mymymai

ITB: Warm, dark chocolate, allspice, thyme, and a dash of ginger. It certainly is more herbal than July 2012's 13. Wet: It's very herbal on my skin. Heavy thyme and ginger start of the scent, which is then followed by the chocolate, nutmeg, allspice...and more ginger. I can pick up just a little bit of sugar, but none of the tonka or lucky hand root. Dry: I thought this wasn't a ginger of doom scent, but alas, here comes the headache. If it wasn't for the ginger not agreeing with me, I'd like it. It reminds me of gingersnap cookies spices with nutmeg and all spice. It's really nice, but not for me.

ITB: The full force of the cacao assaults my nose. I'm having trouble getting past this on my initial sniff. After I spend some time, I can tease out the patchouli and the vanilla bean, but the cacao is rather intense. Wet: Ah, here we go. Cacao, honey, vanilla, something that comes off as floral, and opoponax. Dry: Now it's like fiery, resinous cacao from the dragon's blood. I can still pick up the vanilla, but now there is some saffron, frankincense, myrrh, and amber. It's delicious!

ITB: I get rum and thick patchouli with a little bit of salt. Attractive. Wet: Thick, black patchouli steeped in bay rum surrounded by tobacco and red currants. As it dries, I get a bit more amber musk. It's lovely and dashing. Dry: The salty wood reminds me of the shore along the Washington coast. After that, I can detect patchouli, light tobacco. It's a bit more manly and pirate like once dried.

ITB: IT's herbal and bright from the citrus. I can pick out the grapefruit, bitter orange, peppermint, and cumin, which smells really good together with the citrus notes. Wet: The peppermint is a bit stronger on the skin, but it still does not overpower the bitter orange and pink grapefruit. As it starts to dry, the lemon becomes apparent as does the juniper berry, but only slightly slow. It does make me feel more invigorated, which is problematic as I'm testing this around my bedtime. Dry: The citrus is more muddled here, but it is still pleasing and bright. I can pick out just a hint tuberose, like someone wearing that perfume who had walked past you 5 minutes ago. There's a little dustiness from the cumin as well and a hint of green astringency from the peppermint. I will be trying this one in the morning as well to see if it perks me up.

ITI: Sweetly blooming red roses, coconut, and faint cinnamon. It's lovely so far. Wet: Roses, musk, tobacco, coconut, and gentle magnolia. As it starts to dry, I can pick up a little cinnamon, but the combination of the florals with the tobacco is exquisite. Dry: Sweetened coconut and red roses that have been infused with light tobacco, musk, and magnolia. This is soft, complex, sweet without being foody, and feminine.

ITB: Hmm, cherry cough syrup, jasmine, and patchouli. Interesting, but not revolting. Wet: I get more cherry pulp than artificial medicine, although there is still a slight nod to that quality here. Next, I pick up the patchouli, the jasmine, and the wild fruit gums. It's a bit sweet. Dry: Now that it is dry, the patchouli, jasmine, and vetiver are strongest. There is just a hint of fruitiness (cherry), but not enough to make this overtly sweet or overtly fruity.

ITB: It's green, but not astringent, followed by the floral aspect of sweet pea...and there is also something pleasantly aquatic about it as well. Wet: It's more floral on my skin, then green, although the aquatic undertone is interesting and adds some depth to this single note. Dry: It reminds me of bath soap for some reason - I think it's because it's fresh, clean, and floral.

ITB: Resin-infused oil rubbed on rich, supple leather and the uplifting ephemeral scent of elemi wafting over everything. Wet: Leather, olibanum and sandalwood smoldering in a censer, elemi and a hint of black pepper. It's gorgeous and reminds me of a family friend's house who lives in the Pacific Northwest wilderness in a rustic log house. Dry: Once dried, the leather (and older. well-worn and supple leather note rather than something new) is most dominant, followed by the olibanum and sandalwood, black pepper, and finally, the elemi.

ITB: It's herbal and pleasing. Soft, white mind and a gentle spritz of lime. How refreshing! Wet: As I sniff, it seems to open up my nose. This would be great if you had a cold with its strong mint, line, and piercing juniper. At the very end, I get the faint sweetness of champaca flower and perhaps just a smidgen of matcha. Dry: As it is drying, it begins to remind me of Altoids. While it's still minty with tones of lime and juniper, it's more green from the khus, warm from the tea, and slightly floral from the champaca flower.

ITI: With a name like Red Devil, I was expecting something heavy on the cinnamon, which is not the case at all here. I think there's orange here, perhaps a touch of ginger, something fizzy, and a very light floral, like carnation or peony. Wet: Orange, ginger, lotus I think (slightly bubblegum on my skin, which lotus tends to do), a bit of spice, and still a fizzy note. It's interesting. Dry: The ginger and spices are much stronger now, but they compliment the orange well. There still is a floral in there, and I do think it's carnation. As far as its impact, I get chills after smelling it, but all I want to do is nap.

ITB: That tickles me nose! It's effervescent like so many of BPAL's champagne scents, except this is most clearly mandarin champagne. After that, I can pick out the honeysuckle and apple blossom with the vanilla cream making everything absolutely delicious. Wet: While on the skin, I still get the bubbly mandarin champagne, honeysuckle, and apple blossom, but its much more fruity at this stage. Middle notes include very lightly caramelized tobacco, vanilla cream, and a splash of cognac. Dry: After some time, the scent loses its effervescence, but I can still pick up the fruity nature of the mandarin and apple blossom. Now, the cognac, opium, vanilla cream, and caramelized tobacco are more dominant, which reminds me much more of other Lace scents. I would love to have my house smell like this. In fact, I think I need lotion, soap, and a candle all in Summer Lace.

