Balame

In the Imp: I've been wanting to try this one for a long while! After a bout of funky scents I hope it turns out as nicely as I think it will. Aw yeah, smelling lots of vetiver from the imp. Rich and earthy and sexy. Wet: A little musty and like ashes, standard vetiver fare. Right after that I get a pop of lemon citrus though, which is unexpected for this type of scent. I guess it's trying to be ozone but it seems a little silly and out of place, so perhaps it will die down as it dries. There's also a "leather" note that's similar to Kroenen's. Dry: For being described as the "blackest" of incenses the citrus note in this is really throwing me off. It's like spying a looming, shrouded figure who slowly approaches you, and then it throws back its hood and you see your mom. "Oh hi honey, check out my Halloween costume! Isn't it great?" Not even joking. I've smelled plenty of "ozone" notes that do not go randomly fruit citrus like this, but I can't get over the lemon. Overall: I'm a vetiver fan so this isn't a complete dislike for me, but the citrus is just making it too bright as a whole. There is a party here where there should be mourning, dangit! Because of that, it might actually be good for those who aren't vetiver lovers and want a toned down version.

In the Imp: Holy crap, how did I end up with a discontinued scent? Must've been during the circular swap... I staunchly avoid LE's and DC'ed scents because I'm terrified I'll end up liking them and will never be able to get my hands on them again. Okay, breathe the imp, breathe - it's a little alcoholic and musky smelling. Not too pleasant, but hard to tell what will happen from the imp only. Wet: Oof, lots of neroli. Not at all a favorite note of mine so perhaps not much to worry about here. Very sharp and dry, making my nose "tingly". Dry: The apple blossom has come out to play, just a hint of sweetness behind neroli's bite. I also vaguely get the fullness of the carnation, which ickily does not make this more tolerable but more like baby powder. Still far too caustic. Overall: Neroli fail for me. If you like neroli and think you'd like it even more with a few candy sweet scents mixed in, you'll be a fan.

In the Imp: Strong gardenia. Hold onto your seats people, this isn't going to be a pleasant one. Wet: I only put the tiniest dab of this on because I was so concerned and I can smell it without even holding my wrist to my nose. When I put full on DROPS of other BPAL I don't even get this kind of throw! Agh, just gardenia and overwhelming gardenia. I know stephanotis is sort of the "tropical celebration" flower even though it's been ages since I smelled it, and it starts to come out soon after the gardenia. Terrifyingly so, like a big white wash of a drunk friend rambling up to you with 80 leis on her neck garbling, "Hey shweethearsh, dun yu wan to partay!?" Dry: Old granny that put too many smelly dryer sheets in her laundry. This is bad. So bad. Normally BPAL scents will be an "eh" when I don't like them, but this is a "run for the hills". Washing it off. Overall: Too sickenenly sweet, too crazy floral destruction, too in your face.

Tea leaf with three mosses, green grass, a medley of herbal notes, and a drop of ginger and fig. In the Imp: Guh, this reminds me of any standard commercial perfume. Very alcoholic and something vaguely sweet in the background. Wet: I feel like lemon verbena is in this, but I guess I'm getting the tea leaf as well. There's just a hint of mustiness from the mosses around the citrus notes which gives it an interesting vibe. Very bright and cheery overall, sweet but not overwhelmingly so. Dry: This is definitely a sweet cup of tea. Believe it or not it reminds me slightly of the lemony tea note from Dorian, but The Apothecary is brighter and cuter, where Dorian is richer and more well rounded. I wouldn't say I'm getting a "medley" from this, it's actually very single note to my nose but maybe that's just my skin chemistry amping the tea leaf only. I suppose I can pick out a very small amount of spiciness from the ginger as well. Overall: I'm underwhelmed. Not much going on in this one, but if you're into simple, peppy little scents then maybe it's a match.

