yeahbutnobut

Nyarlahotep In the imp: there's a slightly lemon and/or pine like scent there, but I'm sure there's also frankincense, with darker resins in the back. Wet on skin: mmm, incense! A lovely, dark resinous scent. There's certainly an Egyptian feel to this, but it's darker, like a scent that would be used to worship some of the more sinister gods. And I think I can smell a tiny bit of ozone. Dry on skin: this is very unusual! There's that gorgeous resin incense scent, but there's also ozone coming up here. It's almost salty, and verges on metallic. It's almost disturbing to smell them together, and the electric, almost stormy or lightning like aspect of the ozone makes me feel uneasy, as it seems very un-Egyptian to me (I usually associate Egypt with blazing sunshine and the odd sandstorm, but never with thunderstorms.) But I really like the resin scent in this, that's what keeps it from smelling too unwearable for me. After a while: now there's a hint of salt here, like the sea. This may be the ozone again. it's very strange, but for some weird reason, I quite like it. It's nice on my skin, and the salty ozone scent is quite fresh. And I love the smoky, resinous background the scent has, it reminds me of Djinn. It even has a slightly gingery note. Verdict: I've not read any of Lovecraft's books, so this will be a description of the scent and what feelings it brings up for me-so bear with me here. This is a scent that both intrigues me, and yet feels unsettling. It seems unusual to have Egyptian resins and dark, smoky incense fused with electric ozone, and the combination of these scents together freaks me out a bit because it clashes with what I usually think about Egypt. But then again, this isn't your average Egyptian scent-this is dark, sinister, metallic, salty, and yet, for some reason, I quite like it. It has a refreshing aspect, and I love the resinous, smoky incense blend in this. I won't be getting a bottle, but I'll probably keep the imp.

Morgause In the imp: violet, jasmine, gardenia and plum. Maybe other fruits and flowers, but that's what I smell here. Wet on skin: yup, there's gardenia here, but it doesn't react horribly with my skin to smell nasty like some gardenias do, but it does add an interesting edge. There's also jasmine and violet, and some deeper florals, and maybe some plum. Dry on skin: mmm, this is quite nice! There's something nice and mystical about this scent. The florals are most prominent here, but there's a bit of sweetness there as well, thanks to the purple fruits. It's a very heady floral bouquet, with a bewitching feel. I think there's just a hint of smoke there as well. After a while: the plum scent grows ever stronger. I'm impressed that the BPAL plum note really does remind me of those really juicy sweet plums that I eat. The wispy, ethereal florals seem to be anchored, or grounded, by the fruit note. Together they combine to give a rich, purple scent, it has a sense of mystery. There's still just that hint of smoke there as well. Verdict: this was an unexpected surprise! This is a lovely bouquet of ethereal floral scents such as violet, jasmine and gardenia, but they are very well blended here and they don't smell soapy. The plum and other fruits add a juicy, sweet depth to the fragrance, grounding the florals. The overall scent is mysterious and heady, sweet and dark-it has a really nocturnal feel. I'm not sure if it's a favourite yet, but it's a gorgeous scent none the less. The only disadvantage is that it seems to fade quickly on me.

Chaos Theory CCCLXXIV (374, I think?) In the imp: mmm, not sure what to make of this. It's got soapy florals, but it also has a tangy note and a milky note. Wet on skin: now a greenish note surfaces, and there's also something citrus like in here too. it's a tart, tangy scent, but there's something smooth and floral in the background. Dry on skin: now it smoothes out quite nicely. It's now a soft, creamy floral with a hint of something tart and fruity or grassy. It reminds me of a creamier, light, powdery version of Cheshire Cat. I'm not sure what the floral is, but it could be honeysuckle, possibly even jasmine. There's something cosy about this powdery floral scent. After a while: oh wow, this is really nice. This is a soft, comforting creamy floral scent with just the slightest touch of something slightly tangy and fruity or green, to make it interesting. It's like soft white or golden-white blossoms in the first light of dawn. There's also a cool scent there, like a soft, fresh breeze-it's not really a smell, but a feeling of freshness, an airy aspect to the scent. I'm also getting something that reminds me of apples-apple blossom maybe? Or perhaps it's camomile? After about 15-20 minutes, it starts to get more tart, more tangy. It now reminds me of green apples and grapefruit, but with something creamy and a background of light breezy floral. Intriguing. Then after half an hour, it swings back to soothing creamy florals, but still with a fruity tang. About an hour later, it smells of honeysuckle (I think) with a tangy note. Verdict: mmm, interesting. It's a very complex, yet quite pleasant blend. At first I was worried it would smell too tart, verging on sour, or too soapy, but on the skin it changes into a light, soft, creamy blend of florals with just the slightest hint of tangy fruit and a fresh airy note. It also changes a lot on the skin. It's a lovely scent that's perfect for spring and summer, I'm not sure if it's a 'me' smell, I like it but right now I don't love it, the tangy note worries me a bit-I think this will be a scent that grows on me.

