killersandliars

I'd describe this scent as green and ghostly. It definitely smells woody, as the other reviewers have mentioned, but the ti leaf and the fig make it smell a lot different than your grandma's cedar chest. The sage plays nicely with the cedar, and they both stay close to the skin (and they stick around much longer.) This reminds me a lot of a really fine men's cologne, in a way, but slightly lighter and less citrus-y. I might have to put a dab on my husband, on whom I *adore* cedar and woods in general, to see how it plays on him. This is definitely one of the most interesting BPAL oils I have in my stash, and I'm quite glad that I took the leap on it.

This was my surprise favorite Yule this year. The description is slightly vague, but I expected something perhaps along the lines of Snow White. However, Chionophobia is something different all together. On me it is very light and maybe a little bit clean-smelling, but not soapy as some of the other reviewers have experienced. Maybe there's a touch of white rose in there that does that for them? I feel like Chionophobia is at the same time delicate but also assertive, which I think makes for the most interesting florals. Someone mentioned that maybe there's a hint of citrus in there, and I agree, there's something sweetly lemon-ish (but not like cleaner, maybe from oakmoss or something??) in there too to brighten it up. It's amazing, because this says "winter floral" to me much more than the other floral-based Yules that I have tried. It doesn't read as particularly cold or icy on me (which I do get from Snow White a little bit), but definitely very bright white. All in all, I was so shocked by how good this one is, I might need more before Yules go away.

I wanted to try a really hardcore foodie scent from BPAL, as I have mostly avoided them to this point. I am not hugely into sugary or baked-goodsy gourmands in general, though I do occasionally like something along those lines if the mood strikes. I figured that since this also had the element of the butter and the rum that might temper the sweetness just a bit. (For the record, I considered Butter Rum Cookie as well, but I eventually settled on this.) My husband and I are big rum afficionadoes, we have quite the collection of rum and we generally use it in the best kinds of rum drinks: tiki drinks. However, I have tried winter's rum staple, the hot buttered rum, and I am not entirely opposed to it. The BPAL scent version is much more delicious than the real thing, though. The molasses and the cream are indeed very sweet, but the rum and the spices make it much more interesting and layered. It has a baked goods quality to it, but there is a little more depth to it too, just like a good handmade cocktail. Hot Buttered Rum is also VERY strong on me, it throws for a long way and lasts and lasts. Not that I am complaining. It wraps me in a nice fuzzy blanket of spicy warmth that follows me around even when it's cold out. It has definitely satisfied my gourmand curiosity and I'll also probably spring for more rum-based scents in the future because this one worked out so nicely.

I bought this because I really loved Elizabeth of Bohemia and I didn't buy a full bottle. Miss Jessell has the same kind of feeling as Elizabeth of Bohemia, but a little darker and more autumnal, whereas EoB is more springy. Anyway, I loved Beth's combination of oud and rose in EoB, so when I saw Miss Jessell I knew that it would be a good replacement. I actually ended up liking Miss Jessell better than EoB because it is a little more complex, or deeper. It has a nice rose in there, but it really plays behind the other notes in a way. Like the rose is definitely there, but it isn't the most prominent. I don't think I especially amp rose, but it is usually the forenote in most of the BPAL rose scents I own, so this is definitely a little different. The oud is probably the most prominent note for me, but it isn't overpoweringly oud-y either. All in all, I would say Miss Jessell is very complex yet also balanced. Another scent I think it is somewhat reminiscent of is Theotokos, but that is more incense with rose in the background and Miss Jessell is more woody. All in all, this is a beautiful scent, and I like how darkly feminine it is without being smoky.

My favorite pumpkin scent from the Lab is Fizzy Jack O'Lantern. To my nose it isn't spicy at all, just a little tart and effervescent and sweet. It might be a little more evocative of a jack o'lantern layered with something that smells like a burning candle. It was a LE from Weenies past though.

I think maybe the Evil Queen might smell like Apple of Sodom, since it seems a lot more sinister and red to me than Poisoned Apple. Egle might be good for Ursula, maybe? Oh, and Hook would smell like Mary Read in my head.

 

Also, totally OT, but Pinocchio would totally smell like Rocking-Horse-Fly, right?

 

I saw the bottles on tumblr, and I think they were very cool. I wish something like that would come to fruition, especially in crystal. I'd splurge for Maleficent or Evil Queen for sure.

