yeahbutnobut

Sugar Moon 2011 In the imp: very similar to the 08 version-heavy brown sugar, deep rose, but this time I also smell violet. Wet on skin: deep berries and sugar and roses. I think I smell gardenia now. Dry on skin: whoa, the sugar in here is really intense. It smells less like fresh sugar cane juice and more like the unprocessed molasses extracted from the cane. It’s a little bit smoky and very heavy. I also smell fruit notes-mainly blackcurrant, but I also smell some plum (it’s not a deep rich plum though, but a sharper type) and tangy strawberry. The rose adds a deep velvety scent. I smell hints of other flowers, and I think they are turning bad on me-especially the gardenia. The violet musk seems to be blotted out by all the other notes. After a while: the scent then loses that molasses scent and then goes through several stages-a sweet sugary rosy musk with a hint of tangy plum, then the gardenia mellows from that sharp and almost burnt scent to a crisp clean floral. Then the scent turns to a soapy floral musk. Not as sweet as I’d hoped for, the sugary sticky scent is gone, all I smell are the flowery notes and the sharper aspects of the fruits with a squeaky clean musk. Verdict: I really wanted this version of Sugar Moon to love me! I liked 08 but recently it’s not been working on me so I was hoping this would, despite having troublesome notes. But it was not to be. It was everything I didn’t like much in original SM (the molasses-like/maple syrupy sugar, the weird sharp berry scent) but with extra floral notes and a weirdly soapy musk that made it a little bit less appealing. I’m sad because I have the t-shirt, but I think I’ll have to pass on the perfume because it’s not meant to be. Is it a keeper? No, I’m afraid. If you like this, try: Sugar Moon 08, Bitter Moon, Roputznica, Knave of Hearts, King of Hearts

Lemon Scented Sticky Bat In the imp: lemon and sugar, but it’s greener and fresher than expected. Wet on skin: a blend of real lemon with lemon herbs like lemon balm, lemongrass, verbena, litsea cubeba, and sugar. Dry on skin: that’s more like it! It smells of lemon sherbets! You know those little hard lemon shaped lemon sweets with the fizzy centre? That’s what this reminds me of. I still smell hints of lemongrass and verbena but now a proper lemon note-a blend of intensely aromatic peel and tangy juice-is dominant. I also smell some pale sugar in there. It doesn’t smell like the lemon and sugar on my pancakes, or like lemon curd, the lemon is a lot more intense and candied, almost like lemon marmalade with a shot of limoncello topped with lemon sherbets. It’s gorgeous. I also wonder if there’s lemon blossom, because this has a fresh, almost cologne-like overtone, and it contrasts with a very sweet sugar base. After a while: I’m not sure I’m crazy about this. Don’t get me wrong, I love lemon scents, especially sweet ones, but there’s a slightly sickly feel to this that is best described as the scent of spilt lemonade (not the home made stuff, but something like 7up or Sprite) that’s been warmed by the sun and is becoming really sticky and unpleasant, like a lemonade stain. I think it’s the sugar note that’s too much for me. There’s also a whiff of plastic to it at times, and at other times I smell the gritty scent of lemongrass, or a slightly synthetic lemon that would be closer to the scent of lemon flypaper than real lemons-which fits the inspiration. Verdict: I was looking forward to this, expecting the ultimate lemon sugar scent, and in many ways it is…so why am I not blown away? This is gloriously and intensely lemony and sweetly sugary, but I’m still wondering whether I love it or not. I love the moments when it smells like sherbet lemons, but there are times when the lemon note smells a bit too much like lemongrass and the sugar becomes a bit sickly. Perhaps vanilla rather than sugar may have been nicer? Maybe I’m just being fussy, but there are other lemon scents, like Skytyping with Chemtrails and Ides of March 2010, which are predominantly sweet lemon, and I think I prefer them to this. LSSB may be a little too much for me whereas Chemtrails does lemon sugar in a subtler way. So I decided not to keep this one. Is it a keeper? Compared with other lemon scents it’s not a favourite. If you like this, try: Skytyping with Chemtrails, Ides of March 2010, Great Grey Witch, Lustration, Geek Goth, Carnaval Diabolique

I think the new non-collection (not Shunga or Aphrodite etc) Valentine's labels are so cute, especially Parlement of Foules (and the Womb Furie ones are hilarious! Vibra-Finger! )

Queen of the Nile Use in love magick when the object of your desire is a stranger. Opens up opportunities for communication, and entices people to be more responsive to your advances. In the bottle: musk! Dark, sweet, deep musk is what I get here. Maybe a red or more probably a black musk, with probably something like myrrh or spices deepening it. A very enticing 'come hither' scent! Wet on skin: today I will just see what this is like on the skin-I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do but it seems ok for this oil. It is a delicious sweet dark musk with a hint of something herbal or spicy. Dry on skin: whoa...this is intense! The scent is a dark, almost fruity musk with sweet, spicy and resinous aspects. I'm thinking it's black musk, sexy, slick, and sinuous. It smells almost like candy now-and I'm sure that's due to lotus. Yeah, lotus seems to be an appropriate ingredient in Egyptian themed ritual oil...I also get a cherry like scent as well. I think there may be myrrh in here as well, and I get a rich, deep amber note (or is it ambergris?), adding a smoky-golden aspect. and there are spices too-but I can't tell what they are but they add warmth to the blend. After a while: after half an hour, it's toned down and isn't as intense and it's also more balanced. The scent is of dark smoky amber or myrrh, sweet cherry-lotus with sweet black musk and spices smouldering away in the background. This is actually what I hoped Black Lotus would smell like on me-that scent turned burnt on my skin. This on the other hand is delicious amber-myrrh-lotus goodness, very much the alluring scent of an Egyptian temptress lying seductively on her golden couch at night, luring men closer with her mysterious scent. Over time, the scent smoothes out nicely and the candy-like scent mellows and doesn't smell as strong. Everything seems to be working very nicely! And it's still there after many hours, as a gentle sweet spicy amber/musk reminiscent of another Egyptian blend that isn't Black Lotus-probably Khephra. Verdict (scent): mystical, seductive, deep, rich and exotic, this scent is of sweet black musk mixed with smoky dark amber and myrrh, sweetened by an almost candy like lotus or cherry scent, with a hint of sultry spice. After a moment where it's so intense you can almost taste it at the back of the throat, it calms down and smells nicely balanced and all the notes mingle wonderfully. It's a beautiful, entrancing scent that makes me feel and smell like Cleopatra in the mood to kick some asp! Verdict (intent): will update when I use this stuff correctly, with candles and all! (I'm just waiting for the perfect opportunity to do so.) As for how the scent makes me feel...well I feel a lot more relaxed and at ease, and I feel like socialising (or even chatting guys up!) and I'm not as shy feeling or introverted as usual-another example of scent enhancing intent. All qualities I would need to pull the guys! Unfortunately at the time I'm trying this, I'm not doing anything very social...let alone with any blokes I fancy!