Noir In the imp: mmm, smells like church incense? That must be the myrrh, but there's something there that reminds me of patchouli. Wet on skin: ack, this spilt on my arm!!! It still has that dark incense like scent, but now it reminds me of old fashioned perfume, like something from the 1950s or something like that. Dry on skin: this really does have an old fashioned, nostalgic feel to it, it reminds me of an old perfume I smelt on someone or somewhere. There's the resinous notes of myrrh and possibly opoponax (I'm not sure about that one) with some clove, a slight fruity sweetness, possibly from plum, and just a hint of rose, and a light floral touch of jasmine and lily of the valley. I swear there's also patchouli or musk in here. But really, all the notes are so well blended that you can't really distinguish them apart. After a while: there's something about this that reminds me of aftershave, but also, this scent provokes a vivid image in my head. Something about this scent brings up an image of this temptress in the heart of the city at night, seducing the men who come her way, luring them into her sexual fantasies, playing and toying with their emotions before getting bored and moving on to more men who come her way and throwing away her former partners without a care-sometimes violently, even murderously. She's a femme fatale, no doubt about it-and you can smell the perfume of the many men she seduced lingering on her skin. Seductive, yet venomous. Verdict: this really does fit the name and the image, I could imagine some glamorous femme fatale in a black and white movie wearing this. It's deep, dark, tempting and even slightly sinister. It's a complex, well blended scent, it's got resinous notes but also has a slight touch of rose and lighter florals, and something that reminds me of musk. It's a nice perfume, and very well crafted, but I'm still not sure if it's 'me' yet. It's a bit too intense for me.

Aries In the imp: spicy, warm and resinous. Apparently this contains frankincense, pepper and ginger? I can smell them in here! Wet on skin: oh my, this is gorgeous! I love frankincense! and combined with spices, this smells loooovely! It reminds me of Ahathoor, actually-another blend which I love! Dry on skin: wow this is wonderful! I just love the spices in here, mingled with golden frankincense. There's also a nice sweetness to this blend. After a while: I'm wondering if there's a sweeter note here, like carnation or cinnamon, or cloves? There's definitely a lovely sweet note in this, it sweetens up the resin scent and the spices. It is fading though-noooooo!!! But...just when I thought it would fade forever, the frankincense returns and I'm left with a wonderful, sweet, slightly spicy, golden aroma. Verdict: as an Aries, I have been searching endlessly for this blend, and when I go it, I suddenly realised this was perfect for my sign and my skin chemistry! This is spiced frankincense, heated up by pepper and ginger, with a slight sweetness. It's wonderful and if it wasn't discontinued (or if it was re-released as an LE-pleeeeeease?) I'd buy a nice big bottle of this!

Storm Moon In the imp: fresh and citrussy! Like limes or even, dare I say it, washing up liquid!!! There's a little hint of salt there too. Wet on skin: the citrus note sticks around, but the salty note strengthens. It's very very fresh. Dry on skin: I can now see why many people associate citrus scents with cleaning products, because this is what this reminds me of slightly There's also a hint of sea salt, thrashing waves, cold gales…there's a cold note in there which might be mint. It feels very fresh and cooling to my nose. After a while: there's ozone here, there are salty waves there, but there's also this powdery scent that reminds me of detergent. The scent is ok, it's got it's cooling, refreshing scent, it's got sea saltiness (and even a little seaweed), it's got a slight metallic twinge of ozone, but I'm not digging the washing powder scent I get from this, I'm afraid. I don't get much incense here either. After an hour or two, the washing powder scent has toned down, and it smells rather metallic. That must be the ozone. Verdict: I was very apprehensive to try this, as I am not a fan of storms. I probably don't mind the smell of stormy ozone, but I don't like storms or thunder and lightning at all, so it's much deeper than an olfactory reluctance. However, I wasn't expecting this to turn into Detergent Moon rather than Storm Moon on my skin! There is a sea salt and ozone scent in this which is rather nice, very fresh and cold, but this also has the effect on my skin of turning into a scent like washing powder. I'm afraid to say that this is the moon scent I like the least out of them all.

