Tramp

Honeycomb, red currant, freesia, vanilla, rose geranium, thyme, and gardenia. *huffs wrist* Ahhhh..... The perfect gardenia blend. This is the gardenia of my dreams, a perfect bloom, dipped in honey with just a drop of smooth vanilla. Amazing throw on this one. Every so often there is a slightly hard green note that comes out but it is very elusive and doesn't linger.

The farmhouse was dark and shut up. The meadows were overgrown and seemed abandoned. The farm roof was crumbling at the back; it was covered in black plastic sheeting. They jolted over a ridge and Shadow saw it there. It was silver-gray and it was higher than the farm-house. It was the most beautiful tree Shadow had ever seen: spectral and yet utterly real and almost perfectly symmetrical. It also looked instantly familiar: he wondered if he had dreamed it, then he realized that no, he had seen it before, or a representation of it man, many times. It was Wednesday's silver tie pin. The VW bus jolted and bumped across the meadow, and it came to a stop about twenty feet from the trunk of the tree. There were three women standing by the tree. At first glance Shadow thought they were the Zorya, but no, they were three women he did not know. They looked tired and bored, as if they had been standing there a long time. Each of them held a wooden ladder. The biggest also carried a brown sack. They looked like a set of Russian dolls: a tall one - she was Shadow's height, or even taller - a middle-sized one, and a woman so short and hunched that at first glance Shadow wrongly supposed her to be a child. They looked so much alike that Shadow was certain the women must be sisters. The smallest of the women dropped to a curtsey when the bus drew up. The other two just stared. They were sharing a cigarette, and they smoked it down to the filter before one of them stubbed it out against a root. Dusty, ancient wood, horehound, and sage, with viper's bugloss, mugwort, chamomile, nettle, apple blossom, chervil, and ashes. In the bottle and wet there is a hint of floral sweetness. But that quickly fades as it dries. Dark, dusty woods are the first thing to appear. Later a sort of half sweet spiciness crops up to blend and mellow with the woods. An almost cinnamon scent comes out and settles down in the end. It gets better and better the longer it is on.

Snake Oil with leather, tonka bean, red sandalwood, and sage. Wet: Sage and spicy incense. Herbal. Drydown: it goes in stages, the herbal/sage lasts quite a while and is very soothing. I'd have to call this one a calm scent. The sage slowly gets dusty as the leather gradually warms up. It finally settles on leather that has been sunwarmed with just a hint of the sage.

Snake Oil with oakmoss, sea moss, and olive leaf. This has been one of the more elusive scents of the pit. I'm having a hard time getting a handle on it. Wet I can pick out the oakmoss - slightly earthy but almost like a sanitized version. Not as "loamy" if that makes any sense. The drydown leaves a faint salty tang with just a whisper of sweet spices. Not as much throw as some of the others (anaconda I'm looking in your general direction) and for me it would benefit from liberal slathering.

Snake Oil with cocoa, teakwood, and rice milk. Holy shit - it is a chocolate covered snake oil Wet: What are those chocolate flavored caramel candies called? The are all chewy and rich and dark? That is what this smells like. Drydown: The rich creamy chocolate tones down to a more dusky, incensy chocolate when dry. There is almost a cinnamon feel to it as well. Spicy.

CHAOTIC A whirling mélange of multicolored musks with wasabi, rooibos, heliotrope, and mastic. Heliotrope is a favorite scent of mine so am very happy that I can pick it out in this blend. Chaotic is very much a warm musk blend sweetend up by the sweet vanilla of heliotrope. There is a hint of something plant/spicy in the background.

"My father says there's no such thing as witches," said Wensleydale, who had fair, wavy hair, and peered seriously out at life through thick black rimmed spectacles. It was widely believed that he had once been christened Jeremy, but no one ever used the name, not even his parents, who called him Youngster. They did this in the subconscious hope that he might take the hint; Wensleydale gave the impression of having been born with a mental age of forty seven. An immaculately clean scent: well-scrubbed soapy skin and fresh cotton. There is something almost Antique Lace-esque to the clean cotton scent of this. A hint of sweet pea or maybe pear. But overall it is truth in advertising, warm cotton sheets fresh out of the dryer wrapped around freshly washed skin. A hint of musk behind the soapiness.

Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax. I won't lie to you - this is the blend I was most looking forward to out of the entire snake pit. When I first smelled it I was like "ick" it was much more masculine that I was anticipating (for the record I LOVE vetiver). I still gave it the prime testing location of my top left wrist and going on it has a heavy dusty coconut vibe - not juicy like I was hoping - but then again it does say BLACK coconut so I don't know why I was surprised. Five, ten, fifteen minutes go by and still it is a bit to bold for my taste then something wonderful happens. Maybe the vetiver just needed to get warmed up on my skin but now it is a lovely smooth coconut/vetiver mix that has just a hint of sweetness. Finally there is just a whispered suggestion of resiny goodness to round out the mix. Thank you Beth!

Snake Oil with red mandarin, myrrh, and almond. Oh my Hello amaratto yummyness!. Beautiful almond scent tinged with a taste of orange citrus. As it dries it becomes an almost honey incense scent. Sexy and delicious.

On All Saints Day, Spanish families visit their loved ones in the cemeteries, keeping vigil throughout the evening, saying prayers for the dead. Family burial plots are cleaned and tended, and graves are adorned with gladiolas, chrysanthemums, and roses. Bone-shaped pastries called Saint's Bones, or the Bones of the Holy, are baked and shared in honor of the souls in Purgatory, and to remind us of those who no longer share our repast, but with whom we one day hope to be reunited with again. Orange-glazed cake, dotted with anise seed, and filled with custard, set beside a bouquet of celebratory funeral flowers. Hello deliciousness! This smells just like orange poppyseed cake with a thick layer of custard cream in the middle. (it also kind reminded me of the dry smell of orange fruit loops) This is the first bpal that has any kind of "cake" scent that works for me. All the others made me sneeze. But this is just wonderful without being cloyingly sweet. Nom

Heat lingers As days are still long; Early mornings are cool While autumn is still young. Dew on the lotus Scatters pure perfume; Wind on the bamboos Gives off a gentle tinkling. I am idle and lonely, Lying down all day, Sick and decayed; No one asks for me; Thin dusk before my gates, Cassia blossoms inch deep. The scent of wisteria, Cymbidium, lotus blossom, and cassia buds drifting on a breeze through gently swaying bamboo reeds. Definatly get the lotus blossom and to a lesser degree the bamboo. There is a green juciness to the blend that always makes me think of bamboo. There are some late summer heavy florals and maybe just a hint of hard candy sweetness. I get a hit of lemongrass that mellows fairly quickly

Snake Oil with linden blossom, calla lily, passion flower, and narcissus. Wet: Springtime! All the lovely florals are almost tropical fruitlike - almost mangoish - all blended together. It reminds me of the Northwest Flower and Garden show. It's feburary, dark rainy Seattle, then you walk into the convention center and all the display gardens bursting with spring blooms. A riot of sweet scents that somehow all work together. Dry: This didn't morph a lot on me, just toned the super sweet aspect down to a lovely incense floral

Sharp, heady and viciously carnivorous. With no listed notes to work with bear with me folks. There is lily (of course) but not in your face. There is something that is almost citrusy - orange maybe? Also a spicyness comes through. But again, very suble. This is a scent that will draw you in before going for the kill. It definatly stays close to the skin. The color in the imp is an outrageous red-orange. All in all this is lovely and it makes you want to keep on sniffing.

"Why, you are crying." She said nothing. Dunstan pulled her toward him, wiping ineffectually at her face with his big hand; and then he leaned into her sobbing face, and, tentatively, uncertain of whether or not he was doing the correct thing given the circumstances, he kissed her, full upon the burning lips. There was a moment of hesitation, and then her mouth opened against his, and her tongue slid into his mouth, and he was, under the strange stars, utterly, irrevocably, lost. Honey musk, green tea leaf, blackberry leaf, vanilla bean, and fae spices. First on it is a beautiful, decadently languid scent. Thick golden honey, bursting ripe blackberry, and the tang of something sharp like a grapefruit. As it dries the smooth vanilla comes out to play. Simply gorgeous.

