Ghost of a Rose

Smell sanctified! A blend of pure, pious frankincense and graceful myrrh. This was a frimp from the lab. I was happy to get it, as I liked the concept and had been thinking of ordering an imp sometime down the line. In the imp: Clear brown oil. Smells somewhat incensey of course, but not as much as I had expected. It's almost more like tobacco. I'm guessing that the myrrh is the strongest of the two ingredients in this blend, because it only smells slightly like the frankincense incense sticks I've often used. (I don't know what myrrh smells like.) On me, wet: Pretty much the same. It's surprisingly subtle, not at all the overpowering headshop smell I expected. It's not a sweet scent, maybe even a little salty at first, although it is becoming just a tiny bit sweeter as it dries. Kind of woody, and it's still making me think of tobacco. After 1 1/2 hours: The scent is still the same, just a little softer. This is a pleasant scent, but it doesn't wow me. It would be ideal for spiritual practice. I'll save it to wear for meditation and ritual. For ordinary use as a personal fragrance, I think it would appeal more to men. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Clear, brownish-amber oil. Lavender is strongest, with the resin and the sharpness of ozone also making their presence obvious. I don't pick up any currant. On me, wet: I love this! Very elegant and beautifully balanced so that no one particular note overpowers the others. Even the lavender is sharing the spotlight equally. Now I do get just a hint of currant - just the right amount to add interest without making this a fruity scent (which I wouldn't like.) After 30 minutes: Musk is strongest now, but everything is still so well-balanced that fragrance doesn't come across as musky overall. It really doesn't smell like anything in particular, just its own gorgeous self. The black currant only made a cameo appearance and is gone now. I would have missed it entirely if I wasn't paying attention. Wow, this is a rare (for me) non-floral scent that makes it into the 5-star category. I'd put it in the incense family of scent blends, but the musk and resins are so well balanced with the other notes that it isn't in the least reminiscent of head shops or temples. I don't relate to the description at all (and that's a good thing.) This is anything but shocking - it is classy and understated (in mood, that is - the strength/throw/longevity is average.) So much so that you could wear it anywhere, to any type of activity. And it would work equally well for for both women and men. I'm thinking that maybe in a scent locket (which would retain the initial sharp ozone note) it might lean more towards a masculine scent. My rating: 5 stars

I really love the concept of this, since going to tea houses and tea parties is one of my favorite things to do! In the vial: Very sweet. I can pick up cake and the apricot jam from it the strongest. Next the tea (a little), and cucumber. I'm not getting any marzipan. On me, wet: Too sweet and fruity to smell like Earl Grey tea as I had hoped, so it's a little disappointing. But nice, though. The various notes are so well blended and balanced that it's hard to differentiate any specific scent. On me, just dried: The cucumber is coming out more strongly now, although the overall impression still mostly sweet and fruity. After 30 minutes: Again, it's hard to identify any particular note. Sweet, cake, maybe some black tea. Subtle. After 1 hour: Faint vanilla/white cake. My rating: 4 stars

In the vial: Not too sweet, especially at first, but then some sweetness creeps in. Wood is the dominant note, with some herbs, a little grapefruit, and some spiciness of ginger. This is a very complex scent, so it's difficult to pick out any of the specific ingredients. Beyond the wood and herbs, I had to look at the description and try to smell each thing individually in order to detect any of them. On me, wet: Pretty much the same. Spicy, woody, unisex, not too sweet, with a just a hint of citrus at first. The grapefruit is coming out strongly as it starts to dry - very realistic and delicious! On me, just dried: The grapefruit note is holding out longer than it usually does on me. At this point, the scent is mostly grapefruit and wood. But the wood and the subtle nuances of the other things keep this from being too fruity or foody for me. (I don't like to wear fruity or foody scents as perfumes.) After 1 hour: From a foot or so away, the throw is vanilla. Up close, the blend has somehow morphed into something vaguely pineapple (which isn't in it. Weird.) Usually I get the base notes of sandalwood and musk on the drydown, but with this, I'm not getting them at all. Later ETA - After 2 hours: Now I'm finally picking up some of the sandalwood and musk. Those, along with the vanilla and "pineapple", are now pretty evenly balanced. I was really interested in the concept of this blend, especially after having read Peony In Love by Lisa See, which explores the concept of the hungry ghosts (among other things.) Beth has done a great job in realizing the concept. This is a complex, sophisticated, and attractive unisex blend. My rating: 4 stars

