OctoberGwen

Peach blossoms, olibanum, myrrh, and white sandalwood. This is lovely! I still get light peach, even though this is the blossom - do peach blossoms smell like the fruit IRL? I have never smelled them. At any rate, this is a beautiful light incense - the most delicate peach incense you can imagine. Upon first spritzing, it's sweet and more peach/floral, then after a few seconds the incense comes through and it all blends nicely into what definitely reads as peach incense. It is very, very pretty. It makes a perfect powder room replacement for Peaches In the BPAL Garden, which I just used the last of.

Three white cakes, vanilla, and red and black currants. OMFG, what is that delicious smell?! Oh. It's me. Me, and my Eat Me hair gloss. Like the atmosphere spray, this smells exactly like the perfume oil: the richest, most delicious vanilla cake you can imagine (no hint of frosting, just cake), spiked with currants to keep it from being too, too sweet. Eat Me is my one foodie BPAL, and it's the best. Like all the BPTP hair glosses, my hair is shiny and well behaved yada yada yada. Seriously: if you have not tried them yet and you have hair, get thee to the Trading Post and get some. My ultra-fine, straight hair looooooooves it. I spritz a couple times into my palms and apply it to dry hair, being careful to avoid my roots. Some folks prefer wet application, so try both to see what works for you. BPTP gloss adds a nice amount of body and my hair looks gorgeous, but best of all: it smells fucking amazing all day long. If you love Eat Me, I hope you got some of its hair gloss!

Red musk and almond husk with sweet fig, Bulgarian rose absolute, blood orange rind, and green cognac. Oh, this is lovely, and it reminds me of another BPAL blend but I can't put my finger on it. If I think of it, I'll come back and edit. I happen to looooove red musk, and it loves me, but if you are afraid of it then Daruma Doll is one you may want to try. The red musk is subdued and blends quite beautifully with the fig (normally a note I dislike), almond husk, and Bulgarian rose (one of my favorite roses.) The blood orange rind is just a whisper, lifting things up a little bit, and right now I'm not getting the cognac but this bottle is only a day out of the mailbox and I expect it to show up with a bit of settling. I love this blend and will almost certainly put it into regular rotation.

Iris blossom, violet leaf, grey amber, soft white leather, a drop of coconut and a sliver of angelica seed. Something about this combination isn't working with my skin chemistry. I get a sense of what the light-colored amber/coconut/leather should smell like, and it's beautiful, but on me there is also a very strong, almost chemical smell happening that is overpowering the scent. I think I'm coming to the conclusion that the only type of coconut that works on me is the black variety, and the only leather I can wear is brown, since both black and white go chemical-y.

Pendulous blue wisteria, white peonies, ho wood, magnolia petals, plum juice, and red benzoin. This is a very strong, very 'present' floral with perhaps an undertone of benzoin. I don't smell the plum juice at all. There's a slightly spicy quality here as well as something that almost tips into sour territory, but not quite. Floral aficionados will probably enjoy this very much, as wisteria and peony are very distinctive. I prefer my florals with some musk or a resin that has a bit more presence than the benzoin has here. I will say that the drydown is very pretty, when my beloved magnolia makes more of an appearance. I will reach for this when in the mood for a distinctive non-rose floral, perhaps.

Beth's best ghostly scent to date, as far as I'm concerned. The "pierced veil" description is perfect: this is a drifting, haunting scent - with my beautiful ambergris and a surprisingly subtle frankincense to keep it from being both too airy and too flowery. It's not white, it's misty grey. And it's stunning.

The scent of actual lilac flowers is one of my favorite smells, bringing me right back to my childhood. Sadly, as a perfume note lilac almost always goes sour on my skin, and the one in this blend is no exception. I was hoping "lilac water" would work somehow, but...nope. With the correct skin chemistry, I imagine this is a delicate, old-fashioned scent of win, though.

Floral aficionados take note: Lullaby is pretty stunning. It's a beautiful, slightly haunting blend that on me is very moonflower-dominant, which I LOVE. Usually if lavender is present, it stomps all over the other notes - but not here, thankfully. I think this is a slightly melancholy cousin to June 23, 1868 from the Only Lovers Left Alive collection; they both have a lovely English cottage garden by night feel, but Lullaby's moss note gives it a lonely, yearning air. SophieCedar nailed it: this will be a very underrated scent that floral lovers who miss out will be seeking later. Get it now!