Amaterasu v3 In the imp: OMG!!! This has Moroccan or Nepalese amber in it! It’s glorious. Wet on skin: amber and a tinge of frankincense, cherry blossom and spicy sandalwood. Dry on skin: absolutely stunning. This is like a pinker Okayaki, or what would happen if L’Estate turned Japanese. It’s predominantly the most amazing amber scent in the history of forever, and reminds me of that amazing Shadowy and Sublime amber, or the Lamia prototype, or L’Estate. It’s the amber which is glowing and resinous, but with hints of cardamom and vanilla. In here I also smell cherry blossom and spicy red sandalwood, maybe a hint of frankincense. It may also have the amber incense from Kaidan/Flowering Chrysanthemums. It’s solar and spring-like at once. After a while: amber, amber, amber. Damn I want more of this one. It’s just like the Shadowy and the Sublime, but without that troublesome wisteria, and instead it’s replaced with cherry blossom. I also smell a hint of spicy incense resins wafting up to greet the dawn. This is amazing. It’s a lot more resinous at drydown and I think I smell more sandalwood. This is nicer than v2. Verdict: this is the scent of a Japanese sun goddess, for sure! Golden sunny amber and cherry blossoms, this evokes shades of gold and pink, the colours of a sunrise. Blushing dawn clouds and gentle first rays of morning. There’s a hint of spice too, like cardamom. Hints of frankincense and woods and vanilla add to the awesomeness, overall it’s like Bakeneko with less fuzzy musk and more glowing resin, what a combination. Such a shame it’s so painfully rare. I don’t think my tiny drop-in-an-imp will suffice! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? YES! I want mooooooore….

Bourbon vanilla, Egyptian musk, olibanum, summer honey, white tea, Spanish mandarin, tea rose, cognac, and a faint trace of prussic acid. Sibyl In the imp: honeyed vanilla musk with citrus. It reminds me of Et Lux Fuit. Wet on skin: honeyed mandarin, vanilla musk, and cognac (and anise?) Dry on skin: this is nice! It smells of cognac, mandarin (love how strong the mandarin is here), clean pretty honey, sharp tea, and a crisp vanilla musk, and a tiny hint of rose. It reminds me of elements of Lady Lilith, La Fee Verte and, yes, Dorian, but the scent this reminds me of most is Et Lux Fuit. It’s the mix of honey, citrus and vanilla musk. The Egyptian musk used here is not the warm, velvety type from Gothabilly or Gypsy Moth, but the fresh, dewy, ‘clean skin’ scent from Mr Ibis. As a fan of Mr Ibis, that does please me. But the note that intrudes is cognac. This could be perfect, but it’s not really working out. I think it’s the cognac, it’s got that boozy, bitter undertone that I am not keen on. I’m also undecided on ‘summer honey’, it turns a little sharper and soapier than the usual honey notes-something similar happened in Victorian Garden. After a while: I must say, I’m amazed as to how long the mandarin here lasts, usually it fades away really fast. But something about this scent smells too sharp, acidic for me. It’s not a nice sharpness, but an unpleasant artificial sharpness like the sour powder used in certain sweets (like flying saucers). I think the tea is too astringent. There’s some vanilla and musk, but not enough. And there’s a soapy tone to it that reminds me of the herbs and absinthe with honey from La Fee Verte. I think this is the cognac doing bad things on me. Verdict: I really wanted to love Sibyl, I really did…but she let me down. I was expecting glorious vanilla and musk accented by rose, honey and citrus. But overall this is a dead ringer for Et Lux Fuit. It smells mainly like effervescent honey, lemon sherbet, sour sweets, and a really acidic white tea (not the darker tea of Dorian) sharpened even more by mandarin. The honey turns oddly soapy, and I think the cognac turns against me too. I get a vague sherbet-lemon sweetness but none of the velvety vanilla musk I expected. This is too sour for me as a whole. I’m let down, but at least I was able to swap it off. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? No, sadly. I managed a very successful swap for a scent I did love though.

