puck_nc

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: For once it was the description that drew me in more than the actual notes. I haven't had much experience with orchid or champaca, and the few scents I've tried with tonka bean didn't work on me. But I have had good experiences with skin musk and vanilla. In the Bottle: Um, ok. That's not promising. My initial impression is flowers planted in a bed of catshit... Wet: Hm. I don't know if it's the orchid or the champaca, but I'm getting the same nail-polish-remover scent that someone mentioned a few reviews ago. Drydown: It eventually settles down into a fruity floral with a background of the skin musk. Verdict: I can see where the scent fits the description, but I don't think I like this one well enough to keep.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I haven't been bitten by the Snake Oil bug. The one time I tried it on I was underwhelmed, although I have no idea how old that particular oil was. But I enjoy mint and thought I would give this one a try. (Since then I have had the chance to sniff the entire Snake Pit, and I suspect that Coral Snake is more my thing and found Anaconda to be heavenly-sweet.) In the Bottle: Sweet, almost honeyed mint. I immediately wonder if this would smell good on my husband--it's got a masculine feel to it. Wet: A well-blended minty musk. The mint is sharp, but not too sharp, muted just enough by the Snake Oil base. (Husband sniffs my wrist: "That's nice.") Drydown: The mint wins out, with the Snake Oil providing just a touch of sweetness below. But it's not the Lick It sweet...it's darker, more syrupy or honeyed. I definitely want to see what this does on my husband. Verdict: Absolutely keeping the imp. There may be a bottle down the road.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I love carnation and lavender, vanilla and sometimes jasmine, and white musk is a musk that works pretty well on me. I'm not sure about the rose otto and amber is hit or miss. In the Bottle: I think I can smell the amber and lavender and some unclear notes. But something is giving it an edge that makes me think of detergent. Wet: I get mostly lavender, with a warm hint that could be the musk or amber or both. I can't find any of the other florals at the moment. Drydown: Meh. It's pretty much settled into lavender and maybe a touch of the carnation. Verdict: I could see myself using the imp, especially at bedtime, but I don't feel the call to get a bottle.

Origin: decant included in a purchase from eviltemptressdq Initial Thoughts: I thought I'd tried this one, but I think I was confusing it with Litha. In the Bottle: Very warm and sunny, nicely floral and sweet. Wet: Hmm...between the musk and the amber, I'm getting the old tsunami of those notes at the expense of the others. Drydown: Okay, the musk backs off a bit and I get wafts of honey and citrus that are all mellow and warm. Verdict: I'm glad I got this!

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I have grown into a careful relationship with rose, which has always been one of my favorite scents. Rose that is melded with several other notes often smells divine on me. Rose that is front and center can take the hint of green stem and run with it to the point that I get 100% cooked collard greens instead. So warily, I take a step toward Hope... In the Bottle: Strongly rose, complete with green stem and very little sweet. Uh oh... Wet: Ugh...sugar-coated collard greens... Drydown: Um, yeah. No morphing to this one. No rose, all stem. Verdict: Alas, the sisters are not for me.

Simplicity and innocence, gleefully despoiled! Sugared violet. Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: the BPAL violet and I normally do not get along. Violet turns to a nasty acrid smell on me unless it's well buried by many, many other notes (see: Bearded Lady, Purple Phoenix). But in experimenting with other companies, I found violets that did work on my skin. So, it's just a decant...let's see. In the Bottle: As advertised. Very sweet sugary violets. Wet: Very strongly sugar with just an undertone of floral. Drydown: The violet starts to show up...and of all things, I am getting rubber! Pencil-eraser rubber! And then it starts to go plastic on me. Verdict: Well, I suppose it's a step up from the nasty acridness that is my normal violet experience...still passing this one on.

