Ghost of a Rose

In the imp: Oil is clear and colorless. The scent is an unusually light and gentle rose. It has a teeny bit of fruity sweetness - not citrus fruit, something else, maybe currants? It's almost like black cherry, but I don't think that would fit the London theme, and currants would. And perhaps a touch of other florals as well. A bit of hazelnut in the background, and maybe some sweetened black tea? I'm really stretching my imagination here, as this is a very subtle and unique scent. I'm not sure about anything except the rose, and even that is different from most rose notes. One thing I can say for sure is that it is just beautiful! On me, wet; Pretty much the same, except that now the rose note is stronger although it's still less strong and less sweet than rose usually is. There's still that hint of mystery sweetness that seems fruity rather than floral. On me, just dried: Already it has become pretty much a single-note tea rose; albeit a dried rose potpourri rather than a heady bouquet of fresh roses. I adore this! It just might be my new top favorite. I don't see anything twisted, blackened, or wicked about this at all. To me it's gentle and old-fashioned, dainty and well-mannered. Just like an upper-class Victorian lady. After 1 1/2 hours: Now it's a papery rose. After 2 hours: A classic but understated tea rose scent. One of my favorites! I definitely want a bottle of this! My rating: 5+ stars.

Thank you for the frimp, labbies! This one was on my list to try, so I was delighted to get it! In the imp: Very pale yellow, clear oil. Has an extreme piercing sharpness with an unusual fragrance that I can't identify - it's like a wood, but much, much sharper. Even a highly balsamic wood wouldn't be this sharp. There's a undertone of maraschino cherry/almond, but it is salty rather than sweet. Although I didn't pick up any rose directly from sniffing the imp, after I've stoppered the imp back up there is a cloud of rose scent lingering in the air around me and the imp even though I haven't touched the oil or applied any yet. On me, wet: That sharp woody/balsamic(?) note is most evident, although thankfully it is not so piercing on my skin. There's also something that reminds me of lemon meringue, although it too is salty rather than sweet. The overall combination smells disturbingly similar to roach killer spray. On me, just dried: Pretty much the same, although now I think I am picking up some lavender as well. That would explain some of the sharpness. After 10 minutes: The bug spray note hasn't vanished entirely, but it does seem to be morphing into something closer to clove and cinnamon. The scent has settled down quite a bit and is already much softer. Again, I notice that cloud of rose fragrance all around me, although up close to my wrist, the rose is totally masked by the stronger notes. Interesting how the other oils are so much stronger than than the rose that they completely overpower it, and yet the rose has more throw. After 20 minutes: The scent on my wrist is now mostly clove, with some rose now peeking through in a rather flirtatious manner. After 1 hour: Clove and rose in approximately equal parts. After 2 hours: Just the faintest hint of rose. Wow, this is a complicated and intriguing blend! It seems to be a puzzling grab bag of notes from all over the board. I enjoy that - it is interesting and the overall fragrance is quite unique and mystifying. I'm ambivalent about the first 20 minutes of it on my skin. If I think about it one way, all I can smell is bug spray. But if I think about it another way - trying to analyze what notes are in it - then I rather like it. And I love the rose cloud that this surrounds me with. In any case, I definitely do like it after 20 minutes, when it is clove and rose. So all that makes it really difficult to give it a rating. It is a very confusing scent! I'm surprised to see lavender included in a Love Oil (if I'm right about that, and I feel fairly confident.) In aromatherapy, one of the uses for lavender is to damp down the libido and to turn away any unwanted sexual desires that others might have for you. But I do love the fragrance of lavender, so I can't complain about its presence in any blend! And this is certainly a hot scent, which together with the rose, makes perfect sense for a love potion. It will sure be interesting to see what affect this has on other people!. So far, I've only tried it at home, as I always do with new scents in case my skin chemistry does something weird with them. My rating: 4 stars (with reservations)

