Lycanthrope

Oh holy crap, this stuff is awesome win. It takes that essence of beeswax I love, gives it a kiss of Coyote's skin musk, and then... it blossoms. I liked Hand of Glory and Hanerot, but for some reason, this is a great, richer, less mixed, more pure smoky candle scent. LOVE. BOTTLE(s).

When I spray this, I get 'smells like high end soap!' in only the most complimentary of ways. It starts of quite smooth with a hint of ferocity, and then the cinnamon-ish spicy cinnabar comes out a touch more. It's very different, spicy, yet smooth, and quite... posh. I don't know how else to describe it. Smells well-blended, and spicy.

This is very nice! I sampled this with Eutectic. After receipt, I promptly sprayed some in my car, which became a big rolling nap-to-be, and then I had Pho. The scent is very much like TKO - a sweet deep vanilla musk that is kissed most strongly by the lavender. It's not too herbal, this is the floral part (and not so much balsamic) aspect of lavender flowers. The other notes are very subtle, but do make it a hint sweeter (?melon?). I used this on my pillows in the Denver dryness, and it is quite a nice sleeping blend. The lasting power is moderate, but the sweet vanilla is mostly gone by the next day. The lavender bite persists and this spray does need reapplication (I'm all too ready!)

This is truly a radiant white floral, but I think the davana or some honey-sweet amber aspect of The Girl goes too strong on me, because it's doing what The Lotus Tree did on me - the honey-syrupy glowing sweetness is turning quite potent and magnified on me, to the point where I get a nice tickle of pretty flowers all gathered in a row, with a giant monstery honey amber monster lurking protectively behind them.

Did not work on me. It was like old, powdery, undead grandma. Agree with talc, and pleasant old woman perfume, mixed with DEATH AND DIRT. Considering the background behind the scent as well as the intent... wowzers, rousing success. Having worked in a hospital, this scent is quite unnervingly the smell of slowly atrophying smiling grandmothers.

Spicy gingerbread nuts, but mostly big spicy nuts at the drydown. No big whomp of violet, which I was snorflin' for. ... nuts.

I must be crazy, or my skin must be so. Sarah is a moist rocky metal scent to me. It has that same cold feel as Metal Phoenix and Kataniya (to name examples) and a touch of the oily scent of several of the Steamworks series. My chemistry must be weird, because this dries down on me to the scent of cold rocks. Fairly awesome, but I don't think I need to get more than what I skin tested.

How very odd, these zombies, they run a donut shop. It starts off quite strong when wet with a mixed raspberry/strawberry 'mushed berry' sweetness, and doughiness emerges later. The scent veers off towards strawberry sugar, but not in a cotton candy way, it's like the remnants of gooey sticky strawberry jam when you've misfired on your toast. Sticky, like that feeling between your fingers. Not bad. I will keep my bottle.

So, let's see. I'm always hoping the manly scents will work on me, so when someone asks me what I'm wearing I can rattle something off like 'Vampires Standing Precariously Close to a Cliff Looking Menacing but Oddly Sexy Wearing Inappropriately Tight Black Clothing,' so, of course, what works magic on my skin? Yup. I suppose, though, the sheer goodness that is Plastic Pink Flamingo on me makes up for the fact that there is, in no terms, any way where I can pull off masculine when I tell someone I'm wearing a perfume that is not only pink, but a lawn ornament. In short, this scent is "Sweet Grass Frosting." Which, as horrible as it sounds, is really, really good. On me, the grass and dandelion are very subtle and the pink sugary rock candy comes through - not as almondy candy as Velvet Unicorn, not as blended with gin as Pink Kitty, and, while still not flexing its muscles and pretending not to secretly like watching HGTV, is not as potently feminine. Wet, sappy, milky, with a bright burst of sugar, and drydown, I get that elusive sugar that people must be getting from other sugar blends that never worked one me - plus that nommy floffy sugar note that resembles Peeps before I OMNOM them to nonexistence. Good lasting power, too. I, uh, am glad I stocked up.

Forgive if this has been elsewhere, I looked and did not find. I was very intrigued by this as it had both salt and ocean, as well as ... a floating coffin! The artwork is by Gris Grimly, and I'm not sure, but it's some kind of skeletal fish critter with a deranged skull, which is adorable. Anyhow... onto the scent. Bottle - marine, in the ocean way, maybe a hint of seaweed, but this is a cool dark sea-blue aquatic without the sharpitude of Lightning nor the frank melon-green-wateriness of Tempest. There is a familiar saltiness which is kinda like Pool of Tears, but this is ... saltier. On skin this is very salty indeed. It has a little sticky quality to it, but the majority of the scent remains a citrussy marine wateriness which, if I had to compare it to other oceanics - is closer to Y'nathlei, Deep Ones, and Olokun, versus scents like Cthulhu (more violaceous). The woodsiness comes out a hint but it's mostly salt and water. Drydown is soft, not obtrusive at all, and the marine waters soften a good deal. Throw is subtle but it's there. I'd say it's not as sweet and bright and misty as Kingsport, but quite nice and a great addition to the marine family.

