edenssixthday

Queen of Diamonds - I absolutely adore fruity-florals, and this one deserves to be crowned Queen of them all! This is a simply stunning blend, full of bright citrus notes and lovely, light florals. The citrus and floral seem perfectly balanced and neither one overwhelms the other. Of the florals, the orchid is the strongest and the rose is barely discernable, and of the citrus notes, the mandarin seems to be the strongest on my skin. Queen of Diamonds is not nearly as bright as most citrus scents – the florals seem to subdue the bright, effervescence that most citrus blends carry. Instead, it’s regal and haughty – this is a Queen you don’t want to mess around with. The scent has an incredible amount of throw, enough that if over-applied could probably be found cloying and highly offense to those around you. If just a touch is applied, it is an incredibly gorgeous feminine scent that evokes feelings of power and strength. It has moderate staying power on my skin, and the citrus notes fade more quickly than the florals, which turn into a sort of hairspray scent after about 2 hours, but at least it's a pleasant hairspray scent!

Formula 54 - Okay, now I understand why all the hype around this particular blend. This blend is amazing. When I catch the fragrance as it wafts through the air, I could swear Beth designed this blend with me in mind – despite not knowing me. It is the perfect scent. Perfection in all its glory. It’s dark and sexy without being menacing, as with many dark scents. The cognac gives it a juiciness that is tempered by the dark musk and tobacco. It’s simultaneously earthy and transcendant. The throw and staying power are both moderate. I was initially devastated that I only had a few drops of F54, but over the course of several months, I was able to procure about 6-7 imps of F54, and I'm treasuring them with my whole heart! I am hoping that some how and in some way, Beth will release this just one more time. Please, Beth, please!!!

Pumpkin Patch #2 - I am not sure why I tried this because I don’t generally like pumpkin. And I don’t normally like wearing cocoa/chocolate scents. And hazelnut is usually a giant no-no. However, I was incredibly and pleasantly surprised by PP#2. It’s not nearly as foody as I thought it would be. In fact, the walnut lends this blend a note that’s slightly boozy, and very surprising. It’s a gorgeous foody scent! While it’s still not something I’d wear often, I plan to hang on to this and wear it again in this year’s Autumn months (assuming it doesn’t go bad as it ages). I really can’t get over how much I like this, especially when I consider how much I thought I’d hate it. Kudos to Beth on another truly spectacular blend!

Love in the Asylum reminds me a lot of Freak Show. It’s smooth and slightly foody, but not too much for those of us who don’t like foody scents. On my skin, it’s predominantly vanilla, tobacco, and tonka. It doesn’t have much throw, and within an hour, the scent has completely faded. It’s not one I’ll be trying again.

Pumpkin Patch #3 - I don’t usually touch anything pumpkin. I don’t eat pumpkin pie, I don’t want to use pumpkin shower gels, and pumpkin perfumes sound simply awful. However, this past fall, I decided to try some out. I bought some pumpkin butter while on Cape Cod, and it was good. So I tried some pumpkin cake and it was good. A friend sent me some Coconut Hut pumpkin perfumes, and I liked two out of three. So I decided to try PP#3 especially since I love pomegranate and figured that would surely save any unpleasant pumpkin odor. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case, and within 30 minutes I was washing it off. The pumpkin and pomegranate clash horribly. Those were two scents that were simply never meant to be blended. The pumpkin smelled like buttered popcorn on my skin and became increasingly cloying and nauseating. I sent my vial off to the friend who sent me the CH pumpkin stuff – someone who normally loves pumpkin -- and hopefully she loved it more than I did.

Sugar Cookie 2004 - YOWZA! this is one heck of a spicy cookie! When I first apply it, it smells exactly like a real sugar cookie fresh out of the oven, but after about 30 seconds, as my skin begins to warm it up, the scent of nutmeg (or is it something else?) almost entirely overwhelms the yummy cookie scent. I have never included spices of any sort (beyond salt and sugar) when I bake sugar cookies, so I was not expecting this kind of scent in the least. While I might like this blend if it had a tiny fraction of the spiciness, I can't tolerate how spicy it is. I'm wondering if it was this spicy when it was first released, or if it has amped up as part of the aging process. And for the record, layering this with Sugar Cookie '05 only makes for a plastic-smelling spiciness. Sugar Cookie 2005 - From the first moment I apply it, this is plastic on my skin. It doesn't have even a fraction of the burn-your-nose spiciness that Sugar Cookie '04 has, and I have a feeling that if I were to burn it or wear it in a scent locket, it would smell a lot more like a real sugar cookie filled with butter, flour, and sugary goodness. Indeed, when I put it in my hair, it doesn't get that plastic smell it gets on my skin, but I also smell something in the blend that now makes it smell like a rum praline. It's very yummy, and I think I'm going to pour a few drops in my oil burner and make my house smell like I was just baking something (sugar cookies? rum pralines?) in the kitchen. And for the record, layering this with Sugar Cookie 2004 only makes for a plastic-smelling spiciness.

