Vega

The Snow Storm! (I'm also surprised it's not been mentioned on this thread yet!) It's Yule 2007; to me it's living evergreen forest -- cold, thin, but beautiful in its purity and simplicity. I think this would be perfect for your man. Other recs: Moon of Small Spirits is evergreen, cool and clean, but without a strong pine note (it's more of a green temperate forest than an evergreen forest to me). But I also like it because it has a slight flowery/greenery touch, so it may be a bit feminine. I still recommend it for trying. Light pines in the GC: Ochosi may fit the bill, it's an interesting mix of evergreen/woods and shea butter, which softens the sharp green edge. The Jersey Devil, although it's more leafy than piney to me. Nocnitsa is very similar to the Devil, if a tad darker and with a dirt note.

Firmly in the Vanilla Fangirl Bandwagon too. I've found that vanilla-dominant blends come in two categories, creamy and sugary. Creamy: Snake Oil, The Antikythera Mechanism, Lyonesse, Haloes, Love's Philosophy, Liz, Under the Harvest Moon. Sugary: Antique Lace, Tombstone, Black Opal. Thankfully there are more creamy-vanillas, because I love all the above -- just the right amount of warmth, sweetness and smooth creaminess, without becoming excessively sweet or food-like. The sugary-vanillas seem to have a kick of sugar-sweetness on top of the vanilla, which can get a bit excessive, eg. Tombstone is perfect, but Antique Lace was simply too sugary for me. I wonder if anyone has observed this? Maybe the sugar-vanillas are a subset of the creamy ones, or a version thereof. Most unfortunately, Mouse's Long and Sad Tale was mostly sweetpea with a hint of amber and no vanilla, Regan was unpleasant stephanotis with the faintest touch of vanilla, and Pink Snowballs was overwhelmed by mint, my nemesis note.

I asked for simple BPAL blends a while back; the replies may help you.

The Lady of Shalott is a dark aquatic that evokes cold, running water (that is, before it turned all nasty hot white floral on me), and Danube is also like a bubbling brook. They strike me as "river" scents though. As for oceanic ones, definitely The Sea Foams Milk and Sea of Glass (although this is more ozone to me); Kiyohime Changes From a Serpent is like green waves crashing on the beach. Many Picnic in Arkham blends are aquatics: Y'ha-nthlei, R'lyeh, Cthulhu and The Deep Ones -- I didn't find them too dark, but YMMV. However, the most oceanic blend for me is Selkie, an older Lunacy. It's not common but not too rare on Swaps. If you can't get it, Kiyohime is very similar in my books. You can find more recommendations here, here and here. (I went through an aquatic phase myself. ) Good luck!

I know how you feel! My scent memory is all kinds of fail, and I have a hard time picking out notes. I'm still learning my nose, but what helped and still helps me is (1) testing lots and lots of scents and comparing everything to everything else, and (2) taking copious (written) notes on my findings. Gradually I started picking out individual scent notes, and got better at identifying the ones that I like. You might want to hang on to every scent you get. Just test everything with each other for a while, then when you're able to identify some notes, test similar scents with each other to pick out the remaining unfamiliar notes. Writing down my impressions and comparisions definitely helped.

Sniffed: Bright, sweet and juicy, slightly tart. On skin: Dragon's blood dominates, juicy, red and very sweet, with the wine providing a thin, dry depth. But I can't smell any rose! Blood Rose is quite simple: bright and intense but not high-pitched, and the sweetness isn't cloying although it borders upon artificial. Thankfully the wine becomes more prominent over time, tempering the sweetness significantly; the scent ends up much gentler and less artificial. It's quite similar to Dragon's Reverie (both are dragon's blood with flowers), with Blood Rose being darker and thinner. Verdict: I like dragon's blood, but I also like it with other notes. I was looking forward to smelling its interaction with rose, so I'm a little disappointed that I don't get any rose at all! Maybe I just can't tell what it's doing here. In any case, Blood Rose, while pretty, is a bit too simple and one-dimensional for me.

