copyshopclerk

In the bottle: Kind of like Snow Moon, but with a sour, biting edge to it - not unpleasant at all, just not with the same sweetness that Snow Moon had. Wet: Smells like outdoors in the winter - silvery wood, pine trees, cold air, stone. Oooh, this is one of those scents that strongly triggers memories for me! It's the same scent as early-morning horse shows in the winter had for me (that dark and cold scent of a winter morning before the sun rises), or the scent of a field during the first frost. I'm not doing this Moon's description justice, I think As it dries, the evergreen comes out more. Dry: As it dries, the musk comes out more to add a bit of sweetness, but just a bit, and I'm glad, as I don't think a natural outdoorsy winter scent is necessarily "sweet". This retains it's cold outdoor quality and it's absolutely gorgeous. Best winter day scent! I'm so happy - this is what I was hoping Snow-Flakes would be (I ended up loving that for what it was), and now I've got my much hoped-for "cold winter day outside" scent. Thanks BPAL!!

In the bottle: An entire flower - stem and all. Something very green here, and almost, but not quite, the sharpness of jasmine. (Jasmine & I are not buddies!) Wet: That jasmine-ish quality thankfully never came into fruition on my skin! Something reminds me a bit of lavender but I don't think that's in here. Dry: As it dries, it turns very lilac on me, reminding me of the lilac in Blood Countess which I like. Unfortunately, it wasn't one I could see myself using an entire bottle, so I passed it along!

In the bottle: Very flowery, but I can pick out the ginger Wet: STRONG floral, a light musk, and some ginger. Too bad that gingery part all but disappeared once it hit my skin! Dry: Throw is very strong on this, but it's all floral (well yeah, Chrysanthemum and all!) Florals don't tend to work on me - I don't want to say "old lady" because I don't think that's an accurate description, but more that florals are either too dressy or too serious for how I generally conduct myself My birthday is in November and since mums are the November flower I was hoping this one would work for me. Glad I tried it, but passed it along to someone who was a better match for it!

The scent of the salty seas, bittersweet wine, palm and tropical ferns. In the imp: Grassy, cool, tropical Wet: Smells like a waterfall surrounded by greenery in a lush tropical forest, but I'm not sure I can see wine in this Dry: Grassy edge calms down, becomes almost a creamy sweetness but still very clean (not a foody sweetness at all!). Very summery and tropical. I really like this, but it's not the right time of the year to wear this. Will definitely revisit in the spring! (edited to add description)

Mmm, a frimp from the lab that turned out to be amazing! In the imp: Aquatic, cool, grassy florals. I'm not usually much for florals but every now and then with the right things to balance them out, they can be lovely - so far so good! Wet: Seems very light. It's a floral, but not a traditional wear-this-to-be-fancy floral, but more of a youthful floral that would be appropriate to wear for more casual settings (i.e., pretty much everything for me!). Very similar to Szepasszony, which I absolutely adore, but where Szepasszony is winter, this is spring. Dry: Yep, definitely a cousin to Szepasszony, but that one has an icy quality and Amsterdam is grassy. Very fresh & clean. Love it!

I bought a bottle of this unsniffed because I was after something that smelled cold & desolate. In the imp: Not very desolate, actually! It's definitely watery, and there's a sweetness to it. I have never tried Snow White so I'm not going to make a comparison there, but it actually reminds me a lot of LUSH's Snowcake. Wet: Yeah, something very similar to Snowcake in my opinion (I know Dana O'Shee usually has that parallel but this smells much closer to me!) But it's not a dead-on match - this has a very watery component to it. Water and marzipan, maybe? I can't pick out a mint, but there is a hint of one in here - kind of faint, enough to give it a cool edge, but not so that you sniff this and think "oh hey, mint". Dry: This doesn't morph very much to me, though underneath there is something very faint that is reminding me of sandalwood, but I can only smell that if I put my wrist close to my nose. From a distance it's very light, watery, and that Snowcake-y kind of fragrance. So yeah - I feel somewhat ambivalent about this! On one hand, it's a very nice scent - I do like Snowcake and to me this is really close, so I like having something that smells like this. On the other hand, I wasn't *looking* for something that smelled like this right now - I wanted something more cold and desolate and this isn't desolate at all to me!

Got this as a decant from a circle, this is the 2006 version. In the imp: This smells a bit like baking spices I think - nutmeg, clove, maybe even cinnamon? Wet: I don't know what I smell here, actually. There's a sweetness I wouldn't call this a sweet scent. Something similar to incense - sandalwood? - but not heavy - like someone burning a really nice fragrant wood in their fireplace a few houses down from where you live and you can smell that sweet woodsmoke through the open window. There's a faint smell of cold air and dead leaves but with a lot of soothing sandalwood over it. It's like being inside when it's dark and rainy and cold outside, but I'm warm and happy inside. This is like comfort food! Dry: Doesn't really change, just stays comforting, like being wrapped up in a blanket with the window open just a crack, and the scent of a fall night (or early morning) coming in. Never noticed anything boozy, wet or dry. I love this! Definite bottle, and I want to try to track down the 2005 version since it seems there's a lot of love for that one!

