LiberAmoris

Yay Smut! *smut*smut*smut*smut* I had prepared myself for the strong smell in the bottle that Beth mentioned, so I was really surprised when I opened Smut up and smelled...fruits dusted with sugar and steeped in some fancy liquor. It smells great in the bottle! On my skin, it's yummy dark musks and what really smells like the smoothest, most rounded patchouli, with an almost root beer or chocolate element to it. I can see the comparisons to both Sed Non Satiata and Snake Charmer. Then there's that cognac base that gives it a little kick, and a sweetness that on my skin is less like sugar and more like some glorious, heady flower that telegraphs as steady, sensual sweetness. For those people that got a peanut butter note from Sed Non Satiata (and I was one of those people), I get no peanut butter from this whatsoever. I was also concerned about the boozy notes, as the Lab's wine note has never been amenable with my chemistry---but the booze here is completely different (IMHO) and totally wonderful. After an hour, this is just the most seductive muddled musk, a tumble of gold and red and brown incensy notes like a set of twisted satin sheets. Irresistible.

I have been so impressed with the BPTP blends so far, and La Fée Verte is another stunner. In the bottle it's a tumult of notes, I'm not even sure I could describe what they are, as so many of the listed notes are ones that are new to me. But I can definitely smell musk, honey, and a gorgeous mix of herbal notes. It's a pale green kind of blend. On, La Fée Verte becomes a wispy (but not light), beautiful herbal/musk. The throw is incredible. The honey is subdued and serves to sweeten but does not overpower. The spices are ones I recognize from Morocco, and they are gooood. I can see the Dorian comparisons, as the musk is similar in my opinion, as is the overall feel. But I just adore the herbal notes here that really balance out the musky sweetness and make this blend sing. And bonus, La Fée Verte reminds me of the absinthe drinking scene in From Hell where Johnny Depp chases the green fairy. Mmmm, Johnny Depp.

Ah, Hellion. :contented sigh: If the Queen of Spades and Blood Moon tangoed just once for 'old time's sake,' Hellion would be that dance. This is like a dream team of notes for me: patchouli, plum, musk, sandalwood...yum. The narcissus here gives it a little bit of edge, but isn't prominent on my skin. It's just a gorgeous incensey blend that's so rich it's almost like wine-colored brocade. I love the plum here for the same reason I loved it in the QoS; it adds a sumptuous depth and texture. I agree with sarada, there is a resemblance to Urd here, as the combination of the patchouli with the fruit note is similar in feel. The overall effect is dark, mysterious, sexy. I'm lovin' Hellion, and if I wasn't saving my pennies after splurging hard core on the last update, I'd try to get another bottle because this is good stuff, and I think it will age nicely to boot.

Faustus was in-my-face frankincense for the first half hour, so intense that I was tempted to scrub it off. I enjoy frankincense, but usually like it more when it's a supporting role rather than a lead in a blend. The cinnamon was very subtle, as was the violet note. After a bit, the violet showed its face, but the frankincense was still too strong for my liking. I think I'll be putting my imp in the boy's pile of things to try. I have a feeling this would be quite nice on him.

Ave Maria Gratia Plena does indeed remind me of Venice, as many other reviewers have noted. Like Venice, it's an 'ensemble' floral, like a bouquet of flowers all competing for attention and prominence at once. I love the first ten minutes of this when the lemon is in the foreground. Once the citrus burns off, I'm left with jasmine and musk, like an expensive and posh soap. It's pretty, but it's not really speaking to me.

Mmmm, I also get marzipan from the Queen of Sheba, with a nutty undertone I recognize from Gluttony but much prefer here. Then it slides into the spices I love in Morocco plus something vaguely warm and golden---maybe the honey note which is otherwise very subtle in this blend, at least on my skin. I'm not so much a fan of the overtly almond-y blends, but this is very nice. It dries down to a skin scent that is really sensual and pretty. I'll definitely be keeping my imp.

Black Rose is a straightforward mix of rose, amber, and musk, absolutely as described. It does remind me of Blood Rose without the dragon's blood (as has been mentioned a couple of times already in this thread) and of Beatrice as well, for some reason. So simple and so gorgeous. It's been the rare BPAL blend with rose as a primary ingredient that I haven't gone batsh*t over. And to think when I first started wearing BPAL, I thought I didn't like rose at all! Yep, this goes on my list for a bigger bottle...once I get through some of my other rosey bottles. Though I do recall reading that rose ages particularly well....