Whoa momma vetiver. I have the unfortunate tendency to make vetiver smell exactly the same no matter when it touches my skin. No different with Kroenen, although I can tell there's a hint of something more pleasant, smooth, running under the whole scent - I think it's trying to be a little musky, but I can't tell. The drop I tried from Eutectic didn't really change much except fade, though.

I was sorta confused about Liz. Sniffing and dabbed on, it's really really dry. Like, sucks the top of your mouth dry, dry. With it there was this very nice but unidentifiable flower. I think it's lily or hydrangea or hyacinth - not a common flower, something else that's of the bright and warm variety. But so dry.

What fun! This was very familiar to my current Ash-Smoke-Herbs fave, The Norns' Farmhouse. It has the most marvelous myrrh undercurrent throughout, and a fiery, very warm sensation lifting above. The scent is mildly savory, and makes the back of my throat feel as if I am sucking in warm air. Quite interesting. I kinda want a bottle like nao.

Whoops, Eutectic and I discovered at my pad that we are Rose-Ampin' BPAL twins. Because there was definitely a sleek sharp citrus, almost a touch cool (?leather?) that completely, utterly hid the rose which lashed out at me like so much angsty poetry. I was all like *angst* *flail* *rose* The subtelty was pretty nice though, and I think on someone whose skin plays well with rose, this could be an awesome cool citrus rose - cold and dark, and with talons.

Again, due to Eutectic locality, I got to dab this on and try it. So... I will just write my impression. POWDER'D!!! It's a very strong sweet musky powder aroma on me. Like whoa. I was informed there was something more sinister beneath it, but I think this is sinister enough on me already. Like I just got uppercutt'd by a baby who was just recently changed and surrounded by a cloud of talc. Mayhaps better on other folks' chemistry, because mine apparently not only amps lily and rose, but baby bum.

As I am local to Eutectic, I got to sniff (and dab!) a coveted drop of this wonderful blend. On first sniff, It's a very well blended slightly wet floral, no particular dominating essence. There's a hint of a bright aura of some sort. This, I warn, is a blend you should not try, for you shall covet it. On my skin, there's again that interesting sharp brightness, which I can't put my finger on. There's a swirl of vampy flowers, like lilies and maybe a hint of rose or possibly a little... oh, I dunno. It's just a very striking, dangerous floral. And over it all is that brightness... and a hint of a wet, sweet fruit... Oh. Is that cognac? It's a beautiful note if present - I can smell a deep grape-y wine aroma that isn't too super strong. Peeking past the skin scent is just a tingle of honey - like a tickle - nothing overpowering. Overall, this prototype blend is remarkable in how many subtle scents it holds - and it gradually transforms over wearing time. Even this one small drop shows off so many gradations of aroma that I'm floored. Over time, I'd say this retains a touch of honey sweetness magic, and a dangerous floral. I think it's like Black Lily on steroids, if steroids caused explicit awesomeness.

Good eve, Queen Ysabel, I welcome you to my court. What's this, you say? Your court-girls have entered my salon and have filled it with ruby red rose petals. Their scent, to me, is always cloying and somewhat frightening as they, much like their tossers' pastiched lips of crimson, crescendo into a frightening... But, hold. What is this? Queen, you enter, holding a marvelous crystal flacon filled with a most mysterious aroma, which you, arching an eyebrow, mist into the air like mist from a waterfall, a beautiful concoction of mysterious, enticing carnation, pushed forward but not overwhelmed with the tickling fiery sweet clove, and supported by a thrum of murky patchouli. The effect is intoxicating, mesmerising, I close my eyes in ecstasy, and I forget all about the bevy of rose littering my grand chambre, even as your slightly deranged handmaidens pull from beneath their petticoats even more petals and find yet-unexplored corners to stuff damp, velvety torn rose petals into. You step closer, a smile, and I take another breath. The carnation, the spice, the swirling smoke, the absolute hypnotism, the... *WALLOP!* I black out. Awakening on my left side, the first thought is on the condition of my dress linens, and at what horrid cost it will be to clean them properly. The second is the aroma of roses, wet, squished, blood red, at eye level, slightly torn and dragged across the cement floor, intermixed with that lovely symphony of scent. Oh, how I hate roses. But, as I rise slowly to my feet and kneel before my majesty, that wonderful carnation rises again, with another spritz it opens my eyes and mind with its glorious radiance, and within my heart I know that I can't live without this perfect aroma, and take it, roses and all. I glance up at you, your majesty, as you hoist a large, flowery umbrella, composed of tightly stitched rose blossoms, over your shoulder, a duke-shaped dent apparent in the careful tempered metal frame. You snap open an intricate fan covered in the finest lacework, a brilliant ivory, and from behind it I can see your dark, brooding eyes sparkle with the laughter of a conqueror. I am yours, my crimson Queen!

