent wise, I really enjoyed this. I loved the scent of lavender (and this was very soporific lavender, made me feel all zzzzzzz…) and a warm bouquet of herbs like a herb garden on a warm sunny day. Then it changed and some even nicer fragrances came though-spices, possibly a floral note or two, I even got something resinous. All in all, a lovely scent to sleep with, and it seemed to clear my head of the worries I normally get at bedtime. But it gave me some freaky dreams-not least the one about those horrible boys in my flat! Although I really liked the one about my cat, even though it made me feel tearful. I will definitely give this another try though-it really does the job!

Versailles Grand, courtly and robust: a glittering, golden scent that would do Louis XIV proud. Gilded red and gold citrus with amber, ruby roses, jasmine and orris. In the imp: light, sweet, candied citrus peel. Very pleasant, golden and shiny in scent. Wet on skin: the scent strengthens, becomes fuller. This smells like sugar coated fruits, it’s gorgeous! I also get a bit of jasmine. Dry: mmm, this is wonderful! It’s a truly gilded scent, glowing and glorious, with the bittersweet tang of citrus peel sweetened nicely by amber. I also get rose now, rising up from underneath, soft red fragrant petals of rose with a little bit of jasmine adding a sense of ‘sweet white floral’ to the scent. This is lovely, a lush, rich, full scent, which really does seem apt for representing the luxury and decadence of French royalty. It’s gold and red velvet in a scent. After a while: all the notes balance out to make a lovely, rich red velvety scent of fruits and florals. It’s brash yet smooth, sweet yet tangy, bright and shining yet also faded and powdery (it has a dustiness to it, almost old fashioned, reminiscent of stately homes and palaces of old…that may be the orris) but with deeper undertones. That’s a good thing though…this is a delightful fragrance, and at this point, it’s very well blended and the notes are all playing together nicely. This is very sophisticated. Verdict: this is a wonderful fragrance. A very pleasant mixture of candied citrus, sweet amber, smooth rose, a bit of jasmine and a base of powdery orris. All these notes go so nicely together to make a luxurious scent with a sense of grandeur about it, gilded and lavishly decorated, unashamedly decadent, and yet with a slight dustiness or powderiness which brings to mind royal residences and historical palaces (and powdered wigs of the 18th century French aristocracy?), it all adds to the character and theme of the scent. This scent smells posh without smelling frumpy, which is always a good thing. I may need to get a bottle!

Hades In the imp: darkly resinous, with a strong cypress note. Oddly salty as well. No floral notes yet. Wet on skin: hmm, this is strange. It’s a resinous scent but not a recognisable one…it’s almost peppery, and very dark, and with that salt like note. Still prominent cypress in there, and no florals yet. Dry: now the scent has something very dry to it, dusty, gritty, bone-dry…like death. There is certainly something underworld-like about this scent. It’s very dark, resinous, slightly smoky, slightly woody from the cypress, and with that strange salty note that really reminds me of the sea (is it that mysterious mollusc scent-oniycha? I know this variety is not made from molluscs but it definitely smells marine). I do not get much floral from this scent at all! If any, it’s just a very light, passing glimpse of a wispy flowery scent just a touch of narcissus, but nothing more. It’s also very earthy as a scent. After a while: now this changes to a scent like dark incense, deep, smouldering, and with an odd bit of salty-peppery-nutmeg to it. It reminds me of church incense now, but much darker and slightly more sinister. There’s nothing bright about this scent, it’s almost disturbing, yet it intrigues me. It’s also very masculine in scent. There’s a narcissus note, indeed, but it just brushes the top of the scent before disappearing like a wisp of ghostly vapour and then the dark resins hit you, bam! I also don’t find this sweet at all…as I said before, this blend is very salty to me. Puzzling, but true. And yes, at one point, it does smell Noir-ish, which I like. I think I can also recognise a strong labdanum note here…reminds me of the resin I smelt on the rock-rose plant at the Eden Project. I must also say that this scent is growing on me. Verdict: this scent really does seem to be a fragrance taken straight from the underworld itself. Dark, deep, mysterious and slightly disturbing, this is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The cypress is strong here, but the most prominent note is a mixture of dark, smoky resins, an odd scent which at times is smouldering, other times more resinous, and sometimes even pepper-like and with a definite saltiness which I cannot explain. The narcissus note graces the top of the scent, you smell that first, but that quickly lifts like a veil to reveal the resins underneath. I’m unsure whether I like this or not. I’m not sure what I think of that strange salty, marine like note, but this scent does grow on you a bit, it does lure you in, it’s so unusual and unique that it compels you, draws you nearer. Having said that, it’s not really something I’d wear much, and it seems a bit masculine for me. But I think with this scent, Beth has captured Hades perfectly.