This was a lab frimp of something I never would have chosen myself, and what a great surprise! (Thank you, lab!) In the imp: Oil is a clear light brown, almost like dark amber. The first whiff brought me the strong and unmistakable odor of smoke - ugh, just like the description. But then . . . when I keep sniffing, I smell wood as well. It's actually rather gorgeous: like a campfire, or a fireplace that's burning the kinds of woods that are treasured for the beautiful scents they generate when burned. On me, wet: Pretty much the same, although on me the wood is stronger than the smoke. But I can still smell both clearly. And could that subtle spiciness be a touch of black pepper? On me, drydown: The fragrance remains quite consistent. It does develop just a touch of of sweetness eventually, but it's only a slight change. After 2 hours: Holding up nicely, with no change in the scent - it's just a little softer. After 18 hours, I can still smell it faintly on my skin. Verdict: Very unusual, intriguing, and quite pleasant as well. A lot of people would probably say this is a masculine scent, but I like it too much to give it over to the guys. I love campfires and the real wood-burning fireplace in my home just as much as any man does! And there's none of that prickly sharpness that men's colognes have. This is amazing - and soft and warm and cozy. It would be especially nice for winter. I'm keeping it, and I'm wearing it! My rating: 4 stars

Unfortunately Cake Smash was quite cloying on me as well, and Dana O'Shee was definitely more milk-oriented (plus it had almonds, which are insta-death). Thanks for the recs though - going to give Detestable Putrescence a shot! Ghost - I haven't smelled Love's Rain, but if you want a green aquatic Caliban is quite good. It's sort of like wet grass and flowers, which is ages away from its description (the scent of the salty seas, bittersweet wine, palm and tropical ferns) but seriously. It's not that funky at all. R'lyeh also might be a match if you're looking for the citrus component. It's another one that sounds scary (a hellishly dark aquatic scent, evocative of fathomless oceanic deeps, the mysteries of madness buried under crushing black waters, and the brooding eternal evil that lies beneath the waves) but almost everyone gets grapefruit + aquatics. And finally, when you said "aquatic musk" I immediately thought of Y'ha-nthlei. It's not foresty, but the sweet ambergris mixed with the watery notes make it very dreamy and musk-like, while still maintaining a citrus and sea-like kick. It's one of my favorites. Thank you, Balame! I'll give all 3 of those a try. I know what you mean about ones that sound scary. I got a frimp of Smokestack and I was almost afraid to open it! I saved it till last and finally tried it yesterday. It turned out to be amazing and really rather gorgeous!

In the imp: Oil is a deep golden brown, like dark amber. The scent is rich, pure amber, sweet - maybe with just the teensiest touch of cinnamon and/or clove? On me, wet: Same as above. On me, just dried: The scent loses its sharp spiciness, its strength, and most of its sweetness very quickly as it dries. What remains is a soft, gentle version of the same fragrance. After several hours: The fragrance remains consistent as it slowly fades away. The longevity on me is about average for BPAL perfumes. Unisex, incensey. Smells exactly like a chunk of amber resin I used to have, that came from India in a carved, perforated soapstone box. This is very near to being (and in fact, may be) a Single Note. A beautiful, authentic, amber scent. There may be some cinnamon and/or clove, but it's so subtle that I'm not sure if it's really there or if I'm imagining it. I don't think I'd wear this to work, as it is too headshoppy. But I love it for casual events and especially for spiritual practice. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Oil is clear and colorless. Yep, wood and cherries. At first it's a nice black cherry scent, but then the artificial/candy/red cherry takes over. The currant may be there, but currant smells similar enough to cherry that it can't be separated out. On me, wet: The wood is slightly dominating the cherry, but it's a near-balance. This is beautiful, complex, and unusual. I like it that the wood is strongest, so that it's not a fruity/foody scent overall. So far I'm not getting any of the artificial cherry note that I dislike, and which usually overpowers everything else. On me, just dried: My skin definitely amps the wood. It is becoming considerably stronger than the fruits, which are now just a subtle note added to the wood. I love this! It's not at all the dreaded cherry candy that I feared. After 45 minutes: The fruits have now faded into just a generic sweetness, which, added to the dominant wood note, smells oddly similar to a woody vanilla. Verdict: A sophisticated, grown-up fragrance suitable for both women and men. Would be an excellent choice for work - it's not too strong, and comes across as very professional and dignified. My rating: 4.5. It only misses being a 5 because florals are my great love. But this comes in as a close second.

