arcticwolf

My mother has recently started stealing my BPAL. She stole my 5 mls of Black Opal and Anne Bonny on my most recent visit home, and while I'm happy that she's found scents she enjoys, I would like to be able to find a BPAl scent that is similar to her all-time-favourite perfume, Yves St. Laurent's Opium. Does anyone have any suggestions?

ITI: Unadulterated Irish Cream! Sweet, sweet coffee. You are the elixir of my life *drools*. Very strong. Wet: Creamy, buttery, caramely, Irish cream coffee. Drydown: It took a few hours before this went a little dusty smelling. I didn't smell dusty books or library smells or oakwood, unfortunately, just dusty irish cream coffee. But I do love it. Very comforting. I couldn't stop huffing my wrist. This will make a wonderful Room Scent, even if I don't like walking around smelling like food.

Wolf Moon 2007, says my bottle. I did not find a thread for the 2007 blend, so hopefully this goes here. The description of this scent was too lovely to pass up. That, and I've had a lifelong fascination with anything wolf-like *points to screen-name*. However, when I received this bottle, I had a cold, so I tucked it away, and forgot about it. I pulled this out today, and thought I'd give it a whirl. Opening the bottle, I took a deep sniff, got some on my nose, and was pleased to smell evergreens and berries. It was chilly smelling, and a little musky. I'm in for a treat, I thought to myself. And then I sneezed. And didn't stop sneezing. I sneezed all day long, in fact, because I had some stuck on the tip of my nose. I'm currently walking around sounding like I have a bad head cold, and I can't smell a darn-tootin' thing. I'm not sure what it is in there that does this to me, and I can't recall if I ever felt stuffed up after using Black Forest (I got that imp during cold season, so I wouldn't have noticed a few sneezes here and there while testing it). I really hope it isn't the pine.

Frimp from the lab. ITI: Like WHOA musk. Wet:Sweet cherry-like Dragon's blood and warm musks. Resiny. Yum. Dry: Dragon's blood is softening a bit, and musks are getting a slightly feral feel. This is warm, almost sensual and hot. I can picture the hot sands of a dragon's lair, heated by their fire, bathed in their scent.

I am so upset about how Haunted turned out on my skin. I love amber, and I love musk, and they both love me. But this...this...smelt of old-lady perfume on me. This is not a scent that I can wear at the age of 20. I think the culprit is the black musk. I think most of my current BPAL is of the red musk variety. That aside, this was soft and powdery, but not unpleasantly so. And dark. Like some others, I also thought it was vaguely vanilla-y. After about 4 hours, eau de octogenarian disappears and this turns into something incredibly lovely. However, I can't last 4 hours smelling of my grandmother, so off to someone else this goes.

I got this imp a long time ago and never got around to trying it. Today, I was rumaging around for something new, and pulled out Bewitched. The thought of dark berries pleased me, but I am always wary of fruity scents, after a brief cheap-fruit love-affair in high school. I try not to smell like something I find in my kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised on this one, as I found that initially, it smells like dark berries, but not overly fruity. The sage and the musk do a good job of subduing the cloying fruit that I'd fear, making this dark and almost wild. The musk hides in the background, not overpowering. For the first hour or so, every now and then I got faint whiffs of something that gives me the same feel as Shattered (note: It doesn't smell like Shattered, but it feels like it). I'm not sure how to describe the quality, but it always leaves me sniffing my wrist every few seconds, afraid that it will fade before I get to fully inhale all of it. This only lasted about 3 hours on me, before it turned into a very faint musky scent hanging quite close to the skin.

This was a frimp from the lab. I didn't read the description until after I tried it. ITI: Spicy and "spritzy" generic flowers. Wet: Generic florals. Less spice, much softer. Dry: Jasmine (smells just like my mum's jasmine bush). No spice. No musk. Nothing else. Ohh....nope. That's soap. Jasmine soap. Not a bad soapy smell at all, however. Very soft, almost no throw on me at all. Soft and feminine. I wish it had more oomph. This is average at best.