Marshmallow Pumpkin In the imp: marshmallow cinnamon and pastry! Wet on skin: sweeter pumpkin pie! Dry on skin: mmm, this is delicious! It smells like the wonderful Pumpkin Pie bath oil scent, but a bit sweeter and fluffier. The marshmallow is not as strong as Poof or Plastic Flamingo, but it does add a lighter sweetness to the pumpkin note. This pumpkin is not the buttery Jack variety, this is a mushier, pulpy scent with just a tiny bit of butter that seems more like pastry than pure butter, and heavily spiced. There’s a lot of cinnamon here, and maybe a hint of nutmeg. It’s delicious, and out of the treats, this one’s my favourite. After a while: it sweetens a little, becoming a more balanced mix of pumpkin pie and marshmallow. It’s really lovely. The marshmallow tempers the intense spice of the pumpkin pie, but that in turn seems to prevent the marshmallow from turning to plastic. Verdict: Pumpkin Pie bath oil is my favourite BPAL pumpkin scent (along with Pumpkin Queen but even that can be too buttery at times) and this has that exact same pumpkin scent-mushy sweet pumpkin with pastry but no blatant butter, and lots of spice. This is sweetened by a delectable marshmallow note that works better in here than in other marshmallow scents. It’s very sweet and quite rich, not a scent I can wear every day but this is one of the best gourmand scents I’ve tried-it doesn’t turn to plastic or go sickly or cloying, it just smells like perfect marshmallow topped, cinnamon spiked pumpkin pie, simple as that. Yummy. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes! I have half a bottle. If you like this, try: Pumpkin Pie bath oil, any of the Pumpkin Patches, Blue Pumpkin Floss, Pumpkin Latte

Candy Corn Coated Candy Apple In the imp: crisp green apple, but sweeter than the Sugar Slathered Apple scent. Wet on skin: whoa, the apple sharpens dramatically, but thankfully doesn’t turn bad just yet. Dry on skin: thanks to numerous free sweets (freets?) from US BPALers I now know what candy corn is, and I certainly smell it here, the soft and chewy types. But the scent that dominates above all is of course the apple. It smells a little too dry for my tastes with a bitter apple peel scent rather than a juice/flesh scent but the toffee scent in the background is pure perfection. It smells like real English toffee, like the type of toffee that breaks teeth if you’re not careful, a tiny bit buttery but it doesn’t have that cloying caramel/treacle scent that most toffee notes have, this smells like the real deal. I can’t really smell the cinnamon but I bet it’s bourbon vanilla that adds that wonderful warm richness to the sweetness. After a while: the apple makes a comeback and it’s not a good thing. It seems to vary-I’ve tried this twice, and on the first wear, the drydown was toffee dominated, but the second time, it was full of really sharp dry apple. That spoils it a little because it was the toffee, vanilla and candy corn that appealed more than the sharp green apple. Verdict: so far my apple scent that can do no wrong is Fearful Pleasure, and as I like apples as food I was hoping to find another apple scent that could work. I thought this would be it, but I’m not sure if this is the case. I still think the apple is too tart and sour and ‘dry apple’ for my likings. It’s a shame because the toffee here smells just like English toffee-a little bit Werthers but not as blatant, this is more like Thorntons toffee or something more home made. A hint of candy corn from across the pond and vanilla from even more exotic shores made it almost delectable, but then the apple turned bad on me. I will keep the decant of this for the sweets covering the apple rather the apple itself. I’ll stick to Fearful Pleasure for my autumnal apple fix. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? The decant. If you like this, try: Hesperides, Treatsy, Pumpkin 1 (with mulled apple cider), Punkie Night, Samhain, Lamb’s Wool, Fearful Pleasure, Sugar Slathered Candy Apple (if you can find it)

The Infernal Lover In the imp: hubba hubba! Now THAT’S red musk! Not the nag champa-ish red musk that has appeared in some recent scents, but a proper red musk! Wet on skin: turns a little Smutty on me, but stops short of smelling rubbery/boozy. Dry on skin: red musk of the sexiest, sultriest type. This is the kind of musk I love. It reminds me of Smut, but this is nicer, because it has all the sexiness but doesn’t smell like rubber and heavy booze. It does smell sweet though, like a vanilla bean has been languishing in the musk for some time. This is not a dry, peppery-incense type musk like some of the recent blends, this reminds me of the Red Musk SN, and it’s an incredibly dark, deep, sweetish, slightly feral and raunchy scent. This could almost be a Lupercalia scent. I don’t smell any honey. After a while: this then transforms quite dramatically. It turns from the smutty sexy dark red musk into something I think is even nicer…a sweet red Egyptian musk! Yes! It reminds me of the Egyptian Dragon soaps by Darkswan, it has a sweet powdery dusty/sandy scent to it that reminds me a bit of cocoa at times and of sandalwood at other times. Verdict: to me, this is a return to form for red musk. Some of the recent red musk scents seemed to have a dry, nag champa-ish feel to them, and I liked them, but I preferred the sweet, spicy, almost creamy and fruity red musk used in things like Blood Lotus, Spellbound etc, and this is definitely one of those sorts of musks. The honey adds a subtle sweetness but otherwise this is all about the musk. Calling it ‘Smut-lite’ seems almost disrespectful as though this is a lighter Smut, not as heavy and boozy and thankfully lacking that rubbery note, this is just as sexy! I especially love the drydown, when it loses that intensely raunchy scent and turns into a more sophisticated red Egyptian musk, sweeter and drier and with a pinch of honey dust. Gorgeous, and I can only imagine what sort of glorious thing it will turn into with age… Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Most definitely. If you like this, try: Womb Furie, Smut, Lust, Spellbound, Anactoria, Now Winter Nights Enlarge, Spawn of the She Demon, Bien Loin D’Ici

Treatsy Bath Oil In vial: ohh, sweet apples and lemon sherbet. On skin: mint? Yes, this smells like mint. I wasn’t expecting that…it smells fresh and tingly, and a bit white musky? I definitely smell apple and lemon and sugar though. I’d say the apple dominates, but the lemon sugar note is really lovely, and has a sherbet-y effervescence to it. The apple isn’t too bad on me either, a rare thing with apple notes like this…it’s so much nicer than the other two apple-lemon scents: Delirium and La Vita Nuova, it doesn’t turn soapy or chemical. In fact, the apple here may be the same as the only two green apple scents that work on me: Candy Corn Coated Apple and Mock Turtle’s Lessons. Having said that, I think this would smell nicer in the bath. Some bath oils smell amazing on the skin as perfume but others smell like they’d be even nicer in a bath-this is one of them. But as raw apple scents go, this is really pretty.