In the imp: Clean, fresh, green. Aquatic, floral, and herbal, just like it says. Kind of men's cologne-y. The oil is a clear light yellow. On me, wet: The flowers are most prominent, with a background of greenery and water. It's much less men's cologne on me. On me, just dried: The strength and throw lightens up very quickly as it dries. It's like a flowery classic perfume. I like it a lot, although it doesn't evoke any scent memories of Ireland for either me or my son. This is a very light fragrance, with none of the dark incense-y notes that many BPAL blends have. And no vanilla. I like that. I agree with the word "ethereal" that some earlier reviewers have said about this, which would make it a great choice for hot weather. It's lovely. After 1 1/2 hours: The scent is very consistent, but is mostly faded now to a soft, powdery hint of its former self. Slather it on, wear in scent locket, apply to hair, and/or reapply often. Later ETA: I forgot to mention that this scent has been tantalizing me with memories ever since that first whiff in the imp. I recognized it immediately. I KNOW this scent. It is really, really, REALLY familiar. It smells just like something I used to wear all the time, a long time ago. Maybe White Shoulders? It's been so long since I wore White Shoulders that I can't say for certain. My rating: 4 stars

I'm also looking for a BPAL scent that resembles White Shoulders, which is described as: Top- Neroli, Tuberose, Aldehydes Middle- Gardenia, Jasmine, Orris, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Lilac Base- Sandalwood, Amber, Musk, Oakmoss, Civet, Benzoin Someone asked about this much earlier in this thread, but I don't think the recommendation given at that time (in 2007) is still available. Can anyone recommend a scent that is available now? Thank you!

I'm looking for a BPAL scent that smells like Love's Rain. Anyone remember that? It was very popular in the 70's and early 80's. An online site said it had the following notes: * Mossy woods * Citrus * Greenery It was a beautiful scent but had little throw or longevity. I'm sure BPAL could do it better. Any ideas? ETA: I found another site that described it as "an aquatic musk fragrance for women. The soft accords of green florals, watery nuances play with the base of sweet smelling musk." It is still being made and sold (now by Dana), but I'd prefer the much higher quality of BPAL in a similar scent.

Metallic notes with Indian musk, tobacco flower, and African balsam. In the imp: Oil is a beautiful light yellowish green. Metallic, perfumey, floral, a hint to tobacco; with a clean, green mood. On me, wet: Metallic, sweet, floral, very perfumey. It is sweeter on me than in the imp. I agree with the reviewers who mentioned Irish Spring soap. I always did love the scent of that and didn't care that it was supposed to be for men. GALVANIC GOGGLES brought back memories. When I was in my early teens, my mother signed our family up to be consumer testers. We got a lot of free products to try and then answered questions about what we thought of them. Often they were things which were still in the testing phase and not yet on the market. Irish Spring soap was one of those. We got several bars in plain white wrappers. Our entire family of six (of which my dad was the only male) went crazy about the scent of it. It wasn't until the soap came out on the market that we realized it was a men's soap, but by then it was too late - we girls were addicted. As a young woman, I used to buy it for myself. So of course I love GALVANIC GOGGLES. It takes me right back to that time as well as being a wonderful scent. On wet, just dried: It loses the initial sharpness, but is still decidedly metallic and just the same. After 1 hour: Still smells fresh and clean, pretty much the same, but also has taken on some soft muskiness. After 3 hours: Same as above. This lasts well, and remains more consistent than most perfume blends once on the skin. I always like floral scents best, and this is no exception. Very fresh, light, and bright - it would be great for summer. It smells like an expensive designer perfume. I vacillate about it. At some moments, I smell this and think of it as a more feminine aquatic (due to the distinct floral presence); but at other moments I sniff it and think "men's cologne." And of course I totally get the Irish Spring references. So I guess I'd call it unisex. In any case, I love it. My rating: 5 stars