I adore this. On me, the ambergris is front and center (which is perfect, as Beth's ambergris accord is one of my favorite notes.) I detect the white rose, and I'm very happy that the vanilla amber is not turning too sweet on me. I get zero "fizzy" quality, just a light muskiness. Oftentimes I try these types of scent and they just go sickly sweet - I'm thinking of Ava, and Edith, and Butterflies Flowers & Jewels. This one is a perfect blend for me: sweet, yes, but not cloyingly so, and ambergris-dominant rather than vanilla-heavy. Exquisite, classic, and very pretty. It also evokes the scene in the film it is named for very successfully. I need a couple of bottles of this one.

Opium is often not my friend, and when I first tried this scent the poppy seemed to be doing a similar sharp thing on my skin. I put it away (I actually thought I had swapped it), and pulled it out today after finally seeing the film a few days ago. Can I just say that I am so glad I didn't swap this one? After several months, whatever wackiness was happening has completely smoothed out, leaving a stunning, darkly beautiful scent that falls firmly in my wheelhouse. There's very little not to like about a myrrh/musk/sandalwood combo, and the poppy lends an Oriental air to all that dark goodness.

I am a huge fan of the Laces, and this one is really wonderful. Slightly fizzy with all the distinct notes that say 'Lace', it is reminiscent of Antique and also Summer, without the fruit. Mostly it just makes me feel happy when I smell it. I am so thrilled with this addition to the family.

This is really, really pretty - it's just not for me. I realized almost immediately that the vanilla musk was what made Ava too cloyingly sweet on me, and so of course the same thing happens with Edith despite the addition of all those lovely, drier grey/white/woodsy notes. I tend to amp vanilla and anything vaguely sugary to the point of nausea. I'm sure Edith will have legions of fans, though, because she really is lovely.

I'm getting smoothed-out black patch and vetiver with a hint of rich red rose, and it's divine. This is dark, deadly, and dangerous - in the most feminine way possible. I don't get tonka, plum, or blackcurrant per se, but surely they are lending that sweetish, smoooooooth quality to the blend. This is not for every day; it's the scent to bring out when you want to be the most fatale of the femme fatales in the room. ETA: The more I wear this, the more I realize that I really need a bottle. The rose becomes more prominent in the drydown, and if there's one thing I love, it's a dark incensey/rose scent. I love every stage of this scent: the initial strong blast of smoky vetiver; when the patch comes into play; the rose/patch/vetiver; and the far drydown, which is all incense/rose. It's gorgeous, fairly unique in its category, and long-wearing. And I would put this into heavy rotation, after all. I really love it.

Adam is the first wearable leather blend for me, and I would imagine that is because of its complexity. There is a lot of depth here and it's one of those blends that is greater than the sum of its parts. It really invokes the film's character. In the far drydown I get barely any leather at all, just a whisper blended beautifully with the slightly woodsy, sweetish mixture of all the other notes. Like Eve, Adam is gorgeous, haunting, and unforgettable. I'm so happy to have a matched set of bottles.

I can't believe I've never tried this. I need to start giving some love to the GC. There is a reason that flowers are so often used in perfumes - they fucking smell good. People who appreciate good florals will love Moscow. The addition of the musky base and the brightening effect of the bergamot and tangerine are just gorgeous with the rose, carnation, and lily of the valley. The jasmine is so well blended, it's barely a whisper - just adding its distinctive brand of sweetness to the mix. As Nicnivin said, it is classic and regal in a very 'Russian tea house' way. It's almost a crime that I don't own a bottle of this yet.

Jasmine tea with gardenia, white roses, Egyptian tuberose, and bergamot. This is a very pretty, somewhat muted floral blend (i.e., there is absolutely nothing "high pitched" here), with perhaps just the faintest whiff of something delicate that says "tea" to my nose. Gentle, comforting, and happy. These Lilith blends are absolutely brimming with love.

One of the few fruity blends I really love, probably because it's so dark. I think the bud of the blackcurrant is also a more subtle version of the fruit, scent-wise. It's a lovely swirl of fruity rose and musky tonka, blended really seamlessly. This may have snuck its way into my Top Ten. Something about my skin chemistry works really, really well with this blend - I am very glad I've been able to locate two bottles.

I was lucky enough to snag an empty bottle a couple of years ago and ever since, I've been stockpiling and hoarding by dribs and drabs. I adore Storyville. It's rich and deep and everything old world New Orleans, and it smells unbelievable on me. I think it's the Great Tragedy of BPAL that it will never be resurrected.

