Scylla

I don't know what it is about my skin chemistry, but it amplifies all oils with rose in them to the point that all I can smell is rose. And it's not a good rose--it's an old lady rose. Sadly, this happened with Wanton also. In the vial it is very sweet and feminine, but as soon as it hits my skin it turns to a generic "rose."

In the vial: Whoa! Sickening sweet floral and wine (?) or something else with a sweet and sour fruity fragrance. Wet, on my skin: Overpoweringly sweet jasmine. I can smell some rose, but I am mostly getting jasmine. On drydown: Pretty much stayed that same as while wet, although it was not as strong. Much too floral for me. I will be swapping this one.

Yo ho, Yo ho, a pirate's life for me! Avast! Ahoy there, me hardys! Arrrrrrr! (sorry, I couldn't resist!) In the vial: Smells like a rum ball. Delicious! Wet, on my skin: Still smells like a decadent, chocolatey rum ball. I guess I was expecting something more "piratey" but this smells great! And it is a wonderful comfort scent. On drydown: Smells less like a rum ball and more like hot buttered rum. A buttery note has definitely come out on drydown. Now it reminds me a bit of Hellcat, but I like Grog much, much more!

Not that it would be much help to you now, since it's been discontinued, but Yuki-Onna had a mosquito repellent smell and effect on me. Maybe you could get some in a swap?

In the vial: Very tart and juicy pomegranate! Wet, on my skin: Darn it. I forgot that this had roses in it when I tried this one out this morning. The pomegranates have been obliterated by the roses. It reminds me of a cheap generic bubble bath I bought when I was a poor college student! On drydown: Hmmm...there is something weird going on with this one. Not only does it smell mostly like roses but it smells weird/funky/musky. Must be my body chemistry. *sigh*

In the vial: Pure bitter almond Wet, on my skin: It burns, revisited! Burns my skin just like Inferno. Smells just like Inferno--Bitter almond and cinnamon. I didn't think cinnamon was a component of Port-au-Prince, but it's definitely there and my skin is majorly amplifying it. I am not detecting any rum, bay OR cloves! On drydown: After a couple of hours, the cinnamon and almond have disappeared and now I can smell the bay and rum, but I also smell something fruity that reminds me of a banana peel. This is definitely too manly for me.

In the vial: Smelled like incense, wood smoke and beeswax candles Wet, on my skin: Very resinous. It definitely does remind me of the incensey smell of a Catholic church, along with the polished wood of the pews. On drydown: Doesn't change much. This is a powerful, solemn scent that makes me think of a Catholic church. I'm glad I got to try it as a freebie imp because I never would have ordered it. But, I will probably swap it because a) I don't like it as a personal fragrance and I'd use it as a home fragrance, but I don't really want my home to smell like a church!

I'm not sure if rosewood actually smells like ROSE, but for some reason the predominant note in the imp and on my skin when wet is rose, with lilies in the background. I'm not getting anything "woody" per se. Ave Maria Gratia Plena is a very straightforward, pure white floral blend on me. On drydown I get the jasmine, sandalwood and musk with the rose in the background. I'm not usually a floral blend person (and definitely not a rose person), but I like this one quite a bit. Not enough to buy a big bottle, but I think I'll keep my imp.

Gah! I should have learned my lesson by now---Amber = on my skin Note to self: Don't even TRY scents with Amber ANYMORE! None of them work on you! I don't want to offend Beth by a bad review because this smells SOOOO fruitilicious and lovely in the vial, and I know it's one of Ted's personal favorites. But when Forbidden Fruit hit my skin, it went REEEAAAALY, Horrificly bad! Egads! Rotten fruit is an understatement. Day-um.

The predominant note is definitely patchouli, but there are other herbs there as well as something vaguely metallic. As a perfume oil, I probably wouldn't even keep the imp because heavy patchouli and herbs just aren't my thing. Before trying The Coiled Serpent I hadn't realized that this is a yogic oil and that it has other uses. I am not familiar with yoga or the chakra system, but I like the idea that it is supposed to release trapped energy! I may keep it just for that purpose and do some reading about yoga and chakras. The complexity and earthiness of it reminds me very much of Tarot: The World, so I would definitely recommend it to lovers of that scent. It smells cozy and therapeutic (and perhaps a little medicinal, at first.) (P.S.--Thanks for posting the info about the root chakra, falathwen.) ETA: Very long lasting. I could still smell this wafting when I woke up this morning!

