luna65

This is a lovely sort of rose-and-incense blend, very sexy in an entirely feminine way. I've only done one "field test," and I noticed that it makes people want to be nicer to me; though I have yet to see any specific results in terms of actual allure. I also noticed that it gave me the confidence not to want to "impress" people but rather have them accept me for who I am, appearance-wise, and that's a very valuable gift indeed.

Thanks to Rheliwen for the imp. Imp: The earthiness of the patchouli versus the piquant ginger; it's kind of like smelling dirt which has some kind of tangy quality. Skin: This is very thick oil, wow! At first it smells exactly the same on my skin as in the vial, that great earthy dirty quality with a little bite. The ginger really comes through in the beginning. Drydown: Unfortunately, I eventually get the play-doh effect; usually these notes work on me, but there's something in their combination that doesn't like me. But I do understand the Snake Oil evocations, because SO has that same effect on me.

Marquise de Merteuil reminds me of classic French perfume, like from the era when Chanel No 5 was first created.

rose + spice = Othello It's my favorite so far of the rose blends. I've tried Harlot, and the notes are very true, but they didn't seem to marry very well on me, whereas Othello is a great blending of elements.

Like others, I have a hard time articulating the exact type of scent I think of when smelling White Light. Floral. . .but rose? Jasmine? Lavender? Pretty, in a specifically comforting and uplifting fashion. I have only used it in to anoint myself (palms and chakras) and it enables me to reach a point of equanimity, which is a blessing in and of itself. I can only imagine that utilizing it in candle magic will bring about an even stronger state of comfort. Thank you Beth, for this potion of Peace.

I cannot say specifically how this smells because when I used it in a ritual I actually refrained from smelling it myself (to avoid any possible rebounding effects). However, it is entirely effective as a catalyst if your intent is to silence someone's malignant tongue. *makes obeisance to the Lab*

Thanks to SevenSins for the imp. Imp: Foody warmth and sweetness: buttery and sugary. Skin: The butteryness that a lot of people get with this scent is not so prevalent to me once I put it on. The peach really comes through, and I've had nothing but good experiences with Beth's blends which contain peach. Drydown: I get a great Fall-type evocation from Jack, but not so much Halloween or jack o'lantern. Just one of those warm rich cozy types of scents which make you think of hot drinks and hearty dishes. After a time I get a nice spicy edge, but it's not overly spicy on me. Jack is just the thing for crisp Fall days and nights which begin to take on a bit of a chill. I'm so glad one of the classic BPAL scents works on me!

Thanks to Sidonie for the decant. Vial: Very green, and a little woody. Skin: Amazing flowery sweetness; I can visualize walking into a temple and being overwhelmed by the scent of flowers and offerings of food. Drydown: This doesn't last too long on me, only a couple hours, but it remains consistent in the sense I described. This is quite romantic in its' way, but I think I'd have to be in a very feminine mood to wear it.

Thanks to Sidonie for the imp. Imp: Very green and fresh, but more in a fresh-cut flowers sort of way, I suppose, which I attribute to the Lily of the Valley accord. Skin: There's an interesting sense of effervescence when I first put this on. Drydown: After a time it develops a creamy quality, and there's a different type of sweetness coming through. I'm glad the lily is more of a top note in this blend, otherwise it would end up much the same as other BPALs with lily on me. The opium takes time to come to the fore, but it's wholly familiar when it does. I don't really get the sense of the mandarin at all, unless that's what I was smelling during the initial application. Although there is a kind of "tangy" quality later on, so that may be its' reappearance. This is very interesting in that it smells like nothing I've ever tried before; and it is "pretty" in its' way, but it vascilates between descriptive states so it's difficult to commit to one single impression.

Thanks to Sidonie for the decant. Vial: Very high-toned, sweet and flowery. I get that sense of "unearthly beauty" in that this is very feminine, almost prototypically so. Skin: As others have noted, the florals are prominent in the initial application, with the lily especially on me (as with other BPALs containing that accord). Drydown: I'm a bit disappointed that this ended up all floral on me, although it's a very nice floral, but again (like Mata Hari) just a little too feminine for my tastes; though it embodies what it means to entirely. . .though I would have expected a little malice around the edges, as it were.

Thanks to Sidonie for the decant. Vial: This reminds me of peppermint extract, as I get the mint and the alcoholic bite behind it on first sniff. Skin: That rum is really fighting to come through. But as others have noted, the coconut has a tendency to give off a strange plastic note. Drydown: Everything gets sweeter upon wear, although I never truly get the cocoa, and only a fleeting sense of the vanilla. Eventually it ends up pretty much all coconut, but not the creamy kind. It's probably my chemistry that is doing that, so I'm going to try it in a scent locket sometime.

