nerdcraft

This is a very bright-smelling floral blend that's very slightly fruity. It's a really, really bright blend. And the oil is bright red! Which is cool. This is a bit too strongly soapy for me, though, and the combo of dragon's resin with the sharp florals is sort of disconcerting. I like this one, but I don't see myself wearing it very often because it smells so very much like soap on me.

This is a very heady but pretty floral. It feels really warm and sticky and heavy on me, and has a very langorous, lounging-about-in-an-exotic-locale feel. Initially, it's a little green and sharp, but softens down pretty soon. Sadly, it contains jasmine, and my skin amps jasmine like whoa. After a few minutes, this is just jasmine with a small hint of the softness of the other florals.

I should first mention that I love the pale green color of the oil! It's kind of evil and sickly looking. in the imp: Wowza. Very pine-y and herbal. Like an herbal medicine of some sort. I almost think I smell eucalyptus. wet: Still really sinus-clearingly medicinal. It does smell very sharp and plant-like, but I can't really imagine wanting to smell like this. dry: Well, it gets less sharp as it dries, and I was starting to think, hey, this isn't so bad. It's sort of like dried green and floral decorations at Christmastime - the pine, juniper, eucalyptus and deep berry scent mixed together. And then...it totally disappeared on me. After 5 minutes, it's mostly gone! season: definitely winter office-friendly? maybe - kind of noticeably sharp at first overall: This was definitely an interesting scent to experience, and I'm glad I got the chance to try it because it changed my mind from my inital reaction ("Oh...no.") to being able to see the beauty in it (the way the dried herb and pine scent evokes wintertime very nicely). Not for me personally as a wearable perfume, but quite evocative and could work on the right person - I think this one could be great on a guy.

in the imp: Wow, that's a dark colored oil. And it smells dark! Dark, dark, dark cherry. (My brain must be interpreting the cranberry as cherry.) wet: Very tart and very spicy - this is definitely a deep and dark scent. There's a smoky note coming out more and more that's almost a tobacco scent. dry: Dry, it reminds me a bit of Blood, with the dark berry and spices. It's a bit, I don't know, brighter or more sparkling than Blood though. It's definitely in the Blood/Hollywood Babylon vein, though. After an hour or so, it veers dangerously close to the headshoppy fruit-scented incense smell I don't really love all that much. season: fall or winter office-friendly? eh...sure. overall: This is a dark, spicy, yet tart scent. It seems a bit candle-like, and would make a nice room scent, I think. It lasts a long time on me - I thought I'd washed it off my wrist, but I kept smelling it for the next 4 or 5 hours. It might be a little too similar to Hollywood Babylon, which I like a lot more, for me to keep it around though.

in the imp: I don't recognize any of the notes in this, so my first thought is, "what is in this?". There are definitely florals and herbs, and I feel like they're warm and slightly smoky. wet: More of the same - floral with a bit of a fruit somewhere in there, some spices, some green-y herbs, with a smoky edge. dry: Dry, the spices are most evident (I'm pretty positive my skin amps basically every spice). I still couldn't say for sure what any of the notes were - this is really unique. season: fall office-friendly? yes overall: This is an interesting scent. Because of the spices and herbs, which are more savory than sweet to me, this feels like a really "kitchen" scent. I would definitely like this as a room scent, or even as a fancy cleaning spray for the kitchen. I think it would work well on a man, but I could also wear it. The more I sniff it, the more I like it.

in the imp: A deep, complex scent with some wet fruitiness in it. Orange? It has a slightly astringent, medicinal quality to it - almost like cedar or pine. wet: Ooof. Sort of like Halls menthol cough drops at first. Settles down into a spicy, deep scent, with the brightness of orange blossom on top. That note (weirdly) reminds me of Lolita, although overall this scent is completely different. dry: Oh, bummer. There goes the orange blossom. All that's left on me is spicy patchouli (which is actually not bad...I generally don't like patchouli, but this one is very soft and lighter than I expected) and the carnation, with a tiny, tiny hint of citrus-y orange blossom if I really sniff the crap out of my arm. season: winter office-friendly? probably, slightly heavy for me overall: I didn't have too many expectations for this one, but found it to be an interesting spicy blend. It's darker than the perfumes I usually choose for myself, but I can see it being great on wintery nights when I want to feel a little mysterious. This could work on either a lady or a dude, in my opinion.