In the Imp: Something vaguely floral. I didn't look at the note list initially so I'm not sure what I'm smelling. Checking now, and rose? It's definitely different, it almost reminds me more of vanilla. Wet: This is SO weird. Maybe I'm used to heavier musks (like red) but I'm not getting anything intense like that at all. Which is great, because I can't stand anything cloying. I'll have to keep in mind that Arabian musk might work on me. This is a very soft skin scent. Literally, like skin. One of the other members said it's like "kissing the back of a woman's neck". I know that does sound unusual, but truly, it smells like a clean body! Just soft and comforting but with a familiar hint of "life" somehow. Dry: I can barely make out a dark sort of rose if I concentrate. The spices in here are not traditionally spicy at all, so don't fear if you dislike notes that sucker punch your nostrils. I get everyone saying this is a bit like floral cleaning solution - it was less "fake" smelling when in the wet stages, and admittedly better then. It doesn't smell overtly chemical, though. Overall: Kind of left tilting my head on this one. It was not what I expected it to be at all - strong and powerful with a bit of a soft side - and is instead the exact opposite. Mostly gentle and sweet with just the tiniest kick. I think I'll continue looking into scents with Arabian musk because I'm fascinated that it didn't turn heavy on me, and the rose in this is actually the best from BPAL I've smelled thus far, not overwhelming floral. But put together this is just too soft for my tastes.

In the Imp: Patchouli. I find that rather amusing, I mean, patchouli for greed? Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a fan, but I generally think of nature and such when it comes to patchouli,. Definitely not dollar bills, high class society, or fancy polished rings. Wet: Patchouli. But that's okay, patchouli usually overwhelms everything during wet stages, so I'll just be waiting this out and hoping it becomes a bit more complex later on. Dry: Took a while to reveal itself in full, but it's worth the wait. The patchouli is there but it becomes a new scent entirely when the rich copal and vanilla-esque heliotrope pop in. It's a little less woodsy and more creamy. Yet, it's actually the foresty notes that are keeping this edgy, and yes, reminiscent of metallic coins or some sort of money. It's like you're melting into a bed of silk sheets with a hot dude but there's all this money lying around and you're all, "We don't know where that's been babe, can't we put it away?" Yeah, something like that. This is odd for me to say because I'm extremely picky about the levels of sweetness in blends (don't like a lot of it), but I want more of the softness in this and a bit less of the patchouli and moss. Overall: Greed almost had me, but in the end it didn't feel balanced between the sweetness and sharp/dry moss. *edit* Retesting this years later. Seems my skin chemistry has changed as it's now the floral amping with patch playing second fiddle. A light but dirtied-up woods with heliotope. And it's a floral I can wear! It has an intriguingly airy quality about it, despite the description saying it's earthy. Reminds me of a village maiden or something; laid-back and friendly but kind of ethereal. I have so many patch blends already, but I'm contemplating if I should get more. Ironically I find this a very peaceful, soothing scent.

In the Imp: Whoa there, a bit sharp and alcoholic smelling. Maybe some pear wafting in the background. Wet: PEAR. Super clean, crisp, sweet pear. In fact, probably a bit sweeter than any real pear could actually smell, so I'm probably getting some of the lily of the valley as well. But it's definitely playing second fiddle to the pear. Very innocent and simple. Dry: This one really transformed on me. The pear isn't there at all and this is simply a rose floral bubble bath. Rather disappointing, because the initial pear was so very vibrant. Even if it was too sweet to be my kind of oil, I could've appreciated such a "true" fruit scent... but now it's just the rose. Overall: Very sweet and darling, reminds me of a cute little girl. If you like rose, you'll like this. It seems to be a morpher, so I wouldn't get it expecting the pear to last, or the note bouquet to really stand out. Unfortunately, on the drydown I lost everything save the rose.