Origin: Decant from eviltemptressdp's circle Initial Thoughts: I enjoy carnations, and there just don't seem to be enough scents with carnation. In the Bottle: Sharp, tangy floral. I mostly get the orange blossom and carnation. Wet: Yow! Very, very orange! Then I get some florals and a hint of sweet. Drydown: For a few moments it's a very tangy floral, but then the iris and orange blossom overwhelm the rest. Plus something is poking at my allergies and my nose is stuffing up somewhat. Verdict: This comes close to an excellent summer scent for me, except for the iris and the stuffy nose. Pass.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Of the new Carousel scents, this is one of the ones that jumps out at me. Myrrh and I don't always get along and musk is hit or miss, but I've grown fond of apple scents lately. In the Bottle: Syrupy...honey and apple and almond. It almost smells like heated cough syrup. Wet: Jeez! I'm getting smacked so hard in the nose with myrrh and almond that I coughed! It calms down almost immediately and the dominant notes are honey, almond and musk. I'm strongly reminded of a sweeter version of Lyonesse or one of the Egyptian-themed scents. Drydown: After a short while, the apple and florals come out a bit. I'm getting a very warm feel from the honey and musk, shot through with fruit. But something is still making the back of my throat tingle when I sniff. Verdict: I need to try this one again...take a little while to get to know it. I want to love this.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: There aren't enough dogwood scents. I'm not sure about the violet or vervain, but I thought it sounded too pretty to pass up. In the Bottle: Almost pure cedar. If I try very hard I can catch just a suggestion of florals. Wet: Ooh, nice! I get a rush of lovely florals, tempered by the musk and a bit of woodsy notes. It's somehow both crisp and warm at once, like a scent truly teetering between winter and spring. I'm having a hard time prying my nose from my wrist. Drydown: It settles down into a fragrance that makes me think of a forest filled with just a few first blossoms daring to emerge. More woodsy and herbal than floral. But one of the florals is my old nemesis violet, creating an acrid undertone. Verdict: I love the wet stage very much, but the drydown disappoints on my skin. I think this should go to a better home.

Of the various scents I've tried that list honeysuckle as a note, I get the strongest honeysuckle from Eos. New Orleans went strongly jasmine on me, Twilight was overwhelmingly lavender, and while I like Juliet very much, it's more a generic fruity/floral on me.

Origin: decant from a circle Initial Thoughts: Lick It 2005 is one of my absolute favorite BPALs and I was a bit leery that the formula had been tweaked. In the Bottle: Light, sweet mint. It could be the difference between vial and bottle, but this one isn't jumping out at my nose the way the original does. Wet: A candy cane. Very strong, very minty, and at the moment the exact same as the original, down to the chill on my skin. Drydown: Lick It dries down to a lovely luscious sweet vanilla on me. Lick It Again stays strongly mint and develops a plasticky undertone. Verdict: I shall hoard my two bottles and keep my eyes out for more 2005 Lick It. 2006 Lick It Again doesn't play well with my skin, though I might use the rest of the decant in scent lockets.

Origin: Frimp in an eBay purchase Initial Thoughts: I'm not very into aquatics, so this isn't one I would have bought for myself. In the Bottle: Very heavily aquatic, shot through with a green note. Dark and troubling. Wet: Wow, something floral is rushing up from the depths! It's almost as if sunlight were erupting from beneath the waves! It's a high, crisp white floral scent. Drydown: Okay, now it's slightly more fruity than floral. The watery impression is back, with a chill to it. Not at all what I expected. Verdict: I think I'll play with this one a while. I could see myself wearing it when I need a shot of springtime.

Origin: Frimp from an eBay purchase Initial Thoughts: Hmm, I see two of my problem notes, myrrh and dark musk. In the Bottle: Dark and tangy, I can definitely pick out the ylang-ylang. It smells nice in the bottle, very mysterious and tantalizing. Wet: Blast of myrrh! Myrrh, myrrh, myrrh. I wish I liked myrrh. Drydown: The other notes struggle for supremacy, but alas, only the dark musk wins. Verdict: This will be sent on to someone else. code fix --Shollin

Decadent, flamboyant, and fiercely seductive! Passionate red musk mixed with jasmine and wisteria. Origin: Frimp in an eBay purchase Initial thoughts: After reading the description, I note the red musk and assume this will not work. In the Bottle: An interesting balance of floral and musk, like a lighter version of some elite perfume I've smelled. Wet: Strongly musk, but it's not overpowering the wisteria or jasmine yet. It's sweet and sensual and so far it's working. Drydown: Well, the musk does ramp up some, but I'm still getting a strong impression of the wisteria and a bit of jasmine. Verdict: I think I can see myself wearing this every once in a while. And it's certainly a good one to hang onto for Meet & Sniffs.