I have tried the board search and searching this topic and I can't seem to find anything. If this has been asked a thousand times, I do apologize. Anyway, my cousin has recently fallen in love with a rollerball of Lady Gaga's Fame perfume she got at Target. The scent descriptions are kind of weird and vague, especially since it says that the fragrance doesn't play by the typical scent pyramid rules we're all accustomed to. This is the description from sephora.com:

 

"This black fluid exudes a lustful, floral, fruity essence for fabulous little monsters. Enriched with tears of belladonna, a black veil of incense, and pulverized apricot, this fragrance may cause illicit fits of extravagance, unrivalled rushes of adoration, and prolonged moments of ecstasy and rapture.Notes:Belladonna, Incense, Apricot, Honey Drops, Tiger Orchidea, Jasmin Sambac.Style:Empowering. Mysterious. Fabulous."

 

I assume that belladonna tears smell just like belladonna itself, but who knows? If anyone has smelled this and can think of a close equivalent in BPAL's range, I would be overjoyed. I can think of a few floral-incense blends that I own, but they all lack the fruit.

 

I haven't smelled it, but maybe Tamora, Morgause, Midnight on the Midway (good luck), or Butterflies, Flowers and Jewels Attending?

 

Thank you! Searching notes I came up with a couple of options, but neither of those are on this list, so this is definitely quite helpful.

I have tried the board search and searching this topic and I can't seem to find anything. If this has been asked a thousand times, I do apologize. Anyway, my cousin has recently fallen in love with a rollerball of Lady Gaga's Fame perfume she got at Target. The scent descriptions are kind of weird and vague, especially since it says that the fragrance doesn't play by the typical scent pyramid rules we're all accustomed to. This is the description from sephora.com:

 

"This black fluid exudes a lustful, floral, fruity essence for fabulous little monsters. Enriched with tears of belladonna, a black veil of incense, and pulverized apricot, this fragrance may cause illicit fits of extravagance, unrivalled rushes of adoration, and prolonged moments of ecstasy and rapture.Notes:Belladonna, Incense, Apricot, Honey Drops, Tiger Orchidea, Jasmin Sambac.Style:Empowering. Mysterious. Fabulous."

 

I assume that belladonna tears smell just like belladonna itself, but who knows? If anyone has smelled this and can think of a close equivalent in BPAL's range, I would be overjoyed. I can think of a few floral-incense blends that I own, but they all lack the fruit.

My stellar, awesome cousin picked this up for me at Dragon*Con (while she got some for herself too!), and I honestly couldn't be happier with it. I only regret that I didn't get two. I too got this because of my Native American heritage, and that of my husband. But I also freaking love rose scents, because Beth can do no wrong when it comes to roses.

 

I get something pretty different than many of the other reviews though, because on me it is mostly a very wild rosey-type smell. I get a hint of greery and a hint of something else that's a bit herbaceous, but I certainly don't get any lemon. At first, while it's still wet, the rose is a tad bit soapy, but that settles down into the background a bit as the scent dries. On drydown, it is purely wild rose, like a primrose maybe. It isn't that full-bodied, velvet petaled pure rose of Peacock Queen. Cherokee Rose seems very pale color-wise by comparison. The only BPAL oil that I have that is somewhat similar to this, though really pretty different, is Moon Rose.

 

While it does smell mostly like roses, it is definitely not a typical rose smell. I don't really know what sets it apart, but it isn't just a rose single note. It's the palest kiss of rose with a dash of leaves and stems and *something else* that I can't quite put my finger on.

 

All in all, it is a complete winner.

Very nicely fruity and fresh. It isn't overly foody or too sweet, it is just a nicely balanced peach with a touch of mango. It is very light ant totally appropriate for spring and summer. It doesn't have a lot of throw, but it has reasonable lasting power on me.

I love this! It is very vanilla, sweet, a little furity, and totally cakey. It smells like the most moist, luscious birthday cupcake, which is right on the money with the description. It wears really nicely on me, and has a decent throw. For comparison, it is much more straight up cake than something like Eat Me.

My review is for the anniversary version.

 

I'm surprised that some of the other reviews say there's no patchoulli and leather, because on me that's almost all it is. I get a very strong patchoulli mixed with leather, matcha, and some dirt. It is very dark, dirty, sexy, and sinister. For me, it is exactly what I was expecting from it. I don't wear it often, though, because it is a little heavy for every day and it has a ton of throw. It is a really nice oil, and I know it is going to age really well. A+, just because it is unique and interesting.

