fallow deer

I bought this from The Apothecary's Cat, and on their website there is no description, only that this oil is not to be worn as perfume. Out of the bottle, this is a sweet resinous blend, quite high pitched and almost balsamic. Although I won't be using this as a perfume but for meditation, I did dab a little on my wrist to see how the scent would unfold. I don't know much about Egyptian perfumery/incense, but I know there is a blend called kyphi which is a component of Anubis, and that I recognise it here. A yellow fruity note comes out, and some floral, perhaps rose. The scent remains still sweetly resinous - there's almost definately some amber here as well as the possibility of frankincense (see how I'm hedging my bets! ) This is a clear, sweet, clean, pure & almost medicinal blend that feels golden yellow in tone. It's very balanced, not too cloying or heavy but not really ethereal either. I'm looking forward very much to using it.

Dark chocolate with a heavy cream undertone. Hmmm - I'm afraid I'm on the synthetic-smelling side of this camp. I love Bliss, and Velvet, and Tez and Freak Show. But Candy Butcher has just too much sweetness for me. It has given me a headache and I can still smell it on my clothes which is making me feel nauseous.... Sad, because I love chocolate scents...

Sonic Death Monkey was mainly chocolate orange to me. The most chocolate-orangey scent I've tried from BPAL was 13, which had notes of white chocolate and mandarin. It's been released twice so far so you should be able to find a bottle.

DCCLIX A rather dry rose - not as dry as London, and not as astringent as Maiden, but then not as wet as Peacock Queen or 2, 5 and 7. It's more like the rose note in Love in the Asylum. It would need a better nose than mine to distinguish other notes; there might be some other lush flowers under the rose note, possibly peony, but I wouldn't like to say for sure.

This reminds me very much of Al Azif with fruity top notes. I think it's lovely - I enjoy Al Azif and the fruits add a bit of bounce and bite.

I took quite a lot of bottles with me to Spain last year but what was especially lovely was The Star for the actual travelling. Helped me feel calm and fresh.

Hnuh? Fresh on the skin I get all the zappy fruity notes, and as others have noted it's nicely dark. However, as time progresses I am getting strong, almost offensive wafts of red musk from the back of my hand and it's rather too much. It's not listed as a note and I'm not one to swear a note is in a blend when it's not mentioned but... red musk...

The most 'natural' smelling BPAL I have tried is, I think, King of Clubs, which is definately mossy and licheny and woody. Ace of Pentacles is very good too.

Ooh yes I'm well into Spring scents - Beltane, Maiden, Alice, Pink Moon, Spirits of the Dead, Embalming Fluid. Lovely.

Definately Morgause. Also Sybaris Gypsy Queen Sleepy Moon Sophia King and Queen of Spades although people's scent perceptions vary.

I'm backing up Blood. So good!

I'm used to using rose oil to work with my heart chakra, and so I'm interested in using this oil since as mentioned above, it has a more lavender, herbacious quality. It also has a soft floral. I love lavender, it's one of my favourite oils, but I know some people find it too harsh. They shouldn't be worried about Anahata since it is a very soft, gentle blend. I have yet to work with this oil so will update when I do.

Manipura returns to the spiciness of Muladhara, but lightened somewhat. I did quite a bit of work with my solar plexus chakra a while back, and I remember using the image of a golden bowl in my tummy. Because of the associations in my mind, I saw this chakra a bit like a Tibetan singing bowl, beaten in that way and resonating roundly. Muladhara has a kind of shiny, metallic aspect - not harsh or bitter but like the taste of brass and round like a bowl. It's like a singing bowl.

I definately agree with the associations with Love Me. The jasmine is definately there. There's that fiery type of blend Beth does that isn't at all spicy, but is floral. I never realised before how /hot/ florals could be, until Fire Eater and Salamander. I'm definately likening this to the yellow flame licking out of the glowing coals of the root chakra. Could be good for sexy dancing!

Mainly ginger and vetiver, as far as I can make out. I love the smell of ginger essential oil, it's much earthier and dirtier than you'd imagine. This blend is warming and reassuring but also quite exciting.

Sleepy Moon is one of the most beautiful scents I have tried for a while, and that's saying a lot since I was stunned by most of the Lupercalia oils. I have only worn it to bed so far, so I can't really say how it wears on me other than that it is gone by morning. BUT I can say it is one of the most powerfully narcotic sleep inducing scents ever. It's like Dorothy is not just in the middle of a field of poppies during the day, but is surrounded by dark dark poppies, lavendar and sandalwood and it is pitch black. She doesn't even get to say 'Oh my! Poppies!' or whatever she says in the film because she's out cold. The first word that came into my mind when I first smelled Sleepy Moon was 'entropy'. It is a dark dark scent, with just a brush of indigo round the edges. It's like the neck of the bottle is a little black hole, the edge of a coma.

Yup yup - Nuit and Evening Star are beautiful clear summers nights with lots of stars.

Did you want lime or not (I couldn't tell!)? The Star is coconut and lime and lovliness.

I third Maiden - also a lovely spring scent.

If you could find it, Flower Moon smelt very daffodilly to me, along with a host of other spring bulb flowers.

The Cracked Bell smelt strongly of Dragon's Blood to me - try some of the (very red-smelling) Ars Draconis oils.

And batches of Hamadryad must vary wildly since the imp I have is nothing like the soft woods and flowers of yesterimps.

Yup!

Khajurajo is like a much much nicer and more complex Rock Star on me...

Something rosey (if you like rose)? Otherwise, I like Blood for when I've got that drawn, drained feeling.