In the vial: Apricots and plums Wet, on my skin: Apricots and plums are definitely the predominant note, but I can smell the orchid and musk. They blend wonderfully with the fruitiness of the apricots and plums. This is a juicy, exotic scent! I am so glad I am not getting the roses! Roses smell awful on me. On drydown: The fruitiness has faded into the background and the soft florals have taken over. I DO detect the roses now, but they are not the overpowering variety--I don't mind them in this at all. I think this will become a very popular blend! To me, it's the perfect blend of fruity and floral. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a bottle in the spring.

In the vial: Smells like sweet, tangy lemon candy! Smells like the way Lemonheads TASTE. Wet, on my skin: Wait, no, it doesn't smell like Lemonheads. It smells like SweetTarts! It smells the way they look AND taste! I tried Akuma this morning before dropping my daughter off at school and she looked at me with narrowed eyelids and said, "Are you eating something out of my Halloween basket?" When I told her that it was one of my new BPAL oils, she told me she wanted to try it herself as soon as she got home! On drydown: The citrus tones down and the raspberry comes out more. This is a very fresh, deliciously tangy scent perfect for lovers of citrusy scents. Something about it reminds me of Calyx, one of my former stand by perfumes, although this is much more edible, while Calyx is green, citrusy and fresh.

In the vial: Citronella--it reminds me of Yuki-Onna on first whiff Wet, on my skin: A bright, shining citrus, with something dark and incensey brooding in the background. To me, it evokes a total eclipse---the sun cloaked in darkness, yet bright around the edges. On drydown: The citrus fades away and the predominant note becomes the ozone. The incense is heavy, but it meshes nicely with the ozone note. This definitely strikes me as a men's fragrance. I'll have to put some on my husband.

(I was kind of scared of trying this one after it was mentioned in one of the BPAL haikus) In the vial: Very earthy, with a touch of herbs. Another reviewer mentioned Masabakes evoking images of a dusty cauldron in a cellar with herbs hanging to dry. I get that image, too! Wet, on my skin: Still quite earthy, but then something orangy/spicy comes out. I keep detecting some ginger. It's a very cozy, familiar smell and I can totally see the comparison to Coco by Chanel made by still another reviewer. On drydown: The earthiness is disappearing, and Masabakes is getting sweeter and fruitier. BUT, it is also starting to smell more like "fresh scent" Lysol cleaner! (I have a bottle of this and went to check, just to be sure.) Yep, that's what it dried down to smell like on me. Even so, I still kinda like it! There definitely isn't a big bottle of Masabakes in my future, but I think I'll keep and enjoy my imp! ETA: There was another perfume that this reminded me of and I couldn't think of the name of it. But now I remember that it smells kinda like Estee Lauder's Knowing. (I don't even know if they make that anymore)

In the vial: Sweet, sweet cinnamon. How I love cinnamon fragrances! Wet, on my skin: Drat! The cinnamon fades away INSTANTLY and all that is left is a honey-like sweetness. On drydown: Pretty much the same as wet. Very sticky sweet, although not exactly foody, if that makes any sense! I guess I was expecting the "oomph" of Three Witches paired with the sweetness of, say, Dragon's Milk. The sweetness is there--just not the oomph! I think I'll keep my imp, but will probably layer it with Three Witches for the oomph factor!

In the vial: Stale coffee (!!!) Wet, on my skin: ROSES! And not much else, sadly. My chemistry tends to amplify rose scents and makes them overpowering and old-ladyish. And that's what happened here, unfortunately! On drydown: The roses have toned down a bit, but they are definitely still the predominant note. Next comes the jasmine, and I can't detect any tonka bean or vanilla.

In the vial: Exotic flowers with something sweet in the background, which I assume is the black currant. Wet, on my skin: The cereus has come to the forefront (I know this because I can detect that note from Dia de Los Muertos.) It is fresh and green, with the darker, exotic scent of the orchid shining through. On drydown: The labdanum comes through more on drydown, and the cereus fades away, while the orchids stay put. I'm not getting any myrrh. Medea is gorgeous, but is not as long lasting as I would have liked. Disappears after about 2 hours. I think this will definitely be added to my "must have in a big bottle" list!

Perversion smells VERY similar to Tarot: The Star. On ME, anyway! Must be the coconut.