In the imp: A clear, almost colorless, oil. Sandalwood and bitter lemon. Like new wood furniture polished with lemon oil. Not sweet, maybe even a little salty. On me, wet: Same as above, with the addition of a bright, sharp, grassy note. On me, just dried: The lemon is very quickly and completely gone, as is the brightness. But the green smell of freshly-cut grass remains. That must be the vetiver. There's also an underlying hint of wood. And if I smell it up close, there is a hot spiciness that is clearly a remnant of the original bright sharpness. It makes the back of my nose feel prickly. This blend has a no-nonsense mood and discreet throw that make it ideal for work. After 20 minutes: Once dried, the green-ness soon deepens from grass to something more like a pine balsam. The scent is now mostly fresh-cut pine lumber with a little sandalwood. The prickliness is gone, but some spiciness remains from the balsamic note. After 45 minutes: The spiciness is now distinctly leaning towards a generic men's cologne as the woodiness lightens up. Hopefully the remaining wood and sandalwood notes balance that out when smelled from the distance of another person's personal space. I would like to get someone else's opinion, but everyone else in my house is asleep right now. I hope I remember to reapply it and ask them what they think tomorrow, before I wear it in out in public. After 1 hour: Fortunately, the men's cologne smell was short-lived. It's now a soft wood with a faint trace of sandalwood. It's no longer at all bitter or salty, maybe even just the tiniest bit sweet (that's the sandalwood again.) Surprisingly, there's still a piercing, sinus-clearing stab of pine balsam if smelled right up close. But the sharpness is totally absent from even a couple of inches away - there it's just the lovely clean and gentle scent of pine furniture. After 4 hours: A faint hint of wood and even fainter one of men's cologne. I agree that it is a masculine fragrance, but I sometimes do like those and will wear it. I usually prefer very feminine florals, but INCANTATION will be a pleasant way to add some variety to my scent wardrobe. My rating: 4 stars

In the bottle: Delicate rose with cinnamon. Love, love, love! On me, wet: Soft and gentle. This would be an excellent rose blend for those who don't like strong rose. The cinnamon dominates the rose, but both are present and accounted for, and neither note is at all strong. On me, just dried: Actually, this might be TOO gentle. Already most of the rose is gone (within minutes), and the cinnamon has turned vague and papery - not at all hot or spicy. It would be perfect for work because it is so subtle and not overly feminine/floral. After 2 hours: Almost completely gone. This is an utterly gorgeous blend, but unless you are at work, I recommend wearing it in a scent locket to retain the fragrance stronger and longer. My rating: 4 on my skin, 5 in the bottle or scent locket