Here's a shot in the dark - could anyone help me find something similar to Silence (white sandalwood, iris, blue musk, lotus root, moonflower, plum blossom, green tea, white mint and white peach)? I was heartbroken when I heard this was discontinued, because I had been wanting to try it for ages as it sounded positively gorgeous. Now it seems I won't have the chance, and even if I did get a tester, I always try to avoid discontinued or LE scents for the very reason that I don't want to have to worry about hunting them down. Any recommendations for something that has a similar feel?

Kronen. Oh, Kroenen ("shining black leather, gleaming metal, labdanum, and myrrh")... it is leathery vetiver goodness. I hope your man can stand the vetiver particularly, because while the leather is very prominent, neither does the vetiver allow itself to be shoved into the background. It contributes a strong, earthy scent, but not in a "green" way. More like a few sparse grassy reeds in the desert. The labdanum and myrrh are what make this feel more rich and "indulgent", and it is very sexy. Women tend to give me odd looks when I wear this (yet they generally like it), and the men seem both intimidated and curious. It is described as a more "masculine" scent by many, but since I don't like gender-typing BPAL, it is just "dark" to me.

In the Imp: I've never smelled anything like this before, at least not in a perfume. It's definitely foody, almost reminds me of pumpkin pie. Spicy too, like cinnamon. Wet: Something a bit peppery and spicy, and a spot on honeyed bread scent. Whew, I guess the pepper is from the "meats" and it's a bit overpowering right now, but that bread scent is great. I don't know what kvass smells like so unfortunately I can't speak to that, but it is slightly bitter, so maybe that's the alcohol. Dry: Thankfully I never got any of the meat, more like an unorthodox sweetness, slightly boozy, with warm honey and pepper. Different. Verdict: A very unique scent that I think people should try, if only to experience all the interesting phases it goes through. I wouldn't say that I'm overly fond of it since the harsher scents combined with honey puts me off a little (highly contrasting notes generally don't make me happy), but it was certainly interesting.

In the Imp: For some reason, this reminds me of a chocolate chip muffin with a vase of roses next to it. Not bad at all! Very comforting. Wet: The rose comes to the forefront, and I don't smell vetiver at all, which is strange since it's usually so potent. Kind of makes me sad since it's a favorite of mine, but this is still nice. There's something oddly astringent about it which I hope goes away, makes it too much like a cleaner. In fact my gosh, why is this becoming Windex!? Dry: Whew, Windex has left the building, even though it scared me for a while. All I'm left with is rose water. No vetiver, no cactus flowers, no chrysanthemum. Verdict: Too dull and one note for supposedly having so many scents, and uber cleaner wet phase.

In the Imp: Dang that's some strong almond. Not my favorite of notes since it gets a bit cherry lollipop on me usually, but hopefully the other notes will smother it out. Wet: Oh yeah, almond "cherry" surprise. Definitely reminds me why it's one of my least favorite notes - dirty diapers and rotten fruit. So unflattering. Somewhere in the distance, the musk contributes its mustiness. Don't so much appreciate that. Dry: Thank all the goodness in this world, the almond has died. The musk is much smoother and pleasant now. Other than that, I mostly smell the sandalwood and a hint of jasmine. It's elegant and quite lovely. Verdict: Unfortunately, there's no way I would ever, ever want to sit through this thing's wet phase again. Which is sad, because once it calms down a bit it's smoky in the way incense is, slightly woody, and has just the right amount of sweetness. But initially... heck to the no.

In the Imp: Ah, that fresh apricot smells lovely and very attention-getting. Wet: More of the delicious apricot, which isn't a bad thing at all. I get the slightest hint of spice from the clove, but it's barely noticeable, and again, I'm glad of this. I've had one too many scents that overpower fruit notes with heady spice power as of late. Dry: Something about this is almost a little fizzy, reminding me of soda. Not bubbly enough to be a booze scent but with just enough kick to get you to notice it. Very pleasant. Verdict: This is a very nice smell, but a bit too cutesy and feminine for me. Would be adorable on a little girl (or someone with an equally bouncy attitude)! That being said, I wouldn't mind wearing it on days where I'm feeling particularly spritely. My love for realistic fruit notes is too strong.

