LiberAmoris

Vixen is one foxy lady. I'm not so crazy about the orange blossom for the first hour or so, but once that calms down, it's definitely Snake Oil with a orange twist, and it is yummy! I love the Lab's patchouli, so this was kind of a no-brainer. I'm setting aside my imp for a night out when I want to exude va-va-va-voom.

Eve is a really pretty honeyed rose, but the ylang ylang is just too much for me. I can take the double ylang, but only in small doses. I really wished it worked for me though, as I like everything else about the blend. I also got a lilac note from Eve, like BlackWingedRoses above.

Loup Garou was a gift imp from the Lab, which is so great, as I've been curious about this one for a while but hadn't gotten around to it. I can see the comparisons to Mistletoe, it does smell like the needles of an evergreen if you crush them to release their oil. The eucalyptus is tremendously strong for the ten minutes or so, but it does back off and I'm left with a wonderful forest blend. I agree with previous reviewers---this is really refreshing and would be great for a headache, a hangover, or general dyspepsia. I think I'll be passing the imp on to a guy friend who loooves eucalyptus, in order to spread the BPAL love.

Gah, Blood Moon is so gorgeous! I smell sandalwood, a creamy musk like the one in Devil's Night, the spices from Bengal, a tiny bit of dragon's blood and a drop of leather. On my skin, it really does have a metallic tang---it's one of those smells that I really enjoy after having my nose lovingly re-calibrated by BPAL but struck most of my coworkers as 'unusual' and 'weird.' That's okay, it's their loss. I'm so glad that I decided to get a bottle. This only reinforces my belief that I should try every moon. And the label design is so beautiful. Nicely done, Macha!

Sugar Skull 2005 Wow, straight out of the bottle this smells like Butterscotch Schnapps. There is something in the blend that reminds me of Gluttony---not so much a nut note (that does *not* sound right!) but a wine note that I also detected in Gluttony (and disliked). On my skin, this does get closer to SS '04, becoming more of a rich carmelized sugar. The booze factor is dimmed and it becomes more mellow. Overall though, I prefer the 2004 version, even though it did have a sweet sawdust vibe to it. I kind of liked the sawdust smell! What can I say, I'm from the Pacific Northwest.

Katharina is so pretty! She's been on my wishlist forever, and the generous Lab threw her in as a freebie on my last order. I love white musk, and apricot has turned out to be a note that I find myself strangely drawn to. On my skin, it's equal parts apricot and musk until the drydown, when it becomes a fuzzy, second-skin scent. Katharina's a nice change from my vampy BPALs, and it makes a wonderful scent for work, as others have mentioned. I'm beginning to think that when I see the words 'white musk,' I should just buy a bottle straightaway, no questions asked.

I've found a new mankiller: Black Opal. I was wearing this the other night and had three (three!) men compliment me on my perfume. I asked them to describe how they thought it smelled (I always find this so utterly entertaining) and all three thought it smelled 'sweet.' Like flies to honey!

I'm going to second the vote for mint blends. When I get a migraine, I find that the smell of mint improves my breathing and reduces my nausea. I've used Cathode with good results. Of course, I also pound the pain meds!

Has No Hanna is a sweet, sensitive floral on me, reminding me of the cheery clusters of flowers in Beltane. I find it difficult to isolate any specific floral notes here, it just seems like a big vase full of 'em. Florals like this play out in my mind like sunshine, and to that end, Has No Hanna lifted my spirits. I could use some good luck, so I'll be annointing some special places in my home with this one and wearing it on days when I need the boost.

All Night Long is hard to describe, scent-wise. It kind of reminds me of Thai Peanut Sauce (yum!) and then it definitely goes through a cinnamon raisin stage (as already mentioned), and I also get that 'celery' note that I detect in some of the other voodoo blends. It does smell like there is some vetiver in here, but it doesn't bother me. The cacophony of notes might sound weird, but it all smells pretty good because the cinnamon is present at all stages, and it smooths out the other notes. As far as the voodoo properties, I did get some extra attention from my boyfriend when I wore this, maybe because he thought I smelled like a 'spicy cookie' (he thinks every BPAL smells like a spicy cookie, even the florals).

I was expecting Red Devil to be red in the imp, but instead it's a pale yellow. Scent-wise, I also get orange blossom and cinnamon, perhaps a little clove, and citrus orange. It reminds me of Decadence and Vixen. As far as its voodoo properties, this is a very warming oil and it does seem to draw people closer. No crazy sexual escapades to report here, but very satisfying nonetheless.

I really liked Hetairie in the imp, but on my skin the ylang ylang is absolutely broadcast above all other notes. I get a fleeting mint-like note as well, so perhaps my sense of smell is totally off. The honey is so yummy that I'll test this one again before giving up. Until the ylang ylang cuts in, Hetairie is lovely.

