Alethia

Thoughts before testing: Every note here is a win for me, and I have high expectations for this one. Wet: A lovely blend of osmanthus and hibiscus. It's slightly fruity/floral but lovely. Dry down: The honey and sugar cane are more prominent now and the whole thing is just a lovely sweet floral. Dry: This is a really beautifully blended slightly sweet floral. I love this! Final thoughts: I made a last minute panic order before The Salon came down so Iatso was a gamble. But it's pure win! Verdict: Keeping the bottle!

Thoughts before testing: I'm a huge fan of the single notes. I like when my perfume stays relatively consistent, so the single notes are right up my alley. Lotus can sometimes turn super bubblegum on my skin, so this should be interesting! Wet: Clean and crisp smelling. It's slightly soapy, but definitely not in a bad way. Dry down: The soap smell is gone and is replaced by a watery, clean floral. This is really pretty! Dry: Clean floral without being soapy or high pitched. This is just uncomplicated and beautiful. Final thoughts: This is so lovely. It sticks close to my skin and is just beautiful. Verdict: Keeping the imp, and I might be picking up a bottle before it comes down next week.

A seductive and flowing exaltation of femininity: Turkish rose, stargazer lily, violet, honeysuckle, amber, star jasmine and vanilla. Thoughts before testing: Everything is a win note, except for the jasmine. This should be fun! Wet: Sweet floral; heavy on the lily and vanilla. This is quite pretty and not high pitched at all. Dry down: This goes to pure Dove soap on my skin Dry: Dove soap. Final thoughts: What a disappointment! Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I've been looking for the perfect red musk blend and although the pomegranate and raspberry worries me, I just had to try Red Lace. Wet: Sweet, but not foody. This is heavy on the red musk, pom, raspberry, and the tobacco is providing the backbone of the whole show. Dry down: The red musk disappears on my skin, leaving me with nothing but the pom/raspberry combination and hints of vanilla and sugar. The tobacco is non-existant at this point. Dry: Red Lace dries down to a sugared vanilla smell with vague traces of berries. Final thoughts: This was a disappointment, but I figured the fruits would take over. Sad day! Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I've been on a red musk kick lately, and Le Lethe seemed like the perfect scent to kick off the red musk testing! Wet: Red musk, amber, tobacco; this is surprisingly awesome. Very sexy smelling, very strong. Dry down: Smoky musky floral. The tobacco comes to the forefront here but it's a sweet tobacco. The red musk is amping I think, and turning this very "perfume-y." Dry: By this stage, it's pretty much all red musk and tobacco on my skin. Final thoughts: I really loved the wet stage of this. I can see myself using this in certain situations, but this is definitely not an every day scent for me. It lasted forever though (going on 6 hours and it's still strong!) Edited to add: I did indeed keep the imp, and after a year Le Lethe smoothed out to a drop dead sexy musky-floral-tobacco. This is my go to date night perfume now. Verdict: Upgrading to a bottle!

Initial thoughts: I am normally stay far far away from patchouli, but when an incredibly amazing forumite ( ) gifted me a partial bottle, I had to try it. Wet: Strong patchouli, but very very smooth. It's not rooty or particularly dirty smelling. Just very smooth and backed by a lovely creamy non-foody vanilla. Wow. Dry down: Equal parts very smooth beautiful patchouli and sweet grownup vanilla. This is crazy good! Dry: It stays this beautiful and smooth patchouli and vanilla for literally hours. Final thoughts: Well, I can no longer say that I hate patchouli because I am in serious love with Banshee Beat. This has rocketed up to my top ten list. And the wear on this is amazing. I've had it on for almost 8 hours now and it's still going strong. The hunt for this one begins now and in earnest. Verdict: Be vewy, vewy quiet; I'm hunting Banshee Beat.

Thoughts before testing: The Lab's honey is one of my forever win notes. Gardenia and I get along very well, and I've recently discovered a love of DBR. Vanilla orchid is also traditionally good on me, but I'm not sure about ginger grass or turmeric, so we'll see how this goes! Wet: This opens with a blast of dragon's blood resin and a very pretty, musky honey (which reminds me a lot of the honey hair gloss. The gardenia is also strong but not high pitched and the vanilla orchid is staying soft in the background. Overall, it's a bright, sweet floral at this stage. Dry down: All of the notes keep getting more well rounded and prettier. This is really lovely. Dry: The sweetness tones down quite a bit after an hour or so and is a beautiful musky floral. Final thoughts: Love this! Verdict: Keeping the bottle!