This was a freebie from the lab. It isn't something that I would have ever picked out for myself, just from the description. While I adore Anise in my food, in my tea, and as a scent, I don't actually think I'd like wearing it. I'm also not the world's biggest cherry-lover. Imp: This is such an intriguing dark colour in the imp. And I'm decidedly in a dark-colour mood (not a black mood...just feeling dramatic). Opening the imp, I was a little surprised to smell really bright, sweet cherries. Like a cherry lollipop...right after a sip of cherry-cola. Wet: The instant this touches my skin, I smell anise (licorice-smelling, if anyone is wondering) and cherries. The faintest undertone of musk. Interesting, for sure. Dry: Musky. Cherries and anise. This is pretty faint. Definitely intriguing, although I wouldn't say its a favorite.

I bought this on a whim, since I *dislike* leather, but I do like musk and incense notes. Imp: Peppery! Warm and spicy, but refreshing almost. Maybe a hint of cypress, or what I imagine cypress to smell like. Wet: Pepper pepper pepper! Some musk under it. Somehow, this feels refreshing, although I usually find musk to be a heavier feeling tone. Dry: Pepper still, which I'm loving, mingling with sweet florals and musk. Sort of incensy, but not overly so. Definitely liking this one. It's not a top ten, but it's intriguing none-the-less.

Sweet vanilla tea, with lemon, and just the faintest hint of musk underneath. It stay true on me from wet all the way to sniffing my arm the next day. It's light, but still has some throw to it. I love this. Big bottle for sure. I never used to like vanilla, in fact, I used to hate vanilla, but Beth has changed my mind with this, and with Dana O'Shee.

Frimp from the lab. Put on without reading the description, so I had no idea what to expect. Imp: Holy Cinnamon Hearts, Batman! So *that's* what cassia smells like. For some reason I'd just assumed that cassia would be blackcurrant (like cassis...) Wet: Red musk and cinnamon. My skin loves red musk. Dry/drying: As its drying, the cassia is calming down a little, the musk is staying at a midlevel along with a warm, woody sandalwood and some sweet juiciness is popping its head above the sand. That would be the mango. A while later, the barest spritz of lemon is detectable. This is springy and fun, while still having some substance to it. This might be my new summer scent. I adore it, and only wish everyone else had the same relationship with it.

I will most definitely post back here when I find *THE* perfect BPAL. I have faith in the Lab and I'm sure it does exist. As for Snake Oil...It does remind me of Opium in some way, but its just not quite right. My next order will include Debauchery, Darkness, Horreur Sympathique, Anathema and Langour imps (they're all off of notes that I happen to like too, so even if they're not a dead ringer for Opium, how can I go wrong?).

In Hermetic alchemy, brimstone is one of the Three Heavenly Substances, one of the primary alchemical Principles. It represents the strength of will and the vigor of passion, and it is a symbol of the process of fermentation. A smoky, gritty blend, husky and gray. I opened this frimp, and almost dropped it, it was so strong and acrid smelling. It did smell like smoke, but not a good, warm, campfire smoke to me. It smelt...evil. Hellish maybe. I wore it only briefly, and yes, it did smell smoky, and started to settle into a campfire smell, but unfortunately, that's an "experience smell", not a perfume, and I wear most of my BPAL to work. I washed it off, and decided this is a better room scent. I promptly used it in an oil burner the very next week, during my D&D campaign. It set the mood perfectly, since we were campaigning on a Hell Plane at the time. Everyone loved the atmosphere it created: hot, gritty and slightly menacing.

Imp: When I opened this, I was not expecting to smell bubblegum and vanilla, but that's what I smelt. Wet: Not bubblegum anymore, that's for sure. About 30 seconds after I applied this, it started to smell the way it was supposed to: spicy, resin-y and sweet vanilla. For a few seconds, it reminds me a little of YSL's Opium, but that changes once it dries. Dry: This is a sweet, spicy vanilla, with a little musk on me. I think I detect amber and patchouli, but I'm not that good with individual notes. Maybe descriptions are getting to me, but it smells dry and warm, the way a nice snake terrarium does, almost. Very faint on me, even after a second application, but it lingers a long time. I do like this, very much so, but it isn't my favorite. Perhaps I'll adore it more when it's aged. This is definitely a 5 mL scent though.