In the vial: Sandalwood and ylang ylang are the only notes I can distinguish. The rest merge seamlessly into a complex and sophisticated blend. On me, wet: Pretty much the same. The sandalwood/incense is strongest, but the ylang ylang is also making its presence known. On me, just dried: Basically the same, except that now I am picking up the amber note clearly. This is a warm scent, and even this early on, subtle and discreet. After 20 minutes: The ylang ylang has already vanished into thin air. There is still a faint floral undertone that may be the rose, iris, and violet leaf, although it isn't strong enough to identify them specifically. (Not that I know what violet leaf smells like anyway.) Smelled up close, it's all incense, but the floral note is hovering in the air a few inches away. After 45 minutes: Amber and sandalwood incense with a gorgeous powdery floral and a hint of musk. Feminine, and very classy. After 1 1/2 hours: Powder - not baby powder, but luxurious upscale floral-scented body powder for a grown woman. It has that understated quality of true elegance. After 4 hours: A faint lingering hint of amber. Verdict: I never did pick up the rose, so this isn't the rose blend I was hoping for, but this is a gorgeous 5-star perfume nevertheless. It starts out as a dignified and discreet incense-type fragrance, like something you'd choose for work; but then morphs into a very feminine floral fragrance. It's beautiful, soft, and understated, in all its stages. My rating: 5 stars

In the imp: Almond - not the almond of maraschino cherries, but the almond of Jergen's hand lotion. I've loved that scent for as long as I can remember. There's a faint undertone of orange - the peel, not the neroli blossom. On me, wet: Same as in the vial. On me, just dried: The almond dissipates quickly, leaving orange, gentle spices, and a hint of general florals at first, which soon becomes identifiable as rose. After 7 minutes, it is 100% rose. After 15 minutes, it is a softer rose. After 30 minutes: Rose with spices. After 1 hour: Rose with sandalwood and a touch of spices. After 2 1/2 hours: A faint lingering hint of sandalwood. Verdict: I love this! It has several of my favorite notes and is one of my shortlist favorite scents. I was not so sure about the orange peel, as I don't care for fruity orange in a perfume, but here it is subtle and short-lived enough to not be a problem for me. I do wish that the neroli note was stronger - I never noticed that at all. But that's a minor quibble - this is a gorgeous blend which is indeed sensual and luxurious! I'm glad I got a vial instead of just an imp, because I will want to wear this often. My rating: 5 stars

In the imp: Oil is a clear, orangey-amber color. The fragrance is mostly patchouli, with some incense and spice. A little skanky, is that the patchouli? I usually love patchouli. I notice that it smells different when I sniff the wand than if I sniff it in the imp. I've noticed that before with other scents. It must be the greater exposure to air that makes it smell different on the wand. The way it smells on the wand is usually the same way it smells wet on me, when first applied. In this case, it's mostly patchouli in the bottle, and mostly orange on the wand; with some incense and spices for both. On me, wet: Right at first - ugh, cat pee. I've seen this in other reviews but didn't quite believe it. (I thought someone's imagination was working overtime, or else they had weird skin chemistry. ) Well, now I do believe them! I'm not going anywhere, so I won't wash it off but will instead wait to see if it changes. On me, just dried: It does get better. Now it's mostly orange and spice. But there's still that undertone of cat pee. After 5 minutes: Up close, the skankiness is mostly gone, together with the orange - turned into spices and incense. But I still smell cat pee from a foot or so away. After 10 minutes: That unpleasant note seems to be completely gone, and now it's a nice scent of spices and incense to my nose. I don't trust what it might smell like to others, though. Everyone else in my house is asleep, so there's no one to ask at the moment. I wouldn't risk wearing it in public until I get a second opinion. Well, I can definitely say that at least this isn't foody or fruity! After 20 minutes: My 21-year-old son woke up and I asked him what he thought. He likes it, both from a couple of feet away and when sniffing it up close. He thought it smelled like lavender and flowers - huh? Well, as long as it's not cat pee . . . It must be the sweetness from the fruits that made him think of flowers, especially since there isn't any identifiable note of fruitiness. No doubt it's the spices - that piercing, sharp note - that reminded him of lavender. He also said that the scent seemed subtle and light from a couple of feet away, which is good to know. After 30 minutes: I'm liking it more and more as time goes by. It has softened considerably, into incense and warm spices with just a lingering hint of patchouli. After 45 minutes: It's gone a bit soapy - sandalwood and spice soap. That's just an observation, not a criticism. I like soaps with nice scents. After 4 hours: I can still pick up a faint fragrance of sandalwood. Verdict: Unisex. It actually turned out to be quite nice once it got past the initial 5 minutes of skankiness. This would be a good one for work. But I would be cautious about applying it in public due to that unpleasant first 5 minutes. My rating: 3 stars