Sniffed: Light, spicy dragon's blood. On skin: Poppy gives a spicy embellishment to the red, juicy dragon's blood. Can't quite smell the amber, and I occasionally get a whiff of ylang ylang. The spice gradually smoothens out and blends with the dragon's blood. Simple, light yet full-bodied, uplifting, sweet and spicy. Very benevolent for a dragon's daydream! Dragon's Reverie is very similar to Blood Rose, albeit a bit lighter and spicy. Verdict: A very pretty scent indeed. But Dragon's Musk is my go-to for dragon's blood, so I don't think Reverie will get much action. Still, it's a lovely variant of the Ars Draconis blends!

Sniffed: Clean and papery with the barest touch of sweetness. On skin: Oh my, I love Mr. Ibis! he is a perfect balance of clear, papery cleanness (papyrus and aloe) lightly infused with a vanilla-like sweetness. The musks and sandalwood must be playing into this too, and the musks eventually show up after a while, although they remain in the background. Mr. Ibis falls in the sweet spot between the wet balsamic Mütter Museum Ü, and the very bland Philologus. It's light, clear, and quite discreet, with a dry aloofness of the scholarly, abstract kind. Perfectly fits the character in American Gods. Colour impression is buff, or parchment/ivory-white with the barest touch of skin-tone pink. Verdict: Mr. Ibis is perfect (and bottle-worthy) in his simplicity and discreetness; in fact, not only do I enjoy wearing this scent, I would LOVE to smell paper scented with it! Between him and Dee, I have the spectrum of parchment/paper note covered. Huzzah!

Sniffed: Liquid and golden, albeit obscured by jasmine. On skin: Jasmine threatens to dominate the blend, but the other notes are fighting back! Yeah! A spicy-floral scent, warm, radiant and uplifting. All the notes are now blending nicely: the skin musk forms a spicy base for assertive jasmine, and sweet and honeyed honeysuckle (with buttercup playing along somewhere). Eos is glowing, gentle and feminine; a simple, non-morphing blend that remains close to my skin. If the blend was a person, it would certainly be a ruddy, laughing maiden, innocent and graceful, with healthy glowing skin and radiant hair. Verdict: Not quite my thing, but Eos is truly lovely and so fitting the theme! And it gives me hope that jasmine may actually play nice in a blend.

Sniffed: Gentle, green, dewy floral. On skin: The lilies and rose are taking centre stage; I'm glad that jasmine is making itself scarce (for once!). Overall, Helena is faintly green and watery-white: it's light, delicate, romantic, feminine. A pretty, girly floral that's not high-pitched or pungent -- but it's rather nondescript as a result. Colour impression is a very pale, translucent leaf green. Verdict: Very pretty, but like most pure florals, it's not distinguishing or substantial. I've already frimped it away, and won't miss it.

Sniffed: Sweet, rich milk. On skin: The milk is smooth and gentle, but it is completely overwhelmed by a sugary sweet yet fruit-like note that can only be fig. Myrrh is nowhere to be found. Nonae Caprotina is nothing but rich, full SUGAR in overdrive. A simple scent -- clear, uplifting, and innocent. Colour impression is shining milk-white, yet somehow translucent too. Verdict: This blend screams Sugar Rush!!!! Eugh. It's way too sweet for me; I may have to avoid fig in future. For swaps!

I've tried both 2006 and 2008, currently reviewing the 2008 version. I think both are quite similar. Sniffed: Dark, resinous and dry, but with a glowing, high note. On skin: That high note (whatever it was) disappears quickly, and dry incense and resins come forth. A full scent, but also dusty from the amber, and slightly incense-sweet. I'm not familiar with some notes, but I can smell patchouli, amber, musk and myrrh working to create this intense, dry scent. Even though Schwarzer Mond is very dark, it's also somehow warm and not heavy. This is an enveloping, puissant darkness: not malevolent or crushing, but one can't ever get "familiar" or comfortable with it either. Colour impression is pure black, perhaps slightly reflective. I can imagine Schwarzer Mond as a tall, thin, powerful sorcerer leafing through forbidden grimoires. Indeed, the Keeper of Secrets... Verdict: An austere, contemplative, yet intense blend that fits its description! And, so far, the only dark-and-heavy BPAL blend that I like. I don't think I'll wear it often, but I'll keep my decants.