I had Snow White first, so of course I associate this scent with the former. However, it is unique enough to justify owning both perfumes. It starts out uber-creamy on me, almost exactly like Snow White, but then the rose starts to come out more and it becomes a good mix of that vanilla-coconut scent from Snow White with a pretty, soft rose. Pink Snowballs is like Snow White's softer, more subtle sister.

I have big bottles of 3 of the celestial apple scents from this past Halloween as well as decants of the other two. Silver Apple is right in the middle as far as how much I like it, and that's about what I assumed when I looked at the notes. I adore apple and moonflower, and sandalwood usually behaves on me. The only notes that caused concern were the orris and the lotus root. I am not a fan of terribly dry scents, but I think in this particular blend the roots ground the apple and moonflower to keep it from being too light and ephemeral. (The root pun was wholly unintended.) This scent does feel very slivery-white to me, and it is light and sweet, but it also has some body to it. Wet it smells like apple candy, but it tones down to something subtle and pretty. It is the most unassuming of the Halloweenie apples that I got full bottles of and it sits very close to the skin, but in the most awesome way. I would rate it a solid 4 out of 5 stars for being so expertly balanced and pretty. Obviously the production of this scent was well thought-out.

This blend is dry and dusty, but in a really awesome way. On the days when I want something really different I reach for Dragon's Bone. It has that slight sweetness that Dragon's Blood imparts, but it is effectively tempered by the orris and the sandalwood. I am not often a fan of orris because it can be too dry, but I think that paring it with the Dragon's Blood makes it balanced enough that it isn't off-putting. This scent is a little bit more on the masculine side of unisex, but as a completely girly-girl I feel like I can wear it confidently because it doesn't smell like any modern men's cologne that I have ever smelled. I am a huge Dragon's Blood fan, but I think that even people who aren't sure about the note can enjoy this because it doesn't take such a forefront as it does in other blends.

 

Also, does the name in particular remind anyone else of the giant Krayt dragon skeleton on Tatooine in A New Hope?

Woo! First review.

When I read the notes for this particular Tanuki blend I knew I had to have it. I adore anything with apple notes, which the Lab does so well, but I also adore champaca and red currant. These are all some of my favorite springy notes, so I was already sold. I was also intrigued by the tomato leaf, which I love the scent of in real life but have never experienced in a perfume before. Tanuki no doke Daruma is mostly apple and campaca with a touch of extra sweetness from the currant and a little bit of crisp greenness from the tomato leaf. As it wears on, the currant does poke its head out a bit more and the scent deepens just a little bit. The linen-y champaca stays very near the forefront, and for me it keeps the scent from being too sweet or too fruity. I don't particularly smell any brown grasses, but they could be blending in with the somewhat dry champaca, giving this blend the soft, furry quality that is under the surface. I adore everything about this scent, but I have yet to figure out a way to make it last more than a couple of hours on my skin. That said, I would still rate it pretty highly (like 4.5 out of 5 stars) because it has so many interesting notes that I love.

Theotokos is absolutely one of the most beautiful perfumes I have ever smelled. On me it is mainly incense and rose with a touch of amber and the lightness from the other florals. I wish the lily and the chrysanthemum popped a bit more on me, because I can detect them in the bottle, but I do get very faint whiffs of them. On me, I believe they serve more to balance the oil and keep it from getting too dark or heavy with the rose, amber, and frankincense. All in all I love this blend and I have found myself wearing it often as winter transitions to spring.

I recently got this one as a frimp and I freaking love it. I am quite partial to Dragon's Blood, it is absolutely one of my favorite notes that Beth uses. Many of my all-time faves from BPAL have Dragon's Blood, including Blood Amber and Dragon's Bone.

 

Dragon's Heart is a different kind of beast all together. The fig and currant are in perfect balance to enhance the sweetness and richness of the Dragon's Blood. It isn't as powdery as some Dragon's Blood scents that I have tried. This is more of an earthy, deep, dark, flowing Dragon's Blood. It isn't foody at all, which quite surprised me since I expected it to be at least somewhat foody or fruity. If this scent were a color, it would be the deepest, darkest black-red. It lasts pretty well on me too, as most Dragon's Blood scents do. Lovely, lovely iteration of Dragon's Blood, quite different from most of the other Ars Draconis scents that I have tried, and also very welcome. I look forward to upgrading to a full bottle very soon.

