mistressfizz

Very light woods supporting a sharp leather, with just a hint of spice. The leather borders on chemical. It has a definite cologne feel on me, but it's rather tame, not too strong and overall muted. I could not resist layering this with Rogue. The worn leather in Rogue tempers the cologne sharpness, but I find this Rosin blend also brings out a nice musky base and softens the intensity of Rogue. They are very similar in nature and the shared elements are enhanced - soft woods and the presence of comforting leather.

Normally, water inspired blends don't work on me, but I was pleasantly surprised by this! It definitely has a hint of the classic BPAL aquatic note, but it's not so high pitched here. It actually doesn't smell wet to me. Instead, it's soft, cool and fresh, with a hint of cucumber and a slight fizz. This reminds me of pale green stems and flowing white robes, and clouds reflected in a sparkling stream.

Honey dominates this one for me, the dark amber kind, almost like maple syrup. It's thick and sweet, with a swirl of musky vanilla. It actually has a slightly nutty note, which might be the woods. Overall it's warm and inviting. As it dries, I do get more of the rum, a high pitched spice that's almost a bit sour, weaving into the dense honey.

This is lighter than I expected, green and cool, with an almost aquatic pitch. There are hints of moss and earth, but mostly I get a sense of clean, fresh greenery. As it dries, it settles into a dusty soft scent, like dry branches covered in grass.

This is beautifully blended, like a delicious high quality bread filled with nuts, fruit and a tart glaze, served over a river of golden amber flowing through earth and dirt. It's rich and warm, with just the right touch of sweet, a celebratory scent, exotic yet comforting.

I don't really smell pomegranate or plum, this seems mostly florals, bathed in a muted honey haze. There's a dusty resiny sweetness which I attribute to the myrrh. This is a very soft dreamlike scent, sweet honey and faraway fields of flowers.

Delicate white musk, an ethereal airy feel. The violets are sweet and light, and the tea note lends some herbal astringency. Very ghostly and wispy, reminds me of white sheets and lace and a spring breeze. However, there's a weird rubbery vinyl note that creeps in as it dries. I think that's the vanilla orchid turning to plastic on my skin. Unfortunately, it lingers over the pretty delicate notes, so this one isn't a keeper for me.

Mixed spice, rosewater, and black tea. Whoa, this starts with a blast of black tea, thick, earthy and dark, freshly brewed from whole leaves. It's quite strong, no sugar or cream to soften this cup! Then as it settles, the spices come out, peppery and sharp like ginger or chicory. I can't really detect any rose, this is all savory dark spices simmering in pure black tea.

Chilled, bright fruits, mostly lemon and tangerine. Definitely more on the tart side and not overtly sweet. There's a hint of light musk and snow, slightly minty. Overall, I get a pale orange vibe, almost pastel. It dries dusty with an undercurrent of sour fruit juice.

2012 Version: Wow, this one is amazing. No surprises here, the notes are spot on: a rich red musk swirling with leather, woods and musty linen. It's strong, a little dab goes a long way on me, and everything smells so natural! The leather is worn, supple and has an almost fuzzy feel. The woods are rather resinous, warm and earthy, and there's a softness almost like cotton, mixed into the blend. The overall effect is smooth and sexy. It stays true when dry, becoming just a bit more dusty but retaining the heady mix of notes. A definite bottle purchase for me!

2012 Version: A very dark scent, inky black, gloomy and deep. Not the darkness of a cave, but the darkness found under thick trees on a moonless midnight. Clove dominates the blend on me, rich and dense, followed by pine and tar. The pine is not sharp, it's more like sap, kind of sticky and sweet under the spice. A very atmospheric scent, something I think would work better for the room than on my skin.

Exactly as advertised: creamy spicy milky peony blossoms. Stays true when dry. It's pretty and the milk note doesn't go too sour on me, like in some other blends. Very youthful, but not girly; it feels on the verge of maturity. This is more of a springtime scent, floral and creamy.

