ellebelle

This is all beeswax. Oh, beeswax, how I love you. You are one of my favorite notes in the world. This smells nothing like Glowing Vulva to me. Of all the bottles in my collection, it smells most similar to Tetramorph v2. As it dries, the powdery beeswax-y smell that is so much like tetramorph (to me) backs away and I get a touch of wood/light florals. I love this so much more than the released version. On the far far drydown, I get a light bark-like smell that I associate with the drydown on some of BPAL blends. No big deal - just means this is one I'd have to carry with me for re-application.

I really like this, actually! It is a sweet, sugared lime with some musk (perhaps green musk as that is the one that is more favorable on my skin), cucumber and a hint of melon. I don't really get the grass or dirt note. It does go through a ZOMG!LIME stage but I find that fades pretty quickly and I'm left with a light, refreshing summer scent. Very beautiful!

This is definitely plum and spice - but to me, less incense spices and more mulling spices. I would put this in the same scent family as the mulled wine scents, like Gluhwein. A fall winner.

I have now tried all three of the lab's Black Orchid prototypes! The unreleased one does smell like v5, only lighter and more watery. I slathered and I get little to no patchouli in the unreleased version whereas the patchouli is a present and grounding note in v5. Unreleased fades to a generic soap-y smell on me whereas v5 remains more robust, with longer through and more staying power. v5 is my favorite of the three protos!

Sharp, sharp, sharp florals in this for me. I can also get some of the pretty resins, but then I get a stabby headache inducing floral again. At the far, far drydown I get glorious amber.

I think this is red musk, ginger and sassafras. I don't get the coconut at all. It is quite pretty though!

I agree completely with Penance's review. On me, PP3 was a soft, suede-y leather scent without the astringency that I associate with some of the other leather blends I tried. I also got a touch of dry grasses - more like the scent of sun warmed grass than green grass to me. Pretty, but not for me.

This is BEAUTIFUL on me (although, full disclosure, carnation is one of my notes of pure win)! I agree with the rose and carnation notes - those are definitely the most prominent notes in this blend. Yet, the rose scent (to me) is more in line with the rosiness of Othello or Haunted Palace - it is sweet and tempered by something else. I suspect there is another floral in there that is tempering the rose and lending it some extra sweetness, perhaps gardenia or magnolia or some other bright flower. I do not think it is lemon balm as I amp all lemon to high heavens and this does not smell of lemon at all to me. Little bird, maybe you have Hex v3? I think that's the buttery one.

I'm not a real leather fan, and I like this. This has the softer more feminine leather that I associate with blends like Liz rather than the sharper, more masculine leather that I associate with blends like Paladin v3 and Spanked. This is a pretty herbal blend on me with hints of musk and spice. As it dries down, the balsam/herbal quality backs off and more of the spice comes out. I'm not sure it's love at first sniff, but I can see myself wearing this during the summer time. This is a relatively complex scent, and I like that about it too.

As others have noted before me, this is Antique Lace. If you like Antique Lace, and relatively simple vanilla scents, you will love this to pieces. While I can appreciate why other like this, I already have a bottle of Antique Lace and I prefer more complex scents, so I won't be searching this out. But thank you to the kind forumite who sent me a tester!

Did I get the same bottle as everyone else? On me this is a very light floral (possibly the dragon's blood?) and WOOD. This is a heavy wooded scent for me. There is, perhaps, some orris and other dry scents in here as well. I do not get any melon or fruit or aquatics. Just a light floral (lilac?) and wood.

I smell musk, sweet resins/spice and some kind if nut. I agree with the person who suggested chestnut. I'm not so sure about this ...

Dark, resinous, beauty. My "bottle" is a rollerbottle in which I dump all of the Sheol frimps I am given. It must not be popular, because I get it swap packages frequently! As a result, my bottle is probably of mixed ages. I got NO bright florals at all. If I didn't know better, I would think this has amber because of the resinous undertone. I do get some of the lily, but it is no happy floral. This is a seductive floral for an evening out.

In the imp, this smells like sassafras to me. One one, it's a glorious, sweet resin - just the kind that I crave during winter. I will be picking up a bottle of this for sure.

Thick, grassy greenness, herbs and perhaps a touch of musk? I agree with beachbabealways - this is exceedingly well blended and difficult to pick out individual notes. If you like the green grassy scents, you might like this. A keeper. ETA: This has the same balsam note from U, the Mutter Museum scent.

To me, this is a cousin of L'Estate and Echo and the other musky/sandalwoody scents. It is not sharp at all for me. Very pretty!

I can't believe this one isn't getting more love. On me, it's a citrus vanilla-musk, soft and creamy. This will be wonderful in the summer time. Definitely a simple scent - and the first of the RPG line that I have really, really liked!