The Lincoln Tunnel Vortex In the imp: soap, anise, and that ethereal ‘darkness’ note from Night’s Bridge. Wet on skin: this does smell green and glowing, and soapy, floral and medicinal. Dry on skin: this one is weird! It is high pitched, discordant, and it smells disorientating. I smell a really nice mix of green musk, white amber and presumably davana or tea or neroli, something that reminds me of the likes of 51, Pollution, and a few of the Black Helicopter scents. It also has that cool, dewy, sparkling night air note from Night’s Bridge. However, this does have a soapy scent, presumably a floral note, and a medicinal anise undertone (and some cherry?) that reminds me of certain sore throat or cough medicine. I can’t smell much asphalt but there is a dirty, grubby note and a hint of something almost like lichen, as well as some petrol. After a while: after a long moment of weird oiliness that reminds me of olives and aniseed with tar and a hint of petrol, this scent then lightens up a bit. The high, disorienting notes come out and they smell just like 51’s mix of green musk, white amber, light fruits and tea with airy ozone. I really like this drydown, it reminds me a bit of Chemtrails too, but without the sugar note. Verdict: I have to admit, there is a slightly geeky reason why I was interested in trying this…the very idea of a portal to a parallel dimension in a tunnel makes me think of Doctor Who! (Planet of the Dead, if you’re wondering.) But the scent itself doesn’t seem to work out. There’s a weird oily bitter undertone to it that reminds me of bitter olive oil mixed with asphalt and anise. I think that’s the radiator fluid note? It smells a little chemical too. However, the weird para-dimensional notes evoking wormholes and time rifts do smell good here-they remind me of the white amber and glowing musk notes in sci-fi scents like 51, Skytyping with Chemtrails and Alien Invasion. Even the hint of ozone works here. There may also be some tea and citrus here, bright sparkly flowers too. But despite the concept of a parallel dimension or portal in space and time in a road tunnel greatly appealing, I’m really not keen on the weird oily undertone this scent has, I prefer the other space-y white amber and ozone type scents. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not really.

Encroaching Madness In the imp: I don’t smell urine, but I do smell old vase water. It’s not very pleasant. Wet on skin: now I smell flowers, but they smell old and wilted. Dry on skin: I think what I smell here is mainly helichrysum (which to me smells like camomile on steroids) and chrysanthemum. The ‘mum note is not the fresh, light, dewy type, it’s the kind that smells bitter, greenish, and a bit rancid. The helichrysum has that golden, hay-like camomile-ish scent with a hint of pollen and honey, but this also smells a bit musty and dusty. The balsam is the same one as in Anubis, a greenish-golden sharp resin. The only honeysuckles I smell here are probably incredibly wilted because I don’t smell any fresh glorious honeysuckle here. The cologne-ish floral over it all is probably hydrangea. After a while: hmm, yeah, after a while the chrysanthemum turns bad on me and it smells of urine and unwashed morning funk. Ew. That and also the rotting flowers and damp and dry rot and dusty bouquets from before. Eventually it turns to a rotting dusty chrysanthemum scent and dusty dry blooms on a mouldy tablecloth, flowers in a vase that hasn’t had its water changed for ages. Verdict: overall, this brings to mind the image of a room in a very, very old house, that hasn’t been touched for decades, if not centuries. In this dust caked, dark, musty room, the walls are covered in damp and rot (which makes them very yellow indeed), and there’s a bouquet of dead flowers. The room has been left like this…who knows why? Sentimental reasons maybe, or the opposite? It is a room with memories but they are not pleasant, they are uncomfortable and menacing memories. The scent of dust and rot and dead flowers and mustiness are oppressive, sour and rather rank. This scent feels unsettling and not pleasant. The atmosphere it evokes is quite incredible, it’s a scent that tells a story, but I don’t think I’ll wear this as perfume. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Nope. If you like this, try: Chrysanthemum Moon, Ephemera, Anubis, Resurrection of the Flesh, Succubus, Tisiphone

Halloween: Brooklyn In the imp: a sharp greenish floral with bright pine resin. Wet on skin: pine resin, bright and green like crushed needles. Dry on skin: this is really pretty. There’s a lovely natural scent of leaves and dampness from rain or dew, soft moss growing on stone, along with the (now fainter) scent of pine needles and tree bark. I don’t smell cherry or apple here at all-there’s nothing really fruity. But I do smell flowers, fresh moonflower and camellia, floral notes that are crystalline and sophisticated and give that scent of grown up perfume. It also smells like the sort of scent I wanted to get from Sky City Before-the scent of stone and buildings with fresh greenery and flowers and the perfumes of the citizens caught in the daily rush. After a while: the scent does get fainter, but it doesn’t change too much-it now has the feel of fresh air scented with soft hints of mossy stone, a bit of water (from fountains or ponds) and leaves and flowers. I wouldn’t say it’s autumnal as such, but it’s a scent that seems to depict a city park or a leafy district of a large city in any season. It’s really pretty and light-but I wish it didn’t fade so fast! Verdict: I think this is my favourite of the city themed Halloween scents-I wasn’t expecting it to be, with the apples and flowers, but it’s really beautiful. This has something that reminds me of the Wanderlust range to it, evocative of the mood, elegantly perfumey, but also bringing to mind some of the more pleasant scents of the place it evokes. This brings to mind waling through a city park whilst wearing a classy yet gentle perfume. This manages to be fresh yet urban-almost like a progression from Manhattan (which makes sense). Despite the fruit notes, I don’t smell any-what I get is a cool breeze scented with leaves, tree bark, grass, water, moss growing on stone and floral perfume. The only downside being that it does smell faint after a short while, but even so, I think I need a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? If you like this, try: Manhattan, Fox Fires on New Year’s Eve, Sky City Before (if you can get it)