Experimental Blend I got this in a decant from SevenSins. In the imp: musk! This smells like a rich musk scent, maybe with patchouli and vanilla. Yup, it's a Snake Oil variant. Wet on skin: I'm getting a deep, rich, dark musk scent, with a slightly creamy/buttery vanilla, something spicy, and possibly some patchouli. I think this is like Snake Oil with black musk instead of red musk. Dry on skin: whoa…this is deep, intense stuff! This is stronger than Snake Oil. I'm convinced that there's black musk here, maybe combined with red, as it reminds me of the musk in Dragon's Heart and Hell's Belle. I'm also getting the vanilla, maybe some tonka or amber too, possibly spices and patchouli, and a tiny bit of floral. But mainly musk. Maybe some leather as well. After a while: as with Snake Oil, now the vanilla comes out more and threatens to take over the scent-but the musk won't let it. Only time will tell which note will succeed at being the dominant note in this scent. After a few hours I get a Snake oil/Snake Charmer like blend of deep vanilla and intense musk. sweet, rich, sensual, and quite sexy! I like it, and it's not cloying or over-sweet. Verdict: this is an interesting variant on the Snake Oil theme. This is very similar to said blend, with a bit of vanilla at first, but this version has a much more musky scent to it. I think there's black musk as well as maybe red musk here, as it reminds me of Dragon's Heart. It's a deep, potent, powerful scent. after a while the vanilla comes out and equalises the scent, and the drydown is a balance of dark vanilla and rich musk. It's a nice scent, quite sexy, I think…but I much prefer Snake Charmer and it's a bit too intense for me.

Naiad In the imp: lavender and orange blossom. Wet on skin: whoa, that's some sharp neroli! It's biting and quite astringent, very citrus-tangy…this is one of those orange blossom notes that amps up on my skin. Dry on skin: the neroli tones down a bit but is the dominant note here. Not a bad thing, though I wish it weren't so loud…and I still get the lavender. This is a very tangy, zingy scent as opposed to a soothing lavender scent. It is slightly similar to something I've smelt before-maybe Lush's Therapy? I'm hoping the lotus comes out soon and softens up the scent. After a while: the lavender fades and now I get a pleasant orange blossom and lotus scent. it's tangy fizzy neroli underscored with the smooth, sweet, light floral scent of lotus. It actually makes me think of sherbet powder, and smells almost lemon like at this point! Hmm, this is interesting. After a few hours, I get pure sherbet lemons. That's the neroli and lotus reacting, but it's really nice. It's lovely and bright, quite effervescent in scent, sweet and light. Verdict: this is an interesting scent. At first, it's a huge blast of neroli, here it amps up like nobody's business, but there's a bit of lavender calming it down. Then when the lavender fades and the neroli calms a bit, I get the delightful scent of sherbet lemons on my skin-a tangy citrus candy scent, thanks to the lotus. It's a very nice, pleasant scent, youthful and zingy, bright and with a good balance of sharp and sweet. And it smells like sherbet, which can only be a good thing. I like it and I'll keep the imp I have of it.

There's a bottle of Nine Mysteries...was that a freebie? I love the Herr Dross label-with the alchemical symbols and the eyepatch and beard and all...fantastic!

