arabella

First Impression: Resin and wood. Dries down to: A floral note (familiar but I can't quite place it) asserts itself and grabs the resin and wood for a dance. Now, I can recognize the lily-of-the-valley and also, the violet which is just peeking through. I think the juniper and cajeput are disguising them just enough to make them feel familiar without being obvious - I would have liked them to be more obvious. After a while, though, the violets do come to the forefront and stay there. Additional Comments: Myrrh is a new note for me - I like it but not as much as amber. Overall, this one was very nice but it's not a "to die for" scent for me. Lasted: About 3 hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First Impression: Flowers (not sure what kind, but tiny, white ones) frosted with icing sugar that's been dissolved in a drop of citrusy sunshine. Dries down to: Very quickly, the sweetness backs off and the flowers - gardenias, maybe, definitely something exotic, showy and and tropical - throw aside the curtains and make a grand entrance with their petals spread wide and their heads thrown back. The citrusy note disappeared when no one was looking and plumes of smoke and incense have drifted in and are now surrounding the flowers, that are drinking in the applause. Additional Comments: This is an absolutely gorgeous blend but not one I would have ever picked for myself based on the description. Half of the notes in it (Jasmine, rose, musk) usually just don't work well on me but, like so many others have said before, there's something psychic going on when the lab picks freebies; this one's a definite "keeper" and is going on my "Big Bottle" list. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 4.5 out of 5

First Impression: Lime gel. Dries down to: A fresh, bright, aquatic. There's probably a resin in here and a floral but I can't identify them. Additional Comments: I'm not familiar with copal but I should have spotted the plumeria and I get lime instead of orange. This is a nice blend for hot, sticky, summer days - very refreshing. However, I'll have to re-visit this one another day. I love Angel and didn't get that impression from this blend like so many others did. I also didn't get orange at all. I have a feeling I shouldn't have been doing any testing when I did this one, since my impressions are so off-base. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First Impression: Dry, like straw. Dries down to: A quiet, inert, dry scent - like long-forgotten bones in a crypt. The mental image I get is of sitting and reading near a window of a farmhouse on the prairies in the summer - the air is very still and the lace curtains don't move, not even an inch, although the window is wide open. Additional Comments: This reminds me a lot of Coyote but without the richness. I'm surprised that I don't pick up on the patchouli at all - and I love patchouli. The musk seems to override everything else. I wish it was "Tramp-y" on me, but this one actually bores me. If it were a color, it would be a washed out gray. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 1.5 out of 5

First Impression: Sharp, almost musky and civet-like - there's something in this I really don't like. Dries down to: The sharpness, which I think might be stargazer lily, tones down quickly and other florals start to come forward. Then, it becomes almost totally floral - lily, I think and very, very light. The final result is tolerable but nothing special. Additional comments: From the description, I'm not surprised this doesn't work on me. Lilies seem to turn "musky" on me, except for lily-of-the-valley, which I love. I usually don't mind opium but I can't detect it in here at all nor the tuberose. Lasted: Barely 1/2 an hour - definitely a sprint not a marathon. Rating: 1.5 out of 5

First Impression: Very weak, green tea with lemon and maybe a touch of mint in it. Dries down to: A very weak, watery green tea. Then, after about an hour, the peony peeks out. Additional Comments: Although it's quite pretty and lasts a very long time, this one is way too weak for me. But, it would be a perfect "starter" scent for a young girl. Lasted: At least 8 hours. Rating: 2.5 out of 5

First Impression: Very rich, full-bodied hazelnut coffee. Dries down to: Doesn't change much at all. This coffee definitely has cream, sugar and a touch of Irish Whiskey in it - the cream is Bailey's Irish Cream and the sugar is turbinado. Additional comments: I don't get any wood or dust at all. I'm more of a tea granny at home and a coffee drinker when I go out but I love the smell of coffee - I can't get enough of it - so, I'm sure this will become a staple room fragrance for me, especially in the winter - it's wonderfully comforting. Lasted: All day and night - this is the longest lasting BPAL blend I've tried, so far. Rating: 4.5 out of 5

First Impression: Terry's Chocolate Orange. Dries down to: Mandarin orange slices dipped in chocolate and presented for consumption on a bed of edible flower petals. Additional Comments: After a while, the chocolate tones down and the florals and other notes, particularly the tea and currants, amp up. I can't specifically pinpoint any other notes, however. This is a fascinating, complex, constantly changing blend. Overall, I prefer the beginning of the journey to the end. Lasted: Several hours but it became very muted after the first 15 minutes. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First Impression: Freshly sawn logs at the lumber mill. Dries down to: It very quickly becomes a very light scent of fresh wood, but not any particular wood - sometimes it's more sandalwood, sometimes cedar, etc. It's pleasant but so faint that it doesn't "wow" me like it could if it were stronger. Additional Comments: After reading the description, I see why all I got was 'wood'. It's a masterful blend but it's too tame for me and it had no "staying power". I wish it had been stronger or at least lasted longer. Lasted: Maybe, an hour. Rating: 2 out of 5 Edited: To add the rating