In the imp: like a wetter version of Windy Moon or October. Wet on skin: now I smell the salt, along with the soggy leaves and rain. Dry on skin: slightly chypre-like, definitely masculine. This has an overall scent of manly cologne to it, strong and piercing and reminiscent of a sophisticated aftershave. Having said that, it also smells just like the description-I smell the wet leaves, the rain, and the sea air. I smell coastal forests (hints of wood and moss) and also shining ozone/metal that evokes the glass and steel of the city. But there’s definitely a scent of strong aftershave to it. After a while: salty air. The cologne scent does fade away somewhat, and what’s left is the perfect sea air scent…actually this does smell a little bit like how my skin smells after swimming in the sea. I do love that. Finally, a scent that smells more like 'cool water' than the perfume bearing that name ever could. Verdict: though this is much too masculine for me to pull off, this is actually a really effective atmospheric scent. I’m not crazy about the strong cologne-like aftershave scent, but I love the salty sea air scent. It’s not soapy or overly ozoned, what ozone it does have evokes hints of an urban landscape, skyscrapers and shining metal, but cooled with salty air and a hint of forests and parks. The wet leaf and rain notes are spot on, it feels cool and airy and wet, and the drydown is amazing, it smells just like sea air, or sea water, or that ‘beach skin’ scent I love (but without any sun lotion to it). I’m sad that this wasn’t released as a room spray, as I think this would work better as a room scent rather than a skin scent. It’s so wonderfully evocative, but I don’t know if I can stand the first hour of wear-too manly for me. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? The decant. If you like this, try: Windy Moon, Visiting the Temple at the Winter Solstice, October, Aeaea, Kingsport

The Shadowy and the Sublime In the imp: the amber here has potential to be incredible-it reminds me of spicy Nepalese amber. But there’s something that could turn weird. Wet on skin: ok wisteria, don’t turn to evil on me. This amber is made of win. Dry on skin: not sure what to make of this. On the one hand, it smells of truly awesome things. Like rose, and myrrh, and an amber note that reminds me of the likes of L’Estate or the Lamia prototype, as well as Nepalese amber scents from other companies, it is golden, exotic, and almost cardamom-y. It reminds me of an ambery version of that wonderful vanilla-honey-cardamom scent from Lush’s The Soft Touch. But there’s also wisteria (which smells wilted on me) and something that could turn to that odd civet note in some of the ‘manly traditional perfume’ scents. But it seems the amber is amping on me, which is fantastic. After a while: the amber here is so beautiful! Rich and golden and with that undertone of kulfi (yes, kulfi!) that makes it even more exquisite. But I’m not sure about the wisteria here. It seems to combine with another note and gives a slightly unsettling undertone that is slightly civet-y and also smells like wilted wisteria, under the beautiful amber. Maybe the magnolia is turning bad too? It’s not the lovely Yvaine magnolia that is good on me. It’s a shame really because I am sure this is the amber from the Lamia prototype. It reminds me of the Maltese Cross from CD too, which is good because that scent improved greatly with age. Sadly the wisteria does take over, despite the fact that the amber has amazing throw and is the main scent away from the skin. Close to the wrist…not so good. Verdict: I am so confused by this scent! The amber in here is stunning and unique-I haven’t found anything similar in any other BPAL scent, it’s a glowing, sweet, golden scent infused with vanilla and cardamom, exotic and comforting. I am in love with this amber, along with the supporting notes of myrrh and rose. But there’s something else here that isn’t working, and I think it is wisteria. Bad, bad wisteria. Even the awesomeness of the amber doesn’t block out this pesky floral note, which turns to bad wilted bitter floral fail, and even turns somewhat animalistic on me here. I will keep the decant of it solely for the amber, but wisteria puts me off getting a bottle. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Not sure yet. If you like this, try: Her Voice, Odd Portents, L’Estate, The Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus, Two Loves

Summer’s Last Will and Testament In the imp: citrus, but it’s borderline soapy-herbal. Wet on skin: blood orange bursts into life and I think I also smell geranium. Dry on skin: this is nice. It reminds me very much of Piper at the Gates of Dawn. But this has the pine in Piper replaced with herbal notes and autumnal floral and leafy notes. The citrus notes are no longer soapy, but whoa they are strong! This is one of the most powerful citrus scents, is it the amber that’s magnifying them so? The blood orange and also something that reminds me of grapefruit are dominant, and they evoke shades of gold and red, like a sunset. I can’t really smell amber but the autumn leaf note smells lovely, it isn’t at all like the one in October, I’d say it’s more like the one in To Autumn? I can also smell a rich geranium note, which makes me happy because it’s not often that geranium is strong. After a while: after a moment when an odd earthy-dirty herbal note comes through, this then mellows very nicely. The citruses seem to melt into the amber, which I now smell, and it actually reminds me a bit of white amber, but the amber then darkens as the scent develops. I think the myrrh adds a touch more resinous goodness to this scent, I think I also smell a bit of spicy marigold. The scent morphs incredibly, sometimes I smell more of the sunflower, sometimes more of the myrrh, at other times I smell more of the earthy, mossy notes. It’s also amazing how long the orange note sticks around, I think it’s held down by those wonderful warm sweet resins. Verdict: I love how Beth creates perfumes that are very hard to pigeonhole into a particular category like ‘foody’ or ‘floral’ or ‘woody’. This is one of them-it’s one of the most intriguing, unique scents I’ve come across. Though it’s predominantly citrus, with the blood orange leading the way, this is no ordinary citrus. It’s a dark citrus, not bright and sparkly but evokes the deepest red-orange, and is weighed down with earthy leafy notes, with the resins adding a golden glimmer. The geranium adds its warm balmy scent and the flowers are subtle yet add yet more dimensions to this already complex fragrance. This scent is a work of art, less like a perfume and more like an olfactory painting, very evocative of summer’s last stand against the encroaching autumn-I can really sense the turning of the seasons here, the lengthening nights, the reddening sunsets, leaves falling and the last warmth of summer just barely lingering. It’s beautiful and fascinating, and unlike any other perfume I’ve tried. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely. If you like this, try: Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Pepper, Death of Autumn, Three Gorgons, Sunflower, Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus

Meditation in Autumn In the imp: ivy, wood, and a hint of cologne. Wet on skin: greenish ivy and vines with something perfumey. Dry on skin: this one is really interesting but I’m not sure if I’m keen on it…the thing that intrigues me is the vine note. It really does smell like ivy, thick and green, it smells just like the smell that lingers on your hands when you’ve been pulling away thick vines or overgrown ivy. This really smells like thick, overgrown greenery, a bit weedy, but much thicker. The thing I’m not crazy about here is the cologne-like or perfume like undertone this has. It smells like men’s perfume, and a tad mainstream, even a bit like ozone. It has a sharpness that reminds me of mainstream men’s deodorants or ‘sporty’ perfumes. After a while: this seems to alternate between smelling purely of thick deep green vines and the less pleasant smell of sporty perfume every now and then. But it seems to smell more and more like the masculine perfume smell. Where’s the sandalwood? The drydown reminds me of the likes of October (the first version) and Windy Moon, both of which turned to sharp manly perfume on me. I’d say this is a bit more woody and vine-y. Verdict: not for me, I’m afraid. There is something that smells sharply, aggressively aftershave-y in here, manly perfume and ozone-scented sporty deodorant. The vine note is intriguing, it really smells authentic. Reminds me of helping out with the gardening, the smell of clearing away the ivy that grows in places where it shouldn’t grow. But the perfumey undertone really grates. I don’t even smell the sandalwood, a note I normally love. I think I’ll stick with Blade of Grass for my autumn fix. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? nope. If you like this, try: Twisted Oak Tree, Wiley’s Swamp, Thorns, Windy Moon, October

Lotus Moon 2010 In the imp: amber, pomegranate and…grapefruit? Huh? Wet on skin: grapefruit. This is a very bitter grapefruit and it’s quite disconcerting. It’s blocking out all the other notes. Dry on skin: not sure about the grapefruit. What is doing that? It’s a bitter grapefruit peel scent as opposed to a fresh juicy grapefruit, which I like. It’s strong and strident and seems to be blocking out all the other notes, and that’s a shame because the other notes smell really good. I can detect a really gorgeous creamy lotus note, hints of resin-touched rose, and deep red pomegranate. But I can’t enjoy those wonderful notes if that irritating grapefruit peel note gets in the way. After a while: the grapefruit does fade away thankfully, and what is left is really beautiful and sophisticated. It’s very slightly reminiscent of the old Lotus Moon, but it’s also very different. It’s a bit more perfumey, it reminds me of a posh perfume or body lotion, it smells expensive and grown up. A luxurious lotus gilded with amber and with ruby red accents of pomegranate, a hint of smoky incense. It’s got a silky, creamy smoothness, a hint of sweetness. Verdict: still unsure about this one. Theoretically I should adore it as all the notes work on me. But I can’t get over the odd grapefruity scent that obstructs all the lovely notes. This weird, strident, bitter grapefruit peel scent does fade after some time to leave behind a beautiful scent, golden and classy, it smells dignified and regal, gold and red velvet, reminiscent of some of the palace themed scents like Versailles and the Haunted Palace, though this seems to evoke more exotic places, hinting at Egypt and India. It does remind me a bit of the original LM but I think this one is more complex, less candied and actually less lotus-y. I still think I prefer the 06 version, I would adore this version if it wasn’t for that annoying grapefruit! I hope that disappears with aging. Emoticon rating: then Is it a keeper? one bottle, definitely. If you like this, try: Lotus Moon 06, Blood Lotus, Kurukulla, Persephone, Haunted Palace, Versailles

Hatshepsut v11 In the imp: rich sweet amber incense and maybe some fruit? Wet on skin: the golden lotus of Lotus Moon, as well as amber and maybe red wine? Dry on skin: this is such a beautiful scent. I can’t say what it contains but I’m going to guess…amber, golden lotus, myrrh, red wine, maybe some frankincense, spices, herbs, some kind of raisin like dry sweet fruit or a deep berry note? It’s gorgeous. It has a wine soaked myrrh scent that reminds me of Haloa and the Magi. It has an amber gilded lotus scent that reminds me of both Lotus Moons and Bastet. It also smells a bit like the TAL Queen of the Nile, funnily enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was crammed with myrrh, it was Hatshepsut’s favourite scent after all. I also think I smell a hint of Egyptian musk, like the one in Gothabilly? After a while: this then settles into a beautiful sweet wine and myrrh scent with accents of amber, lotus and spices. It’s warm, rich red-purple with gold and amber flashes, incredibly regal and dignified. It feels luxurious and golden, evokes the colours of a sunset. Verdict: my favourite of the Hatshepsut protos, this is a glorious amber resin and deep red fruit scent. This reminds me of Lotus Moon 2010 to an extent, but without the lotus and odd grapefruit note, and with extra resins and fruit added. It feels noble, luxurious and makes me think of ancient treasure and precious cargo from the land of Punt containing exotic fruit and resins and jewels and gold, along with offerings of rich red wine, incense, and sweet amber. I am so glad I managed to get a bottle of this beautiful scent and I hope that one day the finished version of Hatshepsut comes out and it smells somewhat similar to this, or has something along the same amber-fruit-resin-spice theme. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Definitely!