The 2008 version. Sniffed: A "purple" scent: dark, juicy, heady. There's a scent association here, but I can't quite recall what it reminds me of... On skin: Well, this is definitely darkness embodied in a scent -- strong and heavy darkness. On Darkness is well-blended, but it seems to be a mix of smooth incense/resins, and heady, dark florals. Over time it lightens a little, and I can now identify lavender and perhaps the rose geranium and rosewood that are adding a floral-sweet touch. There's also a juiciness that reminds me of dark, syrupy berries and seems almost medicinal and/or artificial in its sweetness. In fact, I think my scent association is some sort of syrup... perhaps cough syrup? Regardless, all the notes work to make On Darkness the thickest, heaviest BPAL blend I've encountered so far. Colour impression is a reddish-purple so deep and dark that it's almost black. Verdict: I'm usually not one for dark-and-heavy blends, but there have been a few that I liked. On Darkness is not one of them, however: it's just too heavy for me.

Sniffed: Coconut, loud and clear, touched with heady florals. On skin: Tiki Princess bounces in, gleefully shrieking "I'm here and I'm your COCONUT friend!!!" Warm, heady coconut bordered by spicy, pungent flowers, smooth and milky in texture; a simple, bold, happy scent. (I don't get any coldness since my skin chemistry invariably warms up whatever creates that "cold" feel.) The Princess tends to remain thus, but not always. Sometimes, something unpleasantly spicy/peppery starts developing amidst the sweetness -- this reminds me of the angry pepper that ruined Szepasszony, and I wonder if there's a similar flower here. Plumeria, perhaps? I'm wearing the Princess as I type this, and this time, that hot spicy floral is stifled by the other notes, and the scent overall manages to remain fluffy and sweet and lightly spicy. Colour impression is pure white with the barest touch of sunny yellow. Verdict: When Tiki Princess is good, she is a sweet coconut touched with spicy flowers. But when she's bad, she's hot and peppery. Unfortunately, she likes toying with me and I never really know what she would be. And the this blend is just a bit too heavy on cloying, sweet coconut. I'll have to let her go...

Sniffed: Watery, fruity/melony, slightly tart. On skin: A fruity aquatic. Kiyohime goes on watery and juicy, touched with non-white flowers. The water gradually recedes upon drydown, and it's now fruity, floral, tangy sweetness. It gets more tart and floral-green over time, but overall it's a gentle, airy, oceanic scent that reminds me of the seashore. Kiyohime is in the same family as Selkie and Long Night Moon, a green, airy and tangy version. Colour impression is pale sea-green. Verdict: I like Kiyohime Changes From a Serpent, but it's almost identical to Selkie, which I have a bottle of and is my favourite blue-green aquatic blend. But to those who like Selkie and can't get enough of it, I'd recommend Kiyohime as a passable substitute.

Sniffed: Jasmine jumps in front of gentle flowers and musk. On skin: Zorya is well-blended, a scent of gentle spices and white flowers, surrounded by cozy musk. --Well, except for the jasmine, which overwhelms the other notes and obscures whatever nuance and complexity they could add. After drydown, I really couldn't smell any other note beyond jasmine (or what I perceive to be jasmine!). It is gentle, airy and feminine with an innocent, girlish touch. The Zorya scents definitely are sister scents, all are gentle, airy, and pale like stars. Zorya definitely evokes the calm, contemplative serenity of the stars at midnight. Colour/imagery is the glint of pale pink light off crystals on a midnight-blue background. Verdict: If only the jasmine didn't dominate Zorya! I would've liked to smell the rest of the blend. Alas, for swaps.