Chaos Theory II: The Butterfly Effect - CDLXVI (466) I can't use my normal format for this review because this is one special oil. Initially, just smelling it in the bottle, I had an almost physical reaction of being sucked through a powerful wind tunnel, so I quickly put it away. Then, a bit later, I braced myself and applied a tiny bit. For the life of me, I can't tell what's in there. It's not flowery, fruity, sweet, or resin-y, although there's probably elements of all present. There's also something in there I'm familiar with but I can't pinpoint it. The closest I can come to describe it is to say it's oriental, ozone-y, woody, and herby. I'm really going to have to keep working on this one. One thing I do know is that it's addictive. I don't know if I like it or not but I have to have it. Lasted: Forever - overnight and through a shower and several hand washings. Rating: I usually rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the best) but how do you rate an addiction?

First Impression: Floral but nothing specific stood out. Dries down to: A very quietly, lovely but benign floral scent with a hint of red sandalwood, rosewood or maybe red patchouli underlying it. The flowers could be poppy, carnation, rose, tulip - I've really no idea. Additional Comments: The mental image I get is of walking into a room and sensing someone's presence but not seeing them - it's so subtle but definitely present. I'd want to be wearing this while reading a sad book - it would be comforting yet appropriate. I see it as a silvery magenta colour - a cool red but soft, like suede. Lasted: About an hour. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First Impression: Green and herby - basil and bay or sage - hmmmm, I think sage. Also, something either airy or watery and a hint of citrus along with a resin and/or wood base. Dries down to: Herbs, particularly basil. Additional Comments: After checking the description, I was pretty close on this one. The herbs, especially the basil, are so in-your-face :icon_eek: prominent on me. I wish more of the ambergris and frankincense came through. I didn't get any leather at all. Lasted: Overnight. (I'm not sure I'm so big on basil first thing in the morning.) Rating: 2 out of 5

First Impression: Amber and vanilla. Dries down to: The richest, most luxurious vanilla I've ever smelled. Additional Comments: This is definitely one of the top BPAL scents for me. I can, also, see why it's so popular for layering. Almost anything would be improved by a marriage with it. Lasted: Unfortunately, not too long but then, that's what scent lockets are for. Rating: 4.5 out of 5

First Impression: Musk or resin, lemongrass, herbs. Dries down to: A very light, fresh, slightly green scent. It now feels like it has an amber/woody base rather than a musky one. If I had to guess (and I'm not very good at picking out specific notes), I'd say there's amber, sandalwood, lemongrass or citronella and some herbs - maybe, thyme or sage - in this. It also feels as if it has a slight bit of an aquatic note in it. It's a lovely, languid blend. Additional Comments: I live in a large city and this reminds me of those rare, smog-free, clear, late-summer/early fall mornings, just after sunrise, when the sun still feels 'cool', before it's had a chance to 'bake' everything. Lasted: quite a while, but was very faint throughout. Rating: 3 out of 5

First Impression: Milk and honey. Dries down to: Honey with a touch of vanilla peeking through; then, the vanilla intensifies and the honey tones down. I'm surprised by how much I like it. Additional Comments: I can't actually pick up the amber note but I'm sure it's what's making the honey tolerable on me. It's a very sensuous, vanilla honey and I'll probably use it for layering, rather than for straight applications. In fact, I'm going to read up on suggestions on how to do just that. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First Impression: Fruity, juicy and bright. Dries down to: I'm guessing there's plum and amber in this - can't really pinpoint anything else. It's bright, fruity and rich without being too sweet or creamy. I don't love it but I quite like this one. Additional Comments: Well, I've learned to spot amber. I'm not sure what heliotrope smells like but the "plum" I'm getting must be the combination of strawberry, vanilla and touch of cherry. After a while, it was more obviously strawberry, but not the fake kind you sometimes get. I'm glad something is taming the strawberry because it can be quite a problem for me - maybe it's the musk. Lasted: Several hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First Impression: Woody, smoky resin-y. Dries down to: A very faint scent of sweet, dry straw. I keep getting a mental image of hay bales. There's not much to this one at all on my skin. Additional comments: I'm really surprised - from the description, I would have expected something with a lot more "ooomph" to it. Instead, all I seem to get is a hint of musk (the dry straw, I'm guessing). This imp was fresh from the lab so I'll let it "cure" a while and revisit it later. Hopefully, it will develop a bit more character. Lasted: About an hour. Rating: 2 out of 5