Loli.Goth In the imp: strawberry ice cream! Wet on skin: strawberry sweets, creamy iris, pink musk and a bit of peach. Dry on skin: I like this! This has the same pink musk as in Vasilissa, a fresh yet fluffy musk which has a slight perfumey tang to it, and that balances out the overall sweetness of this blend. The strawberry note is so pretty; it’s a creamy sweet berry that smells just like ice cream. No plastic, no odd acidic sharpness. There’s also a bit of the raspberry that was in the White Choc and Black Raspberry Truffle scent. I can’t really smell peach or woods, but the iris has a gorgeous scent that is creamy (without being foody) and dewy and floral all at once. After a while: this then settles in to the prettiest pink scent of musk and iris with a little bit of wood to ground it. The fruity notes are still there and I do detect a hint of something candied, but it’s not as sugary sweet now, it’s a lot more sophisticated. The pink musk is just like Vasilissa but I love the iris in here, it smells so fresh and cool with hints of powder, like the delicate scent of a real iris flower. It reminds me a bit of Black Pearl without the coconut…maybe more of a Pink Pearl. Verdict: this is my second favourite of the Goths. This works a lot better on me than expected-the strawberry, a note I want to love but is so often a disaster on me, works perfectly here, as a creamy ice cream type note, and I adore that. The peach is subtle but adds extra fruitiness to the strawberry and raspberry pinkness. The musks, woods and iris on the other hand are perfect counterbalances to the sweet candied creamy fruit, grounding the scent, stopping it from being too gourmand and oversweet, and making this mature. Girly, youthful and pink but not childish. I’m so glad I was able to find a bottle of this one! Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? Yes and I found a bottle!

Gaudium In bottle: geranium. The same fantastic geranium as Holiday Stress Relief. On skin: geranium, verbena, and a gorgeous orange note. This actually turns really citrus-y on the skin, with citronella-like verbena in the lead, followed by that gorgeous bitter orange (smells a bit like dried orange peels mixed with bergamot and combava, not at all sweet or juicy), not much grapefruit, it seems overpowered by the other citrusy notes. I can’t smell lavender, but I do smell the most wonderful Bourbon-type geranium, the same one from HSR. I love geranium, so this makes me happy. I do wish the verbena could calm down a little, it is a little strong, and despite this smelling gorgeous, it also reminds me of a mosquito repellant I bought in Turkey. That stuff did smell nice, but I don’t want to be reminded of being attacked by buzzy biting things. But it could mean this stuff would repel mozzies too? The drydown is pure bitter orange-and I like that, because orange notes are not known for lasting long…but then it turns soapy, probably the work of the verbena. So maybe this isn’t the replacement for HSR that I’ve been looking for…

Khrysopelex In the imp: caraway! This smells like a spice cupboard. But that’s no bad thing. Wet on skin: this reminds me of the Kinnabari prototype! Dry and dusty and spicy. Dry on skin: this scent is fascinating. It’s almost identical to Kinnabari, I think, but a bit nicer. Caraway is the dominant note, and it’s amazingly complex. It smells like a spice cupboard or a spice market, but it also has a mineral aspect to it that makes me think of dust, clay, and something about it reminds me of paints and pastels and brings back memories of art classes. In fact, something about this smells like pencils! It also smells very much like how I’d imagine a desert to smell-hot, dry, dusty, and sandy, I see sunset colours when I smell this. The saffron really enhances the golden, heated, arid scent this has. I can also smell hints of sharper bergamot and neroli as well. After a while: pencils. Ok, I said there was a hint of pencil to this scent. Now it’s all pencils all the time. I don’t know what’s doing that but there’s a woody note here that my skin turns to the smell of pencil shavings-especially coloured pencils. And crayons! So yes this scent does seem to tickle my creative side and makes me want to get arty, but do I really want to smell like a box of crayons and pencil shavings? The good news is that I can smell some amber now. Thankfully that Eau de Crayola seems to calm down after 2-3 hours and the amber is really, really showing off. What glorious amber, with surprising throw, this is the Dreadful Lies amber, but without the powdery scent I sometimes get from DL. There are still hints of woodsy caraway but they are a lot more pleasant, and the throw this gives off is not pencils but wonderful warm amber. At one point it does smell a tiny bit like Khrysee…before fading away. Verdict: this one is strange! I’m not sure if it’s the caraway that smells like a mix of dry red earth, pencil shavings and crayons, but this is what it smells like to me! At times compelling and nostalgic, evocative of my creative school days, but at times it drives me crazy simply because it smells like pencils-and I don’t want to smell like a pencil! Or a crayon, for that matter. The drydown makes up for it though, once the amber shows up, mixing nicely with the saffron and neroli, and creating a lovely glowing golden drydown. If it smelled like that all the time I would have got more, but the pencil stage is too much for me to take. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? maybe a decant. If you like this, try: Labores Solis, Zenobia, Helios, Iron Phoenix, Khrysee