Thoughts before testing: I love peony and all of the Lab's teas, but I'm not so sure about the herbs listed. Wet: Beautiful, slightly sweet peony but not candy sweet like Lady in a Speckled Pink Kimono. I don't get any tea at this stage; it's pretty much the Peony Show. This is ok with me though because I love peony! Dry down: The tea is becomes more prominent as it dries and tempers the sweetness of the peony just a little. So pretty! The tea is light, definitely not a dark tea. Dry: Equal parts tea and peony. This is so crazy pretty. Final thoughts: I never got any herbs, and that's ok with me. I've been looking for a warm weather scent that isn't too overpowering, and I think that Dormouse fits that bill! Verdict: Bottle purchase for sure!

Initial thoughts: This was a frimp in a recent lab order. Amber tends to go very powdery on me, but I have discovered a love for dragon's blood resin, so we'll see what happens! Wet: This is a stunning floral with only a hint of amber. Wow. Dry down: The amber comes a little more to the fore now, grounding the florals and making it softer and just a tad spicier. This is actually really pretty, and not what I expected at all. Dry: Beautiful floral, a little spicy, soft enough that it's not a piercing floral, and completely unexpected. Final thoughts: I can't get over how awesome this smells. Blood Amber stays very close to my skin, and it's just superb and not what I was expecting at all. The wear time was also awesome (close to 6 hours before I really had to try to smell it). Verdict: The imp is a definite keeper, and I think this one may turn into a bottle.

Initial thoughts: I've been into BPAL for over a year now and have so far managed to resist Snake Oil. I thought it would be too heavy, too incense-y, have too much throw, and be very much Not Me. But I got a frimp of it in my last Lab order and I've been skin testing everything that comes my way in an effort to break out of my BPAL comfort zone. So here goes! Wet: Oof. It's kind of...medicinal smelling up close? It's not the play dough that others seem to smell. It just has a weird medicinal quality to it that kind of makes me curl my nose. But if I put my arm down at my side, I get wafts of the most amazing smelling sugared vanilla backed by an intoxication incense Dry down: The medicinal smell is gone, and I'm left with this amazing, sexy, naughty smell. It is strong though. I put just a drop on, and my mother is walking through the kitchen going "Who smells amazing? Seriously, what is that perfume and can I have some?" Dry: So. Freaking. GOOD! Final thoughts: Snake Oil is crazy long lasting on me (7 hours before I had to really try to smell it) and when I ran out into this beastly heat to get dinner it just blossomed. It became stronger and even more intoxicating (seriously, I had two grocery store clerks ask me what on earth my perfume was). I can completely understand the hype about this one, and am only sad that it took me this long to try it! Verdict: I'll be ordering 2 bottles in my next lab order (one to wear now and one to age because I can only imagine how crazy good this will smell in a year).

Initial thoughts: I never would have picked this for myself, but it was a frimp in my last Lab order. I love the black musk in Playful Wooden Mallets from this year's Lupers, but I'm not so sure about the rest of the notes here. Volcanic gas? Wet: Why hello there Black Musk. Would it be possible for you to let the rest of the notes say hi? .... No? Ok then... Dry down: Strong on the black musk. I can barely smell a hint of the greenery, but mostly it's just all black musk. Dry: For all intents and purposes, this is a black musk single note on me Final thoughts: I'm not sure what's up with my skin chemistry, but this was all black musk, all the time. I prefer Playful Wooden Mallets for my black musk needs though because this is just too one-dimensional for me. Verdict: To the sales!

Initial thoughts: This is one of my mother's all time favorite BPALs, and with the Salon leaving at the end of the month I figured there was no time like the present to try this bad boy I'm a fan of aquatics in theory, although I rarely wear them. The ambergris here has me concerned as it usually does nasty things once it hits my skin. Wet: I get a strong hit of the sea foam, pear, and freesia. It's quite pretty if a little overwhelming. Dry down: The ambergris is staying hidden, and the overall blend is mellowing out a little. It's not as in my face as it was wet, which is a relief. Dry: A nice aquatic floral. Very pretty. Final thoughts: This smells amazing on my mother, and it really is one of the prettiest aquatics I've ever tried. It's not my "thing" so to speak, but it is lovely and definitely worth trying. Verdict: Not for me.