In the Imp: Cedar and a bit of chocolate - what a unique combo. Wet: It's rather tropical, I swear I can pick up some fruity notes in this. I suppose it has to be the fig, but it's much juicier than fig notes in other scents I've tried have been. Combined with the woodsiness of the cedar and the warmth of cocoa it's definitely bringing to mind a paradise beach getaway in some sort of alternate universe, where instead of only palms you get cone-bearing trees in the surroundings as well. Dry: This is definitely different from what you would expect, at least in my case. I would have never imagined "forest" and "tropical sweetness" going together but it works surprisingly well. It's a scent that stays true to its name, conjuring up starlit nights and shady undertakings, not always of the harmful sort. Verdict: I think this is great (it vaguely reminds me of Black Pearl which is my favorite BPAL ever, so it gets bonus points for that), but it's just not me. A bit too... this is going to sound strange, but I think of a loner when I smell this? Like someone who has shared the bed of many lovers but never found their one and only. A little sad, a little bitter, and yet a little proud of that lifestyle too.

In the Imp: Cinnamon. Not surprised since it usually overwhelms everything else in blends until it settles down. Wet: So many spices that any one thing is hard to pick out. The cinnamon is still prominent, and can definitely pick up the warm clove underneath it, and maybe a bit of the calming sandalwood. Dry: It's a very holiday sort of scent, cinnamon is still the main factor and the allspice, so it's kind of like a cup of warm spiced tea. Not very pirate-like at all. And sort of like those overwhelming candle stores with a huge mixture of scents all thrown into one area, which I suppose is suiting for pile of trade goods. Verdict: It's all right, but there was nothing really special or striking for me about this scent. I'm not big on note overload and it seemed a bit "unorganized" in that there wasn't a uniting theme aside from stirring up a big pot of spices.

In the Imp: I think "weird" is a bit of a strong descriptor so we'll just go with "interesting" for now. I smell a soft lemon with the much more forceful pine behind it. Kind of like a cleaning solution. Wet: Pretty much the same. The rosemary in this gives it a fairly herbal quality amidst all the scents I associate with chemicals when paired together, which saves it from being too cleaner-y. Dry: The bay comes out a lot at this stage, and it's my favorite part of this blend. Gives it a bit of a deeper quality and when paired with the rosemary, a regal sort of feel. Verdict: Expensive aftershave. It's certainly a unique oil but I have a feeling most people will either love or hate this. For me, it's a bit too medicinal and... well, I have no desire to smell like aftershave.

In the Imp: A gentle but full blooming rose, the vagueness of a forest in the backdrop, and tonka. Wet: So soft! A lot of oils bowl you over when you first put them on, but this is pleasantly subdued and yet attention getting from the get-go. I really don't smell leather at all, which isn't a letdown. Mostly I can pick up a very fresh rose in rain-dewed forest. Dry: The spices and incense become more pronounced once this settles, but not obnoxiously so - just a waft of smoke in a natural setting. It also doesn't lose the dreamy quality of its initial scent. Reminds me not of being lost, but just wandering through old woods until you find a small clearing to settle down in, sitting on a log to peruse some intriguing texts. Verdict: I didn't expect to like this so much but I'm really enjoying it. It gives you "forest" without being heavy on patchouli or pine, more like the rejuvenating, pure scent you get after it rains. But with the addition of the tiniest, yet still noticeable, hint of mystery and... sort of a studious vibe. But somehow to me it's almost sensual. Imagine daydreaming about an angel - endlessly pure and untouchable, yet you can't help but glance its way and feel a longing to claim it as your own. You feel embarrassed at first but somehow you can't stay angry with yourself for long, because its loving nature understands simple "human folly", a flaw you can't correct. Or maybe an older professor, happily married, yet in his simple ways and maturity, his intelligence, you're drawn to his charm. Ugh, this is just yummy, plain and simple. An alluring innocence. WANT MORE.