This was a decant from a circle Oh, hello there weird skin chemistry and olfaction! In the imp: I don't know what I smell. Salty? Something astringent maybe, or soapy. Wet: Aww, I thought this was supposed to be sweet! On me it's burnt, but not even burnt sugar - it's salty. Dry: I have no idea what this is doing on me. Parmesan? Tape? No, I think it's a light combination of those covered in... barbecue sauce. And salt. I have no idea what's going on with my skin to cause that, because all these other reviews sound so lovely and I get jealous that I didn't smell that, but Sugar Skull and I didn't get along! Oops, forgot to add that this is the 2006 version. I have not tried any previous versions.

Got this as a decant from a circle. In the imp: Really does smell like caramel apples! Wet: This is the most amazing / accurate / best apple scent ever. EVER. Holy cow. It is pretty much exactly like biting into a juicy apple - perfectly done! Unfortunately for me, coconut can go kind of weird since my skin really amplifies it, so I don't care for that part hanging around the edges but the apple is AMAZING. Dry: The apple, though amazing in the wet phase, is unfortunately also short-lived. Gah! So cruel, I wanted that to linger more than any other part of the scent! What's left behind is a rather nice caramel scent, and the coconut isn't too bad. But I resent that my skin won't keep the apple around I'm torn about this one - I may have too hastily sold my decant without waiting to see if my skin chemistry over the course of a month would make it more wearable.. if that apple stuck around I'd buy quarts of this!

I got a decant of this from a circle. In the imp: Wintergreen and woods Wet: I'm not personally crazy about wintergreen in a lot of scents - sometimes it works, but most often it doesn't. This is one of those times that it doesn't - it's too heavy and I think I like what I smell under it, but the wintergreen is too overpowering. Dry: Drying the wintergreen shifts to more of a spicy birch beer scent. I suppose that makes sense, but this is one that's just not "me". Underneath the birch beer scent is a nice kind of fresh, almost grassy scent that I like, but not enough to keep the decant or buy a bottle. Oh well!

I didn't know about BPAL when this lunacy came out, but I was able to buy a bottle (I had never tried even an imp of it before, but it was so tempting!) from the lab on Ebay (and the feedback BPTP leaves is so cute!) Yay! In the bottle: This smells like a snow-covered pine tree. I have no idea what exactly makes it smell like snow or cold, but it does! Wet: Doesn't change very much from the bottle at first, except perhaps to become a little bit stronger, which is fine by me because it's gorgeous. Dry: It really opens up as it dries - I still smell the pine, but I think I can smell other woods now too - maybe cedar? It goes from smelling like a snowy pine tree to an entire forest in the snow - some of the undergrowth and winter blooms coming through too, but this never gets too floral or green, it stays cold. Really long-lasting, too, and it doesn't fade or turn weird over time. This is absolutely beautiful - so glad I took a chance on a bottle!

In the imp: Smells like pumpkin bread - the orange is here but it's not an overpowering orange. It's more like a muffin with orange in it than a strong or juicy orange. Wet: Okay, this smells *exactly* like Froot Loops on me - at least the Froot Loops I remember eating as a kid that were just red, orange, and yellow O's (now they've got purple & blue O's so I don't know if current Froot Loops smell like this!) I'm not saying I don't like it, because it's not a bad smell, but wow. Froot Loops. Dry: This gets spicier when it dries, and it does lose the fruity cereal quality. I'm undecided on this - I only have an imp and I think I'll keep the imp, but I don't know about a bottle. When dry, PQ is really nice, but I don't want someone to think I was just eating cereal! I don't think it smells like Jack at all - this is much, much nicer!

In the imp: Almonds Wet: Almonds, but sweeter. Nothing else really coming forward. Dry: Spicy, like cinnamon. Can still smell the almonds. Reminds me of potpourri. After about 10-15 minutes, the almonds fade and smell more like cherries (almonds and cherries smell nearly identical to me), and it reminds me of a nutmeg-ginger lotion that I bought one time, and really like. I don't think it's bottle-worthy, but it's pleasant.

In the imp: Sharp, bitter citrus. I've eaten yuzu rind before and this is spot-on! Wet: It sweetens when applied, but not very much, more like a grassy kind of sweetness. There's still a bitterness, I'm guessing the black tea, underneath. Dry: A sharp citrus that gets me in the back of my throat. It's a great interpretation and conveys the notes perfectly, but it's not something I'm wild about.

In the imp: Sweet, but with an edge, something biting. It's a summery kind of scent. Wet: I like it - sweet with a bite. I can pick out the vanilla, and a sharp quality. Dry: Sweet without being foody. I think it's pretty. I let my husband sniff it. He says "This is unfortunate but it smells like a urinal cake" No! I'd be too embarrassed to wear this in case anyone else thinks that It's a shame, because I liked this one.