First Impression: Nectarines, champagne and a hint of anise. Dries down to: A Peach Bellini - it feels like that first sip of a refreshing cocktail on a hot summer day while lounging by the pool. This one was a real surprise - in a very good way - it's the perfect August scent. Additional Comments: Although I'm not familiar with what they specifically smell like, I've run across a few scents now that have some combination of white musk, bergamot, heliotrope and oakmoss, and I haven't disliked any of them. In future, I won't shy away from any blends which include these. Lasted: About 2 hours. Rating: 4 out of 5

First Impression: Milk and honey, with an underlying sweet earthiness. Dries down to: No change from start to finish, except for the fading intensity. Additional Comments: I actually don't mind this one, considering honey is usually a big "no-no" for me. I've had great luck with the milk scents, so far. I'll have to try layering the honey scents I can't wear with anything that has milk in it and see if the combination works for me. For now, I'm off to try this layering this with Bliss. Lasted: A couple of hours. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First impression: Orange slices soaked in artificial sweetener and then baked. Dries down to: A compote of baked figs and mandarins - then, it turns into fruit roll-ups - and, finally, it fades to a weak Tang scent - all in the space of about 15 minutes. Additional Comments: I don't hate it but I don't love it either - and, I definitely don't feel it's "carnal" at all. I'll have to try layering it - maybe with Bliss or something spicy. Lasted: About an hour. Rating: 2 out of 5

First impression: Melted milk chocolate. Dries down to: Melted milk chocolate. This is definitely a "feel-good" scent. It brings back memories of when I was still working and my husband, occasionally, used to slip a Hershey's Kiss or two into my lunch bag - it always made me feel warm inside. Additional Comments: This is what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything else at any time. A definite "must have" for chocaholics. I'd be tempted to use this as a room scent when serving chocolate desserts just to enhance the experience. It would also be great for layering. Lasted: Several hours Rating: 4.5 out of 5

First Impression: Lightly sweetened, almond cream - yummy! Dries down to: The almond quickly disappears and the rest just gets deeper and richer, with the floral notes peeking out a wee bit more. Additional Comments: I was hesitant about this one because of the honey and the rose but it really surprised me. I couldn't pick out the rose, carnation or bergamot - but they certainly did their job of taming the honey. Of the oils I've tried so far, this is one of my favorites. Lasted: Overnight - although it was very faint by morning. Rating: 4.5 out of 5

A festive, dazzling blend, layered in mystery and intrigue. Patchouli, ambergris, carnation and orange blossom. First Impression: Sharp - almost peppery - and slightly woody. Dries down to: A very interesting, woody, oriental blend. Again, I'm finding it hard to pinpoint any particular notes, although I think there might be cedar and/or patchouli and/or sandalwood in this. Additional comments: Seeing the description, it begins to make sense. It's as if carnation, patchouli, ambergris and orange blossom all showed up at the costume ball wearing the same disguise and are now trying to confuse the other guests by pretending to be one another. I think this one is destined to become a room scent, as it's one I'd love to be surrounded by but I'm not sure if I want to wear it. Lasted: A few hours Rating: As a perfume - 3 out of 5. As a room scent - 5 out of 5.

First impression: It's a very wet and airy fruit scent - but the fruit isn't a conventional one - it's more like lichee or kumquat, something oriental - like lichee fruit jelly with a very slight hint of mint and dusting of icing sugar. Dries down to: A summery, airy, juicy scent - it's absolutely lovely. It reminds me of those konjac jelly cups that were banned because they're a chocking hazard. I used to love those. Additional comments: On checking the description, I see that I'm probably getting the "hint of mint" from the myrtle and the "dusting of icing sugar" from the melilot (which, if I'm not mistaken is clover). The airy and watery notes are definitely present. The rose isn't discernible at all and since it usually "kills" every note in a blend for me, this is a huge bonus. I'm very impressed with this one. It doesn't last long on me but I'll have to try it as a room scent in the summer. Lasted: Less than an hour. Rating: 4 out of 5 (It would have been a 5 if it lasted longer.)

First impression: Soapy roses. Dries down to: This never changed from beginning to end. Additional comments: Unfortunately, this is another one where the rose devoured every other note. I never got anything but soapy roses. Very disappointing - I love LotV and frankincense and had hoped for so much more from this one. Lasted: Thankfully, less than an hour. Rating: 1 out of 5