Snow Bunny was another BPAL surprise for me. I'd read the reviews and I really didn't think this scent would work on me. I generally don't wear pine/evergreen type scents as I find the scent highly unappealing and "girly perfume." As if I'd wear something that wasn't mature and sophisticated! Well, was I in for a surprise when I tried it out. It's a gorgeous fragrance -- one of the "perfumey" scents BPAL has created. It doesn't smell in the least like Pine Sol or air freshener. It's soft and subtle and smells really, really pretty. I couldn't stop sniffing my wrist the first time I tried it. Unfortunately, Snow Bunny is very subtle on my skin and doesn't have much throw at all -- maybe somewhere in the 3" to 6" range. I prefer a fragrance that throws about 12". I am going to try Snow Bunny in my scent locket and see if I have better luck with its throw and staying power when my skin chemistry is not getting in the way. I really like it and give it two thumbs up.

Pumpkin Patch #4 - This was a very surprising scent for me. I was expecting it to smell strongly of sandalwood, since sandalwood is a blend that really likes my skin once it warms up on it. However, it smelled instead like pumpkin and mulling spices. I went online to read the reviews and didn’t see anyone else that had this experience with PP#4, so I double-checked the bottle, and sure enough, I was just having a different reaction to PP#4 than other people. I put some more on, just to be certain, and once again – pumpkin and mulling spices! This is certainly not a bad thing, I’m just not sure where the scent of mulling spices comes from since there don’t appear to be any in the scent. And I’m curious why the sandalwood isn’t showing up on my skin. The scent is very light on my skin, and once it dries down, I have to sniff my skin up close to smell it. After about an hour, the spicy pumpkin scent is still on the surface, but there seems to be something else beneath those surface scents, and I suddenly detect the sandalwood and orris. The orris is the strongest of the two notes, giving the blend a dry and almost herbal scent. The sandalwood peeks through very shyly, and provides a touch of a woody and almost incense-like aroma. I have to sniff my skin up close and breath in deeply to detect either of these two scents. This is a strange scent, and while it’s not a bad or unpleasant one, I don’t think it’s for me.

Lick It - I don’t wear mint scents often, and I like them even more rarely than I actually wear them. I’m not sure why I bought Lick It – probably just another adrenaline-driven BPAL purchase frenzy! When I first smelled Lick It, my reaction was “Eww…mint.” Not that I expected anything different, of course! Then I realized it smells exactly like my Philosophy Candy Cane sugar scrub and shower gel, which I use in the mornings on occasion to help wake me up and invigorate me. So I applied Lick It one morning after showing with the Candy Cane items, and it layered perfectly, and stuck with me for hours, making me feel fresh and invigorated and ready to take on the day. I doubt I’ll wear it often, but I think it will be a really nice scent for that mornings when I really need something pepperminty to wake me up and get me going.

Salamander - When I first sniffed this in the vial, I didn't think I was going to find it pleasant at all. But it's a really nice, warm, and serene scent. It is really hard to pick out the notes, but my best guess is dragon's blood, amber, tea, cinnamon and earth. It's an earthy scent. It sticks close to the skin, but as I move my arm around, I'll occasionally get a waft of it. I doubt it'll ever be a favorite, but I can't say I remotely dislike it, either.

Luperci - I can definitely see why some would say this is a dirty-sexy scent, but on me, the patchouli is just way too strong to even consider wearing it again. The patchouli and honey notes do the exact same thing they do in Hetairae, which is to combine to form a very strangely sweet/stinky scent. It’s an odd combination, indeed. Like Night’s Pavilion, Luperci smells strongly of hippies and head shops and incense being burned to cover up the smell of pot having been smoked. It’s not an unpleasant scent at all, but I think a scent like this is much more appropriate for incense than it is for perfume, and I won’t be wearing it again myself (although I do have a friend who adores it!) ETA 2/24/10: My skin chemistry has changed significantly in the last 18 months or so and honey no longer drives me far, far away, so I was curious to try this again. Turns out that it's now a great scent on me! The patchouli is the strongest note by far, but the honey doesn't turn wonky on me as it used to. The balsam is probably the second strongest note. This is a very woody scent, sweetened a bit by the honey, but not much. While it doesn't grab me, it doesn't turn me off the way it did previously. I wouldn't mind if my man smelled like this!

