ipb

Evokes sheer, unadulterated carnal lust. An undeniably warm and sensual scent. Black narcissus, orange blossoms, and vanilla. the first time i tried it, i could still smell the snake oil underneath it. made me wanna go have my way with myself. i didn't like it when it was wet, i just got this overpowering sweet smell from it, but once it was dried, it was sexxxxy.. i kept smelling myself because i lurved it so. made me wanna run up to visit the bf and seduce him when he got home from work that night... BUT i haven't really warn much of it since. i've been on a big hermit and queen mab kick lately.

In long-ago Arabia, harem girls rubbed an herbal poultice formed from a blend of sensual, luxuriant herbs and oils onto their bodies to prepare themselves for the Sultan's pleasure. This lush, indulgent perfume is based on that ancient formula. Sweet almond and Mysor sandalwood enveloped by a heady veil of Bulgarian Rose, neroli, nutmeg, clove and orange peel. my bust review for seraglio: i haven't worn it in awhile, but i remember it being very almondy wet with a light sandalwood that comes out later. a whisper of a rose and orange, its very light. i didn't smell the spices a'tall. after that, i had said i'd try to wear it again soon, but i've been on a big queen mab kick. but it IS a rather sensual perfume. one for a hot date for someone you'r not sleeping with..yet .. or with someone you want to seduce again by being a subtle sensual than overly sexual. i'd say this is would be like a long romantic walk on the beach at dusk, holding hands and occasionally kissing.

For Jenny, with love. Crocus with snowdrop and three lilies. when it's wet, it's very FRUITY. drying, it gets the lily effect, but with a fruity smack. damn lilies and their hating of my skin, because i really liked the wet fruity stage.

A profound symbol of an individual’s personal initiatic process, spiritual refinement and evolution, synthesis, grace found as a result of trial and suffering, and the alchemical process by which we transform the raw essence of our souls through light in extension. This is a holy oil, a representation of the triumph of spirit over matter: purest rose with sacred frankincense. first off, i've got to preface by saying that i'm a huge fan of beth's roses (even if i don't wear them regularly, they just smell so wonderful). and like so many others, i grew up in the catholic church, so frankincense is a scent i tend to enjoy as well. the combination? fabulous. it's actually exactly what i thought it'd be, though not as in your face. rather peaceful. i'm thinking this just may be a 5ml oil.

Carrying bouquet, and handkerchief, and gloves, Proud of her height as when she lived, she moves With all the careless and high-stepping grace, And the extravagant courtesan's thin face. Was slimmer waist e'er in a ball-room wooed? Her floating robe, in royal amplitude, Falls in deep folds around a dry foot, shod With a bright flower-like shoe that gems the sod. The swarms that hum about her collar-bones As the lascivious streams caress the stones, Conceal from every scornful jest that flies, Her gloomy beauty; and her fathomless eyes Are made of shade and void; with flowery sprays Her skull is wreathed artistically, and sways, Feeble and weak, on her frail vertebrae. O charm of nothing decked in folly! they Who laugh and name you a Caricature, They see not, they whom flesh and blood allure, The nameless grace of every bleached, bare bone, That is most dear to me, tall skeleton! Come you to trouble with your potent sneer The feast of Life! or are you driven here, To Pleasure's Sabbath, by dead lusts that stir And goad your moving corpse on with a spur? Or do you hope, when sing the violins, And the pale candle-flame lights up our sins, To drive some mocking nightmare far apart, And cool the flame hell lighted in your heart? Fathomless well of fault and foolishness! Eternal alembic of antique distress! Still o'er the curved, white trellis of your sides The sateless, wandering serpent curls and glides. And truth to tell, I fear lest you should find, Among us here, no lover to your mind; Which of these hearts beat for the smile you gave? The charms of horror please none but the brave. Your eyes' black gulf, where awful broodings stir, Brings giddiness; the prudent reveller Sees, while a horror grips him from beneath, The eternal smile of thirty-two white teeth. For he who has not folded in his arms A skeleton, nor fed on graveyard charms, Recks not of furbelow, or paint, or scent, When Horror comes the way that Beauty went. O irresistible, with fleshless face, Say to these dancers in their dazzled race: "Proud lovers with the paint above your bones, Ye shall taste death, musk scented skeletons! Withered Antinoüs, dandies with plump faces, Ye varnished cadavers, and grey Lovelaces, Ye go to lands unknown and void of breath, Drawn by the rumour of the Dance of Death. From Seine's cold quays to Ganges' burning stream, The mortal troupes dance onward in a dream; They do not see, within the opened sky, The Angel's sinister trumpet raised on high. In every clime and under every sun, Death laughs at ye, mad mortals, as ye run; And oft perfumes herself with myrrh, like ye And mingles with your madness, irony! A gloriously elegant representation of Lady Death. Dry, bone-white orris, black musk, serpentine patchouli and our murkiest myrrh. mmm myrrh and patchouli. orris makes it super duper dry on my skin, and like shroud, has that "i am sucking the liquid from your tongue" effect, so i'm not really wanting to smell it, and the musk is doing its "hi desert living creature LET ME ENVELOPE YOU IN ME" that the red n black like to do, though not as badly as it does in more musk-prominent scents (glasya, loviatar). //eta: and as it dries, the orris stops being as dry, letting the patchouli and myrrh speak some more. i'm not sure how i feel about this scent because i don't really care for that interim stage, but the final is nice.