Hearth In the imp: almonds? That must be the cherry wood. It does smell quite cherry-ish and woody. Also reminds me of marzipan on Christmas cake. Wet on skin: oh, this smells very almondy and amaretto like, with a hint of something dark and burning underneath. Dry on skin: mmm. Now I can smell the smoke from the fireplace, and the pipe tobacco, and the leather! This really does smell like what it describes! It's a warm, rather cosy scent, very smoky, but luckily the tobacco doesn't have that repulsive cigarette smell, this must be a pipe with dry tobacco leaves burning. There's a woody sweetness there. I get wafts of fireplace smoke and a worn leather scent. It's surprisingly pleasant, and reminiscent of winter and Christmas-this is the fireplace and leather armchair where Santa himself rests with his pipe after a busy present delivering shift. After a while: this sweetens a bit, it now reminds me of polished, smooth wood, like a wooden chair. It's a deep sweetness, very wooden. It also resembles maple syrup or treacle (molasses). The leather and tobacco are still there, I'm still taken aback by how genuine they smell here! Verdict: this really smells exactly like what it describes-it really smells of leather and smoke, of tobacco and fireplace, with a hint of woody sweetness. It's a warm, comforting smell, it makes you feel cosy and would be perfect for winter. I was worried the tobacco would make me smell too much like a smoker, but this is the smell of dry tobacco leaves in a pipe, rather than a cigarette, which is a lot nicer. And the leather scent is really authentic as well. However, lovely as this scent might be, I wouldn't really wear it as perfume-it's a little too smoky for my idea of perfume, although it would be a perfect scent to warm me up on the coldest of winter days, and would be a nice room scent.

Strength In the imp: green! Yup, that's right, a fresh chlorophyll green like broken flower stems or crushed leaves, like a florist's shop. Totally unexpected! Wet on skin: still green and moist, freshly cut flower stems. I can smell a bit of the flowers on the stems here too-I think they could be lilies! Dry on skin: omg lilies!!! This smells just like fresh lilies in a florists, with the smell of the greenery all around them. I love the smell of lilies and this is just pure full on lily plus the stems and leaves. After a while: still pure lily heaven! The greenness fades, the floral scent sweetens, but the throw does decrease. There may be amber here, that may be sweetening the florals a bit. I'm sure I also detect a tiny bit of smoke. After an hour I smell...musk! Oh musk, I love thee! Verdict: this was totally unexpected from a tarot oil named 'Strength'. I was expecting something punchy, powerful, with a lot of oomph, spices and heat-and I get lilies and green leaves! This is a good thing, since I love the smell of both lilies and greenery, this is like the scent of a florist's shop, full of freshly cut blooms. It's like Tiger Lily without the honey…I might consider getting a bottle of this, because it's the most amazing lily scent!

The Hermit In the imp: fresh and slightly floral with herbs, greenery and citrus fruits. Wet on skin: whoa, there's something fruity and green going on in here! There's also a sweetness which could be from fruit or floral notes. There's a lovely fresh green scent here too. For some weird reason, I get the feeling there's kiwi or melon in this!!! Dry on skin: oh, this is nice. I think there could be jasmine here, or some other white floral. It's a soft floral mingling with sweet and tangy juicy fruit and a fresh wet green note. It's like a gorgeous garden scent. I think there may be a tea note here-possibly white or green tea, and it's possible that the fruit could be grape, or melon. After a while: still green and fruity, but now the fruit is starting to smell slightly over-ripe. There's a strange, slightly off scent there that I hope doesn't get too strong. Verdict: another pleasant and unexpected surprise from the tarot blends. I was thinking the Hermit would be a somewhat solemn, introverted blend, quiet and lonely. But I wasn't expecting a fresh mixture of fruits, flowers and greenery. It's a refreshing, outdoorsy, moist spring scent, like a lush garden, juicy fruit, soft fragrant flowers. This is a hermit who happens to spend all his/her time alone tending the garden, or living somewhere very rural and far removed from society, where he/she is one with nature. It does have a calming effect on me, it's quiet and gentle. At one point, a slightly off note pops up, reminiscent of overripe fruit, but apart from that, this blend is surprisingly nice. I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle though-but it would be a good scent for those moments when I want a bit of solitude (and I have loads of moments like that!) edit: now the Hermit has taken a turn for the worse...this now smells of rotting fruit on me... thank goodness I got it in a sniffing circle!