Blood Moon In the bottle: yes, it has that same cinnamon scent as Bengal, but instead of honey, it has something else…a mysterious-is it a musk, or a woody note? It may even be blood…possibly of the dragon's kind? I cannot tell but it's got me intrigued. Wet on skin: oooh, now I think the musk notes are coming out, rich, red musk…and I also get more woods and forest smells, and also the grain note. Dry on skin: wow. Just wow. This is amazing. A light hint of cinnamon bark and possibly other spices coupled with a delightful musk note (actually, it's more than one musk-there's definitely the red variety here, and I think there's also the smooth, creamy Buck Moon musk as well. I also get smoke, woods, coniferous scents like pine or fir, crushed green grains and herbs, and indeed, I get blood here-both metallic (which isn't as bad as I expected) and dragon's blood. This is a fabulous mix of scents, it's warm, autumnal, and yes, it is feral, but in a very good way. It's so unusual and I love it…and I think it is Buck Moon's darker twin, it has that same herb-musk combination, but darkened and enhanced by woods, spice and 'blood'. After a while: the cinnamon has faded a bit but lingers, warming the scent without making it blatantly spicy. The musk notes in here are lovely, both smooth and velvety white, and rich and deep red. Possibly also a clean, slightly tangy skin musk. I'm also surprised that I actually really like the blood note in here-it's scary how real it smells, like metal, like the taste of iron in your mouth after licking a cut…but in here, it works. I think there's also dragon's blood here-there's something red and resinous, and also a sweet note here, and I also get the herbs from Buck Moon, grains, and woody scents, some of them even smoky, like a hint of a bonfire of fragrant woods in a forest. The later drydown is along the same lines as Devil's Night...a smoky autumnal musk with a bit of spice. Verdict: this is one of the most incredible lunar oils! Multifaceted and complex, this scent incorporates spice, musk, wood, herbs, grains, and even an eerily realistic blood note-and pulls it off fantastically. This is feral, wild, and mysterious in the best way possible…this is such an autumnal scent, deep, dark, with vibrant red tones, warm cinnamon, earthy scents and smooth, rich musks. It's like Buck Moon's autumnal twin. I'm impressed…this is one scent that will turn heads, because it's so different from the norm. It's also very evocative of the concept and description, but in the most attractive way possible…I am so glad I bought a bottle from a swapper, because it's wonderful stuff. Bravo Beth!

She designed Beatrice? That's a gorgeous label... Wow, she's multi talented...if she's that good with perfume, I'm not surprised to see she's good with the labels too!

Beth herself designed the labels for Midnight Mass and Peacock Queen??? WHOA.

I don't get any burn-o from Inferno

I bet all the Celestials will have their respective planetary symbols and apt colours-red for Mars, grey/silver for Luna, maybe pink for Venus? Now I am dyyyyyyying to see those Yule labels-headless gingerbread man? that's classic!!

Do any of the new Yule scents have nifty label designs? I wanna see! I noticed the Sol label has a yellow border and a symbol of Sol on it...funny really, as that's exactly how I envisioned it. Were they originally sold like that?

Mystery In the imp: smoky lavender and herbs, maybe some resins too. Wet on skin: lavender with something sweet and smooth, maybe some herbs too. Dry: mmm, I like this. I’m not sure what’s in it apart from lavender-which is very strong in this. I’m getting something sweetly resinous-I’m not sure if it’s amber or something else though. This is lavender with something sweet and possibly something herbal-possibly a bit of lemon verbena in here as well, it’s very pleasant. After a while: it’s now turned a sort of green herbal-lemon scent…I’m not getting the incense I was hoping for-it’s turned to soap on me! It smells like washing up liquid now…stupid, stupid skin! Verdict: this seemed really promising at first, sweet lavender with some other mysterious note behind it, hints of sweetness, smoke, green herbs and a tang of lemon. But once the lavender fades, my skin turns this into washing up liquid! No incense in here-maybe the perfume…but this wasn’t what I expected. What a shame my skin had to ruin this scent. I think I’m the only one who gets lavender, but certainly not the only one here who gets soap!