Cordelia makes me kind of happy in a geeky way, because I can smell all of the listed notes, and that doesn't happen very often for me. First on, I get a blast of the lemon and green tea, with the osmanthus, wisteria, and lilac trailing behind. Then it's heavy cedar and musk, with the flowers as a delicate counterbalance. I love the lilac in this blend, but the cedar is just too strong, even after a few hours. Sadly, my skin loves to amp cedar. Cordelia is very pretty, though. I often think of her brilliant line: ...I cannot heave / my heart into my mouth.

Dew-covered berries and fresh green grasses with a faint breath of spring flowers. Rosalind goes on as a very astringent grassy blend, and stays that way for at least an hour before the berries begin to show. I also feel like I can smell something lemony in there, as other reviewers have noted. I don't get a lot of floral notes, they are very subdued on my skin. I love the idea of Rosalind, but my chemistry makes too much of the grass notes and they smother almost everything else. I'm a wee bit sad, because I love the character of Rosalind, and would like nothing more than to make this a signature scent.

Holiday Moon is exactly what I was hoping for to usher in the springtime months after a gloomy (and ongoing) winter. It's green, green, green---green tea and then the crushed smell of the interior of white wood (must be the bamboo). It reminds me of when I'd break and twist a fallen branch as a child (evidence of my scintillating childhood, yes, I played with sticks). There's that powerful smell released from the core, where there's a thin green lifeline running through the center like a green wick. Then I get a blast of ozone-rimmed citrus, lemony-bright and sparkling. I also get a green melon note, almost like honeydew, but very subdued and smooth. Lastly I smell the lunar oils, that minty, waxy almost-lily edge that I recognize. The drydown is a hazy green tea with a hint of melon and an undercurrent of that gorgeous oude base note. Holiday Moon does have similarities to both Embalming Fluid and Spirits of the Dead, as others have mentioned. But the oude and lunar oils make this one glimmer and smolder in a way that is quite unique. I only wish this one lasted longer on my skin. Oh well, just another excuse to buy one of the Lab's upcoming scent lockets.

Like others, I also get wintergreen and berries from The Wheel of Fortune, along with a smoky, dusty, gritty note---maybe that's the pepper that sarada mentioned? It dries down to almost a brandied berry smell on me that's quite nice. It's really quite a morpher. I never would have thought at the beginning that it could end in such a place, but I guess that would be a perfect embodiment of the card.

The Lovers is such a light and pretty blend. My take on what might be in here: orange blossom, bergamot, lemon verbena, lavender, and the tiniest smidge of ylang ylang? It's exceptionally fresh and almost grassy, but at the same time there is a slightly astringent herbal and light, sweet flowers that make this really balanced. I'll enjoy using up my imp this spring!

For some reason, I expected more spice or smoke from The Devil, but it's just as others have written: musk, civet, and florals. I also pick up on a very slight leather note, but that might just be a cross of other notes in the blend. And right in the center, I feel like there's the tiniest bit of powdery mint. The overall effect on my skin is of a sweet floral incense with a deep animalistic base. The contrast between the florals and the more agressive musk/civet is really interesting, but in the end, this is a little overwhelming for me. However, it does very appropriately capture the vibe of the Tarot card.

The Tower starts off all dragon's blood and smoke on me, like the embers of a fire. After about 10 minutes, I smell vetiver and white flowers of some kind, slightly sweet. It dries down to a scent that is very similar to the drydown of Serpent's Kiss on me. Like Brimstone, this is one I'm grateful to have tried, for the experience.

Anubis is all honey and myrrh on me, just a beautiful mellow incensey blend with the barest shadow of florals like a memory. It's probably my favorite of the Egyptian-themed oils so far. It's like honeycomb with bedroom eyes. Although Anubis is very sexy, it's also very relaxing. It's sort of like the remnants of incense on a pillow. I'm definitely keeping my imp and thinking about a bottle. This strikes me as a good contender for the 'underrated/best kept secret' BPAL blend.