In the Imp: This smells fruity in an odd way - the more I sniff it, heck yes, that is grapefruit! Who'd have thought? Strong and acidic but pleasant. Wet: It really does smell like a wave of saltwater to the face, save for the grapefruit. My gosh, it's really putting me off. I would've loved a straight up "sea" scent, why the bitter sweetness from the fruit? It's certainly not dark to me, almost trying to be girly in an obnoxious way, like the cheap spritzers some girls will use after a shower. Dry: Well, I can say that's it's not as annoying as before, but the predominant smell is still grapefruit and some sort of floral. Algae and brine, not so much. I do get a hint of the enjoyable salt from before but it's been shoved to the background. Verdict: Not what I was hoping for. It's not a terrible scent but it's more standard than I imagined, and has a good dose of "fresh summer's day" rather than "unknowable terror of the depths".

In the Imp: Those sweet and woody resins are making me melt, but I figured I'd enjoy it from the description and name alone since I love church scents (despite my state of atheism - such a heretic, I know). Wet: The delicious smell of incense, vaguely sweet and somehow "pale" in this blend, not very strong but definitely present. I can pick up sandalwood, I believe. Subtle and clean overall, relaxing. Lighter than I thought it would be, not that all church scents have to be extremely noticeable and overpowering, but seriously, I can barely even detect it anymore unless I'm practically rubbing my nose into my arm. Which is sad, because it's nice. This reminds me of a smaller shrine within a cathedral to one of the saints perhaps, a bit subdued and humble but once it catches your attention it's hard to look away. Dry: Talk about morphing, gah! You've let me down terribly Cathedral, why...? It's transformed into some sort of horribly plastic, ultra sweet fragrance on my skin. Verdict: I was hoping for a stronger, almost imposing scent - like HERE is a testament to faith, simple but grand and stately. This mutated into some kind of... I don't know what. Started out decent enough but ugh, not a keeper.

In the Imp: Oh my hippie, this is definitely PATCHOULI. Doesn't bother me though, love the earthy smell. Very rich and dry. Wet: Interesting... I was concerned this might be too dry for me like Dance of Death was, and it's definitely wooden and has an "arid" feel, but it's not overwhelming. There's something sweetening it slightly - I can't honestly wager a guess since my nose isn't that talented, but I'd agree with some of the other members and say maybe frankincense, or a tiny hint of amber? Whatever it is keeps drawing me back to it. I have a thing for "church" smells, like the old wooden and/or cathedral-y kind, and since this kind of smells like one out in the middle of a forest, I'm enjoying it. But that specific image has been taken more fully by Aureus' charms, so I'm on the fence. Dry: It's gotten quite a bit sweeter, but not so much as to overtake the earthiness of the patchouli. Verdict: I like this, but on me it's not complex enough to want to flaunt, and not simple in the right way (I'd argue that it doesn't make a strong enough "statement" to only hold one or two overlapping scents). That being said, whatever the combination is, it's intriguing and elegant. *edit* Just an update from '11. Initially I felt what I said in my review, that this was "good" but not amazing. And yet, I've kept the imp over the years and it's one of the scents I most often feel myself drawn back to for more applications. It's very nice.

In the Imp: A very gentle, romantic scent, in a traditional way. I can smell the soft roses and juicy pear, a bit of the plum. Wet: A huge burst of florals. I'm not a fan of them, but anyone who is would be in heaven. There's something a bit "wet" in the scent itself which smells very lush and yummy, and the plumeria has really come to the front for me with its sweet, highly "feminine" feel. Dry: I always test scents by getting the oils on a beheaded q-tip and then applying to my skin, so I will say that with my chemistry the smell has... kind of a "lady of the night"-ish feel, but not necessarily in a bad way. It's very rich, with droves of flowers and a full sweetness that's not quite too overpowering to be alluring. It does maintain a softness despite the depth, and the plumeria is still at a peak, along with what I'd guess is the gardenia. On the q-tip it's much lighter and airier, more like a fresh garden in the day v. evening on me. So just a heads up, if your skin makes it too voluptuous for you then might want to try a scent locket. Verdict: It's not my thing, but it's a well blended scent and people who love delicate yet robust fragrances will enjoy.

