MCS4096

This was my first Lunacy! In the bottle this is the clean smell of flowers on the wind after a summer rain-- not exactly what I was expecting, but pretty nonetheless. I get a similar feel as with The Witching Time of Night. Once on the incensey note explodes.. now it's feeling like Temple of Auspicious Fortune minus the citrusy "dust" note. This dries down to a barely discernible incense smell-- vaguely floral. I get no smoke and no wood unfortunately.

CXXXIX This is Snake Oil with dripping wet cherries and dry grasses. I totally thought "Snake in the grass" when I first opened it laughed when I saw another variant described as such above I would not have chosen something with cherry in it.. but what's amazing is the way it combines with the grassy note here.. it results in a smell like a woven grass mat-- kinda dried, but crushed so the scent comes out.. it's not fresh cut grass, it's definitely dry grasses. The Snake Oil is fairly strong, but cherry is a dominating note in blends I've found. As it dries more of the vanilla comes out. I'm loving this-- it's sweet dried grasses, how weird!

When dry this smells a LOT like Minotaur on me! I will probably be tracking down a back up bottle via the sale page! It's really wonderful and very very well blended. As it's drying (which take a while as it's a very thick blend) it does go through stages where a note will amp (anise amped shortly after application, teak a bit later etc) but overall it's hard to distinguish any one note. This does make it seem "pre-aged" which is awesome. I was a little afraid of the patchouli, but have no fear-- this is an amazing incense and spice blend.

In the bottle and when I first apply I think this smells fishy.. it's just what that combo of lavender and vanilla smells like. BUT as it dries down the lavender mellows dramatically and this does indeed become an amazing thing it's soft and cozy and I LOVE it!

CXXI This smells very heavy on the Dorian in the bottle.. but it's like Dorian with a hint of cloves. On wet it's Dorian with spiced roses. Once dry it smells a LOT like Port Royal.. which is funny because I also got that in the same order and wore it last night.. so I keep thinking I'm having BPAL deja vu Unfortunately it fades pretty quickly, but it is totally lovely. I think I'll probably layer it with some straight up Dorian for added longevity.

I had to do that too. Michael's sells a really good ultra fine (0.7mm) silver point pen, called Pen Touch. And it stays much better than the lab's silver ink. Thanks for the heads up

Wah.. my silver ink on my CT blends was almost completely rubbed off when I received them-- I could barely read what they said Now I have to get my own silver sharpie so I can write them back on

Immediately on it is a lot like Hexennacht, but within a couple minutes the pine pitch completely exits (just like in Pickled Imp for me) and it becomes the smoky vanilla and spices from Snake Oil.. but slightly more musky/sweet honey. I thought I was going to have to save this for "when I'm in the mood" a la Hexennacht, but I see this is a true anytime scent yay!

Hmmm.. Mostly ginger unfortunately, I'm not a fan. I was hoping for something chocolatey and spicey, but it's almost single note sugared ginger

My bottle has only a smidge of dark brown chocolate sludge at the bottom, and it doesn't really move from there, even when I *shudder* shake it pretty hard There are a few very tiny little brown balls floating in the lighter oil. I pretty much get no chocolate when this is dry-- it's sweet, slightly burnt caramel, which is pleasant of course, but I wish there was more chocolate (or rather, that I could dislodge it off the bottle bottom)

I have tried many of the above mentioned blends (not MU-- the coffee note scares me) and I found them to be very cologney. There was a stylized parchment feel to them, but not what I consider a true paper scent. Lurid Library was alright, but then *surprisingly* I tried Lovers With Rutting Cats and BAM, after the really sweet buttercream bit burns off, I was left with a dry, dusty note that I swear smells like stinking your nose in the spine of an old book! I havent seen anyone but me describe it as such in the reviews.. but you might try it if you get the chance

That's funny- I really like this one it's totally up my alley (people tease me all the time about how everything I own is black)

In the imp: Definitely boozy and minty.. but I also get a smokey tobacco note. Very cool! Wet: woody booze and mint. It does kinda feel like being face down on a wet bar top VERY minty Drying down: Yeah, it does kinda fade in and out powdery. It gets a little sickly sweet, and I'm not a big mint fan. So while I appreciate the effect, not sure I need more than an imps worth

I picked up a bottle from the lovely Delphinine. I waffled over getting this until I read some reviews and gave in! in the bottle: sweet peas, apples and cream. At first it seems very foody, but it's really not-- it's quite floral. On: Mmmm here's where it gets tropical! It's like the first chew of a piece of tropical flavored gum Actually, it's like this fruit salad my mom makes with ALL kinds of fruit in it, mixed with a little whipped cream (REAL cream). Others have said they get green apple from this, but to me it's actually more of a crisp pink apple-- they tend to be a little floral. This is definitely a springy blend! Carnation is probably my favorite note ever, and unfortunately I don't get any here, and the vanilla does fade out fast, leaving a sweet floral and fruit scent.

I havent tried either one yet But it sounds like your Khrysee could just be heavy on the orange blossom. Orange blossom can definitely be a soapy floral. And if you get no wine note (which seemed to be the most distinct note in Makhanitis)....