Boadicea, in the bottle, is quiet, swirling malevolence. There are wisps of the snap of vetiver, just barely, a little smokiness, something sweet, feminine, but definitely smoldering. On my skin, this is very sweet indeed, in fact, there's maybe a snap of smoke and sharpness which gives way to a smooth powdery amber accented and sweetened by the vanilla. Neither the patch nor dragon's blood announce their presence in their usual way on my skin (no deep, dusty dirt aroma nor sharp, slighty tangy citrus-oid resin), they just get swirled up into this very smooth amber. Which... as this amber tends to do, a possibly similar amber as in The Ifrit, goes to powder. A very nice, fancy powder, but puffy and light, and pleasant, but not menacing at this point. Still quite nice. I like it, but it evokes a more peaceful scene to me than the destruction of Romans.

I kind of smell like meat. It's a ferocious true woodfire scent that on me sometimes approaches crispy striped meat territory. Glowy, though, a summer campfire.

Whoa. Iz like I've been shucking corn and cutting the tips off of string beans from Mom's garden. Like Whoa. Totally not a 'wearable' scent for me, but srsly like whoa. It's snappy, herbal without being super green, and smells like leaves.

Pwah? I have no idea why, but whenever I put this on, I immediately think of LUSH's Retread conditioner, the yogurt/melon/violet concoction that is all sorts of wonderful. It's got this greenish snap that reminds me of violet leaf, which may be the paper bag note. On me, the berries and cognac stay really quiet and it's mostly this ruffly underside of a leaf aroma. Quite odd. I really do like it but probably won't need more than this bottle.

Soft, and less firm than I would have expected such a rigidly defined scent to be. From the base of the bush-like woodsy wood notes, I detected a prick of soft sandalwood, dribbling with the hint of sweet tonka, but not being overtaken, there was a tiny pulse of musk. I don't detect honey, and this scent, while engorged and waiting, is now a bit more shy and curves away from where I expect it to go. That's ok, it's good enough to get where I need it to go and it does tickle some part deep within. Not usually my type but with the right situation it can satisfy my craving for fuzzy woodsy scents.

So, I have had my bottle since the original release, but never reviewed it. In short, the drydown is like Love's Philosophy but with less sharp saffron, and more chocolate. So, it's a deep cocoa layered over a neutral-sweet cream note. It's ok. The curious thing about my bottle is that it also smells like alcohol, and on my skin it is thinner than most of my BPAL, and has a cooling sensation. I have no idea if what I have is pure CB, or if there was a cleansing snafu. Regardless, I got this direct from the Lab, so I'm wondering if the very strong alcohol note is expected.

So... Anyone with experience transporting a stash, it's counting down time until I join the CO BPALers... June! I may consider moving a bit of BPAL with me the first trip and storing it - or would y'all not? Anyhow. I have already prepped most of my backup stash except for the new incoming backups (lots... sigh) with sealant tape (the white rubbery nonsticky type) and a thin layer of bubble wrap. Then I pack them as tight as they will fit into these interlocking Target boxes. They sure are heavy. I'm wondering if anyone else has add'l info - my time is not going to be plentiful unfortunately so I can't do anything too elaborate, but I must secure the smellies for the long drive. I'll probably haul the box in and out of the hotel... more important than my computer

Ok. So, the whole 'light floral' thing is not my usual cup of tea. I somehow found a very tiny partial bottle of this from a forumite, and it crept its way, all unassuming and sneaky, and then one day on my way running out to work, it was the only bottle I saw and I had to make a snap decision. Dabbed on neck, wrists, and out. Oh my god, does this scent blossom. It sits lightly against the skin like a veil of lightly warmed, sweet and tender blossoms, rustling silks and lightly dappled fabrics wafting in a breeze scented with a light kiss of honey. It's osmanthus heaven. It's an exotic scent merging the beautiful astringency of tea without the sharpness, accentuated by a touch of powder... that is not talc-y in the least, melded and fitted delicately and countering the brisk sweetness of the honey. In the drydown it keeps a sweet astringency. So, this is like bright honey powder infused with osmanthus, which having had tea infused with osmanthus in the past, this is a beautiful execution of the flower. Holy crap, I think I just described myself into needing a bottle of this eventually when I burn through this tidbit.