Beauty, joy, pleasure and delight: devastated. This is the scent of the hopelessness, torment and despair of love. Lavender and wisteria, heart-wrenching pale rose, desolate white sandalwood and thin, tear-streaked white musk. In the imp: A clear, almost colorless oil, with just the palest tint of yellow. Wisteria and lavender vie for the starring role. I don't get any rose at all. (And wouldn't expect to pick up the bottom notes of sandalwood and musk yet.) On me, wet: Still wisteria and lavender, now maybe with a faint undertone of rose. It's a bit soapy, but I don't consider that a bad thing. It reminds me of a mild jasmine. I'm getting a bit of a burning sensation (I'm allergic to lavender oil, to my great grief), but it isn't enough to be painful and my skin isn't turning red, so I can live with that. On me, just dried: The rose comes out a little stronger, but it's still very much in the background. If I didn't know it was in this oil, I might not even notice it. If I try really hard, I can get the "old rose" note that others have mentioned. But on me it's really more of a floral dryer sheets scent. I'm beginning to realize that my skin loves rose as much as my nose does, and quickly gobbles it up. Unless the rose note is very strong, I smell very little or none of it. After 30 minutes: Now the sandalwood, and especially the white musk bottom notes have begun to appear, making this smell less like dryer sheets and more like a light, bright, classic perfume. On me, there is none of the melancholy from the description. Quite the contrary: I'm daydreaming of taking tea in a garden on a sunny but mild spring day. After 45 minutes: The sandalwood has completely taken over, and this is now a pleasant pure sandalwood incense smell. Now it is indeed dark and deep, but still not in a sad way, but rather in a spiritual and mystical way. Now I'm daydreaming of Buddhist temples dimly lit by candlelight, and my favorite headshop where I used to go for Tarot readings and black light posters, dimmed by the smoky haze of incense and marijuana. Verdict: This blend is a real morpher, and quite lovely in all of its incarnations. On my skin, it's not a rose scent. That disappoints me, since the rose note was what I was particularly interested in. It might be perfect if I layered on just a smidgeon of The Rose, Rose Absolute, or Rose Otto to make this a true rose blend. But otherwise I really like this a lot. I want to try it it my scent locket, too, to retain the top notes longer. I'd also put some on my skin at the same time in order to enjoy the sandalwood bottom note as well. I think if I smelled both the florals and the sandalwood at the same time (instead of them taking turns one at a time like they do on my skin), I would indeed get the impression of old dried flowers and melancholy. My rating: 4 stars

This frimp was a big hit - thank you, labbies! In the imp: Clear, bright orange oil. I smell rose and orange blossom, with a touch of apple. The orange blossom is the authentic flower scent that I love, without any taint of the orange fruit. Ooh, this is heavenly! On me, wet: Now I can smell the honey especially, and the peach, with just a bit of spiciness that probably comes from the frankincense. Alas, the orange blossom note vanishes almost instantly. On me, just dried: The honey and peach are still strongest, but I can also detect hints of most of the other notes that are in this blend. No particular note really stands out - if I didn't know what was in it, I don't think I could identify any of them. It's a beautiful and complex blend of all the notes that creates a unique, warm, fragrance that is just itself. After 30 minutes: Now this is almost all honey, with just the faintest hint of florals and maybe some myrrh. After 3 hours: The fragrance has faded and softened, but still has a definite presence on my skin. Now it is mostly sweet musk, with a slight whiff of honey. Verdict: This blend is one of my favorites! It's going on my wishlist for a bottle. For those who don't care for rose, it is a very minor supporting playing in this fragrance and barely makes an appearance. I never noticed the frankincense at all. Perhaps it was part of the bottom note that I labeled as sweet musk. Wearing this in a scent locket would preserve the wonderful top note of orange blossom (and perhaps a little of the rose.) But I wouldn't want to miss out on the middle and bottom notes, so I'd put some on my skin as well. My rating: 5 stars

