fridythirteen

I got this for my birthday from my awesome MIL. I didn't remember putting it on my wishlist, and jasmine and I are usually not friends, so I was a little wary of trying it, especially given the reviews here. Well, I guess I'm in the minority, but I find Versailles to be really distinctive and sexy in a very grown-up way. I can't really pick out the individual notes in this one --- there is a sugared citrus overtone that I quite like, the jasmine is playing nicely with the others (for once!) and there is something indescribably regal about this blend. There's a little sourness under the sweetness of the florals (probably the citrus again) that makes this a complex, almost aperatif-like blend. I've surprised myself by turning this into my go-to, everyday scent. It makes me feel strong and in-control.

This was a frimp that the magnificent silverlilac tossed into my order - thanks! So, I am a very lucky girl, because I've got a guy who is happy to have me slather him with whatever scent my heart desires After the stunning success we had with Casanova, I thought maybe we could tip a little Velvet on him to see what happened. In the Imp: I smell chocolate spice cake and incense. It's an odd combination, but intriguing. Wet: Still chocolate spice cake. On him, there is very little morphing of the scent. He smells like a chocolate spice cake in an incensy Turkish tea room. It's an odd combo, and BF keeps saying, "I smell like a cookie!" Nevertheless, I can't stop burying my face into his neck and huffing deeply. This may be growing on me. Dry: I like this scent best of all about two hours after application, when there's just a bare hint of it on his skin. He smells kind of like a sexy bakery. At this point, I start calling him my Man-Cookie and furiously attack his neck with my nose. BF says he doesn't mind smelling like a cookie from time to time, if it'll get him this sort of attention. It's definitely not an everyday scent, or a date-night scent...but on a cold evening, snuggled in blankets, drinking cocoa and playing Scrabble? OH YEAH. As an added bonus, I got some on my hands when I opened the imp, so I got to see what it smelled like on a markedly different skin chemistry (mine.) On me, the sandalwood and incense notes fight valiently for dominance, making me smell like a stale oreo cookie that's been buried in the cedar chips at the playground. Periodically, I get a strong whiff of pencil shavings. The overall impression is of Christmastime Cafeteria; most decidedly NOT delicious. But the imp stays, so that I can slather it on the boy from time to time and call him Man-Cookie.

Given my skin's newfound love for all things lily, I was totally psyched to try this. Lilies and honey sounded beyond delicious. In the Imp: Yum! Honeyed lilies! It's a little sharp-smelling, but most of my favorites smell a little sharp all concentrated in the imp. Wet: Hello, lilies! I'm not getting any honey, none at all. Just creamy, slightly green-smelling lilies. Boyfriend sniffs it and declares it simply, "nice". Dry: After about an hour or so, there is a very gentle honey note that comes through, and the green smell gives way a bit to a warm sweetness. It's quite pleasant, but not dazzling. Boyfriend tells me he likes it, but not nearly so much as he likes Languor. This is a very lovely, simple scent. Nothing flashy or mysterious about it. I could see this one being appropriate for a young girl or teenager, or for me when I just want to leave just a little scent impression in my wake without too much bombast. It's an everyday kind of scent.

This came up as a scent to try if one was a fan of Belle Epoque. BE is one of those oils that sort of "snuck up" on me with how good it smelled, but I wasn't sure what exactly, was turning into such a sweet, sexy smell when it warmed to my skin. Languor confirms that apparently, my skin LOVES lilies. In the Imp: I smell sharp white flowers, tempered with a warm opium undertone. This smells light and crisp, not at all the type of scent I would normally be attracted to, but pretty nonetheless. Wet: The white flowers have one big burst of sharpness (just like Belle Epoque on me!) before mellowing down into a sweet, hypnotic scent. Something in there smells almost creamy, but it doesn't go sour on me like milky notes often do. Dry: Yummy, creamy, sweet floral goodness, with an undertone of dark sexiness. This definitely lives up to its name. It's a lighter, hazier, sleepier scent than Belle Epoque, and more obviously "floral". I thought I hated florals, but this is dreamy and feminine. Definitely big bottle material. Added bonus: when my BF is wearing Casanova, our scents complement each other very nicely. This is SO my new "date night" perfume.

I bought this one for my boyfriend, and couldn't wait to get it on him. He usually does well with spicy green florals, and I was intrigued by the prospect of the leather scent. In the Imp: WHOOOOOO VETIVER! Plus a soapy leathery smell which reminds me of painter's brush cleaner, the block kind that comes in a little olde-timey plastic tub. Wet: Still vetiver, with a piney edge somewhat reminiscent of a citronella candle. The leather scent is beginning to assert itself, and it's strangely evocative of new car smell. As a result, I am beginning to get a headache. I get no cinnamon or rose at all. Dry: Boyfriend suddenly says, "Deep Woods Off! I was wondering why this smelled like summer!" and holy crow, he's right. On him, it smells like Off! and wet leather and cheep hooch. More like The Hoboman, sadly. Or like The Shantytown Boyscout Jamboree. I could imagine this smelling really good on a big, rugged, burly, outdoorsy type --someone who loves chopping wood and wearing flannel. Sadly, it couldn't be more wrong for my guy. Oh well. There is always Casanova.