ITB: It's musky, floral, slightly fruity, and resinous. It does remind me of aged black taffeta - delicate while still being alluring. Wet: It stars out with bourbon, then I can pick up the geranium followed by the opium, patchouli, and black musk. It's intoxicating at this stage. Dry: As it dries, it becomes more dusty from the opoponax and patchouli...it certainly reminds me of an attic right now. There is something...a little sweet mustiness, but not in a super positive way - like old cat pee. I'm hoping this changes as it dries further. Okay, phew, the unsettling note is much less prevalent. Now, it's shifted to something more sweetly resinous with notes of bourbon vanilla and opium tar creeping through the darkness. Once dried, this is a beautiful scent!

ITI: Gunpowder tea (spicy and peppery), lavender, and soapy lilac. Wet: Light lavender, saffron, violet leaf, and faint gunpowder tea. It's a reflective blend. Dry: It's light, airy, and warm now that the lavender and tea have mellowed to let the saffron shine.

ITB: Strong bamboo pulp, floral teas, and a slightly resinous oude. Wet: Strong tea, oude, and that a green bamboo pulp. It's interesting, but I'm not sure how well I like it yet. Dry: It's a bit warmer and less green once dry. It's like faint tee, slight resin, and just an impression of something plant-like.

ITB: It has a fresh soap smell while still being floral from the iris. Wet: Green tea, lemon balm, something that strikes me as olive oil, a touch of lavender, and sage. It's soothing and makes me want to take a nap. Dry: Lightly floral with faint lemon balm, green tea, ylang ylang, and lavender.

ITB: I liked the idea of this one before I realized wine and me were not good matches. I get red wine and smoke. Wet: More red wine, olive leaf, a touch of saffron, and brimstone. It still has a bit too much red wine for my taste. Dry: Once dry, the wine settles down to let the notes emerge: smoke, frankincense, brimstone, grape vines, galbanum, and stacte. It's much more appealing in this state.

ITB: It reminds me a little of spice drops, but it has a warmth to it from the amber and the musk. Wet: Spruce, pine, juniper - all of the dark green scents I adore. I get impressions of cool winter air, musk, and a bit of amber, but it is gorgeous just the way it is - intensely green and slightly spooky. Dry: It's more resinous once dried with the benzoin, ambrette seed, brown musk, which pairs beautifully with the much sedated green of the pine and juniper.

ITB: My first impression is, "Wow, that's really strong cheesecake." On second sniff, I can pick up the lavender some, but the cheesecake is very dominant. Wet: Lavender fields, a small pot of honey in the distance, and cheesecake right from the oven. I'm not a foody person at all, but this is delicious! Dry: The lavender has diminished some, so it's only an impression of than and light cheesecake. There might be a little honey, but not enough to be nasty.

ITB: It's bubbly and effervescent from the champagne, but the peach note is very clear here. Thankfully, it isn't an artificial peach, but a wet, juicy one. Wet: The peach is a bit stronger and it's almost overripe, but the bubbly champagne note keeps it interesting, festive, and inviting. Dry: It goes ever so faintly powdery, but not enough to weigh down the juicy, effervescent quality of this scent. This is certainly something I'd reach for again.

ITB: This one is more citrus and peach when compared in Water Dragon. Dare I say it, but I'm not picking up any quince. Wet: King mandarin, kumquat, peach blossom, tangerine, plum and just a little peony. This one I'm liking as I've always been a fan of citrus scents. Dry: It's lightly floral with a hint of citrus. It's feminine and mellow, which I like. I'm tickled that the quince did not spoil this one for me.

ITB: Very floral rooibos tea and red musk come to mind after first sniff. Wet: light, scented tea and very faint red musk. It's beautiful and soothing. Dry: I can pick up both kinds of musk along with sightly sweetened rooibos tea. This is a keeper.

ITB: Vanilla ice cream with caramel drizzled on top. Wet: It's an odd vanilla ice cream now, like something artificial and chemically added to it. Dry: It smells like vanilla, honey (which is a no-no one me), and beeswax for some reason.

ITB: Nope, It smells like something rotten has been covered over the citrus and florals. Wet: Still gross. Quince dances on my skin like a dervish while the Buddha's Hand, which smells like lemon, tries to calm it down to no avail. I get some bamboo, chrysanthemum, and more citrus (mandarin and tangerine) with a touch of sesame, but I'm fighting the urge to wash it off immediately. It's taking all of my will power. Dry: It's a bit better once dried - the quince is still there and still makes me cringe, but I can pick up more floral and more citrus, including the lychee and the plum. If there wasn't any quince in it, I'd like this much, much better.

ITB: Incense, cypress, honey myrtle, and pink musk. It's resinous while being slightly sweet as well. Wet: It's incense and artificially pink, which must be the pomegranate as that note doesn't sit well on my skin as often. As it starts to settle, I can pick up the orange blossom a bit more strongly. Dry: I get a bit more coconut along with orange blossom, pomegranate, honey myrtle (slight Honey Bucket here, but not enough to make me scrub my skin), musk, and incense.

Reviewed after aging nearly 2 years from the previous review. ITB: It's bright and clean - not what I was expecting. I can pick up the lemon flower, the heliotrope, and the apricot flower. Wet: It's really pretty, even on my skin. Lemon and apricot flower, tuberose (faint), and bright heliotrope. I get the impression of vanilla, but it isn't strong at all. Dry: The opium and mus now surround the apricot, lemon, and heliotrope, softening and adding some complexity. The lemon is still the most pronounced, but the vanilla gives everything a creamy tone, which is oddly relaxing.