I was thinking of getting a bottle of Elizabeth of Bohemia before the Lupers go down, but does anyone know (or can maybe guess) if this is very close to other rosey blends the Lab does? I'm already buying a bottle of Snooty Rose very soon, so I want to make sure they aren't closely related. Thanks.

I agree with a lot of the other reviews that the rose isn't the standout note in this blend. I do get a lot of rose, which makes me glad. I have yet to smell a BPAL rose that I don't like. In general, I am a big rose fan, and nothing makes me feel prettier or more feminine than a nice rosey perfume. Snooty Rose does employ a rather soft rose; it isn't as in-you-face "OMG I am such a pretty flower" as the majority of rose-based scents are. Since this one has "rose" in the name, I actually expected it to be more rosey. However, I am totally smitten with Snooty Rose precisely because it isn't an over-the-top rose. It reminds me of a very chic rose scent, where you get an idea of a rose, but it isn't so overwhelming that it smells soapy or fake. I think it is probably the oud that tempers the rose so well, and I get a hint of bergamot too. When I started blabbing to a friend (who also likes pretty rose scents) about BPAL I told her that Snooty Rose reminds me of a very high-end niche perfumer type rose.

 

My rating for Snooty Rose is 4.5. I have an imp, and I am absolutely going to upgrade for a full bottle in the near future. This is a good date night scent when you don't want to be too obviously sexy, or a good day scent if you need to feel pretty and confident.

I've tried searching but nothing is really coming up. Does anyone know of a BPAL oil that smells like You Snap the Whip body butter? It smells a lot like The Comforter bath bomb/solid perfume, but a little darker. (The only hit that came up for The Comforter was Blue Phoenix proto.) So if there's anything else, even anything that would nicely compliment YSTW, I'd be happy to give it a go. Thanks!

 

 

around site 4 and 5 people say You snap the whip goes great wit Black Lotus or Bordello.

 

 

 

Ooh I am so glad I caught this! I might have an imp of Black Lotus that I've yet to try on the skin, but I will have to look for Bordello too! I stalk this thread from time to time as LUSH & BPAL are two of my biggest splurges/weaknesses. Any time they can cross over is always welcomed.

I like Persephone well enough, but to me it smells exactly like the essential oil that Garnier Nutrisse hair color used to come with. It is crisp and pretty, but all I can think of is hair color. Unfortunately, I don't think this is something that I would want a full bottle of.

While this oil isn't effervescent per se, it does still say "glittering" to me. I don't know how else to describe this other than to say it is a glittering, feminine, pretty apple-floral scent. I can detect a bit of the tiare, and just as it does in Pumpkin Princess, it brings the scent to another level in terms of "smelling pretty." On me there isn't much throw, but that's fine because Glittering Apple smells so divine on my skin--the perfect mix of apple and floral. Quite different than Golden Apple, to be sure, and much different than Poisoned Apple from the General Catalog as well. I look forward to comparing it with the other celestial apples when my imps come.

I kinda waffled back and forth after I ordered Pumpkin Princess because of the guava and the other sugary-sweet notes. However, it is nicely balanced and no one component overtakes the other, with the exception of the tiare flower, which is the dominant note. In the bottle I definitely smell sugary pumpkin with some white floral, but it's pretty light and pretty. Given the notes, I'm surprised that this scent manages to blend some rather tropical elements (tiare, guava, chocolate) and manages to ground them and make them smell appropriate for autumn. All in all I like Pumpkin Princess a lot. I wish it was a little more long-lasting, but otherwise I have no complaints--the scent, the label art and the name all fit together seamlessly.

I ordered 4 Weenie bottles unsniffed, and Halloween: Las Vegas was the one that I thought could go either way. Lucky for me, it is awesome. I agree with the other reviewer who says that the scent is subtle on the skin. I was really surprised by this since when I opened the bottle Halloween:LV smelled exactly like a freshly uncorked bottle of sweet wine. The alcohol was pretty strong, but I smelled something like berries and vanilla mixed in; I got none of the smokiness in the bottle. When Halloween:LV dries down, the alcohol evaporates and leaves behind all the sweet berries, smoke and vanilla. I get the slightest hint of Snake Oil from this too. Something in it (maybe the smoke?) smells like a beeswax candle to me, which is amazing. Given the description you would expect something a little more wild, but it's actually the perfect mix of sexy vanilla and smoke with soft berries. This is a very nice blend, and also a very surprising one.