In the vial: I smell sweet red wine, grapes, and plum. On me, wet: Plum is definitely the predominant note. Right at first, I can only detect the fruits, although there are unidentifiable nuances to tell me that other things are also in there. They keep the overall impression from being foody. On me, just dried: Once it starts to dry, the clove and a hint of florals comes out, with increasing strength as it dries down. After about 10 minutes, they've overtaken the plum and added the juniper berry and an undertone of pepper that I'm guessing is the saffron. A few minutes later, I can just barely notice the smoke - a gentle breath, exactly like the description says. After 20 minutes, the woods come out to play. At this point, the woods and spices are the main notes, but all the others still have a distinct presence. After 1 hour: The woods, spice, and smoke are the only notes still remaining. This blend is unusual for one with this many ingredients, in that I can discern almost everything listed. Usually with this many different notes, there are a few that stand out and everything else merges together and can't be picked out individually. It's also unusual and very intriguing in that for the first half hour, it transforms dramatically every few minutes. And it is quite lovely at every single stage. It's a unisex fragrance that is complex and warm; and it is dignified enough to be ideal for wearing at work. (The boozeyness is gone within moments after it hits the skin, so this wouldn't be a problem unless you were wearing it in a scent locket, where the top notes last. And its a yummy boozeyness, so as long as you aren't going to work, the scent locket might be just the thing!) The combination of oils in this is so appropriate for this time of year (September.) My rating: 4 stars

Thank you for the frimp, labbies! In the imp: Oil is clear and light yellow. Winey and cloyingly sweet. On me, wet: The extreme sweetness dissipates almost immediately, although it does remain basically sweet. The wine is still there, and now I can smell the leather and possibly the musk. This wine note seems closer to cherry than to grape. The leather smells clean and new. I don't notice the roses and violets - the sweetness is fruity rather than floral. This is indeed a sexy scent, although it doesn't smell like actual sexual musk to me, which is a good thing. On me, just dried: New leather and cherry candy. I totally get the dominatrix theme. After 45 minutes: The scent is now mostly gone. What remains is the faded leather dominating over the faintest wisp of flowers. After 1 1/2 hours: Only a very soft, powdery, floral with sweet musk scent is left. Verdict: This scent is a real morpher! It's pleasant, but not really my thing. I'm more of a flower child, and the flowers don't show up until after 45 minutes on my skin and even then they are quite faint. But it will be nice to have around to add some variety to my collection and I will wear it from time to time. In spite of the leather, I think this blend is sweeter than most guys would want to wear. So this is a feminine leather scent, and the name describes it perfectly. My rating: 3 stars

In the imp: Oil is a clear, light yellow. The blend is well balanced between cherry and florals, which makes this a more subtle cherry scent than the others I've tried. There is less of an artificial cherry or cherry candy impression. There is an almond note too, (as in maraschino cherries), and that too is not overpowering like it often is in other blends. On me, wet: Same as in the imp. So far, this is my favorite BPAL cherry blend. I'm not familiar enough with those flowers to pick out the particular flower notes, just a general floral scent. The flowers hold their own with the cherry so that the overall impression - while noticeably cherry - is not too fruity or foody. On me, just dried: The cherry note evaporates quickly as the oil dries, leaving behind a light and lovely scent of white flowers. After 1 hour: As the floral notes fade, the cherry note is again detectable. Yet it doesn't overpower the florals but remains in a nice equilibrium with them. Verdict: Yes, this is definitely my favorite of the BPAL cherry blends I've tried. The cherry note is more like the real fruit in this one, and it is well balanced with the florals so that the whole thing doesn't come off as too foody. My rating: 4 stars