In the vial: A bright, cheery floral. Wet, on my skin: The first thing I thought of when this hit my skin was, "This smells like Coast soap!" Baba Yaga doesn't smell EXACTLY like Coast soap, though. It smells much better--there must just be some similar notes. This is definitely a "floral/oriental" blend, but is so seamlessly blended that I can't pick out a single note. I'm not getting any of the bubble gum or fruity pineapple notes mentioned by previous reviewers. On drydown: Doesn't smell like Coast soap anymore. This is a really nice floral, and I am not usually a floral kind of gal! I wish I knew what the notes were! The only problem is that something in it is making me sneeze. After a couple hours: Yay! I'm not sneezing anymore! Baba Yaga is changing again. This time I smell something similar to the component in Tzadikim Nistarim that makes it smell pineapple-y. It also smells incensey now. I predict this will be a VERY popular blend in the "Crones" series!

In the vial: Syrupy sweetness and, Holy Gardenias, Batman! Wet, on my skin: This smells cloyingly sweet on me. I definitely get the gardenias, but there is some spiciness I can't quite pinpoint. I must resist the urge to go wash it off! On drydown: This morphs into being mainly violets and honey, with some gardenia and spices in the background. Still quite sweet and overpowering. I will probably swap this. Gotta love the name, though!

I have to say, having been familiar with the legend of Black Annis, the thought of a perfume oil named after her SCARED me, and I NEVER would have ordered it! But I'm very grateful that it was included with my most recent order so I could try it. In the vial: Civet and oak moss, I thought at first. But then I looked at the actual description and I guess it's actually oak leaf and damp cave lichen. This scent definitely brings to mind the dank, darkness of a cave. Wet, on my skin: The civet definitely came out more once it hit my skin. And I am so not a civet fan! I also smell the anise, although faintly. The dank, dark cavelike smell is definitely predominant. I have to laugh, though, because it reminds me of the smell of my elderly recluse neighbor lady's house from when I was a kid! At least it doesn't smell "foul with human flesh!" On drydown: Didn't change much on drydown. Interesting interpretation of a scent, but it's hard to imagine anyone actually ordering a big bottle of this one. ETA: Except for clover, apparently! Sorry, clover! EDIT: Merged with existing thread --Shollin

In the vial: Dragon's Blood smelled very much like a combination of Lilac and Muguet to me. Wet, on my skin: Still reminds me of lilac and muguet, but with something sweet and syrupy behind it. On drydown: The lilac and muguet have faded, and the sweet syrupy note becomes the dominant note. It is only on drydown that I detect the Dragon's Blood that is a component of Dragon's Milk, one of my favorite BPAL oils.

In the vial: Smells like gingered figs and vanilla. Wet, on my skin: The cyclamen quickly takes over this scent, but it winds beautifully through the cypress and tonka. The patchouli and rose (which I normally don't care very much for) are WAY in the background, but are pleasantly detectable. I am not detecting any ginger or fig. On drydown: Wow, this one is strong, so apply sparingly! But I guess a perfume oil named for a Goddess of Divine Retribution had BETTER be strong! On drydown, the rose came out a bit more, although the cyclamen still dominates. Still no ginger or fig. I would have to agree with LiberAmoris that this is definitely a blend you'd want to wear if you want to feel both feminine AND strong. BUT... I can also see (or maybe that's SMELL) how this would be an intriguing scent on a man. I'll have to put some on my husband and report back.

In the vial: I smell bubblegum, tobacco, wine and leather! That IS a perverted combo, I must say! Wet, on my skin: Hmmm....this has immediately turned into Tarot: The Star, with perhaps a little bit less fruitiness. On drydown: Yep, contains all the coconutty goodness of Tarot: The Star, but adds a little more sweetness--perhaps it's the tonka. I can't believe no one else has mentioned the similarity yet! Or maybe it's just my chemistry. At any rate, I really like it! I'm a gourmand scent kind of girl, and Perversion is definitely ME! Does that make me a pervert? Eh. I don't care!

In the vial: Grapefruit, melon and pine? Or perhaps *I'M* insane, too?! Wet, on my skin: Ah, OK. Now I smell some aquatic notes floating to the surface, but the predominant note seems to be grapefruit, or perhaps yuzu. On drydown: Aquatic and fresh. Citrusy and spicy. Fresher than what I would expect Cthulhu's domain to smell like!