In the imp: Oil is a golden yellow. The fragrance is 100% cherry cough drops. Ugh. On me, wet: Cherry cough drops, with the licorice scent of anise WAY in the background. On me, just dried: Most of the cherry fruitiness dissipates within minutes, leaving a much milder licorice-and-cherry scent behind. A little muskiness keeps it from smelling too much like red licorice sticks. Much better. After 20 minutes: The licorice note is now much stronger than the cherry, and the sharp spiciness of true anise has appeared. It's getting less and less like candy all the time. All three scents are nicely balanced. After 2 hours: It now has the scent of an elegant classic perfume (the same scent I noticed in the oil warmer.) The cherry is there as a faint lingering memory. I'm really loving it now! I also tried this in an oil warmer. It's not the best blend for that, as the oil is quite volatile and most of the fragrance burned off immediately when exposed to the greater heat of the burner. Not only did it not scent the (small) room, but I couldn't even smell much with my nose right up above the warmer only ten or fifteen minutes after lighting the candle. There WAS a faint scent like an elegant classic perfume that lasted for about an hour if I smelled it right up close - perhaps that is the red musk? I prefer KABUKI in the drydown, but it might be interesting to wear it in a scent locket to draw out the cherry top note if you like really fruity blends. This goes to show once again that you can't judge a perfume by the way it smells in the bottle. I never would have bought it if I had smelled a bottle of it. But as it turns out, I do quite like it on me. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Clear, colorless oil, as pure as spring water. The scent is sweet and floral. It doesn't smell like roses. But the carnations I've had never had much fragrance at all, so I can't really say with certainty that it smells like carnations. White tea also has a very delicate scent, so I can't pick that out either. Whatever it is that I am smelling, it is very lovely. On me, wet: Pretty much the same as in the imp, but there's also a touch of fruitiness, which doesn't make sense. It must be something my skin is doing to the oils. The same thing happened yesterday with another blend that didn't have any fruit essences in it. On me, just dried: The scent is quite consistent, but already there's a lot less throw. After about 20 minutes: now I'm picking up something that smells rather like vanilla. WTF? I think I *may* be able to detect some white tea now, too. After 45 minutes: A powdery, but pleasant, light floral scent. After about 1 1/2 hours: The sweetness has died out as drydown progressed. And by now, the scent itself is pretty much gone, leaving just a faint whiff of something that smells vaguely like old paper. I'll need to reapply this often, or wear it in a perfume locket. Verdict: I was particularly interested in the rose and white tea, but this is mostly carnation. I never got any hint of rose at all. And the white tea was so short-lived and faint that it might have just been me trying too hard to smell it. Nevertheless, this is a very pretty scent and is exactly as described. It would be a lovely choice for a young girl. (Which won't stop grandmotherly me from wearing it, too.) My rating: 4 stars (Later ETA - I tried it again, over two years later and from another batch, and I still get the fruit, which smells like a citrus, perhaps grapefruit. It was initially the dominant scent in the blend, but quickly faded to let the lovely florals take over.)

