This is the first BPAL scent I've tried.
In the vial: Sweet! Really really syrupy sweet. Which makes sense, considering how sweet pure opium resin smells. Also, yeah, lots of myrrh. Which I already know smells hormone-carbonating fantastic on my friend Nancy, but on me it just doesn't have the same effect. I can't really detect much sassafras (that ought to smell like root beer, right?) or nutmeg, just a general sort of warmth to it that's probably their effect. And I LOVE nutmeg and considered it the secret to my very popular quiche at Michaele's, not to mention an essential element of my beloved bread pudding. No, I can't smell any nutmeg at all.
Wet: Oh, THERE'S the sassafras! Wow, root beer. Still no goddamn nutmeg. And the myrrh and black poppy have disappeared under the overpowering scent of root beer barrel candy, or maybe it's root beer schnapps. Hey, I haven't had that in a long time. Maybe it's time to pick up some and have boozeoriffic root beer floats.
Dry: How long do I have to wait for dry? Two other reviewers I know on LiveJournal don't say. I asked the friend who gave this to me (she wanted me hooked!) and she said ten minutes and then half an hour... *checks clock* *drums fingers*
There was something dried-herbal as it was drying off, probably the sassafras. It's still there but going further back. The myrrh-poppy sweetness is back full force. I STILL can't smell the nutmeg. I even went outside on my front porch away from the leftover cooking smells of dinner, and I can't smell it.
Okay, I just hauled out my Microplane and my supply of whole nutmeg, and I'm still not convinced there's much in there. It's blending in and just adding some overall warmth, I guess.
Overall: It smells like a witchcraft store. Or someone who's just been to the perfume-oils merchant at a Renaissance Faire. It's probably going to turn too powdery on me, the way myrrh pretty much always does. I like it, but I'm not sure it does much for me. Since it's "traditionally masculine" (seriously? the overall impression is MUCH too sweet for me to think of it as masculine) maybe I'll try it on my husband, although it hasn't got any citrus or oakmoss, both of which tend to improve resin scents on him.
However, it appears to be as addictive as the name would suggest. Even though I'm not thrilled with it, I can't stop sniffing it.
Wear it at your own risk.