If you can get a hold of it, TAL Concentration. This is a must have for all students! I dabbed some on a tissue during my last physics exam and I was more focused than anything!

Nocnitsa In the imp: fir, moss and earth. Wet on skin: green fresh fir, with moss and wet soil. I quite like this. Dry: mmm, this is not bad! I like the fir note this has, it’s fresh, sweet and sap like, and almost Christmas tree like…the mosses have retreated to the back of the scent now. I’m getting a hint of earth-not as strong as Zombi’s earth note, this is much lighter. I’m also getting the night air…though to me, this is a summer night scent, humid, sticky, with a hint of freshness-almost like the air before a summer thunderstorm, but without the ozone. Really quite oppressive. But the fir note is really, really dominant on me in this…it’s also reminiscent of pine. After a while: the fir note sweetens even more, it smells like viscous sap now, and the earth and moss notes have returned, adding even more of a damp feel to the scent. There’s a sense of decayed sweetness to the scent, but this isn’t a bad thing-it’s really atmospheric in this. It’s like decomposing evergreen plant matter in rain sodden mossy soil. This reminds me of Hexennacht without the smoke. I love the drydown of this scent. It’s a very smooth, green scent of soft moss and fir. It’s like a soft coat of green velvet, like sleeping on the forest floor. Verdict: this is a really evocative and unique scent…it brings to mind an evergreen forest at night just before a thunderstorm. There’s no ozone or rain yet, but the air is oppressive and close…is that just the weather, or is that the feeling of something more sinister, lurking in the shadows? You can smell the fir trees, their bark split, sap oozing out, needles scattered on mossy damp earth, rotting into sweet decay. There’s something creepy out there…you can feel it, you can smell it. That’s what this scent smells like to me. A really fascinating experience-and a very nice scent too…the drydown is especially nice, it’s not as oppressive and sinister, it’s soft, gentle and velvety, green and mossy. Not one for a big bottle yet, but I’m certainly keeping the imp.

Belladonna In the imp: the oil is green! Nice colour…the smell itself is sort of like pine, or an evergreen scent. Maybe camphor, menthol or eucalyptus. Wet on skin: I think there’s also juniper in this-as well as either pine or fir. It’s a nice, yet sharp and cold, evergreen scent. Good for colds! Dry: hmm, this is interesting. This really is an almost medicinal evergreen scent, cold and piercing. I’m sure there’s juniper and camphor in this-and pine, and/or fir. It’s a very fresh scent…though I must say that reminds me of winter forests more than deadly nightshade plants. After a while: the fresh medicinal pine scent has faded but still lingers, but I’m now left with a green scent like crushed dark green leaves, and a hint of moss and possibly patchouli and vetiver. This seems more apt for the poisonous plant fragrance, and yes, now it does bear a slight similarity to Tramp. After a while it turns to, believe it or not, vetiver. My skin has this uncanny ability to locate and magnify even the tiniest amount of what should be non existent vetiver in a blend, and it has done so here. Not that I mind though. It’s earthy, dirty, dark green and sinister in scent now, like a sunless woodland full of shadows and venomous plants. There’s also a bit of blackened pine resin here as well. Verdict: this is another one of those ‘chameleon BPAL’ scents that smells so different on everyone. I get none of the sweetness or berries or florals or Snake Oil that other reviewers get…I do get the medicinal scent though. Pine, juniper, eucalyptus, camphor, maybe fir and wintergreen scents, but it’s a piercing (and sinus clearing) blast of sharp, cold, harsh scent at first, reminiscent of winter forests. But then…it changes. It becomes greener and earthier, at one point it smells like Tramp, before changing to dirty dark vetiver with hints of pine sap and evergreen left behind. It’s a very interesting scent, quite sinister in fact, but not something I would wear much.

