frecklestars

In the bottle: a bed of sensual flowers for you to lounge on! as they said, "a poet's morphine dream". the sweetness of the tuberose keeps it from being too powdery. there's something that's a bit too sharp, but perhaps I'll be lucky and it won't show up on my skin. *fingers crossed* On my skin: it's actually sweeter on my skin than it is in the bottle. I like the lilies, because of how languid it is. it's a little strong, and a little powdery, for me to wear on a regular basis, but it definitely is beautiful. it makes me think of ladies slinking along the riverbank in the shadows. maybe taking an opium-dream nap and awaking to trails of color in the thick fog. Last thoughts: very dreamy! and only a little bit sleepy. the powder is the only thing that keeps me from liking it. I adore the fact that the lilies don't get overwhelmed and drowned out by other things.

In the bottle: violets rarely smell good to me, so I don't exactly have high hopes for this one. it smells ok in the bottle, like violets (which I like until they get on my skin) and moss. I can't really catch the patchouli, for which I'm thankful; I smelled a little too much of it when I was living in Santa Cruz, CA. it smells a little like dirt though, which is puzzling. On my skin: the moss turns rotting, the violets turn sour and plasticky, and the patchouli shows up. my skin's a curse, I swear! it's highly unpleasant, like old ladies with bad perfume and a very soapy bathroom cleaner. no sign of the currants, just the patchouli (especially after I let it sit for a bit). Last thoughts: I should've known better than to even bother with violets. I'm sure it smells good on someone, it's just that that someone definitely isn't me. I like the moss element just fine, but it just doesn't come through enough to save it from the rest of the scents.

In the bottle: clove and cinnamon, with hints of oranges and incense. it reminds me of Haight Street in San Francisco, with the copious amounts of a spicy incense that's a bit like patchouli but not quite. it strikes me as quite strong, but if the cinnamon and clove come through more strongly on my skin, it'll be all right. On my skin: it is indeed very strongly clove on my skin, which is nice. think - cracking open a bottle of cloves and accidentally spilling it all over yourself. I <3 cloves, so this is great! however, the patchouli-like smell isn't _quite_ what I personally like. the orange oil comes through later, making it a little more like the winter holidays. Last thoughts: I absolutely love the cloves, but the patchouli-esque smell is just a little too strong. also, as I found out, that patchouli smell outlasts everything else and is very difficult to wash off. Blergh.

In the bottle: sultry rose, very rich without being sweet. it's not like being in a garden exactly; more like sniffing a rose tucked behind someone's ear when you have a crush on them. it's a bit irresistible. On my skin: deep burgundy red roses, would go nicely with vampires and gothic graveyards. it's rich and (like I said before) sultry. I'd say it's also sexy, but that's a little less elegant than what these roses smell like. it's sensuous, and I imagine very mysterious. I absolutely adore this on my skin! Last thoughts: I'm a fan of roses pretty much all the time, so of course I was bound to love this scent. that said, it's _not_ one for people who are just "eh" about roses; I think you have to be a pretty big fan. the perfect rose, sultry and feminine.

In the bottle: ripe fat leaves of grass. so green it makes me positively ache for summer! the more I sniff it, the more it smells like grass but a bit more as well. I assume that's the autumn leaves? it's not particularly autumnal though - it's definitely more like spring and summer than any other season. On my skin: I pretty much smell like I rolled down a grassy hill and squished through piles of wet grass on the way down. I find it absolutely charming, but it really is pretty much one note. there's a little bit of crispness from the leaves, but it's largely just green green grass. Last thoughts: such a perfect grass scent! it's refreshing and lovely and green and *sigh*. I just want summer already so I can go barefoot in the grass!

In the bottle: a veritable feast! I can smell buttered toast most strongly, with a bit of cherry-pineapple in the background. also, incongruous though it is, there's also hints of a dry turkey (like the kind of turkey I'd put on turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving). the buttered toast and what reminds me of vanilla is so rich and overpowering though, most of the rest doesn't really show up. On my skin: again, it's all about the buttered toast, though it's less drowned in butter than it smells in the bottle (and for that I'm grateful). it's also a little spicy, like cinnamon toast perhaps, and the turkey comes through more strongly. the artificial cherry-pineapple sweetness only shows up for the first couple of seconds and then mostly goes away. Last thoughts: things I don't want to smell like - large and rich feasts of too much food. it smells like gluttony and overindulgence. if you're a fan of very strongly food-like scents, you'll probably love this one. it's just not for me.