Origin: swapped for it at a Meet & Sniff. This is the 2004 edition. Initial Thoughts: Since there was no particular note description, I didn't pick this up in 2005 when it was available. In the Bottle: Fresh-cut Christmas tree!! So beautiful, I was groaning aloud in the coffeeshop at the Meet & Sniff. As others have said, Christmas in a bottle. Wet: The evergreen is joined by a crisp cleanness that suggests cold and snow. I'm utterly in love. Drydown: Holding true, with very little morphing. The green, the chill, the rich scent of Christmas evergreens. Verdict: I am so glad I was able to get this! I hope it will be one of the second wave of Yuletide offerings this season!

Origin: Fresh from the Lab Initial Thoughts: When I saw the description, I knew I was going to get it. Hyacinth, stargazer lily, vanilla...and I crossed my fingers about the blue musk, since most musks go postal on my skin. In the Bottle: sweet, chilly florals. No one note leaps out, but together they're beautiful. I'm thinking this would be wonderful to wear in the summer heat for a cool scent. Wet: Now, I wish this was what violet smelled like on my skin. It does smell like violets without the acrid bitter-nasty I get from the actual note. It's fresh and cool and I can catch a bit of gardenia or ylang ylang or sandalwood. But again, no one note takes center stage - it's perfectly blended. My husband calls it "subtle" and approves, though it's not one of his "yum" scents. Drydown: As always, the musk eventually comes out to play. The good news is that it remains a floral scent!! *adds blue musk to pale musk as musks I can get away with* Later on the vanilla decides to show up, but it still keeps morphing gently and maintaining that balance of scents. Verdict: A keeper!!! Might have to pick up another bottle sometime.

Origin: 5ml straight from the Lab Impressions Going In: I love jonquils and daffodils and there just don't seem to be enough blends with that note around. The other notes described a crisp, crystalline floral but with that dreaded word "musk". I know I can wear a very few pale musks and wanted to continue trying to narrow down which musks take over everything like a spreading virus with my skin chemistry and which will behave with the rest of the notes. In the Bottle: First impression, a florist shop! I get a huge burst of floral with some nice fruity undertones. Wet: It's sharper on my skin, but not the acrid-sharp I get with violets. It settles down to a blend of the musk, orchid and pear for a few minutes and is quite nice in this stage. Drydown: Problem 1, this fades quite quickly on me. Not as quickly as the magically disappearing Pele, but within an hour I get very little throw and have to press my wrist to my nose to get a whiff. Problem 2, the musk eventually takes over as most musk does on me. That very faded whiff is almost pure musk with only the barest traces of fruit and floral. Verdict: Oh, well. It'll hopefully go to a loving home. *relegates crystal musk to the no-nos along with red, black and blue musk*

Origin: Decant from LJ Initial Thoughts: White musk seems to be the one musk that doesn't overwhelm the rest of the notes on me. *crosses fingers* In the Bottle: Sweetly floral and lightly musk...definitely bunny musk, but where's the "enraged"? Wet: Musky and very, very floral on me. It makes me think of a young girl's perfume, very light and pretty. Drydown: It eventually musks out, but the florals cling to my wrist with a deathgrip, refusing to be evicted completely. Verdict: It wound up fading completely after an hour or so, but while it was there it was nice. Then I got an inspiration and tried layering it with Monsterbait: Underpants...holy wow! I felt like sex on legs while that lasted!

