LiberAmoris

Nyx is one that started off all jasmine on me. I like jasmine, but when it's the primary note, it's too sweet for me. Luckily, Nyx mellowed a bit and the rose came up to temper it. Overall, I think this scent would be nice when I go back to visit New Orleans, because it has a sort of sultry, nightclub vibe to it. I'll keep the imp and use it when I visit NoLA, and also when I want to amp up the rose/jasmine component of both Mata Hari and Nemesis.

Masquerade was an imp I was putting off testing because when I went through my initial uncork-n-sniff in the first raptures over my lastest BPAL delivery, it didn't smell promising. Of course, by now I should know that those ones are the FIRST ones I should try, as so often they end up being the ones I fall most deeply in love with. Masquerade definitely reminds me of Lush's Karma (which I love) but it's more complex than that. It's sort of like Orange Spice tea, only sexier. Like the name, it masquerades in the bottle. I thought it would be nondescript, a muddle of notes pulling in different directions. Instead, it's turned out to be a most harmonious blend of carnation, orange blossom, and patchouli. I have way too many bottles right now to be adding any more oils to my big bottle list. But when 'an opening becomes available,' I will be picking up a 5ml to have on hand.

Magdalene started off very green and sharp on me, then slowly mellowed into a balanced combination of rose and orchid. I don't think orchid works well with my skin chemistry because I had the same reaction to Queen Mab---it's lovely, I can see why others love it, but it just doesn't feel right on me. I think I might try burning Magdalene in my oil burner instead. And on a side note: This blend captures beautifully the mysteriousness and suffering of Magdalene.

Wow, Jester is one carefree scent. There’s something very simple and childlike about it. It seems unburdened of a complex array of notes. It’s very uncomplicated and playful. On me, it smells like strawberry-banana candy, and unfortunately banana is a scent I’m just not fond of. However, it captures the mirth of a jester perfectly. I think I'll hang onto this one and try it again in the summer.

Danube was a generous freebie from the lab and it absolutely knocked me off my feet. I've been looking for an aquatic that would sit right with me and stun me the way that some of the resiny and darker blends have---and this, along with the Water of Notre Dame, fits that bill. Danube for me is grapefruity, melony, with a tang of something in there that is riiiiight on the edge of being too much---it steps right up to that line and then backs off...and slowly melts away, leaving a shadow. The tangy note keeps it from being too sweet or too simple. It's plashy and fluid and bright, without drowning in the stock aquatic notes. It's just perfect.

The Apothecary was a freebie from the lab in my most recent order (thanks, lovelies!). I believe this thread has reached consensus on the herbal, green, mossy, hint-of-lemony aspect of this oil, and I don't disagree. It is definitely a triple-milled herbal French soap smell---totally luxe and ever so clean. I think this would be great if I was coming off of a cold or a flu, because it's so inoffensive and fresh. It makes me feel freshly-showered and pulled together. The fig comes out at the very end for me and the end impression is of a touch of lemon, oakmoss, and fig. It's really nice and I'll enjoy using up the imp.

Wet, Somnus was lavender and something kind of acrid, almost urine-like. BUT, that acrid note only lasted about four minutes on me before it melted away and then all it was all gorgeous lavender and soft roses. Totally relaxing and soporific. I don't normally have trouble falling asleep, but I am a restless sleeper and sometimes struggle to stay asleep when I get uncomfortable in the middle of the night. No such problem last night. I slept like the proverbial baby. I will use Somnus again---it's quite nice.

For the record, let me state that I hardly ever remember my dreams. So it was with a certain skepticism that I tested out Temple of Dreams last night. In the imp and on my skin it was medicinal in an herbal way, the way lavender smells a bit astringent and bracing. I also detected the lemon that reviewers mention above, which helped sweeten and temper it a bit. I went to bed at 11PM and slept for 13 hours. Not only did I have amazing, sensory dreams that seemed to span almost all of that period in 'real-time', but it was lucid dreaming, something I have done at certain points in my life but have been unable to do for several years. In other words, I knew I was dreaming when I was dreaming. At one point, I dimly recall thinking something like: I should wear Temple of Dreams tomorrow night, this is amazing! So I don't know if it was the oil or the power of suggestion, but I don't really care. Whatever it was, it worked. And now I have some amazing images to carry around with me today, like one in which I was able to look down 14 flights of stairs that cut through an apartment building to a subterranean world in which a group of nuns were carrying out some kind of rite on a unending line of grace-seekers. What this says about my psyche, I am not sure! But it was a really incredible experience and tonight I will be wearing Temple of Dreams again!

After all the discussion of Samhain as the BPAL oil to beat, I was eagerly anticipating trying it out. And fruitlessly attempting to manage my outsized expectations. When I opened the bottle, I instantly smelled what struck me a base of Dana O’Shee, with apple, pine and spice layered over the top. I diverge from the majority opinion on Dana; it does not do pleasant things on my skin and smells almost plasticky. So I was unsure about how Samhain would play out. On the skin, however, Samhain’s spice and apple came to the fore. The woodsy note burned off a bit and the almondy/milky/creamy note receded. I can almost detect a nutty component, which adds to the richness of this blend. It’s taken a few tries, but I really like Samhain! And it’s perfect for days like today when it’s gray and cold out—it’s like wrapping myself in a blanket. A comfort scent.