In the bottle: musk & incense, like the inside of most pagan shops, with perhaps a hint of pepper. this is very strong in the bottle and I'm not exactly convinced that I'll like it. it's masculine and a bit biting, dull knives cutting something. methodical(?). On my skin: almost like pine tress (certainly the same strength and masculinity). mostly it's just musk, musk, and more musk. I don't like musk on my skin, I never have; it just seems too strong, like the person you walk by and think "gross, don't bathe in your perfume lady!" later, it's almost like leather. very harsh and unfriendly. Last thoughts: not a fan. too strong for words, and it doesn't smell pleasant or sweet or even particularly friendly. not an inviting scent. just musky, to the last drop.

In the bottle: coconut, with rum and tobacco. it's dark and a little unfriendly, kind of like going into a small club for the first time and all the regulars just sort of stare at you. it is sweet, but in a thick and (again) dark sort of way only. hardly a friendly little slice of light cake. On my skin: there's something almost like pineapples like comes out when it's on my skin. the sweetness gets far lighter and turns to coconut in some sort of fruity drink (the kind with the umbrella). far less dark than it was in the bottle, which is disappointing. the tobacco is still there, but it's sweet as well. maybe my skin does this with tonka-based scents? turns to rum as it wears on. Last thoughts: it's too sweet and light for me to be interested in wearing on a regular basis. it's like a froo-froo drink with too much coconut and an afterthought of rum.

In the bottle: lilies & ivy! it's very cool, like a tomb, and silent. a bit peaceful and only slightly sweet, which is presumably due to the osmanthus. it reminds me of a very rich wisteria, though there's none listed in the ingredients. ghostly is a good description of the cool florals in this imp. On my skin: lilies are the most prominent flower, again with that maddening hint of wisteria. it's a summer spent in the shade, skulking about graveyards, looking for a new piece of cool stone to lie on and read a book and try to relax. it's not heavily sweet and it's not overpowering. it relaxes me a bit and has a soporific effect, kind of like Endymion (though less sweet and girlish). Last thoughts: very wistful, a pleasantly cool floral blend that's a little sad. I think it'd be really pleasant in the summer, though not refreshing like a cool sip of water. more like finding a secret forest glade and dabbling your feet in the brook. very relaxing.

In the bottle: cookies made of brown sugar with a bit of sassafras! the cloves come in at the end, and there's just a hint of plum, but it's primarily sweet and spicy. not dangerous-spicy but homey-spicy, if that makes any sense. it makes me want to bake something rich and autumn-tasting. the hints of plum unfortunately make it lean more towards fruitcake. On my skin: on my skin it turns to almost exclusively clove at first, then to a goodly mix of clove and sassafras. I definitely smell like a christmas dessert. luckily the plum stays undercover, because I wouldn't want to smell like a fruitcake! the spiciness of it is very inviting and I just love cloves, but there's something about it that keeps me from falling wholly in love with it. the overly sweet scent of brown sugar is tempered when I'm actually wearing it, which is nice. Last thoughts: I was hoping for the clove and plum to be most prominent, but instead the sassafras and brown sugar are in the bottle. the clove comes out strongly on my skin, but with a little too much sassafras for me to swoon over it. I do love me some clove though, so if that's what you're looking for, this is probably a pretty good scent for you (just so long as you don't mind the sassafras).

This is for the 2010 edition of this scent. In the bottle: quite chilly and minty, with a hint of something sweet like pastry dough. it is definitely reminiscent of walks taken on chill winter mornings and is refreshing in that sense. not a particularly friendly or cuddly scent. On my skin: once on, the chilliness comes through much more and the sweetness all but disappears. the flowers are the faintest breath and almost smell like they're rotting (certainly past their prime). it's mournful and still a little unfriendly. this isn't one I'd wear when I expect to fall in love, but rather when I want to be left alone in my silence and thoughts. Last thoughts: there's something that's just a touch off about it, but perhaps that's my skin chemistry. regardless, I feel like the scent of this perfume would be slightly odd in the summer; like winter showed up in the middle of July. that said, it's perfectly pleasant and hardly overwhelming. if anything, I sometimes forget I'm wearing it which makes it just a little too subtle for my taste. also, I think I agree with some previous posters: it's too close to play doh, which is probably the almond elements. good to check if your skin/nose likes almonds or hates them before you try this one.