Nyarlathotep is a smoky coastal darkness to me---all that 'clean' ozone with the dark incense notes give the brain a paradox to sort through. Some of the smoke notes remind me of the smoke in Devil's Night somehow. On the drydown this is almost unmitigated ozone on my skin. I wish the incense stuck around a little longer. If I could get my boyfriend to wear BPAL more than once or twice a year, this would be on the list.

Namaste is one of those blends that I've had for a long time but never reviewed. It's one of my go-to blends when I'm feeling stressed out. There's just something about sandalwood that I find incredibly relaxing. I love the lemongrass and rose in this blend as well. I keep my imp in my purse to apply when I'm at work and things are not going well.

Kurukulla also reminds me a lot of Persephone, which I like, but the lotus (lotuses? lotii?) here are too much for me. They overwhelm the roses and give that distinctive 'bubble gum' note. For those who enjoy lotus, I think this would be lovely.

I put off trying my imp of Bloodlust because I was convinced that it would be too much. Even in the imp it looks overwhelming---it's a bright dark candy red, like Snow White's apple. And then there was the vetiver, which is an iffy note at best on me. But this weekend, in the name of fair and unbiased science, I decided I should try it out. Dear Lord, this stuff is sexy. It's like Sin, if Sin spent the weekend screwing Dragon's Blood in a motel. This should be a controlled substance. Were I to encounter a man wearing this, I would not be responsible for my actions, nor would society require me to be (the Olfactory Plea in legal parlance). I don't even mind the vetiver here, which is shocking in and of itself!

Trying to pin down what might be in Scarecrow is difficult. I'm getting what seems like a base of cedar and sandalwood, some kind of musk, and the mystery note that gives it that astringent twang that has been described above as cleaning fluid-esque. To me, it smells a bit like nail polish remover or Comet (which I actually used to enjoy the smell of). Scarecrow definitely is dry and gives the impression of sunlight in the fall, and there is something ominous about it. It's not for me, but I'm really glad I got to try it out.

Phantom Queen is the first blend I've found that really smells like the hem of a dress after running through woods and meadows. There's even a hint of dew for me, something glistening and fresh along with the grasses and mosses and pollens. The clover and orchid dominate the blend for me, but the overall effect is of grasses and mist. The drydown of this Queen goes pretty 'soapy' on me, which rarely happens on my skin. I might keep the imp just to sniff, though.

Well, these flowers don't smell *evil* to me, but they sure are pretty. I love lilac, so it's difficult for me to dislike a blend that uses them as an element. Les Fleurs du Mal isn't a distinctive floral to me, but as per usual, Beth's florals are very true to life and teem with a kind of life force that's hard for me to deny. The drydown is a like a finely milled soap and very Victorian, as others have mentioned. This is a very demure blend.

Tea doesn't always work on me---the White Rabbit went wonky on my skin, but I had high hopes for The Dormouse because I really enjoy peony. Sure enough, the peony turns this into an almost light pink tea on me, with one lump of sugar. It's really fresh and pretty. I'm definitely keeping the imp for the springtime.

From Asphodel, I get lilies and daffodils. It's perfect for the flower of Elysium and Persephone's favorite flower. When I wear it, I think of Homer's description of the afterlife and of ghostly, pallid meadows swaying with thousands of haunting, soporific lilies. It's beautifully done.

Eos is very true to description on me: jasmine, honeysuckle, and buttercups. There's just something about the smell of buttercups that I cannot resist. It really is a kind of captured innocence, and although I prefer the Songs of Experience in general, Eos is a lovely, simple, carefree blend that will be perfect in the spring.

Yggdrasil is another oil to add to my little pile of blends that make me feel like I am outside when I am inside. I definitely get pine and juniper, with a touch of menthol in there that opens things up. Like looking up a tree that stretches high and away from me. I feel like there's a touch of citrus in here, and maybe also some pepper and orris. As it dries, I'm left with a soft buzz of ozone and woods. This is an incredibly evocative blend---verdure and taproot and sky all swimming together.

Tonight I went to a party dressed as a cowgirl and wore Pumpkin Patch # 1. Monday I'm going to the Village Halloween Parade and I'm dressing as Emily Dickinson and wearing The Ghost.

Everyone's done a great job of describing Love Me, there's not much I can add. I definitely got Dragon's Blood and cinnamon, with what seemed like lilac and a touch of lemongrass? And there's that 'cola' note that smells like a cherry coke, the one I recognize from other blends. As far as amplifying my potency and sexual magnetism, I did not experience that kind of result, but then again, I wore it at work, which pretty much kills any kind of spirited response. But I'll wear this out some time and give it a fair trial. Even if the voodoo aspect of this oil doesn't work out for me, I really like the way it smells, and there is something very sultry about it. It's like the perfume equivalent of bedroom eyes. Definitely a keeper.