Kether In the imp: slightly almondy, but with a hint of something mysterious and resinous behind it. Wet on skin: still slightly almond like, but this fades. There's a nice, deep, resinous note now. Someone mentioned oak moss? Maybe there is some in this-there's a slight 'green' aspect to the scent. I think there might be myrrh and possibly frankincense too. Dry on skin: whoa, this is really interesting and quite complex! There's a slightly powdery aspect to this scent bad-however it does remind me of the smell of make up, which is very bizarre, but it also has a greenness which could be a moss note. There's also a slight creaminess, which is unusual, I'm sure there are resins in here too. But to be honest, I can't really guess what this contains-but it does remind me of something I've smelt before, like a perfume I've smelt somewhere. After a while: ah, now I've finally realised what BPAL this reminds me of-it reminds me of one of the notes in Cathode, but with none of the electric ozone or mintiness of that scent. I wonder if this scent has oak moss or even ambergris in it. It has a smooth, powdery quality that makes me think of a soft cloud, or of one of those feathery downy powder puffs used for make up, the ones that feel oh so soft against your skin…that's what this scent reminds me of. There's something green or golden teasing the edges of the scent, and a slight bit of floral in the centre. It's very unusual but oddly comforting. Verdict: another complex and enigmatic blend. In the imp, it is an almondy-resin combination. But on the skin it turns into a powdery scent that reminds me of a perfume or cosmetic smell I've smelt somewhere else. It also has a greenish, possibly mossy or herbal aspect, but overall, it smells very clean, and quite pure and creamy white. It also has a slight milky or creamy scent to it, which adds to the powdery scent. There may also be a slight hint of floral in there too. Something about it seems strangely comforting. The only problem is that I wish it had stayed at the resinous scent it had when wet. I think this is a scent that may grow on me. EDIT: omg. After about an hour or so, a smell remains on my skin that reminds me of...my kitty! No, it's not animalistic, but it reminds me of that warm, fuzzy scent of my cat's fur, I can almost her her purring when I smell this...

to Beth! I wish i could help too-but I'm waaaaaay too far for that, I'm afraid

Djinn In the imp: burning incense. A bonfire of fragrant woods with a dash of ginger and resins. It's like really exotic Middle Eastern men's perfume with added smoke. Wet on skin: oh wow. This is really nice. It smells smoky, woody and resinous. There's ginger and vetiver there as well, and possibly frankincense, and red sandalwood. It doesn't smell too burnt on me, which is good. Dry on skin: oh, this is much better than I expected! It does smell like ginger beer, but not boozy-but it does have effervescence. It's smoky, but in a good way-it smells mysterious and exotic-there's definitely something in this that reminds me of Middle Eastern spices. It's like gently smouldering woods and resins with a smidgen of ginger, underscored by vetiver. After a while: the sweet ginger beer scent gets stronger-like Miggins, I also get a bit of Coke or iced tea in here as well! But it still has that smoky warmth, still has that scent of smouldering loose incense and wood, evergreens, spices and herbs on the bonfire, and retains its exotic feel. The vetiver is really nice here-on me, vetiver is green and fuzzy with a hint of lemon, and that's what Djinn has. The smoky scent also reminds me of late autumn and Bonfire Night, watching the fireworks as a great bonfire of fragrant wood burns and warms you up on a cold November night. It also reminds me slightly of Hexennacht, but without the musky/skin scent drydown. Verdict: I decided to try this out because I'm reading a book all about djinn and I thought it would be appropriate. However my track record with Diabolus scents isn't very impressive, so hopefully this would be an exception to the rule. And indeed it was. I was surprised how nice this was. I was worried it would smell horribly charred and burnt like I'd been stuck in a barbecue-but it didn't. It's smoky, but in a good way-it's a sultry, mystical smoke, like a fragrant bonfire, like loose incense, a magical pyre-I think there's maybe some frankincense, sandalwood, maybe pine or cedar, perhaps myrrh too, and also herbs and various spices burning and smouldering. It has a slight 'fizzy ginger beer' scent, and this is quite pleasant. And underneath it all is vetiver, which I have noticed in most Diabolus scents. This is warm, smoky, and exotic with a middle eastern feel-and certainly unisex. It's the perfect accompaniment to my book on djinn! And I also think this would be the perfect scent to wear on November 5 (Bonfire Night-if you're British you'll know what I mean! Basically, it's the UK's firework festival) as the smokiness gives it an autumnal vibe.

Nanshe In the imp: lemongrass, pepper and a bit of lavender. Wet on skin: still lemongrass, pepper and lavender. This is a warm scent, the pepper adds a spicy sense of heat, the lemongrass is quite piercing, there's a bit of lavender too. Dry on skin: whoa, this stuff is strong! Lemongrass (or is it verbena?) and pepper are not what I expect from an oil to aid sleep and dreaming! Yet the pepper adds warmth, and the lavender is there to smooth it out. However, I always thought lemongrass or verbena was used to aid wakefulness and concentration (it's also in the TAL blend of that name) so it's surprising to smell it here. After a while: lemongrass tends to amp up on my skin for the first 15 minutes, before fading. It's doing that now. Now I can smell the pepper more. It's almost curry like! The lavender remains a strictly background note-it's there, lying under the lemony pepper. Verdict: this is a nice blend-and very different to what I expect from a sleep or dream oil! There's lemongrass there, and also hot pepper, with an undertone of lavender. It's a warm, piercing, herbal blend. I really like it-I find it very clearing for the mind, zingy and bright. Not sure how it will help sleep though-as this scent smells more energising and awakening with it's spicy lemon herbal scent. I'll see what happens at bedtime. I'll update this review tomorrow morning.