In the bottle: sugar & melted butter on slices of coconut! very sweet, very sugary. I don't detect the alcohol right off the bat, which is a good thing IMO. there's a particular richness in the background that makes me crave baked goods. On my skin: it's a little less sweet on my skin, though certainly still has that richness. the rum does come through later, though in this case it's not bad. the richness is still there and I don't smell like I came stumbling out of a bar recently. I like it, though it's not my usual. Last thoughts: it's like a rich someone is throwing a party on a beach in Hawaii. you get to lounge about and engage in whatever type of gluttony takes your fancy. definitely decadent!

In the bottle: bourbon! boozy! o hai vanilla; didn't see you there in the background as you are overpowered by the broken bourbon bottle in the foreground. I don't particularly want to smell like alcohol, so if this one smells the same on my skin, it does not bode well for its' future in my collection. On my skin: this one is strangely masculine, with something like pine that overpowers even the alcohol (a pleasant surprise). it's not sweet, which is what I was dreading. just very musky. maybe I smell the cardamom that other people are catching, or maybe it's the tonka. I can't tell. definitely no sugar on my skin though. Last thoughts: not a fan; the musk is just too overpowering for me and there's no vanilla whatsoever. "musky masculine" is the main note in this, if there were such a note.

In the bottle: while it's meant to be primarily a blend of flowers, it is nothing but too-sweet pepper cookies to me - macaroons perhaps? I do get a bit of the vanilla and honey if I pay attention, maybe some ginger, but certainly no flowers. I expected it to be more like a garden in which someone had left a trail of pepper. On my skin: more pepper, and some ceylon cinnamon (think red hots candies). a bit of honeyed vanilla later on, changing to the barest hint of roses and _maybe_ gardenias, but that's really stretching it. the pine develops much later, and that cuts the sweetness a bit, but not enough for me to want to wear it regularly; it's just too much like red hots. Last thoughts: not at all what I expected, especially based on the description. due to an almost complete lack of flowers, I almost wonder if this one was mislabeled? probably not but given that its' major notes are missing, I find it a bit odd. I don't hate it, but it's not what I was looking for.

In the bottle: green! the lavender comes through, as does the lime. it makes me a little thirsty and long for summer. it really does smell like envy, if envy were a little more pleasant than it is. On my skin: still lavender and it's a little sweet. I kind of love it, which is surprising given that lavender on my skin is usually too strong or too soapy or too icky. lime and mint come through as it goes on. it smells like a summer cocktail and is quite refreshing. Last thoughts: green and fresh, a pleasant kind of lavender. Mint & lime present at the outset, but less so as time goes on. Herbs figure most prominently. Very pleasant and refreshing. Summery sweet!

In the bottle: juicy fruit, pear juice dripping down your chin. and it would be a pear you picked fresh from the fridge, in the middle of a summer afternoon where you have nothing but books to read. the sweetness reminds me a little bit of kiwis, but perhaps that's the roses? it's a sweet-tartness that makes me want to bite into a piece of fruit. On my skin: this is what I was imagining La Belle au Bois Dormant ought to smell like - a sweetly sleepy blend of flowers and pear. Sweet without being overly so, and somehow charming, in the way that little girls in pinafores with smiles and wonder in their eyes are. pears and roses mostly, dripping with juice. Last thoughts: this is a perfume for spring. I tend to prefer more mysterious scents, but for whimsy, this is perfect. sweet & girlish, innocently rosy.

In the bottle: herbs and a little bit of lemon, maybe even a little bit of anise. On my skin: more herbs and floral now, like a field drenched in sunlight. in the back of my throat I taste anise whenever I breathe it in deeply, which is refreshing but a bit weird. fades to a subtle & soft peony mixed with light herbs. Last thoughts: it smells like spring, sweet and pleasant. seems like it would be good for hot summers, as it's so charmingly fresh & light.

Rhododendron and bellflower petals swirl through deep, cool, dark aquatic notes. In the bottle: it's thick and not sweet, with the richness of lilacs. it's less aquatic in the bottle than it is on my skin. not a traditional floral scent. On my skin: it turns more aquatic on my skin, with the lilacs overshadowing the edges of the river. it's fast-flowing and dark, but it's not sweet or delicate florals. dries to lilacs, deep and rich and a little mournful. Last thoughts: quite mysterious; it reminds me of the poem "The Lady of Shallot", with a barge floating slowly down the river and a heap of funeral flowers. it makes me want to let the water rock me to sleep!