Give Peacock Queen a try! It's a very deep red rose to my nose

Thoughts before testing: I literally squeaked with excitement when I saw that the single notes were making a return, and so this and Spanish Red Carnation were instant purchases for me. Wet: This smells, I kid you not, exactly like the Head and Shoulders green apple shampoo I have in my shower. This is actually not a bad thing as it's my favorite shampoo, lol. Very juicy, very fresh, very pretty. Dry down: This is so stinking pretty. Dry: Very fresh, very floral, very pretty. Final thoughts: I feel like this isn't a helpful review at all because when I sniff my hand my brain goes blank and all I can think is "PREEEEEEEEEEETY!" Apple blossom can sometimes go soapy on me, but this didn't at all and lasted forever (six hours and still going strong!). This is a really bright, warm, lovely perfume. I've been on the hunt for an appropriate scent for summertime because most of my BPAL is creamy/spicy/strong which can be overwhelming in the heat and humidity. I do believe that Annurca Apple Blossom fits the bill! Verdict: :love!:

Initial thoughts: I've been lusting after single notes since reading about the original ones. I literally squeaked with excitement when I saw the Singing Moon update. Carnation is one of my best love muffin notes that never fails me, so I'm crazy excited to try this bad boy out. Wet: Strong, spicy, ruffly carnation This is gorgeous. Oh my god. Dry down: Still strong and spicy, but it's starting to mellow out and become a little more creamy. I'm beginning to think that maybe one bottle isn't enough. Dry: Creamy, spicy, strong carnation. I die. Final thoughts: I enjoy perfumes that stay relatively consistent rather than morphing, and so the single notes are perfect for me. Spanish Red Carnation is absolutely everything I had hoped for and I find it to be very long lasting (6 hours and still going strong!). This, to me, is perfection in a bottle and I'm rearranging my budget for backup bottles before it goes down. Verdict: :love!: ETA wear time

I'm trying to pare my list down from four to two and I'm having a rough time! Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree (Cherry blossom, blue lilac, lavender monofloral honey, white sandalwood, and Asian pear): I don't think I have any cherry blossom in my BPAL stash and I'm not sure how that happened because cherry blossom is one of my favorite smells ever. I'm worried about this maybe being too light though. Itasô Kansei Nenkan Jorô No Fûzoku (Osmanthus, white honey, ti leaf, hibiscus, and sugar cane): I love, love, love everything listed here except for the osmanthus which I don't think I've ever smelled. A lot of the reviews mention this being really herbal which I'm not a fan of, so can anyone chime in? Three Brides (Moroccan rose, king mandarin, red sandalwood, Egyptian amber, orchid, carnation, benzoin, tonka, calla lily, vanilla flower): This just sounds so pretty! Schlafende Baigneuse (Skin musk, white cream, honeycomb, yellow rose, King mandarin, chrysanthemum, golden amber, honeysuckle, and wide-throated yellow monkey-flower accord): I read the notes for this one and my eyes kept getting bigger because it's like it was made just for me, but then I got to the wide-throated yellow monkey flower. Any thoughts on this one?

The Sleeping Beauty. A gentle, lovely scent, slightly soporific, but beautiful in its quiet repose. Plumeria and white pear, Damascus rose, tuberose, magnolia and evening dew. Thoughts before testing: I'm a magnolia fiend, so any blend with it as a note gets an automatic try. The rest of the notes are all winners, so I'm expecting good things from La Belle Wet: STRONG tuberose, to the exclusion of everything else. Not bad at all, just very strong and heavy handed. Dry down: The tuberose dies down a little and the plumeria and magnolia become a little more prominent. This is lovely! Dry: The Damascus rose makes an appearance and the tuberose is mostly gone by this stage. Such a pretty floral! Final thoughts: I'm a lover of lush florals, and LBaBD certainly fits that bill. I get no pear, but I honestly don't miss it. I really like this, and it lasted quite a while (around 4 hours). Verdict: Keeping the imp, definite bottle.

Thoughts before testing: I'm so excited to try this one! Plumeria, pear, champagne: this should be a good time all the way around! Wet: Beautiful! A burst of champagne and pear. Dry down: The plumeria is dominating this now, but not in a bad way at all because I love plumeria. Just a hint of pear in the background. Dry: This dries into almost a single note plumeria on me. This is beautiful and perfect for the summer heat. Final thoughts: I love this so hard. It's bright and summery and I loves it It also lasts a surprisingly long time: it's been about 6 hours and still going strong! Verdict: Bottle!

