tarotgirl99

A friend of mine surprised me with three BPAL scents for Christmas--without knowing my taste in perfume. Cloth of Gold was one of them, and I'd never have picked this out for myself. The heavy snow scent that I associate with Snow White that always gives me a migraine abounds in Cloth of Gold. As it melts, an indistinguishable flower scent peeps through. Swaps/Sales, here you come.

I normally dislike champagne scents but I love peach ones. So I was unsure how I would feel about Peach Champagne. Silly me. The champagne is there, but the peach is sweet enough to blunt its innate acridity. It's like a couple of not-exactly opposites who complement each other brilliantly. The champagne adds sophistication and blunts the potential oversugariness of peach. It is the smell of an expensive, frothy and delectable cocktail. I want to wear it to glamourous parties, though constantly sniffing myself will take many cool points away.

Oh my. This is absolutely beautiful. On my skin, the orange flower is prominent and creamy and I am reminded of a less-sharp, slightly floral and more complex Chimera. It is sophisticated and feminine in an absolutely adult way. This will be divine on summer nights.

I am not a bottle enthusiast in general--I am all about the scent--but the Weeping Branches Moon is the most exquisite BPAL bottle ever. Happily, the quality of the scent matches the beauty of the bottle. It first reminds me, oddly, of the original Blue Moon--it has that ethereal watery thing going on, but the plum sweet-tarts it up a bit. On dry-down, I get a flash of soap that disappears quickly, settling into a plum blossom on moon water. It's almost a skin-scent with a minimum amount of throw, but it mellows me when I sniff it. Almost like a TAL in its gentling effect. Very happy to have a bottle of this.

Even before I open the bottle, I can smell violet. It reminds me of the violet candies my Great Uncle Morris used to bring me. I don't like the scent of violet. In the bottle, the violet is almost medicinal. On me, this is the prettiest violet scent EVAH. Unlike most violets, it's warm, not cold. I can't explain why, but it blooms on the skin, making me think of violets in the warm summer misting, not a cool spring rain. It's not-too-sweet, definitely not medicinal...there's a delicate sprinkling of sugar. It is truly lovely. Sadly, I don't like the scent of violet. Even this one, which is the best violet I've ever smelled. Good throw, average wear length.

I was sure I would love this scent beyond all others. I am a devout XCDL13 lover...and I had high hopes that this would be akin. It's not. It has a floral note with the vanilla that makes the vanilla go kind of plastic-y on me. Amazing throw, medium lasting-ness, but not for me. Super-thankful that I didn't sell my first born (I don't have one) to get it. Even more thankful to the generous person who sent me an imp.

I second Cheshire Cat. This is Beaver Moon 05, with better throw. Yum to the yummiest.

A wonderful BPAL'er sent me a tester of this. Thank you so much! I get honey and a soft wildflower floral. This is so light and ethereal. Perfectly named! I feel elfin when I put it on. I will have to slather, but I like it.

I was expecting to love this...and wet, it was lip-smackingly delicious. Sugary lemon yum with awesome throw. But within a short time, it was less sugary and turned, appropriately, I guess, into Chiroptera, which I decided I didn't love after all. The awesome throw turned into way too much throw. Heartbreaking.

For me this is similar to Tetramorph (which I love)...but I also get a chemical plastic smell. Not for me, even if it improves vastly on drydown. The chemical plastic thingy is too off-putting, esp. when I have Tetramorph to call my own.

On me this is the ultimate scent of clean. Cotton and powdery, especially for the first few hours when it reminds me a bit of Love's Baby Soft, of which I was never much of a fan. It eventually dries down to something subtle and pleasant. I will keep the imp, but...

This was the only chocolate Luper I purchased an imp of...I like chocolate scents, but prefer them mixed with coffee...and very strong. I had high hopes because I am a big fig and tamarind fan. Sadly, this is just meh on me. It's light and somewhat pretty, but there's no zip. In fact, after a while it almost becomes aquatic! Where's the fig? Sad. It's nothing to write home about. Or buy a bottle for. And that's the last sentence I'll end with a preposition OR a proposition. Update after aging process (12/10/11): OMG--LOVE this!!! The drydown is subtle but so pretty. I have been wearing it non-stop and just bought a bottle.