Frimp from the lab! (thanks ! ) In the imp: Vanilla, primarily Wet: Vanilla and amber, with an almost spicy dark quality to it. It's similar to Haunted if you were to add vanilla to it, or Snake Oil minus the incense (just as a note - Snake Oil to me was tons of incense and a smidge of vanilla) - I like this much more than either of those! Dry: It's a cool vanilla, which sounds odd but it's the best way I can put it - there's definitely soemthing here that reminds me of the dark musk in Haunted. I've heard comparisons to Antique Lace and I can kind of see that, but whereas that's a very warm scent to me, this one is very cool. Something in it also reminds me of Lush's American Cream - I think that has sage.. perhaps that's what I can smell in here? I wish I knew what the notes were I do get that stony quality that other people have mentioned. It's a fascinating scent. Love it, will be getting a bottle

I had to test this one twice for a proper review, since the first time I tried it on was the first day of my period and all I got was plastic In the imp: This is very sweet - vanilla and flowers. A pink/peach scent. Wet: When I had my period, this smelled like old dried flowers and a little bit of vanilla with an overhang of plastic. After my period, this was sweet floral and vanilla, no plastic, much more pleasant. Dry: The vanilla comes out more (plasticky only when I have my period). In a weird way, this reminds me of the scent of one of those artificial fog machines, like what you see in haunted houses or at laser shows - I don't know if that's dry ice or the machine itself, but those always have an odd sweetness to them and it reminds me a lot of this. Not unpleasant necessarily, but kind of strange. I can't decide if I like this or not - it's the first BPAL I've tried that morphs so much when I have my period and I don't like that about it, and even when that's not an issue there is that strange fog machine quality to it. I'm keeping the imp, not sure about a bottle, even though I really do like the vanilla in it.

In the imp: Butterscotch, very strong Wet: Still butterscotch. No peach or pumpkin (not even fresh pumpkin as you carve it). As it starts to dry down a bit, the clove & nutmeg pick up. Dry: Butterscotch with clove and nutmeg. I do like this, it reminds me of Grog with the butterscotch but it doesn't turn to burnt rubber on me like that did! I'll try this in an oil burner and see if the pumpkin comes out there since it didn't really show up on my skin.

Love this! I put it on hours ago and it's one of those "Geez, what smells so good in here? Oh wait, that's me!" scents Fantastic staying power! In the imp: Sweet, fruity, candy-ish almost, berries Wet: Sweet like berries. Something underneath that's not chocolate but a heavy sweetness similar to it - perhaps the amaretto? Dry: Oh this is gorgeous - sweet, ripe plums, dark cherries, currants, spiced wine. And something under that that's reminding me of rich, dark chocolate. Hours later - Amaretto with a dark plum and a couple of dark cherries in the background Bordello is very strong - a tiny dab is plenty! This is beautiful

In the imp: Orange, but sweeter - like a fruit salad Wet: Sweet orange, but with a spice, almost like cloves. Definitely something Christmassy about it (I noticed I'm not the only one to think that!) Dry: Somewhat reminds me of March Hare, though this one is lighter and doesn't remind me of candles as much as that one does An orange I like! Very fresh.

In the imp: Pear, and something really pretty behind it! Wet: Lots of pear.. I really like the undercurrent behind it - the lily, especially. However, that's not very strong as compared to the pear Dry: Ah, after this dries and the pear fades a bit, I love what's left behind! It's long lasting too - if I apply this late afternoon, for example, I can still smell it on me the following morning. So glad this doesn't turn rose on me! I tried this in an oil burner and it's even better

In the imp: Floral, but with a slight sharpness, almost sandiness to it. Wet: Still almost a sandy texture. I can pick out the sandalwood, which I love, but I'm not really wild about the floral part. Dry: Mmm.. sandalwood comes out a bit more. This was nice. I'm just more about other blends

In the imp: Sweet - there's citrus, and sweet flowers Wet: Definitely a "bright" scent - someone else said sunny and I agree! Dry: Honey and orange, very sweet and cheerful

In the imp: Rose and carnation Wet: Carnation (similar to Alice) and tea Dry: Spicy carnation, which I like, but it's too heavy on the rose for my taste. It's similar to Alice, but Alice has sweet undertones whereas this one has rosy undertones. Between the two, I prefer Alice. I sent this one along!

In the imp: Woah.. buttered popcorn, burnt. Maybe curry as well? Strong bitter almonds! Wet: Okay, this is the weirdest thing ever and I imagine no one else will have this association. There's something about this scent I associate with travelling. Almost like the scent of a hotel room - a bit like the hallway and when you walk into the room and the air conditioning is on... the scent of your suitcase at the end of a journey. So strange. It's not unpleasant, but wow, it gave me such a clear image in my head! Scents are strange like that! I wonder what about it gave me that imagery. Dry: Now I've got a variety of spices - not hot spices, but more like a blend of seasonings. I originally tried this as an imp because I adore Morocco and heard there were similarities, but at this point I don't really make an association between the two. Then later - I actually kind of like where this ends up – it's sweet, but a dry sweetness. Not the same as Morocco but I can see why people would associate the two. However, I love Morocco more through all of its stages!