This was a generous freebie from a swap with rabid hauteur! Yay. in the vial: Hrm. A bright white floral, a teensy bit of almost-fruitiness, with a scent I can't exactly identify that smells almost like dirt or musty earth underneath. On top is a spearmint sort of note (?) that's pretty sharp. wet: Smells like spearmint gum and mustiness....unfortunately for a minute or so it smells sort of like an old person. dry: Okay, this is much nicer dry. The sharpness is fading away, and the main scent now is of a dark, earthy, very life-like scent - it smells like green plant life just starting to decay. I have no clue how one gets the exact scent of crushed dried leaves into a perfume oil, but here it is. It's a very alive smell. As time goes on, it gets mellower and prettier - more flowers and green leaves and less musty dirt. season: fall and winter office-friendly? possibly - I might not because it's a little too lifelike and sorrowful for everyday use overall: This is much different from what I was expecting, and isn't my usual style, but I actually really like it. It smells extremely realistic, exactly like the woods in fall when the leaves are on the ground.

in the vial: Crisp, sharp-smelling - I smell the ginger and tea in equal parts, and I also smell some citrus in there too. wet: This is so clean and beautiful. It smells a lot like Embalming Fluid with a shot of ginger, which spices things up a bit. dry: Dries down a bit softer, but still really clean and fresh smelling. The white tea stays around longer than the ginger does. season: Perfect for hot summer days. office-friendly? Yep. overall: Nice! I like this one a lot. It'll be a nice scent to change up with Embalming Fluid on sticky hot days. It also gets a thumbs-up from the boy.

in the vial: Cherry with a wet, herbal-y scent behind it. wet: This is so different from what I was expecting! It smells a lot less bright and fruity than I'd hoped. The cherry blossom has really faded. It actually does have a metallic tang to it, now that I think about it. dry: It gets more and more ozone-y as time goes on. I'm starting to suspect my skin amps ozone into a generic body wash/hand soap smell - every ozone scent I've tried ends up that way. There is a bit of green fruit underneath the ozone. season: any office-friendly? yes overall: This fades super-quickly on me (as in, 30 minutes later it's completely gone) which is sad because I rather like it. I'll definitely try this again, because I like the concept and I don't really mind the clean sharpness of ozone. Too bad the other scents didn't stick around on my skin, because this starts out very nice. I think it could be a guy or girl scent.

in the vial: A very reserved, clean, slightly-atringent floral. wet: This is really pretty. It has a soapy sharpness to it, as well as a musky dry background. dry: It's smelling more and more dry - like dried roses. I can smell just a touch of the sweet orchid. season: I'd like this in fall, I think. office-friendly? Yes. overall: This is a unique floral that combines a sharp topnote with a dry basenote, and the overall effect is a lovely, soft, and reserved scent. It has a wistful, sweet quality that reminds me a little bit of Ophelia.

in the bottle: Every single person I've made smell this in the bottle has recoiled in confusion and/or disgust, because in the bottle it smells very, very weird and plastic-y. wet: But wait! After everyone rejects this one in the bottle, I feel like I have to hold their hand and pull them along and ask them to trust me that this actually smells fantastic. Once on my skin, it bursts into a sugary-sweet, cotton candy, pink, gorgeous, happy cloud of loveliness. It immediately cheers me up. dry: I so love this scent. Everytime I wear it, it dries down slighly differently. Today the tart fruitiness of the pear is most evident, but other times the sugar and vanilla are the dominant scents. Generally, it dries to a sweet, slighty-fruity, bright and girly blend. season: Spring and summer fit the mood of this one best, but I can see myself wearing it on dreary fall and winter days for a burst of bright cheeriness. office-friendly? Yes ma'am. overall: How much do I love Pink Phoenix? A lot! I even love the label. This is the ultimate sweet and girly blend, with a sugary softness that I loved being wrapped in. This is definitely not for everyone, but I am addicted to all things cute and pink and adorable, and this is one adorable blend.

in the vial: Oh mmmm. This is so unusual. It definitely has a bright citrus note, as well as a bit of a tropical floral, but it's very unique. In the background is a very warm wood or resin scent. wet: This is so different from any other BPAL I've tried. It's hard to describe precisely, but the main note right now is the warm resin-y scent. It feels like a very warm scent, with a juicy and fruity note on top. dry: Gorgeous. I'm glad the incense is mostly staying in the background, letting the resin, orange and florals stand out. season: Summer. office-friendly? Yes, I think so, although I probably wouldn't use this for everyday because it's so unusual. overall: This so reminds me of being in Costa Rica, for lots of reasons, but especially the abundance of tropical flowers and fruit everywhere you go, over the warm scent of polished wood. It's a really unique and evocative scent that captures the idea of jungle perfectly. I also should add that it lasts forever on my skin, at least 13-14 hours.