n the imp: Clear, light golden-yellow oil. This is weird, but I get the scent of those dry, airy, white, square (like little pillows) mint candies that used to always be served at wedding receptions. It's not a strong mint scent - it's like the fragrance of the candies, not their flavor. This is a cross between that and the scent of Ajax cleansing powder. I can pick out the wood notes, but not any rose or other florals. This is nothing like I expected, and so far I don't care much for it. Hopefully the florals will come out on my skin. On me, wet: Nope, so far it's still the same as in the imp. On me, just dried: The wood has amped up a little, but overall this is still mint candies and Ajax. After 30 minutes: Much improved - now it is indeed the scent of wood and old, dried flowers. I do like it fairly well now, but am not sure it's worth the yucky first 30 minutes. After 1 hour: The scent is now pretty faint but quite lovely - dried roses. If only it had been like this the whole time . . . My rating: 3 stars

In the imp: Looks like clear, pure rainwater. It does smell watery, with some ozone but not so much that it is sharp. It's fresh and pure rather than sharp. On me, wet: Much the same as in the imp, and now I can also pick up a little saltiness and a hint of citrus - grapefruit, maybe? It's a beautiful scent, very light and refreshing, and not at all men's cologney like many ozone and aquatic scents are. Like standing next to a waterfall in a bed of wildflowers. I can see why some reviews have mentioned the original Clairol Herbal Essence Shampoo and others Love's Rain scent. It is similar to those, especially Love's Rain. But not an exact duplicate of either. Those were some of my favorite scents ever - I used them both often. I miss them, and in this I think I've found a good replacement! On me, just dried: It develops a bit of a floral note once dried. Drydown: The fragrance remains consistent as long as it is detectable, which is not as long as many other BPAL oils. My teenage son (without knowing the name of the scent or anything about it) said that it smelled like the creosote bush scent that makes the desert smell so wonderfully fresh after a rain. He also said that he likes the way this one is not so strong and overpowering as most essential oils. I like to wear it in my scent locket to give it a bit more throw and longevity. I've got to get a bottle of this! My rating: 5 stars

In the imp: Clear, almost colorless oil - maybe with the faintest tinge of green? Smells just like the description: tea, herbs, and flowers. On me, wet: The herbs and peony are strongest. There's just a hint of lemon, too. I'm not getting a definitive tea scent, more like just a bit of green bitterness that would be closest to green tea. On my, drydown: The herbs and tea vanish pretty quickly, leaving behind almost a single-note peony. It does evoke dryer sheets, but nice floral-scented ones that are quite pleasant. This scent is light and not as long-lasting as some. It would be great in a scent locket. Verdict: It's not the Holy Grail of an authentic black tea scent for which I quest, but it is a lovely scent that I will enjoy wearing. My rating: 4