Thoughts before testing: I've seen this blend talked about a lot and figured it was high time I tested it! I love vanilla and honey, but am not so sure about the dragon's blood resin. Wet: Honey and vanilla, just a hint of something spicy/incensey/resiny. This is surprisingly nice! Dry down: Oooh. I see why this is a favorite. It's right up my alley: creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet. Dry: I'm loving this! Still very creamy, smooth, spicy, and sweet, but it's not foody. Final thoughts: This was a surprise love for me, but I've got a lot of creamy-spice scents, so I'll have to do some death matching to see how this stands. Verdict: This goes to the death matches!

I really love the light florals in the summer. It's been over 100 degrees here for the last week or so, and I've been sticking to Thalia (that champagne note is to die for in the heat), La Belle Au Bois Dormant, and Harlot in the evening (when it drops to the 90s, lol).

Thoughts before testing: I love cranberry, pink musk, and pink pepper, but red currant very rarely works for me. This should be interesting! Wet: Heavy on the pink musk and pepper, and only the slightest hints of cranberry or currant. This is actually really pretty at this stage. Dry down: Oof. The currant comes to the forefront now and has magically morphed into Pez candies on my wrist. This is sickly sweet and making me a slightly sick to my stomach. Dry: The sickly sweetness has amplified, and I had to wash it off after less than an hour on my skin. Final thoughts: This will be the last blend with red currants that I try. I'm not sure what's wrong with my skin chemistry that turns currants so sickeningly sweet, but c'est la vie I suppose. Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: White musk never works on me, and the mint is worrisome. But banana is such a rare note that I had to try this! Wet: STRONG on the white musk but thankfully it doesn't turn into the baby wipes of doom on my skin. I'm definitely smelling the banana and pineapple. Just the tiniest hint of mint and it's really more of a bracing afterthought than the "HALLO THEY CALL ME MINT!" scent of the Lick Its. Dry down: After about 10 minutes, the white musk and hint of mint are both absolutely gone. The banana and pineapple are doing a little dance and sending off a very tropical vibe. I'm getting the slightest whiff of the orange blossom honey, but it's definitely taking a backseat to the banana and pineapple show. Dry: It mellows out into a kind of generic tropical smell. Nice, but not really what I'm looking for. Final thoughts: This was so much fun to test! I have discovered that I definitely don't want to smell like bananas, and the dry stage was disappointing, but I'm so glad that I was able to try this one. If you're into tropical scents, give Wembley a whirl. Verdict: I'm keeping the imp, but won't need a bottle.

Thoughts before testing: I love lilac! Every note in this blend is a win for me, so my hopes are high! Wet: Very powdery and only a hint of lilac. It's not unpleasant, but definitely not me. Dry down: The lilac makes an appearance at this stage, but it's not a fresh lilac. It smells more like lilac powder. This is very pretty, but again it's not me. Dry: Powdered lilac is all I'm getting from this. Darn. Final thoughts: This is disappointing! If you're into powdery florals, definitely give Mokey a try. Verdict: Off to the sales!

Thoughts before testing: I mourned the loss of Cottonmouth with it's unparalleled linden blossom note, and so any blend that note is an automatic try for me. I'm a little worried by the soap suds note, but I'm hoping for a win with Boober! Wet: This opens with a beautiful blast of linden blossom and only a slight tinge of "clean" smell that's not overtly soapy. Dry down: Not much change from the wet stage, only maybe a little more balanced. This is really pretty actually. Not astringent at all, and perfect for the 100 degree weather here. Dry: The linden blossom starts to recede a little and Boober becomes a nice clean scent with a floral background. Final thoughts: This is a really pretty scent. The linden blossom is stunning and the soap suds aren't sharp and piercing. I really like this overall and would definitely recommend it for someone who is young or just starting to appreciate perfume. I'll be keeping my imp for the disgustingly hot weather my area is having here, but I don't think I need a bottle. Verdict: Keeper, but not bottle worthy. Edited for spelling

Thoughts before testing: I'm really, really hoping this works for me! I love tangerines to death and I would love to have a BPAL tangerine Wet: This smells exactly like Lemon Scented Sticky Bat on me Like, pure lemon sugar rush. Dry down: Still smelling like LSSB. Dry: No change, still nothing but pure lemon sugar. Final thoughts: I'm disappointed in the lack of tangerine or grapefruit that I smell and since this smells exactly like Lemon Scented Sticky Bat on my skin, I won't be hanging onto Gobo. It's very pretty, and very scrumptious, just not what I was hoping for. Verdict: Off to the sales!