Enchanted Wood Florist In the imp: oh, this is pretty. It smells like La Primavera, one of my favourite floral scents. Wet on skin: I smell grasses, and the luminous flowers that smell like tuberose and spring blossoms. Dry on skin: this reminds me of two scents-the good imp I had of All They Had Seen (my bottle wasn’t as strong), and also La Primavera. This is such a beautiful floral scent! Very springy and delicate, and it does smell luminous. What kinds of flowers? I am pretty sure that there’s tuberose in here-because of the Primavera similarity, but it also reminds me of another scent with tuberose but I can’t say which one. I also think there are some blossoms, maybe linden (it reminds me of the Unicorn) and also the plum blossom note that actually likes me, that is in Hanami and La Primavera. There is almost certainly some moonflower here, and possibly orchid (again, the kind that works). There may even be some good jasmine (such a thing does exist, and it’s the most beautiful scent) in here. The grass is subtle, and the sap smells more like sweet nectar. After a while: this then turns into Fairy Market without the sweetness! Fairy Market is one of my favourite scents of all, and this reminds me of it, but whilst FM is pink in feel, this is silvery-green. It doesn’t have the sweet, candied, slightly incense-y feel of FM, but it is fresher, lighter, crisper. This is such a beautiful spring flower fragrance, delicate and dainty and luminous. Nothing soapy, sharp, bitterly green, no blossoms that turn to rotten fruit, this is flowery perfection. Verdict: enchanted wood? Oh yeah, this smells like the sort of moonlit wood filled with fairies, fireflies, dewdrops, moonlight and magic, and I am also reminded of the scenes in Avatar with all the luminous flora of Pandora that lights up when walked on, and the floating seeds. This is what those flowers smell like. This is a stunningly beautiful floral scent. I can’t say what flowers are in here but they work on me fantastically. It reminds me of some of my other favourite springy floral scents, but this has a slightly greenish (in the best way possible) and glowing, dewy scent to it which distinguishes it from, say, the slightly citrus-y Primavera, or the sugary Fairy Market. I adore this one. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? I have a bottle, and wonder if I need to track down a backup… If you like this, try: The Unicorn, All They Had Seen and All They Had Lost, La Primavera perfume, Hanami, Al Araaf

Phantom Time Hypothesis In the imp: traditional sweet powdery rose and ambergris. Very pretty! Wet on skin: the rose blooms, and there’s orange. This is gorgeous. Dry on skin: Turkish delight! Yes! This reminds me of Turkish delight in rose and orange flavours, right down to the dusty, powdery scent, reminiscent of the icing sugar dusting on those squishy loukhoum cubes. This is really lovely. It reminds me of a TAL-maybe Amor-as well as Seraglio and Haunted Palace. I wasn’t expecting the orange to be so strong but it is. I don’t know why I smell sandalwood but I smell a bit of it and combined with the rose, it also reminds me of Lush’s Fever. I also smell neroli, again, not a listed note, but it seems to be in here. But it mainly smells like Turkish delight and rose scented powder, and I love it. After a while: this then turns into a gorgeous rose-sandalwood powdery scent, powdery in the best way possible, in the way that reminds me of a historical perfume-I’m surprised there’s no orris in here, as it has that dusty pale feel to it. It then changes into a gorgeous soft incense-resin type scent, a rosy ambergris powder dusted onto the skin, with some hints of crushed resin-the mysterious balsams and gums, I think. It’s very different to other rose-resin scents though, not at all like Parlement of Foules. Verdict: this one is another winner in the Helicopter series. I love roses, oranges and incense, but I was pleasantly surprised when this turned to Turkish delight on me! The scent of rosewater, orange (fruit, definitely, but I also smell the blossom?) and a pleasantly powdery sweetness reminded me of that yummy exotic sweet treat. Though the loukhoum stage doesn’t last, the drydown is equally delightful. this is when it resembles some of my favourite rose-based scents. Though totally different to most resinous rose scents (and very different to Illuminati Cotillion), this reminds me of roses and mysterious incense and a touch of dust-and I mean a pleasant dustiness here, and something like sandalwood. It’s somewhere between Three Brides and Seraglio, I’d say. I have a feeling that aging will make the scent stronger and even more beautiful. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? definitely a one or two bottle scent. If you like this, try: Seraglio, Bess, Whoso List to Hunt, Haunted Palace, Lucy Westenra, Shadowless like Silence, Three Brides

Banshee Beat In the imp: patchouli and vanilla! Wet on skin: oh, this is good-antique patchouli with sweet, deep vanilla. Dry on skin: mmm, sexy and dirty patchouli and vanilla with a hint of greenish and pulpy hemp to it. The patchouli has a dark, sweet, and very aged quality to it. It reminds me of an antique patchouli scent from another company (now discontinued, I think). It also reminds me of the patchouli in Goblin, I think. It’s a strong patch note that has a hint of ‘old books’ about it, which I really like! The vanilla is really lovely here, it’s a very deep, incredibly sweet vanilla, not foody but sensual, this is like vanilla extract or vanilla beans. It’s a bit like Tombstone or Snake Oil. The hemp adds a hint of something dry and papery and also a bit of mushy green and smoke, but it is subtle. After a while: this doesn’t change too much, but the patch gets stronger, as does the vanilla. Stronger, richer, more intense, and dirtier. I like it but the vanilla edges too close to cloying and overwhelming for my tastes? It feels a little sickly, despite the lack of gourmand-ness this vanilla note has. The drydown at the end is all strong vanilla, but it’s just too much. It reminds me of the Vanilla SN, which I wasn’t so keen on (even though, for the most part, I love BPAL vanilla scents). Verdict: this is a classic patchouli-vanilla, and it’s an effective, simple combination. I’ve smelt other patchouli-vanillas, and the BPAL take on it has a wonderful depth and intensity to it, the patchouli is dark and aged in scent, ditto the vanilla. I liked the beginning stage, where the patch and vanilla were equal, and there was a hint of Snake Oil with extra patchouli to it. But then the vanilla turned to one of the few varieties I don’t like, though not buttery or plastic, I just found it too cloying and oversweet. Emoticon rating: Is it a keeper? sadly not.