MY MOMMY IN A BOAT Crayon on craft paper, 2012 This is my mommy in a boat. She loves to be in boats. Sea salt and Devil's Reef seaweed with Himalayan cedar, lemon verbena, hay absolute, and a dribble of Snake Oil. My Mommy in a Boat Oh man, fresh out of the mailbox and this is already such an intriguing blend of smells! I am not usually a fan of the hay note, and I definitely smell it here, but it is offset in a really interesting way by the other elements. I get a hint of salty wood, a whiff of lemon verbena, and playing a supporting role underneath is my beloved Snake Oil. When immediately applied, it smells rich and almost foody. That quickly dissipates as it dries and the blend then develops a more perfumey quality. This does not smell like any of the other seafaring/pirate ship blends I have tried. It smells like a giant log of driftwood in a seaside garden, where the salty breeze carries the smell of seaweed. It definitely takes on more of an aquatic feel as it sits on my skin. I will be very interested to see how this settles and ages. ETA on 6/12/13: After a couple of initial tries, I put this up on my sales page because it was just too weird for me, LOL. Last night I decided to try it again and man! I'm glad I did. It has smoothed out considerably and, while still unusual, it really smells good to me now. And I love the fact that nothing else in my collection smells remotely like it. I've removed it from my sales page.

White amber and Bulgarian rose. Oh God, I am so glad I bought a bottle of this unsniffed! It is absolutely beautiful. A perfect blend of clean, white (non-powdery) soft amber and a really exquisite rose. This is a classic, very pretty perfume that sticks close to the skin. I really love it.

With patchouli, white jasmine, and glimmering golden musk. This stuff is gorgeous. It smells...round, and golden, and only slightly sweet. I get peach for sure, and bergamot's distinctive presence, and both are rounded out quite beautifully by the combination of the musky patch and the jasmine, although I don't pick up those notes individually once the gloss is on my hair. In fact, "white jasmine" is not registering as jasmine at all. I hope we see more of this note! The throw is minimal, so this would be very nice for fragrance-sensitive environments. I can smell it if I put my hair up to my nose. As with all the glosses, my hair is shiny, full, et cetera too. Fabulous stuff.

Attraction Conjure Spray has quickly become one of my very favorite TAL products, so much so that I invested in a second botle and am contemplating a third. It immediately gives the atmosphere (and me) a subtle 'lift', lightening the mood and brightening the energy of the space. It almost sparkles. I love that the conjure sprays provide a way to support ritual work much as loose incense does, almost a quick 'punch' to get your working rolling, but they do so with no mess, fuss, or waiting for the charcoal to heat up. They are a brilliant and very valuable addition to my hocus pocus. I use Attraction whenever I am doing any sort of 'drawing' work: feeding my lodestone, candle money work, road opening, love and friendship, et cetera. I also use it when I light my daily altar candles, as a way to bring in joy and peace for the day. Wonderful stuff. Oh, and it smells bright, citrusy, and slightly sweet. edited for a spelling fail.

Some of the reviews for this scent are really amusing. Scherezade is gorgeous, and there is no mistaking the components here. It smells exactly like you would expect red musk, saffron, and warm, dry Middle Eastern spices to smell like. (In a word: heavenly.) I think of it as being in the same classic BPAL family as Bastet and Morocco. I really love it.

Butterfly bush blossoms, dew-damp moss, mist flower, purple coneflower, Brazilian verbena, ground ivy, pink clover, lantana accord, and sunflower. I absolutely love this spray, it's perfect for Spring - a delicious and lush combination of flowers. To my nose, it smells honeyed, too; it's sweet, but not cloying and it definitely doesn't qualify as a "high pitched" floral. It's very soft and pretty, but present. While it doesn't seem to last as long as my Kypria or Kondetorei, that may be because it's a decant. Frankly, this gorgeous scent is worth respraying! I'm pretty sure I need a bottle.

Something about this is making me think of Antique Lace. Sweet but not cloying with a definite creamy quality to it, I think it's the combination of marshmallow root, macadamia, and amber that is reminiscent of dark vanilla to my nose. Interesting. This is not particularly tropical, despite the presence of coconut, nor is it 'buttery' at all on my skin (thank God.) Very low throw - this is a snuggly skin scent, for sure. Happy to have a bottle when I'm in the mood for something sweeter.