gloom bear

Hmmm, I have a similar track record - I think I'll have to track down some Silentum Amoris.

I just got my 2007 Mirror Mirror pack and am loving Rose Red and Peacock Queen beyond description. Not so lucky with Snow White. With the description being of snow and florals...I was really caught off guard when I opened the bottle and a giant almond hit me. Even though I had read the reviews, the strength of the almond was just so overwhelming. I got no coconut or florals at all. It was all almond (which I don't like) and when it dried, it was semi-sweet plastic almonds. The scent held on for a good long time though. Beautiful scent description, and if it came out on my skin as snow and flowers, I'd be all over it. But sadly...no. I guess that's one more bottle for the Snow White lovers.

Ok, just an update because I was able to purchase a bottle of the 2005, and I just got my fresh bottle of 2007 (not to mention a fresh bottle of Rose Red 2007) Well, the Queen has been de-throned by Rose Red, but, I still love her. They are such different rose scents; PQ being so warm and sunny to me. Together with London, they form my beloved BPAL Rose Triumverate. I compared the aged 2005 PQ and the fresh 2007 PQ and there were definitely some differences. Not huge, but detectable even to my novice nose. There is a hint of a fresh note riding on top of the lush sunny-day full-bloom roses of PQ in the fresh 2007, as opposed to the aged 2005...which makes the 2005 smell drier. Both are nice, but I think I prefer the fresh a tad more than the aged. Oh, forgot to add, that on me, PQ isn't an evolving scent. The scent is strong and consistent from the moment the wet oil touches my skin to the last second before it fades.

Another BPAL Rose Red convert here. I just got my 2007 bottle and I love it! I had tried a sample of the 2005 Rose Red, and it smelled kinda like strong balsamic vinegar on me that was so nasty that I washed it off pretty quickly. But being an avid rose-lover I cracked under the pressure of the raves and ordered a bottle of the 2007. When I tried it at first, it was exactly the same experience, nasty sharp sourish smell. But I was distracted while testing some other scents I got and when I went back to sniff the Rose Red, it was amazing! The sharp sour scent was gone and it was a lovely fresh rose with a hint of lemon. Another 10 minutes later, the lemon faded and it was just the nicest rose scent I've ever beheld. The first time I wore it out in public I got a compliment 5 minutes after getting out of the car. I don't know if 2005 and 2007 are any different really. This experience will be a valuable lesson in patience and letting scents evolve.

As soon as I opened the imp a bright fruity scent hit me. Not straight fruit, but a fruit rendition. The scent reminds me a bit of some black currant pastilles I had in Denmark. Don't ask me why the peach wine smells so much like black currant to me. One of the nicer fruity BPALs so far.

When wet, the first thing I get is a candy lemon smell….huh? After drying, the gardenia scent comes through and plays nicely with the lemon candy…who would have guessed? In another 10 minutes or so, the jasmine kicks in and we have a happy threesome. I never quite get the rose, but it's good as is. After half an hour, the dominant note is jasmine, which I happen to like. Two hours later, it is a slightly sweet vanilla with a touch of jasmine. This is a really nice blend with a fun evolution.

Hi'iaka starts as green banana and dries into an intensely perfumey clean white floral. I can't name the dominant note since I don't know what hibiscus or akala smell like. But it's not na'u that I'm smelling and I get very little rose. It's a really nice perfumey floral blend without any aquatic notes. As much as I wanted to love this one, after about half an hour the lovely floral notes faded leaving a nondescript scent that isn't bad, but nothing that I would want to wear again. I'm really bummed because I dance hula, and wanted to love Pele and Hi'iaka, but neither were great on me. EDIT: I started using scents that I didn't like on my skin, in the oil warmer instead. In the warmer, Hi'iaka still goes through a similar evolution of top to bottom notes, but it's better than it was on my skin.

Viola starts as a slightly herbaceous green scent with a young rosebud underneath. As it dries, the green fades and the rose blooms. With so many notes listed besides rose, I didn't expect this to be so rosy, and I'm really pleasantly surprised. The other notes seem to keep the rose fresh and young and prevent the weird morphing that most of the other BPAL rose scents do on me. This would definitely up there with my current favorite rose, London, if it stayed like this. About 2 hours later, the rose fades and the other notes dominate. Nice, but I'm a hopeless rose lover.

When first applied, Harlot smells deliciously edible. The rose note is gone so fast I wouldn't even have guess it was there if I didn't read the scent notes. All I get is a wonderful cinnamon burst. It isn't intensely spicy, and is just a touch sweet. The cinnamon intensity dies down a bit after drying, and the rose comes back out just barely. Overall a lovely scent that I will wear again. A wonderful surprise since I was skeptical that I would like a rose-cinnamon combo. This doesn't last very long on me, but re-application is a pleasure.

In the vial...woah…this is straight jasmine and I loooove this! It's more jasmine grandiflorum than sambac (which happens to be my fav) but I love jasmine all round. When first applied it came screaming off my skin and had fantastic sillage. I don't know if my nose has just gotten used to it but about 10 minutes later it has mellowed out. I think this would be a good one for anyone who likes Lush's Flying Fox, or jasmine in general.

This has a wonderful rose burst at first, a fresh and simple rose (smells the same as the rose in Persephone). There is also a definite leather scent that is quite nice. Not like old horse saddle but maybe leather purse. They blend really nicely and if it stayed that way on my skin, I'd be buying a bottle. but of course my skin chemistry has to ruin everything, and turn the loveliness that is Whip into dirty ashtray. Sigh.

This smells exactly like a blackcurrant pastille! There is almost a licorice or anise note in it after drydown too which makes it even more perfect for me. It isn't really sweet and is my favorite fruity BPAL scent to date. It reminds me of some good times in Denmark. I'll really have to use this imp sparingly since I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get more!

I get a milky honey with a touch of something smokey that isn't smoke. I guess that is the tea, but my brain just doesn't recognize it as tea. It's a nice relaxing scent but not one that I would wear all the time since I'm primarily a floral person, but I'm definitely keeping it for those moods.

I just wanted to add one more couple....Peacock Queen and Jo Malone Red Roses. Can anyone rec a BPAL similar to Crabtree & Evelyn's Rosewater Eau Fraiche?

That is a fabulous idea! I've only heard of using the cyclo for a body spray. How are you liking the cyclo on your hair? Do you just add the BPAL to straight cyclodimethicone or do you dilute it with other ingredients?