Oh, sigh sigh sigh. This has lemon in it - I don't think it's lemon grass, but lemon balm. It's the sweet citrusy lemon that I amp to high heavens. When I first put this on my wrist, I get a touch - a TOUCH - of lavender and herbs greens until it is all overwhelmed by the evil and insidious lemon. As it dries down, I get a bit of the rose, but then it is just lemony rose. cries.

Am I smelling the same perfume? I get a ton of leather, a touch of opium and almost no rose at all. I think this one might need to settle so that the astringent edge comes off the leather note. ETA: On second wearing, this is more rosy, less astringent. It is a dark and evil rose. I am not a huge fan of rose scents, but I've been getting into them more lately if they are grounded by something else. I think that the opium here ground the rose nicely so that it does not overwhelm. Definitely a sexy, grown up scent.

This is the cream from glowing vulva, a lighter carnation note and vanilla, plus possibly some sweet pea? Overall, something in this goes a bit plasticky on me. Very disappointing.

This, for me, is a hybrid between the chinese new year scents and the atomic luau scents. There is definitely a citrus fruit medley in this - melon for sure, but I thought perhaps lychee as well? and maybe peach? - I don't get any lemon from this, thankfully, since lemon is a note that overpowers all on my skin. No orange either. The fruitiness is complimented by a grassy, minty note. This is not the mint note from the Yule blends, but more of a "true" mint - the smell of fresh herbs. This will definitely be in rotation for the summer months.

This is sweet, resinous perfection. I do not get any kind of chemical smell from this at all, on my skin. I think the term "butter" is a misnomer, as there is no buttery note in this. If anything, I smell opium and amber - probably a dark amber. There are some faint hints of spices, but I couldn't tell you with any certainty what those spices are. They are all rolled into the opium to make one delicious, sensuous, amazing, grown up scent. So much awesomeness. Good throw and longevity.

Mmmmmmm, tobacco flower, how I love you. I can always pick it out in any blend that has it, and here it is particularly present. It blends seamlessly with the vanilla. This is not particularly woody or heavy on the patchouli. On me, it is all vanilla and tobacco flower. :wub2: This is a heavy, sexy, very adult perfume and I love it.