A rich, bold blend of imperial rose, carnation, lush jasmine, lily of the valley, dark musk, amber, bergamot and gilded tangerine. the tangerine and bergamot are very present when it's wet. the florals less so, but they come out more when it dries, especially the jasmine. unfortunately, the lily peeps out and lily and i don't get along very well.

this is quite the dumb question but here's a little history for the non-busties (or the not-at-the-time-i-rambled-about-this-busties): snake oil loves me i love snake oil BUT a very little snake oil goes a loooooooong way on me and i'm talking literally one drop is on the borderline between enough/too much i thought about using a carrier oil to dilute it, but decided that's more effort than it's worth so anyways, i have a 10 ml bottle of it, coz i do love it. but, since i have to be careful to get not alot on me, i haven't figured out how to apply it. for awhile, i was taking the wand from my sample, but my sister has my sample these days so that's not even an option... ive been thinking about getting one of those bottles with droppers, but i'm not sure if i should (i'm moving in 2.5 months, and probably moving 3 months after that - the first out of my apartment here and into my parents' or summer employment, the second from my parents/summer employment to my new school, where i'll happily live for the next 2-6 years) - if they can't keep the top on that well, that'd majorly suck.

The dry, thin scent of a draconic ossuary. Dragon's blood resin with white sandalwood, dusty orris and crisp blondewood. a caveat: white sandalwood on my just sucks the scent out of everything else and overpowers it. it's not as dry as shroud, but moisture definitely wanted to leave my mouth when i smelled it. it's an interesting smell, the sandalwood and dragon's blood. not really what i thought it'd smell like...

A lethal poison bundled up in a dainty, innocent little package that was oft times found in ancient witches’ flying ointments and astral projection balms. A warm, soft, ruddy scent, earthy and mild. Since it's on the raffle, I thought I'd tease y'all a bit with my thoughts on one or two of the prototypes When I first opened the bottle, I was a little disappointed because all I could smell was a dusty earth scent - more like Zombi or Seance's dusty earth than Graveyard Dirt. But whoa mama, once it had a warm up (before it was even dry!), it was a whole nother scent. Instead of the dusty earth, it was this gorgeous incensey, spicy scent with just enough earthiness to keep it grounded, and it got better and better as the day went on. It's probably my favorite prototype, and I hope it goes up because I'm almost halfway through the bottle already EDIT: Moved from Unreleased to Rappaccini's Garden, added description. --Shollin

Sweet tropical fruits burst through deep, wet rainforest boughs, enormous steamy blossoms, over thin mountaintop breezes, mingled with the soft, rich golden scent of Peruvian amber. mmm, i could smell this out of the bottle. it's FABULOUS. the amber and the wetness helps to make this not be so overpoweringly sweet. it smells familiar, but i can't place it. somewhat similiar to the tropical fruits section at the supermarket, only not as rich and without the oomph.