I'd say Gomorrah (a gritty, sordid and languid scent: ripe fig, date and currant with black herbs). BPAL doesn't specifically mention it smelling "smokey" but to me it was almost overwhelmingly so, and had a strong peppery spiciness that made me think of curling ash. There's also Inferno of course (cinnamon, bitter almond, and neroli). Certainly has an oomph to it but was too crazy for me, and actually made my wrist break out in a rash slightly. The High Priest Not To Be Described (monastic incense, blood musk, black leather, cypress, pimento, white pepper, and Roman chamomile) tops as my favorite spicy/hot/fiery scent. It's not overly "omg my nose just exploded" but still very powerful and djinn-ish in my opinion. And how about vetiver, smoke, and leather? All wrapped together with a slight sweetness? I love Kroenen (shining black leather, gleaming metal, labdanum, and myrrh).

In the Imp: This is only a small bit ashy so far, and not dry at all. Surprisingly it smells more like the ripe fruits than anything, particularly like a full yummy date. Wet: This is one of those scents that is 100% true to its description. It's gritty and has the sharp smell of herbs mixed with the more indulgent and rich notes of robust fruits. I suppose what you'd imagine a high class brothel would smell like... after if got burned down. Dry: This got very peppery as it dried, almost uncomfortable to the nose and so much that the fruits which gave it a more balanced feel have almost faded entirely. It was nice initially but in my opinion it's too overpowering now. Verdict: I don't usually wash off oils after testing them even if they turn out funky, and I will say that after about four hours this went back to a slightly "juicier" smell once again, but to me that's a bit too long to wait. The harshness still lingers though, and it's a bit tiresome after extended wear. Rating: 2/5

In the Imp: Cinnamon and honey, very yum. I get a bit of the ginger as well, lending some sharpness in addition to an "eat me" vibe. Wet: The pepper and clove come to the foreground making this very spicy at first, sort of the "I'm going to sneeze but I still want to be able to breathe this" reaction, though I'm pretty sure it will settle as it dries. The cinnamon is surprisingly not too overpowering, which I'm glad about since I can only tolerate it in smallish doses. Dry: I find skin musk almost similar to vanilla, and combined with honey this is alluring but sweetly so - the "passion" comes from the fiery notes which have indeed settled and now balance very nicely with the softness of the first two. People have been saying this reminds them of Chai tea and I can see (or rather smell) that as well. Verdict: I'm starting to feel if I end up addicted to too many scents with a vanilla/honey base I'll get stuck in a rut. Hrm. Despite that I can still say this might be a bit too... inviting, for me. Odd as that may sound. I like my scents to be a little "different" so that people stop and go, "Whoa, that was nice but what is it?" instead of a straight-up, "Mm, she smells good," response. I think this is an occasional "when I'm feeling extra cuddly" scent versus more frequent wear, but it is nice. Rating: 3/5

In the Imp: Soothing lavender... and... lavender. But it's a nice, full scent, like what you'd smell directly from the plant. Wet: Now it smells like a dew-laden lavender, with something of a drier follow up? It's odd, almost reminds me of BPAL's "moss" note which has that sort of parched feeling, and yet seems a bit alcoholic too. Dry: I'm going so far as to say this is astringent on me, sadly. I can smell a tiny bit of jasmine, but other than that all I'm getting is this strange harsh, dry scent. Even the lavender has died down a bit, and normally it doesn't have problems maintaining a decent quality on me. Not sure what did it but this isn't cooperating with my chemistry. Verdict: Seemed pleasant enough in the imp but this turned into some kind of scary alcohol beast when it met my skin. Sad! Rating: 1/5