March 25 Are you interested in trying Super Villainess (from Villainess - the birthday scent that was just released tonight!) and if so, which item do you like the most? (Soap, Whipped, Smooch, Extrait, Smack...) I don't like Villainess soaps or perfumes. I have one of their smooches which is nice, and I've never tried smack. If I were to order you a Smack, which four notes would you like? Vanilla, incense, marshmallow and berry. Would you enjoy receiving a knitted gift from your witch? If so what would you be interested in (scarf, hat, wrist / handwarmers, socks, etc.) and in what colors? Sure! I like bright colors. March 23 Easter Candy - do you like it? If so, what types? mmmm, Cadbury creme eggs are my favorites. What scent(s) are you petrified of getting DC'd? I've been slowly buying all of my GC loves. I think I'd be sad if any of them got discontinued, but I'd be okay because I have bottles. March 22 Violette Market Update is up. Do you covet anything from it? Nope. What is your favorite type of wine? Would you be interested in trying something new? In that case, is there anything you really DONT like? Ooooo how about dessert wines? I love both red and white wine - favorite red is Cabernet, favorite white is either Orvieto or Sancerre. I like tart white that aren't too tannic and full bodied reds that are also not too tannic. March 21 What three things are you craving right now? Coffee! paper goods, anyone need? including resume paper, and formal stationery as well as casual cards. I always need post-its and little cards to include in my sales packages. What is a scent that you've been trying to find even a sample of for a very long time to no avail? (What bottle would you die to get your hands on - even a partial?) Always Fee. I have an imp and a half now, but I want a bottle (for less than $200!) Is there anything in your life that you'd like advice or a "selfhelp" book for?: (ie finances, eating healthier, meal planning) Hmm, maybe meal planning. March 19 If your Witch lived near you, would you be happy or creeped out to get a "coupon" for a service like cleaning help or babysitting or dogwalking or coffee out with your Witch or something like that? Would you be creeped out if a local minion personally delivered a package to your house from a far-away Witch? I think I know (and am friends with!) a few of the local, active BPAListas. I would not be creeped out. Let's say I have a pair of something you collect, would you like one of them and we have matching things? Sure! March 18 Do you like poetry? meeeeeeeeeeh. Some of it is great, but I am picky. What types of scents do you like to scent your home? Which do you totally avoid? In the spring, I like fresh clean scents - citrus, lavender, "ocean" ... in the fall/winter, I like baked goods - apple cider, cookies, pie. How do you feel about nail polish? What colors do you like? Sparkles? I like it on my toeses in the summertime. Any color is fine. Household/kitchen goods/gadgets? the boyfriend is more the cook, but I love a good novelty item. Ok geek check - what sort of geeky things do you do? Do you read comics/graphic novels? Are you obsessed with something (a TV show maybe?) Do you work in a geeky field? Do you play rpgs like Dungeons and Dragons? Would you like gifts related to any of these? I answered the comics question already. You know what my job is from my questionnaire. I'm definitely very, very uncool and I'm just fine with that. Do you have a favorite fabric? If someone were to make you a fabric item, would you prefer it be out of any fabric? e.g. velvet, satin, silk, cotton, bamboo??? Would this change if it were an article of clothing vs. a bag/pillow/blanket/somethingelse I'm generally open, but remember that the kittehs will leave their fur on everything. Black velvet is probably not a good idea in my household. Anything with the Worm Moon update that you're already lusting after? Witch, I purchased already. The proceeds going to Japan aid convinced me to just buy unsniffed. I can comfort my wallet by telling it that I bought BPAL for a good cause. Comics: What an opportune question! I just finished watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and now I've started reading the comics. I have all of the Angel comics and I am about halfway through them all, but I only have the first Buffy volume. They aren't as hard to read as I thought thought they would be! I am more of a books-without-pictures kind of girl at heart though. March 17 Would you want an invite to a site that is invite-only ex. Diaspora, Demonoid, etc. If so, what? I don't know those sites? But I decided a long time ago that I'm borderline cool at best. Pillows? What size/designs/colors would most interest you? Hmm, I don't think that' necessary, but thanks. purses? bags? What style/colors? I love me some bags! I particularly like little clutches and things I can take out with me at night. I'm open as to colors - bags and shoes, I loves them all. Decorative scarves for hair and/or creative accessorizing? What colors? Still a black hairband kind of girl. Would you like anything from Starring Fragrances. They make awesome hair stuff, natural deoderant, and home fragrance (and a ton of other stuff, those are just my favs)? I've only tried their perfume once (it was a freebie from somewhere) and I wasn't into it. I passed it along. I'm not against trying other things, but sometimes I get overwhelmed with all of the product out there. March 16 For those who like lipgloss, lipstick, tinted balms, etc, what colors do you wear (and warm? cool?) and do you prefer something sheer or more opaque? How do you feel about shimmer? I love shimmer and I prefer sheer. I tend to wear warmer colors. I really like lipgloss, actually. My favorite brands are the sephora brand (the one that is almost clear, but shimmery), philosophy and Cargo. Are there any fancy/gourmet/special herbs or spices that you'd love to receive? ie: good quality vanilla or other extracts, vanilla beans, saffron, lavender, etc. Nah. Not much of a cook - that's more of the boyfriend's thing. What's your favorite animal? Or is there one that's particularly significant to you? Penguins are my long time favorite, but I've always harbored a secret love of giraffes as well. I have a book called Tall Blondes that is all about giraffes that I bought because I am, well, both tall and blonde. DVDs, Blu-Ray, both, neither? DVDs. No Blu Ray player. Sock Dreams? What kind? (anklets, footies, etc.?) Sock dreams FTW! I like