This starts off green and thick, a jungle musk. I'm reminded of plant overgrowth, herbs and vines and mossy branches tangled in dirt. Then as it dries, an odd orange smell emerges and this goes from jungle musk into citrus jungle musk. It's kind of weird - not entirely unpleasant, but something I'm not likely to wear.

2012 Version: Cocoa powder, bitter yet pleasant, lightly sprinkled with spicy earth tones, like clove, opium, tobacco. As it dries, becomes more musky and dark, with a hint of sharpness, almost like alcohol or very dry cologne. I'm not really getting the lemon note, maybe the black musk is more tame on my skin. This is actually lighter than I expected and one of the few chocolate blends that work on me.

Light white flowers bathed in the classic BPAL snow note: a bit minty, a bit musky, soft and chill. Under the florals is a nice woodsy base, kind of a dusty wooden floor smell. As it dries, it takes on a golden, almost creamy aspect, yellow and white florals that manage to keep a crisp winter vibe and don't get too soapy. Very pretty and seasonal.

This smells like the BPTP bath oil "Silent Forest" to me. Winter berries, lots of pine and chilly wood notes, an overall astringent feel, slightly boozy. Reminds me of mountains covered in snow, tall imposing pine trees and a whisper of smoke from a cabin.

Bright peppermint with a pop of cologne sharpness. As it dries, the minty freshness fades and becomes sweeter with a slightly woodsy tone, as the dragon's blood warms up. It's an unsettling mix of hot and cold, the darker, earthy notes swirling with peppery light herbs. Oddly interesting.

It's pineapple incense! Really interesting blend. It has a tropical vibe, almost like a South Asian temple glowing in the sun, with hints of warm blooms and soft spices, sweet fruit offerings and dusty smoke wafting over stone.

Thick and heavy - if a scent had texture, this would be like hot porridge. Mostly spices, the cassia and tamarind are very strong, with an earthy sweet & sour base, kind of like wet tobbaco leaves. When dry, it develops a soapy floral layer over the spice mixture.

Sharp sour lemon and lavender are the strongest notes. Something a bit like wet stone underneath, tingly and sharp. It smells the way expensive dish soap would, bright and citrusy and scrubby.

Starts off with a blast of feral jasmine, sour and heady, with a rush of musky florals following. It's acrid and harsh. As this dries, an aquatic note emerges, softening the florals and adding a sharpness. I think the wet phase is too intense for me. I like a softer jasmine.

Cherry candy mixed with sweet red flowers. The cherry is definitely more sugary than sour, and there's a good dose of green astringent herbs in the background. The cherry flavor dominates this blend on me.

Sniff: Waffles! Wet: Yeah, on me this smells like waffles covered in sweet maple syrup and a big mug of pumpkin latte on the side. There’s also an undercurrent of dark spicy tones, like clove or maybe even tobacco, a bit gritty and ashy. Dry: Stays pretty much the same, sugary waffles and pumpkin coffee, over an earthy base. An interesting blend, with just the right amount of musky mystery behind a comforting foodie layer.

Sniff: Rich red musk, with muted sweet honey underneath Wet: I can definitely pick out the red musk and a soft golden honey, but otherwise, all the other notes melt together into a lush, thick warmth, earthy and resinous. Normally I don't like honey blends, but it doesn't have that sickly sour vibe here. Instead, the honey lends more of a viscous texture than a scent. Dry: There are hints of spice and eastern woods when dry, something almost like sandalwood mixed with smoke. The comparisons to Snake Oil are more apparent to me in this phase, but this is sweeter in nature, with a deep core of red musk that stays strong to the end. This feels very exotic and romantic, a rare honey blend that works on me!

Sniff: Dusty and soft Wet: Impressive! It really smells like an old library book that has been stored within a box of blonde cedar, with hints of sandalwood, a touch of incense and smudge of tea. It really does embody a parchment smell. Kind of woodsy, kind of leathery, slightly powdery, musty and old. Dry: This stays pretty much the same on dry down. It does get more dusty and fades pretty quickly on me. I think it's wonderfully evocative, but not sure if it's something I'd wear frequently. I think it would work better as an aromatherapy or atmospheric scent.