A sinister, darkly seductive scent inspired by poetry of Charles Baudelaire. Violet entwined with vanilla and gardenia. I love the concept of this blend! Thank you to the lab for the free imp. In the imp: Oil is a slightly cloudy pale yellow. Very sweet. Vanilla is strongest, then gardenia. It's hard to differentiate the violet. On me, wet: Pretty much the same, although now I can detect the violet. I really like this. I don't usually like vanilla perfumes, but here the vanilla softens the florals, with the florals retaining a strong enough presence to keep me from smelling like cake. On me, drydown: Still pretty much the same, but now the vanilla outweighs the flowers. Yet it still isn't foody. Oddly enough, I'm also getting a faint whiff of fruitiness. Maybe it's just my imagination. Or my skin doing something weird. Or have I been trying too many different scents recently, so that my nose has become confused? In any case, it's subtle enough not to bother me. I like this a lot, which is unusual for me with vanilla-based blends. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a clear amber. Wow, very strong. Sweet with a sharp metallic tang (perhaps from the jasmine?) Wine, lots of it. This is the first BPAL I've tried that I thought really did smell like wine. Definitely a dark scent. On me, wet: On my skin, it is distinctly less sweet, there's even some bitterness. The wine is still the dominant note. I'm not getting any rose at at all. I can pick out the jasmine, but overall this isn't a particularly flowery scent. On me, drydown: As strong as this perfume was in the imp, I'm startled at how it has evaporated into thin air in just a few minutes. The metallic sharpness has completely gone, and so has the wine. My skin is a lush, it just chugged down all that wine in seconds! What's left has morphed into a floral. There's just a soft whiff of powdery jasmine now. And it's not at all dark anymore, more like a sweet old grandmother wrapped in a white shawl. I'm waiting to see if the incense notes show up with the passage of time. After 45 minutes: Yes, they do. Now I can detect all 3 of the base notes, especially the sandalwood. The scent is now about half incense and half floral, which is no longer specifically jasmine, but a more general floral. It is a darker fragrance again, rather Oriental now, with a mysterious spiciness. This is a real morpher, which makes it fun. It would be a good one for a scent locket, to preserve the top notes, especially the unique wine scent. (Maybe not if you are going to work!) My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a clear pinkish red. It does look a bit like real blood, but is less opaque, as well as paler and pinker. Über-sweet, 100% cherry when sniffed up close - cherry cough drops. But if I smell if from a few inches away, I get clove. On me, wet: I can pick up all three scents, with cherry strongest, then clove, with a lighter backdrop of myrrh. (I'm not differentiating between the cherry and the dragon's blood, since they smell so similar.) It will be interesting to see if the myrrh comes out more strongly as time goes on. The incensey notes usually do, on me. On me, drydown: I'm liking this a lot more than I thought I would from the way it smelled in the imp. I don't like super-fruity perfumes. But the fruitiness lightens up within the first five minutes, leaving just a nuance. I mostly smell clove now. After 30 minutes: The clove is beautifully balanced with the cherry and myrrh, so that the overall impression isn't foody, or overly hot or spicy. I like this more and more as time goes by! After one hour: Same as above, and still holding out nicely. Verdict: A sophisticated unisex fragrance. It looks a little like real blood (in the vial, not on the skin.) But it doesn't smell anything like real blood. I don't get that metallic coppery odor that other reviewers have mentioned. Which is a good thing. If it really did smell like like blood, everyone around me would probably be barfing. This is so much nicer. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a clear golden brown. Black tea, cocoa, and mandarin come off most strongly. On me, wet: The same as above, with the addition of tobacco. Very intriguing. A dark, brown, chocolately scent. Masculine, but I like it, too. On me, drydown: I'm now getting a sharp peppery note that I think is the saffron, with the chocolate right behind it, and then the other notes. It's like an expensive, classy, sweet-scented pipe tobacco with saffron mixed in. After 30 minutes: It has lost most of the sweetness, but otherwise is much the same. Verdict: This was clearly designed to appeal to men. But I really like it, and I've never been into rigid gender roles. I will wear it now and then. It will be an interesting change of pace from my usual flowery fragrances. Sorry, boys, I'm keeping this one for myself! My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: The oil is a very pale yellow. Jasmine is the only obvious note, but here it is soft and mild, not overpowering the other scents the way it usually does. I can't identify anything else in particular, just a general impression of incense. On me, wet: I don't believe it, I can't even smell jasmine at all right at first - mostly wood and sage. But it only takes a minute or two for the jasmine to show up. On me, after 30 minutes: From about 3 inches away, the fragrance is a very soft and delicate rose-like and lily scent. With my nose right up to my wrist, there is a subtle sharpness of jasmine along with a faint whiff of wood. After 1 hour: Faint scent of lily. Ater 2 hours, it's pretty much gone. Verdict: Elizabeth has done the impossible: created a jasmine-based blend that is indeed delicate and light. It's angelic, exactly as described. Floral, yet subtle enough for professional wear. Although the fragrance itself is elegant enough for a formal occasion, I wouldn't choose it for that, because its softness would be overpowered by the heavy perfumes of others. This would be excellent in a scent locket, so that it would last longer and hold all of the various notes. However, I particularly enjoy it on my skin after the first 30 minutes, when the jasmine has faded away. Wearing it on my skin vs. in the locket is like having two different perfumes, and I love both of them! My rating: 5

In the imp: The woods overpower everything else. The oil is clear pale yellow. On me, wet: Along with the woods, now I can also smell the flowers and the pepper. Nice! On me, drydown: Already the scent is becoming rather faint. This would be a good candidate for a scent locket. I'm feeling a tiny bit of burning sensation on my wrist, but it isn't bad enough to cause discomfort and the skin isn't reddened, so I think I can safely wear it. This doesn't strike me as tumult, although I get where Elizabeth is coming from with that description: that the opposing scents interplay and contrast with each other. But to me it comes across more as a peaceful and beautiful balance of the different kinds of scents. The florals are the most noticeable, but I can also pick out all of the other notes except for the mandarin. Which is fine by me - I don't want to smell like fruit. This is a lovely, feminine, complex, and subtle scent. After 30 minutes: The florals are still the main note, but now the woods are coming out more strongly. After about 3 hours: Only the faintest hint of musk remains. My rating: 4 stars Later ETA: I tried this in a scent locket, and wow! Even after 24 hours in the locket, it is still the most heavenly blend of flowers. This gets 5 stars when worn in the scent locket.