The Emperor In the imp: fresh, wet and herbal. Like a rain soaked garden. I'm wondering if there's dragon's blood here, considering the oil is slightly red. I can't smell it though. Wet on skin: oh wow, I can smell grass in this-I love the smell of grass! This scent is very green, there are herbs here-I'm not sure what herbs. There may be pine or fir here too, maybe cedar-a green smelling wood scent. It's a very clean scent. Dry on skin: now there's a cologne note that surfaces. It still has a herbal aspect-it's either rosemary, sage or thyme, and it's got a very green scent. it's very different to what I expected. It has a unisex scent bordering on masculine. I'm wondering if I can detect a hint of floral, maybe violet or lavender, maybe heliotrope, or that mysterious 'tarot blend' that crops up a lot. After a while: there's a sweet, possibly floral scent that's coming up, not sure what it is, but it reminds me of something in Mars but without the spices-maybe it's dragon's blood? The green scent is still there, possibly with either heliotrope or a tiny bit of lavender, or something else. After about two hours, the blend has the same drydown as Aeval on me. I wonder if there's sage and/or sweet pea in this. It's lovely. Verdict: this was another pleasantly surprising tarot oil. I think the Emperor is the card of Aries, my sign, which is why I chose to try it. I was expecting something manly, powerful and even unapproachable, but instead I get a very pleasant herbal green scent. (the oil is red, yet it smells green!) I can smell fresh herbs and wet grass and leaves, hints of wood and maybe some very mild florals. It is a very outdoorsy scent, fresh, clean and redolent of spring-not what I expected of the Emperor, indeed an appropriate name for it would be 'Green Man'. It's gorgeous, I may consider getting a bottle one day.

Yerevan In the imp: fruity and sweet. Plum, apricot jam and pomegranate. *licks lips* Wet on skin: is there almond in this? I get a bit of almond here. but mainly fruits. It's very sweet and quite juicy, but has a 'home made jam' like quality. Yum. Dry on skin: yup, something in this reminds me of almond, but since almond fades fast on me, it can't be that. I think I can smell a bit of the floral notes there-I think I can smell the iris, and possibly the rose-but in here, they are not the dominant notes. They do, however blend with the fruit notes making this a very complex and intriguing blend. I'm sure I'm getting the musk as well. This is a sweet, exotic scent. After a while: now I can really smell the musk! The fruits are still there-and they still smell like home made jam (like the apricot jam my mum makes!), but there's a musky scent wafting through, reminiscent of posh perfume. There's also a hint of a soft floral scent, but it's not very prominent. It is slightly similar to Bathsheba now, but more complex. Then I realise that the scent seems to shift from musky to fruity, then back to musk, then back to plum, and then to apricot, and so on, over time. The apricot is pretty stunning here. It smells like apricots in syrup, or my mum's apricot jam. And the plum note is like the ripest, juiciest, sweetest plum ever. I'm impressed at how genuine the fruit notes are! Verdict: wow, what an amazing mixture! At first, it was all about the fruit-it reminded me of home made fruit jam. As soon as it dries and reacts with the skin, a complex and varied variety of notes come out and mingle very nicely…the fruit notes mix with florals and musk. They all seem equally blended and they are surprisingly nice altogether. And thankfully, the apricot and plum aren't too sweet-in here they seem to work nicely on my skin. I was worried this would be too sweet on me. But it's a delicious and exotic blend that took me by surprise.