I just tried calling their Track and Confirm customer service, it was totally automated and it told me there was no record of a package with the receipt number I entered. So then it just hung up on me. On their web page it says that if your package appears to be delivered to the wrong area or address that the mailer must file a complaint...

Ok. So I live in Northern California, so my orders usually arrive 2 days after they're shipped from SoCal. I got a CnS for an order on 02/26. The USPS is now showing it as being in Macon Georgia on March 1st With no updates since then (should update status every night ca 9pm local time) Do I wait and see if it comes back across the country, or should I alert the lab?

I had resisted trying this one, even though it had a lot of good press, because I didn't like the sound of a "linen" note. If this is worrying you too, dont let it.. this blend is instant In the imp: Yes-- similar to Dorian in feel. Vanilla with florals, but also with a candy sweetness (but not TOO much!) and what I guess the lab's linen note.. that's way better than any linen note I've smelled before! On: I'm having a hard time describing this-- I think an above reviewer put it well as "Tahitian vanilla" because it's warm and sweet but not really foody, and there is a floral aspect, but not like "roses" or anything. It's powdery and clean and ever so slightly spicy. Not anything like the description makes it sound! I shall be getting a bottle I think this fits well into my family of scents such as Morocco, Mouses Long and Sad Tale and Dorian.

I've always loved the imagery of the danse macabre, but I have to admit to disliking this at initial quick sniff. In the Imp: Mostly cypress.. but overall the effect is "dry" It's like dry grasses, dry wood, dry branches. Wet: Cypress amps of course Drying down: Yep, getting a lot more frankincense, still comes across as warm and DRY.. and theres a hint of the toasted hazelnut. As others have said the cypress takes a back seat, but it is still there so I doubt this would ever become something I'd wear a lot. I agree with Juushika that this is warm earth and cool air.. I get that as well. The image in my mind here is "dried grasses"

Hm... I got frimped TWO of these in a single order In the Imp: A lot like Hemlock-- straight up evergreen forests. No hint of florals or dirt. Wet: yep.. minty. Not just evergreeny, but minty. Dry: Hmmmm... no thanks. I finally get the florals, so the effect is flowery perfume, freshly brushed teeth and a Christmas tree.. I can actually taste it when I sniff it When it is truly truly dry it IS ok.. a pretty warm evergreen blend, and with the florals it's fairly femme.

I know I'm going back in time a bit here, and diverting a bit from the "musk" discussion, so I hope this is alright. The Body Shop had the Vanilla Spice range again this last winter, and I got the body butter which is AWESOME. I have to say that it smells exactly like Pickled Imp on my skin! When I first put Pickled Imp on there is that distinct pine sap note, but it completely disappears on me within about 20 min. and I'm left with just the spiced vanilla scent. This may not be the case for everyone obviously, but it's the most spot on comparison I've noticed in my BPAL history yet

In the imp: Wow! How very intriguing.. it's definitely sweet, true coconut.. and while I do get the feeling of the ocean from it, it's not in the usual "aquatic' sense I've come to expect from the lab's other sea blends. The combo of iris, musk and hazelnut is amazing! I can discern each component, but the blend is so unusual.. my nose is confused wet: hello hazelnut! the hazelnut and coconut are making this almost yummy foody! Drying down: Dries very quickly. Yes, I understand the violet note people are smelling.. but I think thats the combo of iris and musk. Iris is generally really dry, but in this blend it combines withe coconut to be quite juicy. And those hazelnuts! this is so interesting.. I will need to wear it a few more times before I make a final analysis

Hhmmm.. true, perfect golden light is wood chips? Like many here I have trouble with most of the lab's cedar blends. When I'm in the mood for cedar I turn to my imp of Cathedral, which is divine. The other strong cedar blends I've tried are just too over the top.. This one is fairly nice-- it's warm.. I almost think it's got sandalwood and a drop of cinnamon or maybe cassia. But.. I also find it to feel a little flat, like you're rubbing the top of a school desk with your hand-- warm, flat, dry wood. I still prefer Cathedral.

My goal is to try the entire Steamworks line, and I've been lucky enough to get several frimps from the psychic labbies In the imp: Hello sage! Yowza! Upon deeper sniffing I detect the "metal" notes and a background sweetness. Smells a bit like hair perm chemicals frankly Wet: More of the same-- its got an almost minty quality to it. The throw is actually quite lovely; more sweet incense and hot metal.. the sage is more distinct up close Drying down: Wow.. I wanted to try this one, but I was worried I'd hate a sage blend, but I love this! As another reviewer above said, it's not as warm as No 93 Engine, which is a top blend for me.. but it's definitely in the same vein. The sage gives a cooling sensation on top of these warm metallic/oily notes. And, I too detect a floral edge (unexpectedly). I'll probably get around to buying a bottle of this fine stuff

In the Bottle: sweet sweet sweet champaca and Snake Oil! I've been dreaming of a wonderful champaca blend Wet: It's like Snake Oil with less vanilla and more resins, but still very sweet. this is soooo so good. Dry: Just a lovely, lighter/sweeter version of Snake Oil. Sexy Very heavy on the champaca.. which is fine by me!