Love the concept of this! The four oils seemed perfect for expressing it. In the vial: The oil is a beautiful salmon pink. The scent? Ajax cleanser. So that's what Ajax is made out of! Who knew? I would never have guessed any of the ingredients just by the smell alone. Or that this combination of oils would smell like this. On me, wet: The first whiff I get is floral, which can only be from the dragon's blood. (I've seen the scent of dragon's blood described as a cross between rose and cherry.) But then - whoosh! - and the Ajax is back with max force. If I concentrate (and sniff) hard enough, I can pick out all three of the spices, though. On me, drydown: The rose-like note and cinnamon predominate now, which should be very pleasant. But it all still adds up to Ajax for me. Maybe my mind is just stuck on that idea. On me, after an hour: Now it's only clove and cinnamon, with my nose right up to it. But from about 6 inches away, I smell cherry. Very interesting, and so much more pleasant than the Ajax! I'm glad I gave it a try. Based on the scent in the imp, I thought I would hate it. But I like it now that the odor of Ajax is gone. After 2 hours: Now the spices have calmed down, and the main note is Dragon's Blood albeit a slightly spicy Dragon's Blood. Verdict: This isn't a perfume I'll reach for very often. I will keep it, though, and choose it every now and then just for something really different. And especially on days when I feel wrathful. It makes me feel powerful and abrasive! I see this as a unisex fragrance. My rating: 3 overall (4 after the first hour, when the Ajax has disappeared)

"As delicate as life, as gentle as death, and as powerful as love": I love this quote from the description! In the vial: A complex scent - it's hard to identify any particular scent at first. Then I do pick up a hint of vanilla, and then florals, maybe some coconut. It is a sweet fragrance. On me, wet: My skin definitely brings out the coconut. Otherwise, nothing I can recognize other than flowers in general. I do like it! On me, drydown: Still very coconutty, but the florals keep it from smelling like suntan lotion. It reminds me of Hawaii. That must be the frangipani (called plumeria in Hawaii) and cyclamen together with the coconut. After 20 minutes: Already much weaker. I'm betting that this is going to be a short-lived scent on me, unless the musk and incense notes show up and linger on. So far the scent is still pretty consistent - now I can smell the hint of vanilla again. About this time, too, the rose makes an appearance but on me it stays in the background. After 2 hours: Sure enough, the lower notes are now apparent. I smell mostly coconut and vanilla musk. My teenage son sniffed my wrist and (without knowing anything about what oils were in the perfume) picked up incense, rose, and coconut. So obviously the rose note is still there even though I don't notice it anymore myself. Verdict: I'm not a big fan of fruity or foody scents as perfumes, but I really like this. It is complex enough that the overall scent doesn't come across as either of those, even though coconut is arguably the dominant note (on my skin it is, anyway.) Because of the coconut, I would choose this blend most often for casual times. The floral and incense notes tone down the coconut to make this fragrance wearable for a routine workday as well. I wouldn't wear it for a formal occasion, or for times when I need to present an impeccably professional image (such as a job interview or meeting an important client for the first time.) But for a regular day at the office it would be fine. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: I don't notice the rose. Mostly it's dragon's blood (somewhat fruity), with a bit of headiness that must be the wine, but without any sourness or fermentation. The oil is a beautiful pale brownish pink. On me, wet: Same as above at first, but the rose starts to come out as it dries. On me, drydown: Now it's so perfectly balanced that it doesn't come across as either a fruity nor a rosaceous scent, just its own lovely self. There's a bit of spiciness. It's gentle. I could probably get away with using 2 drops rather than my usual 1 for essential oils. After a couple of hours: What remains of the scent is just a hint of spicy resin. This doesn't last as long on me as most essential oil perfumes. I might want to tuck the imp in my purse for reapplications. Verdict: I wanted a rose fragrance, and I didn't get that. I can smell a little rose, but I don't think that anyone else around me would notice rose if they didn't know it was in the perfume I was wearing. But that's okay, because it is a lovely scent anyway. It's sophisticated - a designer scent that is unique to itself rather than smelling like something identifiable. I don't perceive it as sexy (as per the description); to me it is elegant and classy instead. It would be very appropriate for professional or dressy occasions. I'm really glad I got it even though it turned out to be something different than what I expected. My rating: 4