Every boy in the village was in love with Victoria Forester. And many a sedate gentleman, quietly married with grey in his beard, would stare at her as she walked down the street, becoming, for a few moments, a boy once more, in the spring of his years with a spring in his step. Graceful vanilla musk, tea rose, and stargazer lily. Sweet innocence. A simple, gentle blend of roses and lilies. A very light rose, not the heavy cloying rose of an old ladies parlor. This rose is much more of a early summer garden rose - well blended with the lily - to create a very wearable perfume (and I am an avowed rose hater). I can't detect the vanilla musk at all, it may be that it is the vanilla that is mellowing the rose out. This isn't overpowering in the least, instead it is a polite floral that wafts up as you move about.

The Wrath of God, the Most Beautiful Lord of Lightning, the Owner of All Palaces. He is the illumination of a lightning strike in the night sky, and is the retributive strike of the rightful king. Shango punishes those who are not living up to their responsibilities. He gives insight to the truth in all circumstances, and is the essence of the thrill and excitement in life that makes every day worth living. To love Shango is to live life to the fullest, no matter what pains the world inflicts upon you. He is Wrath, and his lightning bolts and gouts of fire remind all of his strength and power. It is said that Lord Shango only speaks to his children once; when the God illuminates an answer for you, you had best understand with no further questions. Shango is trial by fire, the honing and refinement of the spirit, the ability to distinguish between truth and lies. He is a dual-faced God: King and Exile, miser and philanthropist, just and ruthless, honest and devious. Shango is the Lord of Persuasion, and his glib tongue can intimidate, coerce, sway and seduce. He is quick wit, articulate words, and the ability to think on one's feet. He is the King that can incite and enflame the masses with the power of his speech. His words are the sensual murmurs of the lothario, the slick wheedle of the grifter, the convincing argument of the barrister, the dangerous charm of the pimp, the inspiration of the warrior general, and the invigorating exhortations of the monarch. The Roar of Shango is a Universal Truth. Shango governs all professions that cater to the needs and weaknesses of the people. He is the absolute and perfect Male creature, and the rain that falls to earth is His blessed, sublime semen, giving life to the world. His abundant seed washes the land and replenishes Earth's seas, rivers and oceans. He sneers at cowardice, and demands that all of his children have daring spirits, strength of will, nerve and *balls*. Courage is of the utmost importance, as it empowers us to face adversity with dignity and enables us to act decisively and with resourcefulness. Live, don't simply exist. Shango's gifts make it possible for us to find the shortest distance between two points, wring out the best from every situation, recover from every seeming loss and every defeat, and defy all odds to reach our goals. He teaches us wily strategies, masterful tactics, and shows us the value of friendship and camaraderie. His is the comfortable, casual friendship found in just hanging out and having a good time with the guys. Shango is Challenge, the concept of finding the best parts of yourself through conflict and adversity. Shango's weapon is the double-headed axe, and His animals are the black cat and the leopard. The Master of Lightning's ofrenda contains red apples, banana, chili pepper, coconut, pineapple, pomegranate and sugar cane. In the bottle - tropical smoothie On: this is a crazy awesome blend! Hell yeah! The pineapple, banana, and red apple scents jump out at me. This has a lot of throw - the fresh apple scent is really coming out on my skin. There is a "green" base that grounds the scent - maybe the coconut (black?) and almost a green pepperish waft coming out when I huff my wrist.

In 2009, Dirty South Will call began (we love you, Lisa!), and we were voted Best Scent Indulgence for Your Inner Goth by the Village Voice. E! filmed at Los Angeles Lunacy for That Morning Show, and now that I think of it, I dont know that I ever actually saw that episode. That year, we commemorated the 200th birthday of the death of Edgar Allan Poe at a Dark Delicacies event with Gris Grimly, and thanks to our Who Killed Amanda Palmer series, I was given the inestimable gift of conceiving of a scent based on cupcake spatter pattern analysis. Our Hellboy line premiered in summer of 2009, and not only was the process of translating Hellboy into scent an absolute thrill, I am also now blessed by the inexplicable joy of being able to see a frog in a teacup on our labels every day. I am always deeply moved by Mike Mignolas art and storytelling, and every year I look forward to his October horror film recommendations. The Miskatonic Valley Yuletide Faire was hosted in Innsmouth that year, and the skies over BPAL were filled with the screeches of magah birds and howling servitors. Cigar smoke wafting over Georgia peaches, black goat wool, and a dollop of Mason and Jenkins Port jelly. First on it smells like a fruity, tobacco, Sugar Skull. Definitely has that mapley/caramel sugar note. I'm not getting a lot of peaches more of a mash of juicy red berries. The fruits fade out pretty fast and am mostly left with what I'm convinced is some cousin of Sugar Skull with a hint of fruit and sweet tobacco.

