zankoku_zen

Sweet, slushy snow and cool aquatics. There's something very Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. So slightly masculine aquatic cologne tone to it. There's a bright flowery edge to it that perks it up. Mr. zee_zee is not a fan of one of the notes, other than that I think I'd totally really enjoy trying to find a bottle of this.

Brown leather, dust, and ink. Oddly enough, this is the blend I wish I got when I first tried Miskatonic University. There's no coffee component, but its BOOKS + dusty leather covers + INK. I get swirls of tobacco and smoke underneath. Not for me, but very realistic. Again, this is a scent as opposed to a perfume, and I have a hard time thinking of it as something wearable.

Apparently, I forgot to post my Callidora review. So, I get giant hits of red musk, with faint swirls of tobacco and cacao. Not enough to make this worthwhile, since its like a single note of red musk on me. As it dries, its more of a red musk + woodsy patchouli. Eh. Pass.

Rosey frankincense and amber. The rose is subtle, the frankincense is a little sharp for my taste. Pass. Totally not for me.

Furry clovey brown musk. It's the same furry brown musk that you would get in Wulric the Wolfman, but instead of deep cacao, you get clove instead. To me, this is like cuddling a clove cigarette. It smells like a clove cigarette, but one you cuddle instead of smoking it.

Again, I have to echo how EFFING amazing this hair gloss is. Sugary patchouli. Oddly enough, it reminds me to Badgers. BUT FOR YOUR HAIR. LOVE!

On wet, its mainly vanilla and I swear it smells more like sandalwood. It actually reminds me alot to the recent Hope and Fear Set Free. Earthy coffee bean, swirls of patchouli, sweet vanilla and Morocco-like spices. This has a smoky, almost tobacco like melding to it, in fact, it reminds me alot to Pinched with Four Aces on my skin but darker, and I think that's because the patchouli is more assertive than the tobacco in Pinched. I dabbed some Pinched on my other arm for comparison, and Pinched ends up sweeter and Und Wir is much darker. Between both, I'd prefer Und Wir. But at the same time, the smoky darker side is almost a tad too much for me. It's a gorgeous blend, but not an insta-love for me. Which invariably means that this may be better off in another home than mine. ETA: I got another bottle and its lighter, and more vanilla centric. But again, not an insta-love.

Apples, and dirt, and moss. And yes, this smells like a crisp fall morning picking apples in a REAL apple orchard. Muddy ground in your shoes, the smell of apples in the air. The crisp bite of a chilling breeze. IT'S EFFING MAGICKAL FOLKS. Bravo Lab. Bravo. This is one hell of a scent, and it packs a direct punch on wet, dropping the sniffer/wearer straight into the scent's apple picking fantasy. Where you go from there, is up to you. Off to have adventures. With apples.

Fur, snow, and sharp cologne. This one is very manly on me, and its more like Fenris Wolf does snow. There's something very familiar about this. Sharp, citrus, male cologne.

Lemon meringue cheesecake. This is a zesty, sugary lemon cheesecake. I get a teeny bit of thyme, which dials down the sweetness. Except now I want cheesecake. And pie. ... This scent really makes me too hungry.

Dirty, smudgy, sage. It dries to a more floral sage. But yes, smells like sage.

This is definitely an odd duck of a blend. I get a sandalwood, green tea, and orchid. In some ways, this reminds me to the Lupers (I think its the sandalwood + orchid + wood). It's a very sophisticated orchid blend. Demure, sophisticated, orchid.

Dark, rich, golden incense. Benzoin sweetens the amber, but overall this smells like THE BEST AMBER EVER. Remember O? And how awesome O could be, if you didn't want honey. This is like supercharged amber in O, and it takes center stage. Amber lovers, take note.

The bergamot is strong on wet, giving this blend a citrusy feel. As it dries, I get more of the sandalwood and ambergris. It's a green, musky ambergris blend. White, whispy, sandy.

Spicy, musky black leather. In alot of ways, I agree with Melliflous's assessment in that this is similar to Our Lady of Pain, esp. with the dark musk and a hint of orchid. However, it's a much more aggressive cousin with the addition of leather and black pepper - two notes that I amp up to death. So while I deeply love OLOP, Totentanz is too leathery for me. On the other hand, leather fans rejoice. This is a spicy, deeply womanly leather.

Heavy, deep, masculine aquatic. Oakmoss, to me, would actually make a very effective male scent. Simple, masculine, aquatic.

Dark, spicy cacao becomes dark, herby cacao. On wet, the spices I get are allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. As it dries, I get rice and catnip. It's dark, herby chocolate.

If darkness had a smell, it would be this. It's a deep, thick, slightly sweet, slightly spicy patchouli and tobacco dominated blend. No single elements really stands out to me but it just seems blended seamlessly. And that entity is a dark, moonless night, with no star light or moon light to pierce through the all consuming darkness. It smells thick, dark, all encompassing. THIS IS STUNNING. EPICALLY PERFECT in execution. So, having been into BPAL for 8 years now, some blends bring out an immediate and visceral reaction. And this one is one of them. And it's a scent experience. I wouldn't wear this as perfume, but its so evocative and perfect and true to the concept that I wonder how Beth and company managed to capture smothering darkness of a frightening night into a bottle. This is not for everyone. This is not something anyone can wear. But for all the coveting gothic hearts out there, if you ever wanted to wrap yourself in night, and wear darkness like a fucking cape, and have command of that prickle in the back of your neck, wear this. So you won't smell pretty, but fuck pretty when you smell like dark power. It brings to mind something I just read recently: "You celebrate Halloween by nibbling on candy; you celebrate Samhain by pouring whiskey over a bonfire." To carry on the metaphor, this is Samhain. This is power. This is darkness.

Rose, musk, sandalwood. This is actually a deeply feminine blend on me, because I amp up ROSES like no one's business. Deep, pink, roses.

Absinthe and soft florals. Sadly, as it dries the ozone asserts itself and drags this blend into a soapy/detergent field for me. But on wet, this was a delicious absinthe with a tinge of spicy oriental perfume. And it was womanly, strange, and gothic. Boo skin chemistry. Boo.

Vetiver and bergamot. On wet, its a smoky bacon vetiver with citrusy bergamot. It dries down to a smoky vetiver (sans the bacon) and hay. Very masculine, assertive. And yet strange. Probably one of the more intriguing male BPAL blends out there.

Musky coconut and patchouli. This is a down, dirty, gritty coconut. In other words, this is the coconut that will break your heart. And you'll love it for doing so.

Leather, almond, and vanilla. This is black leather, softened up by other components. But of all the leathers, black leather and I do not get along. Even though I amp up the black leather like no one's business. Dark, almond, leather.

Lilies and patchouli. It does remind me a little to Lily Savon soap from Lush, but there's an almost 'dusty' quality to them.

Dragon's blood, softened with tea. It's warm, gives a coiling warmth vibe, and is a strong blend.