Sniffed: A cold green herbal. On skin: A very complex blend; I'm not familiar with many notes, but it's predominantly a fragrant floral/herbal blend, dry, green, and cool, with woods and incense deep in the background. It begins a little bitter and cold, but gradually morphs sweeter over time. Indeed, Brian's Blue Moon is quite a mystic blend: full-bodied and radiant, yet deep and shadowed. An evocative, powerful scent -- it's not pushy or in-your-face, but it exerts a huge presence. Compared to the 2007 version (the only other Blue Moon I have), Brian's Moon is colder and more austere, aloof. Colour impression is a meld of cool yellows, blues, and greens, edged with moonlight. Verdict: A complex blend that perfectly captures the spirit of the blue moon! Most BPAL blends are quite grounded in "our reality", but the Blue Moons have a particularly mystic, otherworldly air. Brian's Moon is very evocative, but most unfortunately, it reminds me of herbal ointments that my parents used to soothe my childhood tummyaches. ...Aye, a sadly prosaic scent association for such a puissant blend, alas! For this reason I prefer Blue Moon 2007.

Sniffed: Green and lush, in a sweet grassy/foresty way. Somewhat like flowers amidst fresh grass and leaves. On skin: This is quite a complex blend and I'm not familiar with many notes, but I can sum this up in one word: Green. It's fresh, lush and cool -- there's a hint of pine but it's mostly fresh grasses and verdant flowers, with a slight touch of sweet water and something darker and mellow that may be the woods and copal. A beautiful, light, fresh herbal-floral-green blend. Colour impression is rich emerald. Verdict: Moon of Small Spirits was a real sleeper hit: I didn't think much of it initially, but after trying and being disappointed by other green blends (mostly of the evergreen and mint varieties), I rediscovered this one and fell in love. I think a bottle is in store...

Sniffed: Warm, creamy-sweet and spicy. Very, very smooth and quite bold. On skin: Ooh-lala! I usually don't use "sensuous" and "voluptuous" to describe a scent, but there's no other way to describe Snake Oil. It is rich exotic spices, exquisitely balanced vanilla (not too sugary), perhaps with incense and some woods. It has a dry, slightly gritty/powdery air that suggests woods, but this is subtle compared to the smooth, warm, spicy and sweet fullness of this scent. Snake Oil is quite straightforward -- no complexity or layers -- it may not be subtle, but boy, it say what it says confidently, assertively and succinctly! The scent is very enduring and doesn't change much over time (except fade, of course). I tend to slather oils since my skin loves to drink them up, but Snake Oil has the strongest throw and endurance of anything I've tried yet. Verdict: One sniff was all it took to get me onto the Snake Oil Fangirl bandwagon. If the blend was a woman, she is all voluptuous curves with a wasp waist, poured into a shimmering, slinky little black dress. She's haute couture, almost untouchable, but oh so vampish. And I love her very much!

Sniffed: Bright and radiant, slightly citrus/lemony. On skin: I suspect osmanthus must be the source of the slight lemon note (since other blends with osmanthus have pulled the same thing on me). Sanctus is initially a light floral with a citrus touch, then becomes a bit spicy, possibly from the musk. Deep, full incense weaves underneath, grounding the other notes. Very faint on my skin. I would describe Sanctus as a shining, full-bodied scent. It has a glowing white radiance, but without warmth or high florals... it feels ethereal, otherworldly, and does resembles light in a way! Unfortunately, after drydown it becomes sharp, thin and lemony. A shame that the pleasant notes burned off so quickly! Verdict: Sanctus definitely fits its vampire: it is an otherworldly scent of light and immense presence, but simultaneously insubstantial and without depth. That is, until it collapses into a sour, citrus note. Overall Sanctus was evocative, didn't really distinguish itself. Another Vampire blend that is close, but no cigar.

Sniffed: Thickly sweet and sugary. On skin: My nose is beginning to recognize the linen note: it is clean, thick and stifling, and mostly stays in the background. Thick sugary sweetness is the prominent note complementing the linen, with a whiff of "conventional" floral perfumes peeking in. There's a touch of powdery dryness. Antique Lace is a straightforward blend: it's just thick, stifling sweetness without nuance or roundedness. Colour impression is light pink and ivory, with a heavy coating of grey dust, like the colour has been desaturated and "greyscaled". Verdict: Mmmm, well, not my thing. I can see the appeal of Antique Lace: it is pure sugary sweetness and comforting coziness. Indeed pretty and calming, but too stifling, sugary and feminine for me.