Ice Queen - The only scent I get from Ice Queen is spruce. Lots and lots of overwhelming spruce. Fortunately, the spruce actually doesn't smell anything like a car air freshener, but it smells like a real spruce tree. Makes me think walking through an X-mas tree lot. It's an unpleasant scent to me, and not something I enjoy in the least. After it starts to dry down, a subtle undercurrent of winter berries peeks through, and it's really pretty, but not enough to counteract the pungent spruce scent. I know this is a favorite of many BPALers, but I don't understand why and wish I could. I will be making sure another BPALer who enjoys this scent gets to enjoy this particular imp.

Talvikuu – My first impression is, “Where’s the air freshener?!” However, as the blend dries, it gets pretty and soft, and in fact, almost foody in a strange way. It’s a lovely scent, although not one I’d likely wear on it’s own, but I think it would layer really well with… something. Not sure what. I just see it complementing another blend really well – adding a touch of je ne sais quoi. On its own, the scent is light and sticks close to my skin, and only lasts about 90-120 minutes at the very most.

Havisham is a really nice, mellow rose scent that is very different from other BPAL roses. This is a real rose, but it seems to be white or yellow rose, not red. It's really pretty and incredibly feminine. There is something very crisp, crystalline and clear about the scent, too, but I can't identify any other distinct notes. It actually gets stronger as it dries down, too, which is unusual for me. Havisham has really good staying power, and moderate throw. It's a beautiful rose, but I like a few other BPAL rose blends a lot more than this one, so I'm okay with the fact that it's an impossible-to-find LE, and I'm glad I had a chance to try it out.

Queen of Spades is a really pretty scent. I can’t normally wear myrrh or black amber, but blended with the sweet and juicy plum, blackberry and light and fresh pear, this scent is wonderful. It has a moderate amount of throw, and I will occasionally catch whiffs of it when I’m least expecting it. It lasts for about 2 hours on me, which is moderate considering how my dry skin absorbs many BPAL oils almost instantly. It’s sweet and fruity, but it’s an incredibly rich and deep fragrance. I always get excited about wearing it.

Not the desperation, desolation and anguish of unrequited love, but the distant, chill and pitiless scent of the object of that doomed desire. White musk, osmanthus, Nile lily and frankincense. Night’s Pavilion is too dark and incensey for my taste. From first sniff in the vial the frankincense was the dominant note. The lily lends a beautiful floral touch, and the musk grounds the scent. It sticks very close to my skin and has moderate staying power. It’s too masculine for me to wear, although I don’t think I’d want my husband smelling like this either. It’s definitely got a head-shop aroma to it, and I could definitely see someone making an incense out of a scent like this – and incense that’s burned at hippie acid-trip parties. About 30-40 minutes after applying it, I will occasionally get a whiff of something that smells exactly like a greasy Chinese food restaurant. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely not for me.

... Our Dead Man’s Hand is the quintessential western scent: dusty rawhide and oiled leather. Dead Man’s Hand - This smells exactly like the tack room in my mom’s barn! It’s exactly what I smell when I walk into that room that is full of dusty window sills, bits of hay strewn on the floor, and tons of leather -- saddles, reigns, chaps, boots, cowboy hats, etc. and the scent of leather oil that was rubbed into them the last time they were set in that room. Whenever I go to my mom’s house and head out to the barn to visit her horses, I always stop in the tack room and breath in a long, deep breath to catch that scent of Wild West oiled leather. Now, I don’t have to go to her barn to smell that scent, because Dead Man’s Hand smells is an exact duplicate of that scent. It’s really amazing! The blend sticks really close to my skin, but lasts for hours and hours on end. I doubt that I’d wear it as a perfume, but I love that I can get that “tack room” scent any time I want!

Skadi - I keep hearing about how wonderful this scent is and how it’s in such high demand, so even though I don’t like evergreen/pine type scents, I figured I should test this one out. It is really spectacular! It’s not something I would choose to wear as a perfume, but when it comes to duplicating the scent of a cold, wintery forest, it hits the nail on the head! It’s got a touch of brightness, as well, that reminds me a bit of Yuletide, only not so in-your-face. The tiniest drop of this will last for at least 4 hours on me, which is great staying power on my dry skin. It doesn’t have much throw, but when I am wearing it, I can’t stop sticking my wrist in my face because it smells so crisp and piney. I think people who love the pine/evergreen scents really would like this one. It’s an exquisite blend, even if it doesn’t match my particular taste in personal fragrance.