Tristran put down his wooden cup of tea, and stood up, offended. "What," he asked, in what he was certain were lofty and scornful tones, "would possibly make you imagine that my lady-love would have sent me on some foolish errand?" The little man stared up at him with eyes like beads of jet. "Because that's the only reason a lad like you would be stupid enough to cross the border into Faerie. The only ones who ever come here from your lands are the minstrels, and the lovers, and the mad. And you don't look like much of a minstrel, and you're - pardon me saying so, lad, but it's true - ordinary as cheese-crumbs. So it's love, if you ask me." "Because," announces Tristran, "every lover is in his heart a madman, and in his head a minstrel." Dust on your trousers, mud on your boots, and stars in your eyes: redwood, tonka bean, white sandalwood, lemon peel, patchouli, rosewood, coriander, and crushed mint. When wet it is very much about the wood - rose more than red - but as it dries it gets smoother and creamier in what I imagine is the sandalwood and tonka working together. It creates an almost nutty caramel that is very warm and soothing. The woods are still there, like an old, well oiled desk. At times I think I get a hit of mint but the next sniff it isn't there. Very complex and well blended.

Spun sugar, sparkling rainbow candies, strawberries, merangue, and cherry fluff. so Velvet Unicorn is like Midways perkier, girly pink cousin. I have the original midway so it could be an age thing but they both have that same spun sugar base note only with VU it is SUGAR! but also sweeter with a creamy strawberry edge. I love how the art and concept are realized in the perfume. It really is the essence of a Velvet Unicorn

HALFLING Porridge, kukui nuts, and pastry crumbs. Warm oatmeal cookies. Sweet earthy oats and chai tea. Stays pretty close to the skin

Snake Oil with four mints, bergamot, and green tea. In the bottle: MINT!!! Lots of mint It is a clear refreshing scent. On: Mint squared - lol - but after about 15 minutes it tones down a tiny bit and becomes more of a sensual spicy mint. When I huff my wrist I get an almost citrus/orange kick at the end. The mint seems to mellow more the longer it stays on my skin. Not sharp at all.

Sinus pain relief. Almost fell over laughing at the cheek of this blend. It is indeed sinus pain relief (a few days to late in my case, but am all better now) at any rate in the imp this is pure Vick's Vapor Rub. An eye opening menthol that made my day. Am almost looking forward to my next headcold now.

Red rose buds, with amber, clove, tonka, Indian musk, fir, and tobacco. Very spicy and warm. Like a sexy forest studded with cloves and you all snuggled up to an amber covered wolf. Am not really getting rose at all from it. Just warmth and smooth musk and fir and spices. A totally sexy. delicious blend

The Stormhold had been carved out of the peak of Mount Huon by the first lord of Stormhold, who reigned at the end of the First Age and into the beginning of the Second. It had been expanded, improved upon, excavated and tunneled into by successive Masters of Stormhold, until the original mountain peak now raked the sky like the ornately carved tusk of some great, grey, granite beast. The Stormhold itself was perched high in the sky, where the thunder clouds gathered before they went down to the lower air, spilling rain and lightning and devastation upon the place beneath. Creeping moss, slick granite, murky vetiver, lightning-charged ozone, and icy rain. Stormhold reminds me of seattle, all wet streets and cloudy skies. A clean sort of rain that just washes all the dirt and grime away. Kinda reminds me in a general way of Thunderbird. But with more green and less ozone.

This scent make me mad. Because I've been a bpal fan for 14 years and I freaking love both Snake Oil and Snow White and it has never once fucking occured to me to layer them. WTF was wrong with me? I mean, I did have that stroke that one time but that really shouldn't have kept me from trying those two together dammit. These are genius together and I wore this for 3 days straight after testing it. Everywhere I went I was enveloped in this marzipan Snake Oil cloud and of awesomeness. Jesus why are you still reading this review and not on the bpal site ordering a bottle or ten?