Malkuth The Kingdom, Olam Yesodoth, Shekhinah, God’s Presence in the World, the Throne of Glory. In the imp: mmm, cinnamon! Maybe frankincense too. Wet on skin: omg! This smells just like those German Christmas biscuits with cinnamon, chocolate and jam! Dry: as I said, this smells like cinnamon, dark chocolate, and something sweet and fruity. It reminds me so much of those delicious German heart shaped biscuits I eat at Christmas-they are spicy and cinnamon flavoured, filled with jam, and covered with dark chocolate. I think I get fleeting notes of resins, woods, smoke and autumn leaves, but it’s predominantly German Christmas biscuits to me! After a while: holy moly this has undergone another foody-spicy transformation! This doesn’t smell as much like German biscuits, but it now smells like cinnamon scones with strawberry jam! I was in Devon where I ate a delicious scone which was cinnamon flavoured, and it was spread with strawberry jam. This smells just like that. I want to eat myself so much. I also smell something creamy here…like vanilla ice cream, or the cream served with scones…dang, this stuff is so delicious! In fact, I may be having olfactory delusions here but I swear that I’m getting mince pies here too! Verdict: my skin is very nice with Malkuth because 1) I get no burning or welts from the cinnamon, and 2) it turns this scent into something so yummy...this is without a doubt, the best Sephiroth oil ever. I'm not familiar with the meaning of the Sephiroth, so I can't comment on how this scent relates to it, but scent wise, I'm getting the urge to gnaw my wrists off. Spicy, sweet, delicious, and reminiscent of all sort of spiced baked goods-German cinnamon Christmas biscuits, cinnamon scones with jam, mince pies…it’s delightful, indulgent and so yummy. I will need to get a bottle-this is fabulous for autumn and winter!

Wheel of Fortune In the imp: sharp, herbal, medicinal…really medicinal. Is that camphor? Wet on skin: I think I know what this is…its juniper. I may be wrong but this sort of reminds me of an essential oil which I have, and I think it’s juniper, maybe with camphor too. Maybe pine or another woody scent? It’s a blast to the sinuses, that’s for sure! Dry: this is very strong stuff…it smells more like some sort of old fashioned medicine, antiseptic even! I get this strong scent of juniper, or maybe wintergreen and menthol/camphor, but there’s also something sweet in the background, almost fruity-it reminds me of blackcurrant! Like a berry ‘after smell’ hiding behind the medicinal notes in front. This seems more like a ritual oil than a perfume. After a while: holy moly, I smell like Ribena! This has gone totally blackcurrant on me. The juniper is gone, leaving behind a tart, yet sweet and juicy blackcurrant scent on me. Now this smells a little bit like Lush’s You Snap the Whip, or cassis liqueur. Verdict: this one was really unusual. At first I get a harsh, medicinal scent, very piercing, maybe with camphor, menthol, and juniper. But then it slowly but surely morphed completely…into blackcurrant! Yup, it’s almost Ribena like, but more tart, almost like a cassis liqueur scent. It reminds me of You Snap the Whip. It’s a strange scent, I’m not sure if I like it because I’m not keen on the wet/just dry stage because it smells too medicinal for me…but the blackcurrant drydown is quite fun! Having read the reviews, I think I’m the only person getting blackcurrant here, which is quite surprising…it’s one of those oils that’s so different on everyone, it seems…one of those ‘chameleon BPALs’.

Chiroptera In the imp: lavender, herbs, and a soft floral which I think is evening primrose, since it reminds me of an evening primrose lotion I smelt once! Wet on skin: more of the lush, moist flowers come through, with the greenness of the herbs and the soft fuzzy scent of lavender still lingering. Dry: this is really nice…it’s the scent of a warm, humid night in a tropical garden…you can smell the moist green of leaves and bright florals here and there. It’s a very nocturnal scent, reminiscent of Midnight, but more herbal and green, much warmer and sultry, and with lavender. I think I can make out the moonflower here, and possibly the sweet phlox. I’m amazed at how humid this smells though-but it’s not uncomfortably so. After a while: the lavender has faded, and the scent has become lighter, and it smells a bit like damp, almost decaying. It’s not bad though. It’s now more of a waxy white floral scent, but not sweet at all…there’s still that humid green scent to it as well. There’s just this damp, ‘chalky’ note to it that I’m puzzled by. I’m also getting something like cucumber, which is bizarre… Verdict: I really liked the wet-just dry stage of this scent. It evoked a tropical night, humid, damp, green and fragrant with nocturnal blooms, but also with herbs and lavender, which aren’t exactly tropical but still...and I liked that a lot, I found it very soothing. However, it develops this odd note that I can’t really put my finger on but it reminds me somewhat of decay in the dampness, and something chalky or papery. It’s a shame really because if it had stayed the way it was when it was wet, I would have loved it more. I’ll keep the imp though.