In the bottle: it reminds me of very freshly washed French linens that have been left to dry in the sun and the breeze. it's also inexplicably juicy. On my skin: it's less strong on my skin than it is on the bottle. still fresh linens and some sort of juiciness that I can't put my finger on. it's sweetly clean, makes me want to burrow my nose in it and just breathe deeply. Last thoughts: It smells cheerful and spring-like. They should've named this one "optimistic".

In the bottle: plums, mostly, and some squished ripe berries. I don't smell the floral in the imp at all, only the fruit. On my skin: plums and berries, gardenia and lilacs! a smoky something or other that I suspect is the opium, this smells like autumn gardens and Kali's revenge. it's sweet, but not too much, and the florals and fruits blend nicely and evenly. the lilacs and gardenias come through more strongly as it dries, and the fruit fades. Last thoughts: this scent is too strong at times, certainly too much for spring and summer, but it's a dangerous woman's perfume. I think I would wear this when I wanted to seduce someone.

In the bottle: roses and a powdery jasmine, ruined by mahogany and stale cigar smoke. coffee and a teensy bit of vanilla comes in on the end of it. I appreciate the complexity of this scent, but there's a bitterness in this that doesn't work for me. On my skin: coffee and smoke, roses wilting and a bit of jasmine. I love the roses and coffee, but it keeps changing on me. rather grown-up and hardly sweet at all. quite mysterious, for dangerous women only. it becomes coffee more as it dries. Last thoughts: I just can't get into something that changes so much and is so confusing. I want something that's at least a little identifiable. but still appreciate all its' complexities, even if it doesn't suit me.

In the bottle: a little bitter and reminiscent of dry dirt, I don't catch the florals in the bottle at all. it's a little powdery, and maybe there are some scruffy wildflowers in the background, but it's not what I think of when I think of flowers. On my skin: something that reminds me of wisteria comes out when it's on my skin, but it's still not particularly sweet or floral. the bitterness is still there, almost like almonds, and it's strong. no sweetness, and still not a traditional floral, so maybe that's good for some people, but not for me. Last thoughts: I don't know what everyone else is smelling with this one, but I'm just not getting it. it's just too powdery and dusty-dry. maybe even a little candle wax? I'm blaming this one on the phlox. not a fan.

Smells like nothing but fresh pears in the bottle, but once it gets on skin it turns powdery and perfumey and overly flowered - everything that I don't like! *sad face* It mellows, but not enough. Practically every other review says this smells like straight-up pear juice, but for me it's hardly any pear at all. I think it's the plumeria, magnolia, and tuberose (in extremely strong iterations) that overpower everything else in there. And now, a couple of hours later, it's a boring vague perfume scent on my wrist. Unfortunately not one of my wins (and I was so hoping it would be - something soporific had major appeal to me).

This was the first scent that really made me fall in love with BPAL! In the bottle: a riot of roses! it's sweet and smells exactly like a huge, tangled, and overgrown rose garden. it's also slightly spicy, the way the best rose scents are (but not in a cinnamon sort of way). I don't smell any green grass, just straight-up juicy ripe fully bloomed or over-bloomed roses. everywhere. On my skin: the roses in this are simply amazing. it isn't even overly girly, which is what I was dreading. instead, it's sensual and fabulously rich. it also doesn't turn powdery or fade from its' rose-y glory. Last thoughts: it doesn't compare to The Peacock Queen - it's not fully sensual, but is a joyous spring garden too. and it's lovely, though pretty traditionally rose. a little juicier maybe. I <3 roses. if you don't, this is not the scent you want.

Sweet and spicy, almost smells like houses in the autumn and early winter (right before Christmas). The apricot and the clove are more or less equal in the bottle, while on my skin the apricot tends to be a bit more prominent. But it isn't fruity in the sense that oranges and lemons are fruity. It's got a definite spice to it and is strangely comforting. The clove comes through after a while on the skin. I keep wanting to sniff my wrists and I suspect it's making me hungry. It's a tea-time scent, and I half expect cups and scones and jam to materialize. I definitely smell like something to eat (and not in a "oh you clearly went and bathed in a vat of desserts" sort of way). And, hours later, it's begun to smell like a clove cigarette. I love the smell of cloves, but can't smoke them, so this is the best of both worlds.