Wow, Catherine really reminds me of Bess. Must be the combo of orange blossom and rosemary, because otherwise they are very different. Catherine is a very straight-forward blend on me, and if I was a fan of orange blossom I think I would be jonesing for a bottle, because I love rose and rosemary. But the orange blossom just drowns out the other notes on me. All the same, I can see how this would be a gorgeous oil on someone with amenable skin chemistry. I might try this one in the bath, because I'm not quite ready to give up on it yet!

Lightning is absolutely true to description, a water-logged ozone. Although, it smells less like a bolt of lightning to me and more like rain. Water, in its many forms, has always been significant to me (to start with, I was born in Seattle!) so I love trying all of the Lab's water blends. I just am not so much about smelling like water, so I tend to use up the watery blends in 'ritual' or when I'm writing. This really brings back memories for me. If the Lab could only add a slight chlorine note, this would be my teenage years as a summer lifeguard encapsulated. There's a lemony/musky edge to this that is almost like sunlight in water. I used to spend hours watching the current scroll in water when things were slow; Lightning reminds me of dappled water and the peacefulness that accompanied it.

Bewitched was one of the first BPAL blends I tried, and at the time I wasn't too impressed with it, as it didn't have as much 'personality' as the other oils I had in my first order. I was lucky enough to get another imp of this from the Lab as a freebie recently, and in trying it again, I find I definitely have a new appreciation for it. For me, it's a very light Bordello with green tea and musk. Light sugared berries, a wisp of green tea, and that yummy dark musk that I've come to love. I still don't know if this is something I'll ever need a bottle of, but I've been using my imp and really enjoying it.

Lady Macbeth smells like blood and tangy wine to me. It's one of the most aptly named BPAL blends I've tried. It's one of my 'indoor' oils. I wear this one at home when I want to feel more powerful and overt, as it strikes me as a very aggressive blend. I'm also not sure that I want my coworkers to wonder why I smell like wine. On the drydown, this is a soft and powdery (in a good way) berry on me, with just a hiccup of wine. The transition always reminds of an argument that starts out strident and harsh and ends in a whisper.

Titania reminds me of the headresses that most productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream place on the head of Titania and her attendants---some kind of ethereal twining of fruits and tulle, with a delicate branch of something sylvan as an underpinning. Sort of a cross between faerydom and Carmen Miranda. This is one of my Illyria favorites. On my skin I get a fruity/floral mix of the grape, the pear, and the sweetpea, with the moonflower trailing behind. It truly is sparkling, and embodies late spring/summer for me.

Queen is a most unusual mix of pepper, honey, and lavender on my skin. Or at least, that's what I feel like I can smell. There's also a tiny bit of mint or something approximating it. I have worn this one to work a few times when I need to feel more powerful and assertive. On weekends, it layers nicely with O and I've used that combination when I wanted to radiate female power but with a bit of distance. There is definitely something sexual but untouchable about it.

Horn of Plenty is such a happy smell for me---it's just like cherry coke, with an effervescent almond blast and underlying rooty cola note. I used this blend in the past to focus on meeting some ambitious financial goals. I'll be using it again as I look for a new job in the next few months. I'm happy to have Horn of Plenty as I need all the help I can get!

Kathmandu is the 'driest' and 'smokiest' of the incense blends on me, and it's also the least sweet. The cedar is the strongest note on my skin, and the lotus is so soft that I can barely detect it. I'm also picking up on that cola note that others have mentioned. It smells exotic and is deeply calming. I think this would be a divine room scent. For people that love the scent of incense but don't like the smoke, this would be a great way to have it both ways.

I really enjoy March Hare as a room scent. On my skin it was just too strong for me and the apricot became a little overwhelming. But in an oil burner in my kitchen, it's heavenly. It smells like I've been slaving away all day baking apricot tarts, and it lasts and lasts!

Alice smells very clean, like an amalgam of baby powder and fresh carnations. To me, it smells like the perfume equivalent of a freshly washed pinafore. It's very aptly named. I can detect the same milk from Milk Moon, with just the tiniest bit of honey. The carnations offer a slightly spiced edge---I love Beth's carnation note---and the bergamot is barely detectable, at least to my nose. If I had a daughter, I would definitely buy her a bottle for her first perfume. On me, however, it just goes too powdery for comfort. If I sniff my skin where I applied it, I get a good balance of notes. But the throw is pure baby powder for some reason. I think I'll have to stick with Sudha Segara for my milk and honey blend.