Carnation SN In the imp: what the? This doesn’t smell like carnation…I’m getting a sharp, alcohol like scent here, smells like dry flower petals soaked in some really strong, dark alcoholic spirit. Wet on skin: I think this is improving…when wet it still smells a bit like something boozy, but there’s something spicy there as well…maybe a bit floral? Dry: it smells a bit more floral, but it’s not the carnation scent I was expecting…that familiar sweet floral clove scent that I get in things like Potion. The scent here is interesting though. It’s spicy, that’s for sure, and yet, it’s also quite dark, as a scent, but trimmed with frilly edges of red and pink, something flowery is in here. I like it, but it’s not really carnation yet. I’ll wait a bit to see if this becomes the carnation scent I know and love. After a while: well, now that’s much more like it! This is a carnation scent-a really intense one. It’s spicy and fiery, clovey and peppery, with a red-pink floral-ness to it…to me, it smells like very concentrated carnation essence…it has a piercing scent to it which is partly spicy, partly boozy, partly green…there is now something slightly green to this scent-like the stem of the flower. It’s also very rich and deep, this isn’t a fluffy light flower scent in the least. Verdict: ever since trying out Lush’s Potion, I’ve become hooked on the spicy-floral scent of carnation with its clove like scent. I also happen to love a lot of BPAL scents with carnation (Morocco, Alice, Brisingamen etc) however I did notice that the carnation note in those wasn’t very strong or recognisable but you could just about smell them there (which is no bad thing either)…I was a bit taken aback by the single note though. In the imp, it was so strong, so intense, so dark and almost booze like, like an uber-concentrated carnation essence, instead of ‘the Potion carnation’ scent I was expecting. It does improve on the skin though, but it’s so different to other carnation scents I have tried. It also makes me wonder if Beth uses different carnation notes in her blends…that note smells much softer in blends than in the SN. I will keep the decant I have, I think this will be great for layering. I really wish I got what the reviewers got…everyone else loves this…maybe it will grow on me? edited to add: the drydown of this after about 30 mins-1 hour is lovely...NOW it smells like a proper carnation! No longer intensely spicy and fiery, now this is soft, sweet, floral and genuine, with that hint of clove-like spice, and a little greenness. Yay!

Libertine In the imp: violet and camomile. Wet on skin: still violet and camomile, and now the bergamot comes through, and possibly the rosewood too. Dry: I like it! Now I smell more woody notes coming out, but the violet, bergamot and camomile are still there. This is a light, dry, sweetish scent, very pleasant and unisex. I think I’m also getting a bit of musk, a sweet, deep musk scent which adds another dimension to the scent. Sometimes Arabian musk turns ‘perfumey’ on me but not so much in here. After a while: I know rosewood isn’t related to rose, but in here, it smells slightly rosy! Or maybe that’s the primrose-even though that isn’t related to rose either (and I don’t know what primroses smell like)? Maybe the combination or rosewood with the musk gives it that effect, but no matter-I like it! There’s also a good strong violet topping to this scent, and the camomile and sandalwood are still there. I think the musk is giving it a nice depth. Verdict: I like this fragrance a lot, though it did surprise me by suddenly developing a rose note out of nowhere…this is a nice little mix of dry sweet woods, dusty violets, camomile, bergamot and a musk note that adds depth and a richer sweetness. I’m also getting a rose like scent from this which is unexpected but rather pleasant-this also makes the scent more feminine than I expected. Nevertheless, this is a sophisticated and grown up scent which I really enjoy-not so much for a bottle, but I’ll keep the imp.