Sniffed: Fresh, juicy cucumber! On skin: Yup, this is cucumber alright -- wet, juicy and fresh. My sister, who has a better nose than I, said that it was not pure cucumber, so perhaps there are some herbs and greens inside. My nose is nowhere as sensitive, so as far as I'm concerned, this is simple, no-frills, happy and refreshing cucumber! Fades over time to an indistinct juicy, wet, green scent. Verdict: My sister loves cucumber so I got this for her wondering if she would like it, but she didn't like the other notes in the blend. I think this matches its name to a tee, but I'm not one for exclusively green-grassy blends, so I may let this go. But if you like cucumber (with an extra kick, apparently), well, you can't better than this!

Sniffed: Rose and frankincense. On skin: Rose and frankincense, simple and a little "conventional"... but how beautiful it is! The incense adds a full depth, and grounds the light, airy rose. It reminds me of something non-perfume, but I can't recall what. Rose Cross really does evoke spirit (through rose) and matter (incense), with the rose dominating at first then deepening as the incense comes forth. Lovely, graceful, watery, quite feminine. Colour impression is a pale reddish-pink bleeding into white. It's almost identical to Cicuta, although much purer and lighter. Verdict: Rose Cross is lovely in its simplicity and airy/grounded contrast. Even though Othello and The Last Rose of Summer are my preferred roses (they're more complex and interesting), I think I'll keep my imp around!

Sniffed: Rose and frankincense plus another note -- must be the saffron. Very light and faded. And very similar to Rose Cross! On skin: Indeed, this is Rose Cross with extra notes. The frankincense is deep but faint, the rose is sweet and watery, and the saffron is adding a distinct, spicy touch. I don't really get any candles or smoke. Overall, Cicuta is very gentle and faded. A withdrawn, "shy" scent, it feels forgotten, hidden, yet the touch of saffron spice ensures that it can't really remain hidden. It really fits the vampire description! Compared to pure, airy Rose Cross, Cicuta is deeper and "adulterated" with saffron. Those who like rose/incense blends may want to check this out. Verdict: I like Cicuta and think it's very evocative, but it's very similar to Rose Cross (which I like), and I have other rose blends that are more complex and interesting. I may end up swapping this.

Kumari Kandam was one of my first BPAL blends. I think I've sampled a reasonable spectrum of BPAL now, but I'm still unable to link this blend to others (at least, not until recently), so I haven't been able to describe it well, even to myself. Kumari Kandam truly smells like no other. But let me try to review it... Sniffed: Like nothing I've ever smelled before -- perhaps incense and aquatics are part of it. Some days it's very deep like deep waters, othher days it's a lighter and airy aquatic. On skin: What an exotic, complex scent. The earth/loam must be giving it the very unique touch. Definitely aquatic, more dark, oceanic waters than river or lake. The incense, florals and frost are all playing in to make a very well-blended scent. I've worn Kumari Kandam numerous times, and it shows different aspects of its character: some days it is mostly earthy and stony, some days more airy and cold with a flash of humid ozone, some days more tangy-watery-sweet (like melon or some other fruit). I keep coming back to an image of an enormous subterranean cavern, the cathedral-like ceiling vaulting over a huge calm lake below, and I'm smelling the scent of the air within the cavern. Cold (yet somehow warm at the same time), hollow, water-laden, stony; somnolent and languid, like it's been waiting and dreaming for a long time. Colour impression is a mineral-aquamarine edged with dark brown clay. Verdict: The only blend that faintly approximates this is Cloister Graveyard in the Snow, and even then it's a pale imitation of the rich, deep complexity here. Kumari Kandam is unique. It stands on its own. And it's my #1 BPAL blend of all time. Truly, if I could only ever wear one BPAL for the rest of my life, I would be extremely sad... but I would choose this one.