I think Burning Vulva is an apt name for this scent, especially on initial application. On my skin, the red ginger smells like red musk, only more insistent. After a half hour or so it mellows into a very earthy headshop smell. Not unpleasant, but definitely not me.

Like Sybil, the initial application is beyond my wildest dreams...Biwa is spring in a bottle, blasting tangerine drizzled with honey. But within 15 minutes, like Sybil it goes from FAVORITE SCENT EVER to very nice. Throw slows from 100 mph to 30, and the electric rush is gone, gone, gone. But I still love it very much. I wish it were stronger, but I will learn to slather and reapply for Biwa. Bottle-worthy for me for sure.

Young Pine Saplings is la yum on me. Much like a less sweet Gingerbread Poppet on me, with fabulous throw and longevity. It would be bottle-worthy if I didn't have plenty of the Poppet. As it is, I will enjoy this imp and consider snagging a partial bottle if I can.

In the bottle, this reminded me of a lighter, less bracing and creamy Her Voice. Jasmine for me is iffy and Ylang Ylang almost always a deal breaker. Sadly, on me Antheia radiated both, esp. la Ylang, for the first few hours. When it finally stopped having a hissy fit on my wrist, the floral blend was more meh than anything else.

I second Filigree Shadow's review. To the T(ea and cooklies).

Remember when Shub was the most sought after scent in the world (slight exaggeration, but still). Then it went GC. LOL This is what I imagined Shub to be like. It's lighter and sweeter and spicier than the original and I seem to amp that lemon in a big way. Lots of throw, lasts a long time and I have to decide if I need a bottle of that, too. Beth, you're killing me here.

When I put this one, I thought it was disgusting. I am not a big Snow White or Snowblind fan, but this was far worse....pine and mint tar yuck. And then it settled onto my skin. The pine disappeared, as did the mint. And all that was left was the most perfect sweet fresh soft new fallen snow. Not like Snow White or Snowblind. Just. Like. Sweet. Snow. Almost like vanilla ice cream, if it were made of snow. I freaking love it.

I don't get much apple blossom at all. Okay, I don't get any apple blossom. And I'm not crazy about mint. But I do love honey. And this scent is one. A honey, I mean. It's honey that isn't too cloying because the mint, while minty, is a mellow mint. The honey sweetens the mint and the mint mellows the honey. It's exquisite. It lasts throughout the day, and while sillage is light-to-medium, it's like a sweet and steady candle that won't go out, giving light whenever it catches your (my) attention. Bottleworthy.

This starts out as soapy and stops being so after it dries. It's a little cool and yes, industrial for my tastes. It smells like a martini. Very sophisticated and perfect for a cool, thin blonde. I am none of those three things.

Smoky pork. Like a burning heart? No, that's not what it is...It's Bac-O's. You know, the fake bacon pieces you find in bad salads. Well, that's what is on my wrist. Hopefully, I can remove it.

Peach or Apricot Cordial, straight up. Lots of throw. Lasts for hours and hours. No cheesecake.

Buck Moon is not a scent I should like--I am not a musk fan and words like thunder, herbs, and animalistic make me cringe separately, let alone together. But this has been one of my favorite scents for a long time. It is skin-close and reminds me of soft doe skin and a crystalline (that word I like!) night with a full moon. I usually like more feminine scents but this isn't masculine at all to me. It's not sexual at all, and yet it is primal and mysterious, too. I noticed a lot of people had trouble describing Buck Moon--it is ineffable and ineffably beautiful.

I second Aldercy. Very Gingerbread Poppety these bedbugs are! The 2004 Gingerbread Poppet that I think is the most perfect version. The long term drydown of Bedbug is even more delicious, as if the gingerbread poppet had caramelized. It is, in a word, yum.