Thanks to princessbeena for the imp. Imp: I get a thick sweet resinous smell from the oil; I'm guessing it's myrrh but it seems sweeter somehow. Skin: The incense evocation is immediately apparent on my skin, it's mostly frankincense to me, though I can sense some wood also, but just the vaguest suggestion. Drydown: This started out very "wet" on me, but as it melds I get that dusty, powdery quality which others have noted. The vague wood note fades on me and I'm left with incense, so at least with my chemistry I feel this blend is exactly what it was created to be.

I've had what I perceived to be this phenomenon occur in the course of my life, but the strongest instance was with the individual in my icon/avatar. The first time we met, and he took his hand in mine, I felt a surge of energy within me, like I didn't have to sleep for a week after touching him. In subsequent encounters I've always said that looking at him is like staring into the sun: I can literally feel the heat, perceive the light, that radiates outward. There are other accompanying sensations, but that is the most distinct impression. It's always been difficult to articulate the sensation lest people will write it off as a starstruck reaction to natural charisma, but in this context I imagine you'll "get" what I mean.

Thanks to silverlilac for the imp. Imp: The black cherry literally jumps out at me, no doubt hoisted up by the red musk. Skin: The heliotrope is the most noticable once I apply it. Drydown: Either the amber or the vanilla is causing this to go somewhat powdery in the drydown, but not in a bad way. I get a hint of the strawberry, but it's still primarily heliotrope for quite a while; underneath is that tenacious base note of the red musk. I sense the dichtomy clearly: the more "girlie" elements contrasted with the shadowing of the amber and musk, though I would say that I perceive it to be more sweet than decadent.

Thanks to Blood onmy hands for the decant. Decant: An astringent sharp top note of hyssop. Skin: The woods are not warm in this one, but rather dry, and the frankincense is strong as well. Drydown: It's funny, I thought there would be some resolution between the woods and the spices and the sweeter elements, but the woods and the bitter herb have pretty much trampled the entire mix. This one is decidedly masculine to me, in that it's the sort of blend that works with expectations of what a man should smell like. It becomes a little warmer over time, but still so very dry, which naturally suits the character of the composition, though I'm not sure if it's for me.

Thanks to silverlilac for the imp. Imp: The cocoa note is very sweet in the vial, with a bit of a boozy undertone, but not sharp or sour, so I'm figuring it's the rum. Skin: The red wine gives me a resin-like association, something like dragon's blood except not as sweet (as others have also noticed). Just a suggestion of potential sweetness, but more that overall character of fullness and complexity. The "blood" accord has an interesting salty note when it first appears and the blend keeps bringing one or the other quality to the fore depending on the moment; this is quite wonderous and strange. Drydown: This has amazing sillage on me, people nowhere near me were commenting on the scent in one particular instance. The chocolate returns after a time, underneath the other elements, and makes a nice contrast to that evocation of salt. This blend makes me swoon, because it demands. . .sacrifice. I can't articulate it any better than that, and therefore this scent recalls its' inspiration perfectly.

Thanks to Blood onmy hands for the decant. Decant: Fruity and resinous, thoroughly sensuous. Skin: The pomegranate is a nice high note, just a little bite. The red musk makes such a great base for all of this, amplifying the sweetness while keeping it somewhat earthy and thick (with the help of the patchouli and vanilla bean). Drydown: This is so sexy in a darkly pretty sort of way, almost a subversion of expectations of the feminine principle (much as the subject is not quite the divinator we hope for). There's nothing entirely prevalent in the end save a sense of the juiciness of the plum. . .it's just a wall of lush splendor, dizzingly captivating.

Thanks to silverlilac for the imp. Imp: I get the impression of resinous sweetness when I first sniff this, the Holy Grail. I immediately make an association with Smut, although I know this blend isn't specifically musk. But many notes which go into dark musk blends are definitely present. Skin: I get that powdery quality which others have experienced; and the hint of Play-Doh. But I can feel the vibration of confidence and command once it has sunk in, it's like a literal wave of warmth and purpose. Eventually that evocation backs off to let the spices through again, giving more weight to the vanilla. Regardless of the actual impression, I do get the sense that this melds with the skin very well, it's sly rather than brash. Drydown: From a more critical perspective, the popularity of this blend stems from the utilization of one of the classic olfactory dichtomies: sugar and spice. And I believe that given the spices utilized it's a truly innovative way to approach the equation. I will have to continue to experiment to see if there's one perfect day in which it will make me smell as sexy as the inherent promise of its' creation.