This was a lab frimp that I never would have thought to try - the description sounds too aggressively masculine for girly-girl me. But it goes to show why the lab includes random frimps with our orders, because I really liked it a lot! What a great surprise! In the imp: A clear, peach-colored oil. Mmm, this is nice: wood, spices, and an undertone of musk. On me, wet: Same as above - wood is the main note. It's not at all aggressively macho like I had expected from the description. I'm not getting any saltiness or fishiness (such as from the kelp), either. On me, just dried: Just mildly sweet wood and musk with a hint of spice. Gentle, warm, and lovely: a perfect unisex blend. It's definitely aged wood and old spices, without the sharpness of freshly-cut boards or the heat of fresh spice. Just like the description says for those things. I'm not getting any leather or kelp, though, which is fine with me. I'm thinking that since this is worn, not new, leather, its scent might be merging with the musk so that they are indistinguishable. After an hour: It's now developed a mild smokiness that melds beautifully with the wood scent. After a couple of hours: The spice notes gradually become more dominant as the wood notes fade, making the scent lean more towards masculine. But still not so much that I wouldn't enjoy wearing it myself. I really like this blend a lot, and would totally fall in love with a man who smelled like this . . . My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Clear, colorless oil. Ah yes, the very vivid and authentic scent of a just-picked rose. Just what I've been looking for! On me, wet: Same as above, with a little greenery. So real I can almost see the full-blown blossom on its stem. On me, just dried: Yes, there is a bit of green sharpness that makes this rose smell impeccably fresh. Absolutely gorgeous. After 1 1/2 hours: The sharp/green/fresh notes have evaporated, but there is still a beautiful classic rose scent on my skin. Verdict: This isn't your grandmother's rose perfume: it's brighter, fresher. (Although you may need to reapply it from time to time or wear it in a scent locket to keep the fresh green note going strong.) And it's a very realistic rose scent. I've already ordered a bottle! My rating: 5+

On me, Oberon at the tail end of drydown reminds me a lot of Chanel No. 5's ending notes. While fresh, though, Oberon is much more flowery (but also beautiful.)

Yes! (from a lifelong Arizonan.) And the rain scent would have to have the creosote scent that makes the desert smell so beautiful after a rain. I've been wishing that Beth would do the desert creosote bush scent. One of my kids' teachers used to make and sell a refreshing body spritzer that was a simple tincture of creosote in water. It was fabulous - smelled just like desert rain. She doesn't make it anymore. I wish I knew how, I'd make it myself, because I really miss it. An essential oil would be even better, because the water tincture scent only lasted until it dried. The BPAL creosote is something else entirely, the nasty black tarry stuff that clogs chimneys. And some mesquite, and acacia blossoms . . .

This lab frimp turned out to be a spectacular winner! Thank you, thank you, labbies! In the imp: A clear, light yellow oil. The orchid is all I can smell. And oh my goddess, is it beautiful! I can already tell that this will be a favorite. On me, wet: Same as above. All orchid, and gorgeous. I can't wait to see if the other notes come out on drydown. But I'd love it even if it stays just the same as it is now. The white musk might smell similar enough to the orchid that my nose isn't sensitive enough to separate it out. On me, just dried: Ah yes, there's the juniper berry to add a bit of sharp spicy nuance to the orchid. I'm surprised that I'm not getting any patchouli - it usually hogs the limelight! After a few hours: I never did get much of a patchouli note. What I think is the white musk did become a little more apparent on drydown. Although the orchid remains the dominant player, the overall impression becomes more like a classic and very elegant perfume. In fact, at the end, the final note reminds me of the lingering scent of Chanel No. 5 after it has been on the skin for a while. (And yeah, I always did get a bit of a soap impression from Chanel #5 so I can kind of see where some of the other reviewers are coming from. But I love nice-smelling soaps, I love Chanel #5, and I love this!) Verdict: A gorgeous and fabulously elegant blend suitable for the most formal occasions. To me this seems ultra feminine, in spite of the name and the other reviews. I can't really picture a guy wearing an orchid corsage, which is the image I get from this blend. (The corsage, I mean, not the guy.) It's interesting how different my take on this is from many other reviewers. This is one of my favorites and is immediately going on my shortlist for a bottle! My rating: 5+