A bawdy, gleefully wicked and unruly scent: Kentucky Bourbon, sugar and a sprig of mint. hellooooo mint julep! there's really not more that i can say than that, because that's exactly what it smells like.

But when Erato brushed her flowery lute, What strains of sweetness whispered in the wind! Soft as at evening when the shepherd's flute To tones of melting love alone resigned, Breathes through the windings of the silent vale; Complaining accents tremble on the gale, Or notes of ecstasy serenely roll. So when the smiling muse of Cupid sung, Her melody sighed out the sorrowing soul, Or o'er her silken chords sweet notes of gladness rung. She is the Muse of mimicry, and inspires both erotic and romantic poetry. She is crowned in roses, holding a lyre. Her scent inspires creative expressions of love and lust: a crush of roses with sweet pea, myrrh, ylang ylang, orris and stephanotis. soft and lovely, very romantic. reminds me of juliet, only not as young and innocent.

An exotic, sultry blend of tobacco leaf, bay rum and heady Caribbean blossoms. mmmmm. lovely wet. reminds me of my vacation last jan, when we were driving in an open jeep through one of the islands' countrysides. as it dries, it becomes tobacco leaf and bay rum. i love beth's bay rum on TOH, and when he's here next, i'm going to slather it on him and sniff away, though with my luck it'll be all about the flowers on him

Softly as brown-eyed Angels rove I will return to thy alcove, And glide upon the night to thee, Treading the shadows silently. And I will give to thee, my own, Kisses as icy as the moon, And the caresses of a snake Cold gliding in the thorny brake. And when returns the livid morn Thou shalt find all my place forlorn And chilly, till the falling night. Others would rule by tenderness Over thy life and youthfulness, But I would conquer thee by fright! A thin, sinuous, creeping chill, the scent of glee-filled undeath: white iris, osmanthus, Calla lily, tomb-crawling ivy and a coffin spray of gladiolus, lisianthus and delphinium. very fresh and green, but cool. reminds me more of a garden than anything else -- my grandmother used to grow iris and glads and delphinium. not something i'd normally wear, but i think i may use it as a springy room scent.

A bombardment of edible carnival indulgences. Funnel cake, caramel apple, cotton candy, salt water taffy and sugar tart. close your eyes it's august. you're at the state fair, in the middle of the midway. take a big wiff, and that's midway.

PORT ROYAL SOAP Spiced rum and ship's wood mixed with the body-warmed trace of a prostitute's perfume and a hint of salty sea air on the dry-down. The soap: gunpowder-black clay, imported silk, and a thick crust of sea salt. I have not yet tried my bar, as I got sick right after my bar arrived, and I'll edit this to update in a few hours - I'll be trying it out in the shower later today. But that said: oh my god, now that I can smell again, it smells so good in the package, even better than the perfume (which I didn't really care for the scent of). I can't wait to try it! After I tried it? It's definitely a manly scent - one I think my fiancé (who is more a bar soap user than I am) will adore. As with the Embalming Fluid, it's very typical of Villainess' soaps - good lather, wonderful scent cloud. Some of the salt came off onto the washrag and made it a little more exfoliating, which was good for me (but if you're not into that, you can slice off the salt or be more careful in how you lather the soap), and washing clean. The only real note is that the dark soap did leave a dark residue on the shower shelf, but it quickly washed off (no staining). Moisturizing is typical of the Villainess line, too - for a bar soap, fairly moisturizing. I have dry skin and used my normal moisturizing routine (in shower lotion and a thin layer afterwards) and haven't had problems. I like it a lot, but the scent in the shower isn't one I really don't see myself using much. It does smell fabulous, but I prefer not smelling so manly in the shower.