Black Cat In the imp: it's floral. Not sure what kind of floral, there may be rose there though. Wet on skin: hmm. I'm sure there's rose here. It reminds me a bit of Lush's Tisty Tosty! I like this! Dry on skin: oh, lovely. Dried rose petals and a light floral powdery note that I think could be iris or violet. It's still reminding me of Tisty Tosty, maybe Amondopondo, and also Lucy's Kiss. There may be some lemon or something herbal here too, maybe lavender? After a while: yup, as can be expected of rose blends and my skin, the rose warms up nicely and becomes rounder and fuller. This is reminiscent of Victorian rose, it has a powdery and traditional feel. There's a tiny little hint of something green and herbal in the background. I'm wondering if there could be catnip in this-I'm not sure what it smells like, but it would be appropriate! Verdict: this is surprisingly pleasant. If I do use this oil for a purpose, it won't be for hexes and curses (I'm not comfortable with that sort of magic). But the scent is lovely and really rosy-it's perfectly suited for it's more positive aspects and uses-to bring joy and childlike delight and catlike sensuality. It reminds me of the rose in Lucy's Kiss, but in here it's nicer. There's something else in here-it's either iris, lavender, violet or something else that's herbal-maybe catnip. This is a soft, floral, gentle blend that has a powdery aspect, another lovely BPAL rose blend. Not sure if I'll get a bottle yet, but I love this scent and it's feline connotations.

It's very hard to acquire, but I am in love with Egyptian Amber SN. Subtle but so beautiful and complex for a single note. A good substitute is Tunisian Amber by Attar Bazaar, which is slightly stronger. No one's mentioned Anubis yet. It's surprisingly underrated and yet it's so gorgeous-the amber's almost like honey in this. Saint Germain also has some amber, with carnation and lavender-it's a very unisex blend, I think. I also am a huge Bastet fan. It's yummy and makes me feel feline! And I adore Spellbound, but amber's not the dominant note there. Ditto with Hollywood Babylon, another lovely scent.

The Chariot In the imp: fruit and juicy with a hint of liquorice! Wet on skin: still fruity and sweet. I can't really tell what fruit, it could be peach, pear or apricot but I'm still unsure. There may also be lotus in this. Dry on skin: this reminds me a bit of Glitter-I think there may be pear in here-and I'm certain that there's lotus here. This is a lovely, light, bubbly, effervescent scent, sweet and fruity. I think there's also anise or liquorice there, but not too much. After a while: the liquorice note gets stronger, but not unpleasantly so. It could be anise or fennel, and it works surprisingly well in this blend, it adds an interesting twist to the bright fruity lotus scent. The drydown after about two hours is pure lotus all the way. Identical to Lotus SN, in fact. No problem for me as I'm a lotus lover! Verdict: I'm not sure what the card of the Chariot means, but this scent was a pleasant surprise. A bright, light, fizzy, sweet and fruity scent with lotus and a smidgen of anise or fennel-which is actually quite nice in this scent, adds a nice, cool, refreshing touch. I really like this, though I'm not sure whether I want a bottle as it is similar to Glitter, but I'm keeping the imp!

Sacred Whore of Babylon In the imp: gardenia, with something else in the background-either spice or incense. Wet on skin: oh dear, it's that astringent sharp note again. I don't think gardenia likes me! But here, there's also a sweetness, and the sharp note isn't too bothersome. Dry on skin: still gardenia, with that green sharpness fading fast, leaving the gorgeous white floral scent. There's something else there-maybe some resins? Or spices? Possibly vanilla? I don't know, but it's an inviting scent…it's sweet and tempting! After a while: oh wow, this is a wonderful scent. No more evil rough green smell! It's now a sweet, pleasant, seductive gardenia flower smell with something else enhancing it-a sweetness, possibly vanilla, or something spicy or resinous. I don't know what it is, but it's lovely-and very sexy indeed! There are still hints of green here, but that sweet, deep, smooth note in the background is so addictive…I just wish I knew what it was! I can't really smell the cinnamon that others mention, yet. After about 30-45 minutes, the sweet, deep scent behind the gardenia develops a warmth. Yup, there's something spicy in this. It could be cinnamon, but I'm not sure. But I do love the spice that's coming through. Verdict: at first I thought, oh no, gardenia goes wonky on my skin-this was, at first, sharp, gritty and astringent. However, the 'Ho has a gardenia that is much nicer on my skin-the sharp note fades fast as the scent dries and reacts with my skin. And then, it becomes glorious! This is a wonderful gardenia flower, full bodied and backed up by another sweet, voluptuous, slightly smoky scent…I'm not sure what this other scent is, but it smells sexy! It could be vanilla, honey, or a kind of musk. It could be incense-maybe myrrh, or something spicy. Maybe a mix of them all. It's gorgeous though. Smooth and seductive, but with a twist of confidence and a bit of darkness. This is the scent of a sultry, up-front woman who means business and doesn't take bullshit from anyone. I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle, because the wet stage is slightly scary, but the drydown is fantastic!