In the imp: A clear, very pale yellow. The scent is a bright, sharp, fresh, realistic lemon; just like cutting into an actual lemon. It's not a sweet scent, maybe even a tad salty. On me, wet: Now I'm picking up some green - the aloe and the green tea. It's a very nice combination with the lemon. On me, just dried: As it dries, the musk starts to peek out a little, adding a tiny bit of sweetness and almost a floral kind of note. Yet this is still a very fresh scent rather than a sweet one. I'm not generally a big fan of citrus scents, but this one is quite lovely. It's a lively, invigorating, happy kind of smell. It would be a great choice for a hot summer day. I really like it that this has the scent of real lemons, not that cloyingly-sweet, artificial lemon extract smell that you often find in perfumes from other companies. After about 20 minutes, it is now somewhat sweet, and starts to lean towards a men's cologne scent, but not obnoxiously so. It's unisex. After a couple of hours: It keeps the citrusy men's cologne scent, but loses any hint of sharpness and becomes soft and mild. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: Clear, pale peach oil. The scent is sharp and spicy - ginger, pepper, and - yay! - black tea. I've been looking for a BPAL that has a true black tea scent as its main note. Could this be it? The spices are stronger, but the tea is definitely there. The spiciness (and even a mysterious tang of lemon) makes this remind me more of Earl Grey rather than plain black tea, even though there's no bergamot in this. On me, wet: The same notes as in the imp, with the addition of sweet milk. The tea is still there, but it's not so much a strong black tea as it is a mild, sweetened, milky tea. It's a lovely fragrance that is so well- blended and complex that it's hard to identify any specific note; what I call a designer scent. If I didn't know what particular scents were in it, I'd never be able to guess. It's almost floral - that must come from the clean linen. On me, just dried: Now it's lost the spice and tea notes, gotten a lot sweeter, and has morphed into 100% dryer sheets. To me, that's not a bad thing. I love the scent of good-quality dryer sheets. It will be interesting to see what happens as time goes by, since the fragrance has changed so much already. After an hour: Still smells like dryer sheets. After 2 hours: Still mostly dryer sheets, but they are fading and letting some of the milk and honey peek through again. Ultra feminine, especially on drydown. A very nice scent, but not the Holy Grail of Tea that I was looking for. Not recommended for those who don't like the smell of dryer sheets. Try this in a scent locket to retain the tea and spice notes. My rating: 4 stars

In the imp: A clear, bright pinkish-orange oil, with a beautiful true rose scent. I don't notice the amber or musk at all. On me, wet: Mostly rose, but if I think about it I can smell the amber a little, too. Rose and amber are an inspired pairing! I don't know if I'm also smelling the red musk, because I don't know what it smells like by itself. After 30 minutes: Still mostly all rose. And heavenly. This might be just the thing to replace my beloved (but now discontinued) Tea Rose oil from The Body Shop. After 1 1/2 hours: Now the amber/musk notes have equal weight with the rose. This is absolutely gorgeous: on my shortlist of most-favorite-scents-ever. Utterly rapturous, just like it says. I so need a big bottle of this. After several hours: The fragrance is lasting for longer than most of my BPAL scents do. And now it is 100% amber. I love this blend in all of its phases! My rating: 5+ stars

In the imp: This oil even looks like something from paradise! It's a beautiful clear, pale violet-tinted oil. The smell is strong and super sweet: first almond and then toasted coconut especially, with an undertone of figgy fruitiness. On me, wet: Pretty much the same, but nutty rather than fruity. Overpoweringly-strong and cloyingly sweet right at first but it settles down very quickly. On me, just dried: It transforms completely as soon as it has dried, into a sweet, creamy perfume scent! The strong almond/coconut has largely disappeared, leaving behind just a hint of nuttiness. It must be the fig leaf, milk, and sandalwood I'm mostly smelling now. I haven't noticed the honey specifically, but that's undoubtedly where the sweetness is coming from; along with the fig, which is more noticeable now that the competition from the almond and coconut has gone. After 45 minutes: The nuttiness comes out more strongly over time. For a while, the perfume notes are still there with enough weight to balance the scent and keep it from being too foody. But eventually the nuttiness (which makes me think of hazelnut rather than coconut) takes over and becomes the last lingering note. Verdict: I'm kind of ambivalent about this one. It is interesting - both in concept and in the way it morphs so much. And all of its manifestations are pleasant. But it is a little too foody most of the time for me to wear very often as a perfume. It isn't as in-your-face-eat-me as some, so I might enjoy wearing it from time to time as a change from my usual favorites. But most of the time, I'd probably prefer it in the oil warmer as a room scent for the kitchen. My rating: 4 Thank you for the frimp, labbies!