Khajuraho - Although it’s based on an Indian love potion, it makes me think of something that would be worn by a Middle Eastern seductress. It whisks me back through the ages, and I can’t help but think of King Solomon’s concubines and the ways they must have scented themselves in order to gain their King’s attention. On my skin, this blend is highly “perfumey,” and the sandalwood is the dominant note at all stages of the blend. It is slightly sweet from the honey and date palm, and it is slightly floral, as well. It’s a pretty scent, but a bit too “earthy” for my taste. This is one I would like to wear on occasion, but not enough to own a full bottle. I’ll keep an imp and enjoy it, but pass the bottle on to one of the many others who adores this blend. It has excellent throw (don’t over-apply!) and the scent lasts all day.

Pumpkin King - Initially, all I detect are strong, pungent spices and the scent of nail polish remover -- the same nail polish remover scent I get only from Scarecrow. I hope with all my heart that as the scent dries, the chemical scent will recede, and it does, but not much. Until the blend fades away completely (about 2-3 hours on my skin), all I smell are the strong, biting spices and nail polish remover. It's fairly unpleasant. Even the spices don't smell particularly yummy, as just overly peppery. I haven't read any reviews on this blend, so I wasn't sure to expect, but I was hoping for a pumpkin scent. Unfortunately, that isn't the case -- at least not with my skin chemistry. I'm very grateful I've had the opportunity to try this, but it definitely doesn't work for me -- unless perhaps it's simply a hormonal issue, and considering that may be the case, I'll probably try it again in a week or two and see if I ge t better results (if so, I'll update my review).

Egg Nog - What is it with my skin that just won't retain Egg Nog??? So not fair. This is a lovely, creamy, true egg nog scent. Wet in the bottle, it smells divine. When I first apply it to my wrists, it smells just lovely. Not too heavy like I had anticipated before trying it. But then, within 30 seconds to a minute, I get that "Play-doh" aspect of it that another reviewer mentioned, and within four or five minutes, my skin has completely rejected (or absorbed?) the oil, and POOF! it's gone. Completely gone. No scent at all. Initially, this is a wonderful scent, but after that, as much as I hate giving it a poor review, I really can't figure out a way not to.

June Gloom - I just love my imp of June Gloom! I don’t wear it nearly as often as I would if I knew I could get it any time I pleased. But since I can’t, I use it sparingly. The scent reminds me exactly of Southern California “June Gloom” weather. It’s bright like lemon verbena and crisp like the scent you get when you snap a piece of ice plant in half, and it’s full of damp, foggy air. I love it! This is one of my most favorite BPAL scents, and as soon as I can get more, I will. It has an incredible amount of throw, but only a moderate amount of staying power. After about the 90 minute point, it loses all of the lemon/ice plant tartness and smells like soft, light, summertime florals.

Graveyard Dirt - As with all dirt scents, I don't find this appealing in the least -- at least not to wear as a fragrance! It definitely smells like moist, dark soil, and of all the dirt scents I've tried so far, it's the most pleasant. I can't really tell what else is in the blend, but it seems like something green and mossy may be blended with the dirt, and possibly something very lightly floral. I also detect a light touch of camphor. It doesn't have much throw on me, and my dry skin eats it up pretty quickly; however, as far as the scent goes, it's very genuine, and I imagine anyone who really likes dirt fragrances would like Graveyard Dirt.

Stardust has come to us straight out of the '70s. Beth wasn't kidding when she wrote up the description of this one! This is an incredibly complex and well-blended scent that smells just like the perfumes that were popular in the 1970s. It reminds me of the way my mom smelled whenever she and my dad would come home late at night after being out at a party. She would come into my room, and I would wake up as she'd kiss me goodnight, and I could smell her perfume mingling with the champagne on her breath and the tobacco smoke in her hair, and she seemed so beautiful and sexy and grown-up, and I wanted to smell just like that when I grew up. Well, now I can! BPAL rarely smells "perfumey" on me, but this one does and I really like it. It has a decent level of throw, and its staying power is up there with the best of them. I have two bottles and while I may imp some of it out, I am sure that over time, I will use the majority of it up.

Red Lantern - On my skin, this is all coconut and caramel. I can’t decide if I like it or not. Caramel is not one of my favorite scents, and makes the scent too bakery-foody for me. But coconut is a long-time love, and this is one of the first BPALs with coconut that I’ve tried where the coconut note is really self-evident. Upon dry-down, the juiciness of the currant tries to peek through, but doesn’t quite make it, and the scent gains the tiniest hint of resin (probably from the amber). I bought two bottles and will definitely sell one of them, but I may keep one and wear this on occasion.