The Moon In the imp: watery, slightly soapy florals. Possibly jasmine and/or gardenia. There's a little bit of something citrussy or aquatic. Wet on skin: there's a slightly sharp, green, astringent note there, it's slightly off putting and feels dry, but in here it's not too unpleasant. The white florals are still there and there may be either mint or some kind of citrus fruit. Dry on skin: mmm, this is interesting. there's something there that's green and astringent, and yet there are also soft, slightly soapy floral notes, no doubt gardenia or jasmine, maybe both. There's a watery aspect to this scent, and I'm also wondering if there's a wood or pine note, or herbs, or anise, pepper or something along those lines. After a while: there's something green in this scent, like crushed flower stems. It's still very flowery. The scent also loses that watery quality it had before and becomes dry and dusty (like the surface of the moon!) I think the scent becomes more tolerable as time passes. I think this is a scent that requires patience. I eventually get used to the green sharp note and the florals smell nicer, richer and fuller. I don't get the vanilla note that others describe though. I do get a light wood scent though, possibly sandalwood or balsam wood? Verdict: hmm. I'm not keen on the dry astringent note in this, but this calms down eventually. There are some lovely, if slightly soapy, white florals here, and the scent has a hint of something aquatic, like dew drops on petals. There's definitely gardenia or tuberose in this, and possibly also jasmine. There's also something else in here that I can't quite put my finger on, a herbal or peppery scent of sorts, this may be what contributes to the sharp scent. It lives up to it's name-it has watery qualities at first, which then grow dusty and dry like the moon itself, with white, possibly night blooming flowers, the scent has an ethereal, yet mysterious, distant, withdrawn feeling-it's not warm and approachable like the Sun. It is also a scent that requires patience as it does improve as time passes. If it didn't have that dry astringency, I would love this scent. It's nice, but I'm unsure if I'd buy a bottle. But it does seem very apt for a lunar scent.

Yog Sothoth In the imp: hmm. Interesting. this smells clean and fresh, with a hint of floral and maybe a hint of forest, it has a soapy feel, but it's also quite nostalgic, like the smell of one of my aunt's perfumes or soaps. Wet on skin: yup, still soapy, but not in a negative way. I swear there's a scent in this that reminds me of a forest at night. And it really does smell like something I've smelt before. Dry on skin: my mum smelt this, and she said it reminds her of an old perfume. And indeed it does. It has a soapy scent that reminds me of something but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. It's very clean, fresh, cool, slightly powdery-it's not minty though. There's a hint of white florals here, or maybe even white musk. Maybe some pine, herbs or another forest scent. Unfortunately I'm not getting the 'dark unsettling vastness of space' feel from this scent. I just get a scent of soap or clean linen that brings back memories. After a while: the scent gets cooler and fresher as time passes. It still has that powdery quality, but I think the 'night air' scent is coming through, the 'soapiness' seems to tone down. It is very airy, like linen sheets hung to dry in the breeze, there's a hint of something like ozone, but not storm or marine ozone-maybe more like the upper atmosphere ozone layer? It has the 'air' smell, but I'm not getting the 'darkness' aspect, this scent is very bright and white to me. It has a scent of white flowers blooming at night, with a bit of white musk. After about half an hour or so, there seems to be a sense of the 'scent of nothingness'. The light white floral scent still lingers, but there's a smell that precedes it that seems to smell of…nothing. The only thing that I can describe it as is a void, a cleaning and cooling of the air, slightly like air conditioning, but more natural than that-maybe this is the vacuum of space scent that people describe? After a few hours it smells a bit like...warm soap bubbles. There may be some pine here as BPAL's pine turns to Badedas on me, and now this smells like Badedas bubbles floating through space! Verdict: this is a really hard to pin down scent, indeed. But there's one thing it reminds me of-a more ethereal, ozone tinged version of perfume, soap or washing powder that one of my old aunts or babysitters used to wear or use. (Rheliwen's description of antique perfumes in ozone is spot on) It's clean, fresh, light, powdery, with white florals and maybe white musk. It has an airy, luminescent quality, at first it's a very 'white' scent to me. To me, this scent has a sense of nostalgia. It reminds me of something familiar, like something I know I've smelt before, even though I don't know what it is. It doesn't feel unsettling. It does, however, develop a sense of mystery, as the scent progresses…I soon notice this 'vacuum of scent' preceding the powdery florals I smelt before. It's hard to describe but this is probably that 'scent of space' people describe, it's like night air, or ozone, but more cold and 'empty' than that. However, I prefer Nuit as my night air smell, but this one is really complex and baffling to me. I'm not sure if it's a favourite, but I think this may be a scent that will grow on me.