Origin: Fresh from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Honey is a hit-or-miss note for me, and the frankincense scared me a bit as anything incense-y or musk-y tends to take over the whole fragrance. But I adore honeysuckle and carnation and having skipped the last couple of Moons, decided to try and see. In the Bottle: Strongly herbal and honey. Wet: The florals come out first, followed by the honey mead. Once everything gets sorted out, it strikes me as a more herbal version of Beltane or Flower Moon. Drydown: The mead and incense grow, but don't take over. I'm smelling booze-drenched flowers and I like it! Verdict: I'm going to hang onto this for a while and see how often I reach for it.

Origin: Imp bought from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Antique Lace and Bearded Lady are two of my absolute favorites, so any vanilla blend that doesn't have a deal-breaker is a must. And I enjoy the sweet pea in Juliet. In the Bottle: At first it's a spicy and very sweet vanilla, then I get an impression of fruitiness that I think is the sweet pea playing games. My next sniff it gets more floral and I can detect some sandalwood in the background. Wet: Very nice. I can actually get impressions of all the listed notes (which usually doesn't happen to me if there's more than two notes). The vanilla is the strongest, followed by the sandalwood with touches of amber and floral. These ambers must be the good kinds...some ambers act like musk on my skin and overwhelm the rest. Drydown: Hey, where'd it go? For a short time it is as if the fragrance vanished into thin air. Then gradually the scent came back, but stayed very subdued. What stays is very vanilla. Verdict: I'm going to have to compare this wrist-to-wrist with Antique Lace. My impression is that they're very similar, and if they're too similar then I'm only keeping one of them. Plus I've noticed that my nose has stuffed up since putting this on. Hmm.

Origin: decant in a mini-roller bottle, bought on LJ Initial Thoughts: I have found that I'm not very into the foody scents as perfume, though some things like Gingerbread Poppet make good room scents. But I have discovered on my BPAL journey that I adore vanilla. So when I got the chance to try this, I did. In the Bottle: extremely sweet vanilla. Wet: Oh. My. God. Rich and creamy vanilla rum! I cannot pry my nose from my wrist and I could get drunk off this scent! Drydown: The sandalwood emerges. It stays very vanilla but the sweetness of it fades quite a bit. A few hours later, it's definitely vanilla-scented sandalwood. Verdict: If it held to the wet stage, I'd be all over eBay right now trying to land a bottle and damn the price. But the drydown disappoints me. I may try to get an imp sometime for scent locket purposes, but I will be happy that I was able to try it and know. ETA: On an impulsive inspiration I tried layering this with Enraged Bunny Musk (don't ask me why, I don't know!) and WOW! I felt like sex on legs as long as it lasted!

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Myrrh. Myrrh tends to take over on me. In the Bottle: Smoky sandalwood, a floral undertone and...I'm gonna sneeze. Wet: First the sandalwood, then the florals. Drydown: The musk starts developing after about five minutes. Verdict: It's not the all-out immediate assault of musk that usually happens on my skin, but it does end up as musk. Off to the swaps.

Origin: decant bought in a circle Initial Thoughts: It sounded like an unusual blend of florals that might be pretty. In the Bottle: A sweet lavender-heavy floral. Very sorrowful, appropriate to its name. Wet: Strongly lavender, with an undertone that is almost dirt. Drydown: The florals warm up some, but it remains a cool scent. Verdict: It's interesting, but I think I prefer richer florals overall and when I want a more chilly floral I want a sweet one. This one went to the swaps.

Origin: Decant bought on El Jay Initial Thoughts: I think I was attracted to some of the reviews that raved over cedar. In the Bottle: Smoky, woodsy, green and cedar. Wet: freshly foresty, new-cut cedar. Drydown: It stays very cedar on me, with a sweet undertone coming out. Verdict: I can see this as a good room scent rather than a perfume.

Origin: decant bought on El Jay Initial Thoughts: I had had thoughts at one point of me wearing the Empress and my husband wearing the Emperor. But the Empress went all musky on me and the husband isn't really getting into BPAL with me at the moment. In the Bottle: rosy, honeysuckle, with a woodsy tone to make it more masculine. Wet: Hmm...soapy flowers. I guess this is that soap phenomenon that seems to hit many people. Drydown: Um, yeah. Soapy flowers. Darn. Verdict: Off to the sales/swap pile.