Mental, physical and spiritual purification. i was playing with some lemongrass in the kitchen a week or so ago, and that's the first thing i smell when i open the bottle. it smells a little similiar to quietude, but where that was more lush, there's a sharpness to this that develops as it dries, as well as something that smells kind of like fresh gingerroot. it's also a very beautiful blend, though i think i prefer the quietude.

Before Fat Charlie's father had come into the bar, the barman had been of the opinion that the whole karaoke evening was going to be an utter bust; but then the little old man had sashayed into the room, walked past the table of several blonde women with the fresh sunburns and smiles of tourists...He had tipped his hat to them, for he wore a hat, a spotless green fedora, and lemon-yellow gloves, and then he walked over to their table. They giggled....He was older than they were, much, much older; but he was charm itself, like something from a bygone age when fine manners and courtly gestures were worth something. The barman relaxed. With someone like this in the bar, it was going to be a good evening. Sugar cookies with bay rum, tobacco, and lime. In the bottle, it's all lime and a hint of baked goods. Wet on the skin, the bay rum and tobacco come out. As it dries, it starts smelling like a slightly spicy rum cake. It's foodie without being overwhelmingly so - I think the lime and tobacco may be keeping the foodiness in check. It's wonderfully homey, and warm and comfy, and makes me want to lick my wrist. I can totally see someone smelling this and relaxing and thinking to themselves "With someone like this in the bar, it was going to be a good evening." This is one of my favorite new oils and I could wear it every day

A name synonymous with seduction and licentiousness. From childhood aspirations of seclusion and priesthood came Giacomo Casanova, the self-styled Chevalier de Seingalt, the most notorious debauchee and playboy of all time. His memoirs, Histoire de Ma Vie, enflamed the Enlightenment with scandal and tales of sexual conquest. His restless nature and flair for sensationalizing his adventures drew him into and out of fortune, through numerous careers and affairs, and led him into a brief altercation with the Inquisition and a conviction on the charge of witchcraft. Though he had a life rife with drama and intrigue, he died peacefully at the age of 73, librarian to the Count of Waldstein. Who says librarians can’t be sexy? A rakish blend of leather, anise, lavender, bergamot and amber with tonka, lemon peel and lusty patchouli. mmmmm the herbs, the anise and lemon and beramot and lavender, are most present when it's wet. the leather, amber, and tonka develop as it dries and the herbal notes are nuances and accents that make it even better than mere leather, amber, and tonka. the patchouli doesn't really come out for me. i'd say it's more a manly scent than girly or gender neutral. as it dries, i just think of seduction and naughty sex (elevators, over the desk at work, the back of the library). definitely slathering this on the boy and having my way with him.

Breathtaking darkness, a vision of grace in shadow. Since it's on the raffle, I thought I'd tease y'all a bit with my thoughts on one or two of the prototypes Black Lily... if you love the scent of lily - not necessarily the scent of lily on you, but the scent of the flower - this is a great scent. I don't think I've tried a scent that was as true to the lily smell as this. Lily tends to get funky on me, but this one doesn't - it still smells like a lily. Sadly, though, I'm not really a huge fan of the smell of lilies, so the fact that it doesn't do that lily thang isn't necessarily a good thing for me. But, for those of you who DO adore the smell of lily and get disappointed when it gets funky on your skin, this may just be a lily that works for you!