in the vial: All jasmine, all the time. wet: Not quite as overwhelmingly jasmine-y, although that's the dominant note on me for sure. The spices are coming through a bit. Sad to say, it has a slightly...dank, burnt-plastic smell on me. Honeysuckle? Lemon? Where have you gone? dry: Well....hm. I think my skin is amping the "decay" part of this blend, because it really smells pretty dank and un-lovely on me, even after it dries. For a few minutes, it even smells reminiscent of burnt oatmeal! (sorry! I feel so bad saying that! it's just my weird skin! really!) season: Summer. office-friendly? Kind of heady, so I'm not sure. overall: I wanted to like this one, but it just did not work with me at all. The head-ache inducing jasmine plus whatever note is providing the lovely decayed plastic scent on my skin have sent this one to swaps. The concept is great though, and I think this would be beautiful on the right person.

in the vial: Oh, yum. The lemon verbena jumps out at me the most, but it seems very well-blended. Fresh and white-smelling. wet: This one is indeed very well-blended - no one note dominates. It smells like a creamy, lemony white floral. Very pretty. dry: This is very light, but lovely. The lemon fades quite a bit, and it becomes a soft white floral with a musky base that makes me feel fresh and clean. Slightly soapy, in a good, fancy-soap way. season: Spring and summer. office-friendly? Yep - not heady at all. overall: A beautiful lemon-floral scent. I had a hunch I'd like this one, because I adore lemon verbena and bergamot, and I liked all the other notes a lot. It's not a hugely memorable scent, but would be great for everyday wear.

in the vial: Oh, it's cinnamon! Fruity cinnamon. It's a fall smell, to me. wet: Okay, this smells exactly like potpourri from a country craft kind of store. That's all I'm getting at this point...like a dried-flowers, fruit and cinnamon-spice potpourri. dry: Wow, this fades like a mofo. After only half an hour, it's pretty much gone. When I sniff right up next to my skin, I can get a whiff of the same potpourri scent I got at first, along with a very dry warm scent that could possibly be the leather or wood notes. season: Definitely fall. office-friendly? Yeah. overall: This could be a great room scent for autumn nights- it's a warm, spicy, comforting and homey scent. Not for me as a perfume oil, though.

in the vial: Wow, that's quite an orange powdery candy smell! All I get here is candy...fruity sugary candy. wet: The candy scent is overwhelming any bit of floral trying to make itself known. This is so cute and fun though! dry: The lemon verbena has come out a lot more, and rounds out the sweet candy with a bright citrus-y floral scent. It still smells a lot of orange candy/popsicles/bubblegum, but is not a "novelty" scent in the sense that it's a more well-rounded and interesting scent that just candy-scented perfume. season: Makes me think of a hot, sticky, summer day. office-friendly? I probably wouldn't, it's a little...assertive. overall: I'm all about the girliness, and this is one effing girly scent. I've had this for a few months, but not worn it much for some reason. Now that it's currently 92 degrees outside, I think this would be a perfect happy summer scent and I plan on wearing it a lot more.

in the vial: Hmmmm...I have no idea what this smells like. It's definitely floral, and a bit fruity and spicy, but honestly I don't know how else to describe it. wet: This is not like anything I've smelled before, which is good. The lemon is most prominent at this stage, but there's also a lot of spice from the carnation, and another note I don't know - maybe the white poppy? Very soft at this point. dry: This is very well-blended and it settles nicely into my skin. I actually am liking this quite a bit - it's really complex and unusual. It fades pretty quickly on me, though. season: Any, I think. office-friendly? Yep - nice and light. overall: Overall, I would say this is a subtle, soft, creamy floral with the slight bubbly brightness of lemon. Very pretty, and like other reviewers have noted, very calming.

in the vial: Oh, interesting. A complex and beautiful scent, but I can't put my finger on any notes. There's a sweetness there, as well as a lovely floral that reminds me of a fancy soap. This is a weird thought, but I keep thinking that it smells like a very, very nice hotel. Perhaps in Europe somewhere. Not that I have ever stayed in a very, very nice hotel, or even been to Europe, but if I had, I imagine it would smell like this. wet: Wow, I like this one. It's a warm, clean, slightly-spicy floral. I'm still not able to identify any specific notes, but the best I can do to describe it is to say that it smells like a beautiful, perfectly decorated, perfectly clean room. dry: This is so, so lovely. It fades a bit into a light floral incense that is actually just as pleasant because it reminds me of my favorite vintage store in my hometown that burns incense all day. season: winter. office-friendly? Yes indeed. overall: Good lord, I love this. Such a beautiful blend of violets and spices, to create a rich, complex scent that makes me feel very sophisticated but also pretty and clean. It wasn't on my wishlist, and I'd probably not have sought it out, but I'm so glad it was included in my order. It's funny that I kept feeling "fancy hotel" with this one before I read the description, since it embodies "wealth and luxury". That really makes me admire the skill and creativity put into these oils. Lovely!