anklets best. Since this is a price capped round, would you rather get one "big" thing or lots of "little" things or don't care? It is up to my witch. I trust your judgment. Do you like pirate-related things? Yaaaaaaaar. Soaps? Be specific: if there are BPAL soaps you want to try or are dying for more of, tell all here! Also, any other companies people like or love? Villainess, maybe? Or Lush? What flavors??? I will pass; I have a TON of soaps and it's hard for me to find ones that don't dry out my skin. Sad. What periods of art do you love most? Like, if someone was going to get you a tapestry or a box or some other item, what period would you want it to most resonate with? the pinks and golds of Rococo? the clean geometry of Art Deco? The romanticism of Art Nouveux? The strange lines of Cubism? Art Deco. Would you like caffeinated lollipops?: ... yes? Copied CD's or DVD's? Sure! Yaaaaaar. I'm going to Disneyland in a couple of weeks, is there anything I can get you? Not that I can think of, but if you see something that seems suitable, I'm all about it. If you were able to get a vintage or prototype bottle from the upcoming West Coast Will Call, which one would you want? Hmm, I've already got someone picking up a bottle of Dreadful Lies v5 for me. But I'd love to try anything ... maybe First of Three Spirits v5? I was waffling on whether to ask for a pick up of that or Dreadful Lies v5. March 15 Booze? Yay or Nay? what kinds? Yay! Anything that is not anise flavored. Steampunk inspired items? Yay or nay? YEEEEEEEEES! Do you like amurigami dolls? No thanks. Pirates vs Ninjas vs Zombies - who wins? Which do you love most? Ninjas. But the real question is cavemen vs. astronauts. Do you like wearing things in your hair? If so, what kind (snap clips, scrunchie, headband, etc), how big & crazy (lowkey, bigger the better), and colors. I'm a plain black band kind of girl. Piercings? - ears?? - elsewhere? 5 in each ear and that is it. Chocolate. With stuff in it? Are you more a plain chocolate lover, a chocolate and normal items lover (normal items being nuts, fruit, caramel) or do you like weird stuff in your chocolate? (weird stuff being curry, chilis, balsamic vinegar, floraly things) Just no fruit. March 14 Do you enjoy gardening? If so, what kind of stuff do you grow? Vegetables, flowers? I have a thumb of black death and destruction. Social Networking sites: Rebeccasharp or sophiawestern on LJ. I'm also lissaphoto on flickr (flickr.com/photo/lissaphoto). Lots of linkage in my siggy. favourite artists or specific paintings? There is a flickr link in an old blog post somewhere....http://www.flickr.com/invite/history/guests?open=72157624762736579#gp_72157624762736579 Astrological charts and interpretation/ reports? Sure! So how does everyone feel about receiving ebooks? Eh. I like paper. Do you need another bpal box? My boyfriend made me a big one for Christmas, so I think I'm set. Do you have any blogs you regularly read? Hyperbole and a half! CLEAN ALL THE THINGS! the world has given you the day off. You hear that, no chores, responsibilities, or budget you have to follow. What would you do in those 24 hours?Shopping, followed by laying on the beach somewhere reading. Ahhhhh, bliss. March 13 how about mix CDs? Love them! Seriously, you can put whatever you want on it. I love finding new music and my tastes are really eclectic. Hey, how do folks feel about little e-goodies, like links to stuff your witchee likes? (articles online, pix, fic, etc) Sure, that would be awesome. Tim Tams? Yes or no? Chocolate Creme, Caramel, or Dark Chocolate? NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM. Is there any "classic" literature (Hemingway, Dickens, Elliot, Bronte, Hugo, Wilde, etc.) that you would like to add to your collection? You can check my amazon.com wishlist, but I would love more books by Elizabeth Gaskell (North and South is one of my favorites). That's the only thing that comes immediately to mind. candles and/or aroma melts: yay or nay? I don't have a tart burner, but candles are fine. Get your music player, what are the first 13 songs on Random? 1. Poker Face (cover) - the cast of Glee 2. Out of the World - Bush 3. Save the Lies - Gabriela Cilmi 4. Little Plastic Castle -Ani Difranco 5. My Dad's Face - 5 Chinese Brother 6. Somebody that I used To Know - Elliott Smith 7. Gone with the Sin - H.I.M. 8. Disease (acoustic) - Matchbox twenty 9. Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation 10. Fire Water Burn - Bloodhound Gang 11. Your Song - from the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack 12. River Sea Ocean (live bootleg) - Badly Drawn Boy 13. Way Beyond - Morcheeba March 11 Would you rather have HUGE list of things your witchee wants to try or just a highlight list? Anything! March 10 Baked Goods? Yea Nay? NOM NOM NOM!! If not Baked goods and you are changing eating habits..a book of recipes perhaps that will help the new eating lifestyle? I'm not a very good cook, so this is probably wasted on me. If you were to make an order RIGHT NOW (Not that any of you will make any bpal orders until SW is over, because you do NOT want to mess up any plans your witch might have!) What would you order (from lab, forum, DD, TradingPost, etc) Hmm, I think I want Nymphia from the lupercalia update. Still waiting for my decants from the newer round of stuff. What level of nudity are you fine with on items? Ex: none, tasteful, erotica Tasteful is good. I know the ?airre asked about gently used books and if you like garage sales, but would you like other kinds of gently used items that may have come from a garage sale? Sure, that's no problem. Do you like cooking seasonings, like the kind you can get in ounce sizes? If so, things you'd love to try out? Again, I'm not so much into the cooking. I'm an awesome orderer though. Do you like any particular kinds of green or black teas or coffees that could also be gotten in bulk? I love all coffee. Bring it on! Favorite snack foods (and can they be from bulk section as well?) Having difficulty thinking of something for this, but I'll try to get back to it later.

I would agree that Metal Rabbit and Metal Tiger are very similar, although I think I prefer Metal Rabbit. Metal Rabbit has a distinctly present tangerine note that Metal Tiger is missing. Metal Tiger smells mostly like bergamot on me. Metal Rabbit is very different from Earth Rat (mostly melon) and Fire Pig (all lychee). I haven't tried Earth Ox, so I can't compare. I love this, so I'm happy.