This was a frimp from my first six-imp order from the Lab. Thank you, Lab! I heart you! From the description I didn't think I would like this, but since I've been giving all my imps a one-day trial period, I figured why not? In the Imp: I mostly smell musk and amber. The rose is providing a hint of sharpness, but overall it's musk and amber. Those two notes generally work well for me, so I'm hopeful. Wet: Wow, it's very musky and ambery! I'm getting pretty much no rose at all. My boyfriend tells me that this smells like Widdershins, a headshop in New Hampshire that we sometimes frequented on vacation. When I was like, "thanks a lot, I smell like a hippie?" he assured me that no, it was just a general scent impression: this is incensey and warm-smelling. Dry: Holy crap, I smell fantastic. The rose asserts itself on the drydown, but in a teasy, soft way that rounds out the sharpness of the amber and red musk. Normally roses are not quite right on me, but this is a dry, powdery rose rather than a wet rose. It smells soft, and sweet, and gently spicy on my skin. Some have said this has a fair amount of throw, but on me it's more something that you get a faint impression of when I brush past or touch you, which is just perfect for me. This is a very softly seductive scent, calming and languorous. Verdict: Well, a very handsome male friend gave me a hug today and said, "Mmmmmm...you smell really good!" This is the first time anyone has noticed and commented on my BPAL perfume, and after he said something, everyone wanted to smell me (and all dubbed the scent divine.) This one is going to the top of my 5ml wish list.

I was all fresh from the bath and ready to try one of my untested imps, and my boyfriend requested The Caterpillar, thinking it would contrast with the wet, soggy, grey weather we're having. In the Imp: BLECH. I smell patchouli overload! I almost decide not to even attempt putting this one on my skin, but a little whiff of bergamot entices me...okay, here goes. Wet: Huh, my skin has pretty much instantaneously eaten the patchouli. Thank goodness. This is much, much greener than I'd expected. I guess that would be the ivy and carnation? Still not sure if I like it, but I'm getting a little wave of frankincense here and there...it's comforting, like reliving my teenage goth days. Dry: Wow, this scent is really well-crafted. I get periodic sniffs of mossy flowers, followed by the scent of smoky, musky incense. Very much like the caterpillar, smoking his hookah. It's reminding me of something...kind of like an old lady's floral perfume mixing with the incense at Easter Mass. Not bad, as I *like* old lady perfume, but it's definitely a little sharper a floral smell than I'm used to. There's definitely some throw to this, and three hours later I can still smell it on. Not sure yet if I need a big bottle, but I will definitely keep the imp and try this one out again. 3.5/5

I got my very first six-pack of imps today, and unfortunately one of them dribbled in shipping! And of course it was the one I was looking forward to trying most - Belle Epoque! And with every imp label heavily doused in the stuff, it's tiring out my nose! So sharp and perfumey, not at all what I was expecting. But lord knows my skin is weird and often responds well to weird smells, so here goes nothing: In the Imp: ...and on the labels, and all over my hands...this is very sharp. I smell a hint of sandalwood, but mostly tangy orange and some green, somewhat heady flower. Lily, maybe? Wet: Okay, now I smell nothing but jasmine. SO MUCH JASMINE. Ech. It smells like the incense/medicinal herbs corner of an Asian grocery store for a minute or two...but then I'm starting to smell the sandalwood, and the lily and orange are coming back again, too. Perhaps I judged you too soon, Belle Epoque? Dry-Down: Oooh, so complex now! The sandalwood and opium are playing very nicely as the base note. There's a gentle breeze of orange, vanilla, and light white florals that drifts across it. The overall scent is simultaneously young, flirty, sensual, and mysterious. Florals are hit-or-miss on me, but my skin is amping up the sweet and warm notes so that the floral simply becomes a nice counter-note. Conclusion: I might need to get a big bottle of this, especially as I tipped over my poor, already half-empty imp while testing it! (BTW, this stuff'll strip the stain off your table, a bit. The Belle's got bite!)

This one I picked out for my boyfriend. He usually smells (not at all unpleasantly) of sweat, tobacco, and earth, (he's a gardener,) so this scent seemed like it might fit his natural chemistry. As soon as I got my hands on the package, I tackled him for scent testing. In the Imp: Whew! Nice booze there, Rummy! It smells like a cheap bar covered in sicky-sweet, trampled flowers. Oh dear. I hope I haven't made a mistake. Freshly Applied: I smell gardenias, magnolias, lilies...amped up super-strongly! Where's the booze? The sharp green scent of moss and wilted flowers builds to an almost headachy level for about 20 seconds, but just as I'm thinking, "oh no, he's never going to let me buy scent for him again..." Dry-Down: Oh, man! Here comes the sweet rum smell, holding the sharp flower scents in line. Everything is suddenly mellow and relaxing. There is now almost a vanilla/bourbon pipesmoke smell to it, with the lilies and magnolias asserting themselves lazily through the haze. I have a sudden urge to eat his arm. One Hour Later: Still redolent with boozy pipesmoke and gentle flowers. Not much throw, and it's fading, but I can smell it waft over me when I snuggle in close. And I am definitely liking the snuggling in close. The Verdict: I was right! Jazz Funeral really complements his natural manly scent, and makes me want to gnaw on him. I just have to remember to stand back for the first 20 or 30 seconds till drydown, but then he is beyond delicious. Boyfriend (who hasn't worn ANY scent in the 7 years we've been together) says "If it means extra nibbling, I'll wear it everyday! I'll bathe in the stuff!" That seems a little much, but he's definitely getting a big bottle for Xmas. 4.5/5