in the vial: Honeysuckle, ahoy. Thick and sweet floral. wet: A slightly-heavy floral that is pretty but not remarkable. Smells clean and soapy after a few minutes. dry: Oh, jasmine. Please go away. I think this would be a very pretty blend without the sticky heaviness of the jasmine. Eos is reminiscent of Delerium for me in a certain way, although they don't share any notes. The jasmine plus other heavy florals gives this scent a sort of plastic-y, headache-inducing quality, while simultaneously smelling of soap, the same thing I got with Delerium. season: very much a springy scent. office-friendly? it's a bit heavy, but not too much. So yes. overall: I've tried this one a couple times, and I like the description and I like the idea of buttercup, because it seems like such a cheerful flower. But...this just isn't going to work on me due to the jasmine overpowering everything else, so I have to pass it along.

in the vial: A clean-smelling floral, with a bit of spice underneath. wet: Hmm. Has a bit of a candy scent for several seconds (the berries?), but then blooms into a sophisticated, spicy floral. It reminds me of a good quality department store perfume, but fresher. I think the dominant scent right now is the iris. dry: Faded pretty quickly. Now it smells mostly of light spices and amber, with the tiniest hint of sweet berries. Slightly dry and powdery on me, too. season: fall or winter. office-friendly? yep. overall: This was a..handsome scent. Yeah, handsome is the word I'm looking for I think. Not very bright or long-lasting on me, but a sophisticated and mature floral spice.

in the vial: Dark, dark cherry. I <3 the dark red color! wet: Hmm. Still very dark cherry, but a spicy kind of cherry. That would be the clove, I think. dry: Has almost become a heavy potpourri or candle-y spice scent, reminding me of a craft or candle shop around Christmastime. After about an hour, it fades down and smells remarkably close to Hollywood Babylon on me, with a darker and spicier vibe. season: winter. office-friendly? emmm...maybe. overall: I didn't dislike like this one, but it's pretty heavy. It's a warm, dark, thick scent that could be unisex. Not bad, but not for me, although it could work really well on someone who likes warm, fruity-spicy scents.

in the vial: Super berry scented - that's the only thing I smell. wet: Becomes a bit more complex. I can smell some herbal notes coming into play, and it's not screaming berries (and only berries) like in was in the imp. Oh....weird. Now it smells exactly like berry-flavored body wash over baby powder. Not that it "turned powdery" like some florals do on me, but that it smells exactly like Johnson's baby powder. No green tea, no dark musk, and, saddest of all, no sage. dry: Much, much prettier now. Has less of an artificial berry scent, and has become even more complex. For some reason, I can't identify any notes except the berry - it just has a strong dark scent underneath the faded brightness of the berry.

in the vial: Oh mmmmm...clean, crisp, masculine herbal/floral - lavender stands out the most. wet: At first, it just smells like that generic "man" scent of shaving cream and deoderant, but then it changes into a more complex and sophisticated scent. It still smells very clean to me, but that could be the associations I have with all men's grooming products smelling like a cheap version of this! dry: Has dried down into a traditional, but very appealing, masculine scent. The lavender has stepped aside, and the spice of the carnation is more evident. I also love the dark green of the moss. Oddly enough, I can't smell any amber. I never seem to be able to smell amber in a blend - it just gives all the other notes a nice warm background I guess, but I have no idea what amber smells like on its own! Anyway, this is indeed a "classic" blend - more conservative cologne-wearers would be fine with this.

in the vial: Ginger! Sharp and gingery. wet: Hmmm...this is interestingly spicy and gingery and warm. Oh my God. I just realized that this smells exactly like Ale-8, a ginger-and-fruit-flavored soda that's made in Winchester, Kentucky. It's truly uncanny. dry: If I can get over walking around smelling like a bottle of Ale-8 (imagine ginger ale, but 10X stronger and spicier), I really like this one. It's sophisticated and warm and approachable. season: Fall. office-friendly? Yes. overall: Well, this didn't meet my hopes for another creamy soft scent, as I can't smell the milk or honey at all, but it's great in its own way. For one thing, I'll always have Sudha Segara, aka my Ale-8 in an imp, to remind me of a much beloved soda from home. For real, though - this is very nice.

in the vial: Oh wow. This is quite juicy but also deep - sort of a fresh incense, if that makes any sense at all. Reminds me really strongly of a "fresh rain" incense I used to use. wet: Same. Not too strong. Smells quite clean. There's something I can't identify that I want to say might be fruity or citrusy. And reading the last 4 pages of reviews, it evidently is grapefruit. dry: The citrus fades, leaving a wet, aquatic incense behind. season: Ooo, this is hard. Maybe more wintery, or for rainy spring days. office-friendly? Yes, for sure. overall: Interesting. I find it really fun to try scents that don't have any notes listed and that I'd never choose for myself. I ended up liking this one pretty well, actually. I feel like this could be a unisex scent. It also feels a little sophisticated and pulled together.