Gorgeous. Dublin is simply beautiful. A very green and red and white scent, lush hills and trees and berries with a drifting murmur of rose. There is something very Christmassy about it because of the alder (which smells more to me like a very mellow juniper/spruce) but it's also just foresty and fresh. I think I like this better than Val San Retour for telegraphing the feeling of walking through greenery.

This morning I had to get up at the crack of dawn so I thought it would be a good time to try Ra. When first applied to my skin, it smelled....green. It set me back because I was anticipating something that smelled the way I imagine the sun to smell: golden, yellow/red/orange and hot. But it smelled a bit like the inside of a dandelion stem, that milky verdant stuff inside the hollow stalks. Within a few moments it was already changing, and a citrusy orange and cinnamon warmed up a floral scent that I can't determine. It's really nice and very warming, a perfect embodiment of the rising sun. I will enjoy using up my imp on cold winter days when I need a hit of some solar power. ETA: Now that I re-read clover's post above, I can definitely smell the frankincense. Normally frankincense is not my favorite component, but here it's really nice.

Night-blooming jasmine, violet, and smoke. Morgause is very mysterious. If you like jasmine and violet but find that they are normally too sweet for you, this one might be a winner, as the 'incense' aspect blurs and darkens the florals, making them shadows of themselves. Very feminine and alluring, slightly dangerous, and compelling. It reminds me a bit of a hookah bar I went to last year. We mixed jasmine and violet tobacco for our table blend, and this smells so much like that spiraling, dimensional smoke. This isn't my absolute favorite from the last batch of imps I received, but I have a feeling it's the kind of blend that will grow on me.

As others have said, Sea of Glass is aquatic and salty like the breeze off the ocean. I think I'm picking up a handful of citrussy notes as well, and ozone. Very smooth and very fresh. Sea of Glass smells a lot like Tempest to me, only less chaotic and more peaceful. Like Tempest, it has that “this is what dryer sheets smell like in heaven” sort of vibe. A nice blend and one I will wear when I want to feel tranquil.

Disclaimer: I’m Danish and Norwegian. Review: Vinland on my skin is part berries growing on a hillside, part sunlight flickering through trees, and part stoic Scandinavian homestead spirit. The notes, as Caitfish says above, are somewhat exotic so it’s difficult for me to discern what note is doing exactly what. But the overall effect is lovely. It's got flower notes, but it’s not floral. It's good wood notes, but it’s not woodsy. It’s just clean, like freshly washed hair in Valhalla. Absolutely one-of-a-kind.

Wow. Carmelized magnolia, so nummy. I also get a hint of coconut, as Lorencita mentions above. The mandarin and spices are more noticeable after an hour of wearing, making the magnolia sumptuous, velvety, tangy, and sexy. This reminds me of (Old) New Orleans a bit, but Helle’s Belle is much better with my chemistry. Another scent that would be perfect for going out on summer nights. Something about this blend makes me want a cocktail!

Yerevan is truly juicy, like eating an apricot so ripe that the juice runs down your wrist. Apricot was the predominant note, with a hazy (and to my nose) almost indecipherable supporting blend of lush flowers and fruits. They hover at the edges and very subtly color the apricot, tempering the sweetness slightly. This makes me think of late summer, when things are at their ripest. It’s a very cheerful blend. I like this one and will keep the imp for the instant mood boost it offers.

The olfactory equivalent of the dance of the seven veils. Salome goes on with a boozy, effervescent burst of the almond/cherry noted above, which quickly dissipates when the jasmine comes through like the sun from behind clouds, warming things up. Jasmine and I have a rocky past, and at this point I wasn’t sure this blend and I would get along. But about ten minutes later the darker notes started crowding the floral, and the gorgeous sandalwood and musk came forth. At the end I could even smell the tangy, herby oakmoss at the edges. Salome on me smells like a sexpot version of Namaste, minus the lemongrass and patchouli. The jasmine is not overpowering and although it is a sexy scent, I can also see how it would be great for days when I want to wear something mellow and warm. This isn’t the Salome from the Bible, this is Oscar Wilde's Salome.

Libertine on me is a herbaceous rose/violet with the musk and sandalwood running underneath like a warm current to balance the slightly astringent nature of the chamomile and bergamot. The overall effect is of a very lovely organic, ‘natural’ blend; rose and violet burnished and buffed until absolutely smooth. It smells like something the upper classes would have used to scent their linens right before the French Revolution, at the height of decadence. Lovely as a perfume but I also think it would be great spritzed on sheets.