In the imp: Clear, light golden yellow oil. Smells exactly like butterscotch hard candies or butterscotch chips. Makes me want to eat it. I'm not getting any note of booze. On me, wet: Ah, now there's the rum, more like rum extract flavoring for foods rather than real rum. Butterscotch is still dominant. Yummy! On me, just dried: The butterscotch lightens up as it dries, and the sharp alcohol scent of real rum comes out, with just a touch of butter in the background. After a while: The boozey sharpness has gone, but otherwise it still smells like a fairly true buttered rum. After several hours: There is still a faint but sweet and tantalizing scent of butterscotch or butter-rum candies. Verdict: I love this! It's very fun (with all of its changes, and with the whole concept) and utterly delicious. I wouldn't wear it as a perfume, though, at least not out in public. I don't want to smell like food - or even worse, like alcohol. But I will enjoy wearing it at home; and I'll especially enjoy it in an oil warmer as a room scent. It will fill the kitchen with mouthwatering goodness! My rating: 4 stars Thank you for the frimp, labbies!

In the imp: Clear, colorless oil. Smells exactly like cutting into a ripe, juicy, fresh cucumber! Aahhhhh . . . On me wet: There might be more to this than meets the eye . . . er, nose. Could that be just the barest suggestion of florals that I'm smelling, hiding underneath the cucumber? And maybe some freshly cut grass, too? Drydown: The fragrance remains consistent as long as it lasts. When I was in high school, I used to collect fragrance oils. (Obviously I haven't changed much since then.) The minute I opened this one, it brought back vivid memories of a Cucumber Oil that I had. It was one of my favorites, and like this one, it was a very authentic cucumber scent. This one, however is a little different - it seems more nuanced, thus lending weight to my theory that there are some secret mystery oils in Squirting Cucumber. Squiring Cucumber also reminded me a lot of The Queen's Croquet Garden room spray. And when I tried smelling them side by side, sure enough, they are extremely similar. (Nice - I've been looking for a perfume with that scent and never would have thought of this one as a possibility.) Yet The Queen's Croquet Garden is decidedly grass, while this is decidedly cucumber. Amazing! In any case, this is one of my favorite scents - not just from BPAL but from anywhere! I don't like foody scents as perfumes, but this is nothing at all like the fruity or bakery scents. It's incredibly refreshing, green, and clean: the perfect antidote for a blazing hot, sweaty, summer's day. I see a bottle in my future . . . My rating: 5 stars

In the imp: Clear, colorless oil. Right up close, the scent is a strong and unusually sweet lavender, with an undertone that for some reason reminds me of candied cherries - the real ones, not the artificial cherry note of the BPAL's. Not maraschino cherries, either - I mean the delicately-flavored kind you put in fruitcake. From a few inches away, it's the lotus I smell. Definitely interesting . . . has possibilities . . . On me, wet: At first, just plain single-note lavender. Which is something I love, so that's fine with me. As it starts to dry, a teasing hint of spice peeks out. After 30 minutes: As in the vial, I can only detect the lotus if I sniff my wrist from about 3 inches away. Even then, it is quite faint. Its main contribution is to tone down the lavender and add sweetness. The spice is more noticeable and is now starting to give the lavender some real competition. It is an interesting juxtaposition with the lavender's own sharp spiciness. After 1 hour: The lavender is now gone. The spice remains, and the lotus is finally coming into its own, although still not equal to the spice in strength. Verdict: For lavender lovers only! Lavender is the star of this show. It's one of my favorite scents, but to my great regret I am highly allergic to the pure essential oil. It burns, and my skin develops fiery red welts where the oil touches it. But I was fine with this. I'm delighted to have found an authentic lavender scent that I can wear! I also like the added touches. Until the lavender fragrance evaporates after about an hour, if I didn't know the other oils were there I wouldn't have noticed them. But they do add subtle nuances, and they extend the life of the scent on my skin by lingering on long after the lavender is gone. I really like this a lot! My rating: 4 stars