Thanks to Blood onmy hands and princessbeena for the decants. Decant: It's interesting that the Pimenta racemosa would cause this blend to have an effervescent quality, as others have noted, like sarsaparilla. I'm guessing that the sharpness has to do with it not being tempered by any other notes, as Bay Rum normally is in a blend. But it's not sharp in a headache-inducing way, at least not with me, just that nose-crinkling sense of "ooh fizzy!" Skin: Maybe it's just my quirk, but I love the weight of this oil, how thick is it when you apply it. . .like syrup. And there's a syrupy quality to the way it evolves as well, little by little, although the Pimenta racemosa burns off fairly quickly upon application. Resinous scents tend to have a "weight" to them as well, which I attribute to the opponax, terebinth, and myrrh. Drydown: The fact that we've got the "dark side" of all these notes makes this blend potentially sweet, but it never quite reaches that point on me, there's always the weight of shadow pulling it back from the point of resolution. Even the zdravetz - I find it amusing that the one floral element is equally as dark as its' companions. I love the vibe of secretive mysterious occluded presence, the shadow which holds so much potential simply because it is a mystery. It's masculine, as it contains many notes traditional to male perfumery, and yet beyond that it's dark and therefore appropriate for anyone wishing to cloak themselves, so to speak. Bravo Brian!

Black Pearl says "seaside village" to me, although maybe not with the specific notes you're looking for. I'd still recommend it, though, it's so wonderfully evocative.

Thanks to GypsyRoseRed for getting a bottle of this at Will Call for me. ('06 version) Bottle: The sugar and the liquor are very strong on first sniff, I'm thinking it's a rum accord? Maybe cognac? Something very sugary on its' own, and the additional sugar makes it a much sturdier top note. Skin: The sugar/liquor burns off fairly quick - like within ten minutes or so - and the musk comes out, mixed with some autumn evocations. The "thuggish" description is indicative of the choice of musk here, I believe: dark and a little spicy. Drydown: I accidently used more than I meant to during testing, but this blend melds very well with my chemistry and settles down to a skin scent within a few hours. I get hints of burning leaves here and there, but it's mainly sweet dark musk on me, Smut's more demure cousin, I guess. This is a great fall scent, Beth definitely has the magic touch with musk!

Thanks to Ah Xia for the imp. Imp: Abundantly flowery, with a high sweet note from the heliotrope. Skin: The bottom notes eventually temper the sweetness, in that the blend remains obviously floral, but not flowery. Drydown: I think because of the lily and iris this blend resolves itself into a powdery white floral with my chemistry, and it's just not really me; although people who do love white florals would enjoy it.

Thanks to Ah Xia for the imp. Imp: Sweet cherry, but a naturalistic sweet, not cloying. Skin: Initially, this scent is what I think of when I think of the phrase "hearts and flowers." A pretty floral. Drydown: Unfortunately, I don't think lily likes me very much because this turns rather generic white floral on me in the end, and I lose the lovely sweetness of the cherry. I guess this Queen is not for me.

Thanks to Ah Xia for the imp. Imp: The cinnamon is seemingly more prevalent than the roses. Skin: The rose layer is sweet, the cinnamon hot. Drydown: This is reminiscent of Othello to me, that sense of a spicy rose, although overall this is much sweeter and I can see why it would be considered a love potion of sorts.

Full disclosure: I have purchased from H&EE with no applicable complaint. I suppose the implication that Michele was bribing people is disturbing, and I have to admit I was confused after reading about people receiving $50 worth of stuff with what amounts to about a $10 order (minus shipping) because when I ordered direct (after obtaining some samples from other members), all I got was one sample of the signature scent, and a decorative bottle that goes for about $3 retail. Now had we not been exposed to all the experiences of other people who got tons of goodies then my reaction would have been in a much more normal context, because the inclusion was typical of most etailers. But my emotional response was much more conflicted, although admittedly that's my own issue, not anyone else's. Now I understand in a contextual sense that things change, and the types of business practices/decisions that were occurring during the launch of Michele's b&b business had to evolve once she was more established (which happened in a seemingly rapid amount of time). But the purpose of the above was just to attempt to explain why some customers might have felt slighted, given the overall circumstances. It is not to imply that any perceived slight was, in fact, intentional. And perhaps part of the reason the drama regarding H&EE seems a lot more immediate - than the example of what has happened with sCara and FeMaledictions, for example - is the introduction and relationship that was initially established, resulting in a rather symbiotic link between bpal.org and H&EE, if that makes any sense. Although it appears, given Quantum Spice's investigation, that potential customers might have been also been informed of the business via the NA Lush Forum, but it seems to me that a large part of Michele's customer base comes from this community. Perhaps that is an entirely incorrect assumption, but I think that is what makes this dispute more of a personal one overall than merely that of an etailer who has been a source of customer angst.