ITI: Red wine and myrrh. Boozy scents worry me, but I couldn't resist the mental image of Athens, so I had to get this. Wet: Sweet red wine and myrrh still. Nice though. Dry: Wine, and soft florals. The Myrrh has faded a bit, and some honey is peaking through. Almost a mulled wine feel. Very nice. After even more time, I get more honey. Very sweet scent, with just a little bite. This definitely has an old world feel to it. Maybe that Greek boy I've been lusting after will notice me when I wear this...I'm giving it a try tonight.

ITI: This smells...Minty...and some green herb that smells harsh, and strangely enough, reminds me of arugula. I really don't like arugula. Wet:Minty and Lime. Faintest undertones of lavender. Dry: Very inexplicable mix of lavender, lime and mint. Quite nice, but slightly unsettling. Very little throw, but a nice, cooling kind of scent. It doesn't make me envious really, but it reminds me of that feeling you get when you genuinely like someone, but that friendliness is slightly marred by twinges of jealousy, that will never be revealed.

Thanks MV! We did try Scherezade, but that one was a no-go. Neither of us saw the Opium connection. I'll get some imps of the others in my next order, and pass them on to my Mom. Hopefully one works for her. Snake oil is on the way, and I have high hopes for that one. ~ArcticWolf

Samhain 2006 I'd toyed with ordering this when it came up, but I didn't have the money at the time. So when a chance to purchase a rollerball decant came up, I jumped on it. And I have no regrets. This is a heavenly scent. I have a hard time picking out individual scents, but its warm, spicy, sometimes apple-y, sometimes almost pumpkin pie. I don't know how to describe it other than it is a perfect fall scent. Very warm, inviting. And strong. My skin soaks up BPAL but a little goes a Loooong way.

Wanda ITI: Dark, boozy flowers Wet:Wine and roses. Yup. Leather? Maybe that's the darkness? Dry: Same as above. I should've known. Roses hate my skin. Not liking this. My imp will find a good home though.

Vice Iti: What the heck is that? Ugh. I really don't want to put it on, but my friend is making me. wet: Still an indescribable yuck. Dry: I sort of smell chocolate. And orange blossoms. I see how it COULD be nice, but not on me. I just can't get past the initial revulsion.

Glitter ITI: Bubble Gum. Not a single other note. Wet: Bubble Gum. Ugh. Dry: Bubble gum and pears. I've given this a couple of tries, and both times it's exactly the same. Bubble Gum. I smell like a giant gumball machine.

ITB: Aquatic and slightly floral. Herbal too. Wet: I. Hate. This. That judgement aside, I smell florals. Lillies maybe? Dry: This smells sickly sweet. Lilacs, and lavendar and ick. This one isn't going to make it past 1 hr on me. It just has to go.

ITB: Holy jumping Vetivers, Batman! Wet: Vetiver, leather and smoke. I know smoke isn't in the description, but dang it all, I smell smoke! Dry: More vetiver. And a tiny dab of cinnamon and floral, but not much. And still that tasty leather/smoke smell. Definitely a man's blend. It is very commanding, and dark. And oh-so-divine on a man, I imagine.

ITB: Pines! This smells like the forest back home, after a nice rain. Wet, and piney. Wet: Pine and juniper. I just love this smell. It reminds me so much of home, it's actually making me feel really nostalgic. Dry: The pine is starting to fade a little, so it isn't as noticeable (but definitely still there). The juniper is adding some lovely spiciness, and the musk is there, but not overpowering. There's a note that I am guessing is the cypress, but I have no idea. Whatever it is, it is amazing. This scent evokes the strongest imagery in me, probably because I come from a forested place. But smells like a forest after a nice rain, when everything is calm, and every footfall releases scent. This is absolutely relaxing.

ITB: Sandalwood, and some vanilla. It's very elegant. Wet: Mandarins all the way, with just the tiniest hint of the sandalwood underneath. I think this scent is too complex for my uninitiated nose to tell what all the goodness is. Dry: The sandalwood is making a bit of a stronger appearance, but the mandarin is still there. As it dries, the other notes are fading enough that I smell the lily of the valley. I can't smell any opium in this or vanilla, and I really like opium, so I'm kind of disappointed. Gorgeous, all in all, but the lily of the valley is a little strong on me. I just associate Lily of the Valley with my Grandmother. Still very elegant and womanly feeling. The way everything blends together is quite nice. I will keep this as an occasional wear.