The Fool In the imp: mint! I think there are two mints here-spearmint and another greener mint, plus a sweet candy like scent underneath. Wet on skin: yup, still minty. There's a green aspect to the mint, but also a spearmint note. And like most mint blends, it feels cool on the skin. Dry on skin: this reminds me a bit of Undertow, it has that sweet mint smell. This also has the green mint (pennyroyal?) smell from the High Priestess. It's a very cooling, fresh scent. After a while: I'm wondering if there's lotus or vanilla, or something sweet in this, as this has a slight scent that reminds me of candy floss! It's sweet mint with a hint of green. Very nice. Verdict: this is one of the mintiest BPAL scents ever. It's just pure, full on mint. There are two distinct mints here, sweet, chewing gum-ish spearmint, and a greener, more herbal mint that may be pennyroyal. It's a very fresh, carefree, cooling scent, playful and youthful-quite mischievous! Apparently this card corresponds with Air, and this scent is like a blast of fresh air, bright and breezy. It has a sweet aspect in the background, quite sugary, like candy floss. I'm not sure if I'd get a bottle, but I really like it, it's great for summer because it's so cooling and light.

The Magician In the imp: wood polish? Maybe not, but it's slightly reminiscent of it-but not unpleasantly so. It's resinous but not sweet. There's that 'tarot blend' I've noticed in a lot of these blends, but with an aspect of dark varnished wood-I think there may be frankincense in here too. Wet on skin: whoa, this is really unusual! There's that sweet-floral tarot blend there, mingled with a herbal-woody-frankincense smell. It's mysterious, deep, with hints of resin and something that reminds me of lavender… Dry on skin: now there's a sweetness that starts to surface. There's frankincense in this, I'm pretty sure of it. There's also lavender that I can smell here-which gets stronger and stronger. There are herbal and woody notes, some sweeter resin notes too, possibly myrrh as well? This is a complex and mysterious blend that is compelling to smell. The lavender eventually dominates the blend. After a while: it's now lavender, with other herbs. My skin must be wonky, as something in this smells like olives? There could be thyme in this as well…this reminds me of holidays in the Mediterranean, it's very calming. It does also remind me of a herb garden or kitchen. Verdict: this is very complicated and so fascinating, full of mystery. At first it reminded me of wood polish, but on the skin, a lavender note surfaces and mingles with the sweet-fruity-floral 'tarot scent' and possibly other herbs, and also resins like frankincense-then it turns more herbal, with a smell reminiscent of olives or thyme. I'm not sure if I'd buy a bottle but I do like this little quarter imp of it I have!

Maiden In the imp: dry, crisp rose tea. Not tea rose (although that may be the case) but rose and white tea. Wet on skin: yup, still roses and white tea. The rose here has a slightly lemony scent, which is accentuated by the tea. This is a very refreshing and bright rose scent. Dry on skin: this is lovely! I've noticed that with many rose BPALs, the rose note warms and strengthens on my skin as the oil dries and mingles with my chemistry. This is almost like a crisp rose like Rose Red, but warmer and with a strong tea note. I can't smell the carnation yet, but I think it is just about there. After a while: oh, the rose note gets better and better! This is a lovely rose scent, warm and full bloomed but the tea's still there giving it a nice tart edge. And now I can smell the carnation underneath it all-it's a very subtle note, but it's there. Verdict: if London is tea rose, then this is rose tea. There's a lovely crisp rose note and a strong white tea scent which is slightly astringent in a pleasant way. This is a lovely, light rose scent which is warm and fresh, a perfect scent for summer. I'm not sure if this is a favourite, as I still prefer Alice as my rose-carnation scent, but this one is another one of those amazing rose blends that Beth excels at.

Bathsheba In the imp: a single plum floating in perfume! (Yup, Simpsons addict here! lol) Wet on skin: wow, that is one hell of a juicy, sweet plum! It smells so real, very sweet and fruity. There's the musk underneath, and possibly the carnation as well. Dry on skin: oh, this is nice. This is really exotic and juicy. There's plum there, with musk and a bit of carnation. It smells slinky and seductive, it's fruity yet sophisticated. After a while: after a moment when the plum note smells a bit weird, not as sweet as before, a bit tart, it smoothes out nicely and the musk note becomes more apparent. I love the sweet musk in this, even though it smells more 'perfume-y' than most, I don't mind. It also has a dry aspect now. It doesn't have the juiciness of the wet stage-it's now dry musk with a bit of plum and the barest hint of carnation. Verdict: this is interesting, as this scent manages to be both juicy and sweet, and yet also sophisticated and mature. This smells like a real plum, ripened to the max and bursting with juice, but there's also the musk, which adds a seductive and exotic touch. I can't really smell the carnation that much, but it's there. I'm not sure if it's a favourite as the plum makes it a bit too sweet, but it's a very nice, exotic, slinky scent.