A victim of her own arrogance, conceit and hubris, Arachne, the greatest mortal weaver, had the temerity to claim herself superior to Athena. Arachne was truly gifted: not only was her art astoundingly beautiful, but the vision of her in the act of weaving was a joy to behold. When one observer commented that her skill was so great that she must have been trained by the goddess Athena herself, the proud woman scoffed: she was insulted, and proclaimed aloud that the goddess could do no better than she. Athena heard this, and, as she is not a vindictive or jealous goddess, gave Arachne the opportunity to redeem herself. Disguised as an elderly woman, she came to Arachne and warned her against hubris. She laughed at the old woman and declared that she would welcome a contest with Athena. The goddess accepted the challenge. Athena wove a stunning tapestry depicting her victory over Poseidon, thus gaining patronage over the city of Athens. Arachne, who couldn't leave well enough alone, wove a vulgar piece that depicted Zeus' dalliances with Leda, Europa and Danae. Appalled at the woman's audacity and blasphemy, Athena tore Arachne's tapestry to shreds, crushed her loom, and bonked the mortal on the head, forcing her to feel remorse for her actions. In guilt and grief, Arachne hung herself. Again, because the goddess is merciful, she took pity on the woman and, after sprinkling aconite upon her corpse, transformed her into the first spider. A gossamer scent, as light as a spider's footfall, touched with sighing mists: pallid flowers, dusty woods and soft herbs. in the bottle, it reminds me of the prototype dublin. soft, misty, floral with a light deciduous woods somewhere. wet on my skin, it's a soft aquatic floral. very damp and wet. as it dries, that *dirty* taste to it that zombi and (to a lesser extent) seance had, that dusty dirt that you can not only smell but taste on the tip of your tongue as you sniff it... it starts wafting in and out. it's a very *clean* light floral (in a natural kind of clean), but as it dries, i think there may be lily in here because it starts going slightly soapy the way lilies do on me. i'll be honest, it's not really my type, and i'll see if layering dublin with it helps get rid of the slight soapy and dustiness of it... but i suspect it'll end up in the swap pile.

Deep mahogany and rich, velvety woods lacquered with sweet, black-red cherries and currant. wet, it's cherries with something tart and woody that i've not smelled before - it's not the currant, so i'm guessing it's the woods. i'm not cherry's #1 fan, so i'm not sure if i care for it wet... i'll update later, when it's dry..

pre-smell reflection: interesting that beth chose this one, because i'm soon going to be trying to decide which grad school to go to OR to say to hell with it all and go get another undergraduate degree. initial impression: i don't know what it is, but i've smelled it before. it's pleasant and reminds me of my siblings when i was in high school and would take them to the park.

My limbs are wasted with a flame, My feet are sore with traveling, For, calling on my Lady's name, My lips have now forgot to sing. O Linnet in the wild-rose brake Strain for my Love thy melody, O Lark sing louder for love's sake, My gentle Lady passeth by. She is too fair for any man To see or hold his heart's delight, Fairer than Queen or courtesan Or moonlit water in the night. Her hair is bound with myrtle leaves, (Green leaves upon her golden hair!) Green grasses through the yellow sheaves Of autumn corn are not more fair. Her little lips, more made to kiss Than to cry bitterly for pain, Are tremulous as brook-water is, Or roses after evening rain. Her neck is like white melilote Flushing for pleasure of the sun, The throbbing of the linnet's throat Is not so sweet to look upon. As a pomegranate, cut in twain, White-seeded, is her crimson mouth, Her cheeks are as the fading stain Where the peach reddens to the south. O twining hands! O delicate White body made for love and pain! O House of love! O desolate Pale flower beaten by the rain! Soft, lush myrtle and dry, sweet melilot with wild rose, pomegranate juice and peach blossom against a background of deep aquatic notes and a twirl of melancholy autumn breezes. in the bottle: sharp at first, but quickly softens to become soft and sweet & juicy and wet. it'd smell like late summer, except for the peach and pomegranate...

Bewitching, tantalizing and dangerously seductive. A thrilling, exotic blend -- deceptively sweet, but spiked with malice. White ginger, jasmine, and a touch of vanilla and apricot. it kind reminds me of flowery pinesol on me and NOT in a pleasant way however, on my friend, it's a very pretty jasmine with a spike of baking (the ginger and vanilla). NOTE: This review thread is for the BPAL Love Potion named Siren. The Twilight Alchemy Lab blend of the same name is reviewed here. --Shollin