Dia de los Muertos shares, to my nose, a base with Queen of Spades but has a more chocolatey and carmelly finish and seems twined with a pale green that must be the desert flowers. I love love love it. It’s like walking past an altar filled with burning candles and flowers and offerings---through the kitchen where carmelizing sweets are bubbling---and out the back door where there is an autumn sunset playing across a stark, dramatic desert landscape carrying a hint of green on the air. I think it’s one my most favorite blends ever and I am so glad that I got two bottles!

Before my Sugar Skull arrived I had three worries, based on the description: that it would be too sweet, too light, and too one-dimensional. But I am happy to say that my worries were gone within minutes of application. Sugar Skull is the kind of sweet I can handle—dark and smoky. It’s not light at all, and wafts tremendously well. And it’s as complex a scent as any other, with odoriferous layers that seem to nearly sway on my skin. Everyone’s already summed up this one pretty well: caramelized sugar + butter + molasses + a bit of maple syrup + flan + a bit of the ‘fruit dusting.’ But the best part for me is the smokiness of it all. Sugar Skull really balances the darkness with the sweet and is a true emblem for the inspiration behind the scent. Today, while wearing it, my imagination ran the gamut from a scene in Little House on the Prairie (I think) where they drizzle molasses over snow in lovely designs---to---Keats’ lines "Darkling I listen; and, for many a time / I have been half in love with easeful Death..." Now that’s a perfume.

Roadhouse is, as others have mentioned, truly something to experience. Dandelions, Budweiser, and a swirl of unknown perfume hanging in the shuttered air of a bar. Smells like the sweet smell on my skin after being out late on a summer night, with just a flicker of the tobacco ghosting by. The tobacco is definitely a 'secondhand' note, though. The star of Roadhouse is definitely the dandelions. This would be a great going-out perfume. Or for winter days when I need a shot of something yellow and uplifting. I've never had dandelion wine, but in my imagination it smells like this.

... Her scent is striking and bold with a delicate yet dark undertone: five roses with soft jasmine, warmed by vanilla, fig, tonka bean and mahogany, spiced with a drop of coffee bean. Mata Hari is a shape shifter and an oil of many disguises. Beth had warned us not to judge it until the drydown, but I was still a bit skeptical because it did not smell like anything good could come possibly out of it! All I could smell was slightly burnt coffee with an underlying muddle of flowers. But that’s the beauty of this blend. What begins as an ordinary, don’t-smell-twice oil— blossoms on the skin. The coffee odor falls away and the tonka, roses, and jasmine step forward. The only comparison I can make is to a lovely woman stepping up to a door in a brown trenchcoat. When her beloved opens the door, she opens the trenchcoat to reveal that’s she’s wearing a pink, red, and white teddy. The covert quality of Mata Hari’s beauty makes it aptly named. Three hours later, it’s sepia-tinged roses, vanilla and cream. I will love using up my imp and probably end up getting a big bottle.

Yes, Water of Notre Dame is definitely a pale green and pale blue scent. I smell the melon and violet that other reviewers have mentioned, but I didn't recognize the violet until after I read the reviews, so I guess it wasn't hit-me-over the head violet, if you know what I mean. It's very calm and placid, like the surface of water when it's at rest. I wore this all weekend as I worked overtime to finish writing something for work that was infuriatingly boring. Yet the WoND kept me serene and unruffled in spite of it all. It smells like stepping out of the freshest shower and being utterly clean, so even after 7 hours of sitting at my computer, I felt refreshed. Almost like wearing water itself. Pretty amazing stuff.

The wicked, malicious dark side of the Court of Faerie, Unseelie literally translates to ‘Unholy’. The Unseelie Court is ruled by Titania’s corrupted twin sister, the Queen of Air and Darkness. The Court rides the nighttime winds spreading chaos and miscief; woe be to any mortal that crosses its path. A misty, otherworldly scent laced with ethereal florals, crushed herbs and soft, dew-covered grasses. Unseelie is a big mystery to me. I read through all the dissonant reviews right after I'd spilled half of an imp on myself in an attempt to put on just a drop or two (talk about having enough for a test subject!). At first it smelled like a charming mix of Snake Oil and sasparilla. With a touch of maple syrup. Now it's mellowed (if that's even possible given the fact that I have half an imp on my person) to a salty, grassy floral bubbling up through a thick layer of molasses and caramel. Could this be the same oil that has been described by others above? It's definitely musky and powdery, as others have noted. But there's a salty wood note and a fae floral as well that tricks the nose. It's a stumper of an oil blend. I might have to wear this one a few more times just to see if I can make any headway with it. It's so delightfully perplexing that I'm not even sure if I *like* it or not. It seems somehow outside that kind of thinking. Unseelie seems like she doesn't give a damn whether I like her or not. It's cool.

At last! A BPAL oil that smells like my native Pacific Northwest! This one smelled like citrus in the vial, but once on the skin, the pine and juniper took possession and I smelled like a hike through the Olympic National Forest! On me, the citrus remains strong enough to take the edge of the evergreen notes so that it’s complex and fresh. I think this would be a fab winter scent. Thanks Lab, for including this as a freebie. I will use up every last drop!