ipsafictura

In the Vial: Mmm, full of leathery goodness. All BPAL scents are designed to be evocative, but this is a perfect example of that. This smells like a dominatrix, absolutely. Wet: Leather is still the strongest scent, though the amber and musk comes through a bit more now. I don't really know what myrrh smells like, so I can't pick that note out specifically, but the combination is great. Drydown: The amber starts coming more to the forefront, though the leather is still a warm, wonderfully sexy addition when combined with the musk. It's also not as strong as it was initially, which on me is great. Dry: Warm and wicked, the scents balance out nicely once it's dry. I'm making a mental note that red musk is one of the musks I really like, an the amber is lovely without being soapy at all. Overall Impression: A wickedly sexy and unrepentent scent, this is definitely not for the weak of heart. It's probably not a scent I'll wear every day, it may be a little too intense for me, but I will definitely finish the vial and consider buying a bottle.

*sigh* My first wash off perfume, I can't even do a proper full review. In the bottle this smelled lovely, tea and honey, but as soon as it hit my skin it went absolutely awful. There was a burnt corn scent that was clearly a result of an interaction with my skin. Darn!

In the Vial: Honey and smoke, smells distinctly of honey wine or mead, pleasant, but I'm worried that like other scents, this will come out cloying rather than sweet. Wet: The honey is strong and sticky in my nose, just like real honey. Hrm, this reminds me of the way Black Phoenix is cloying, so I'm less than thrilled initially. Drydown: The bay is coming out more, along with a pleasant smoky smell. The honey scent is still quite strong, but it's no longer overwhelming. Dry: This scent is absolutely at its best after at least an hour. It smells warm and herby and the honey just adds a nice undertone of sweetness. Overall Impression: A lovely, warm scent once it dried, though initial application is not one of my favorites. I'll be using the rest of this sample vial, and seeing whether I like it enough to purchase an imp. Probably a great choice for people who like a honey and herbs scent.

I'm very impressed by everyone's methods for tracking their BPAL orders and reviews. I've started tracking mine in a google spreadsheet, which is pretty handy because it's online, so I can make it viewable or editable by anyway. I have a few friends who are also BPAL fans and we might record all of our thoughts on various products and compare impressions. Here's a link to my very beginnings of a google spreadsheet: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pCd...xMKpJ99VIpetZTg

In the Vial: A strong, sweet scent, the rum comes through very strongly. I get a hint of the tobacco, but none of the leather. Wet: Almost sticky sweet on me, and I like sweet scents generally. This, however, is not doing it for me. I assume it's the tonka that I don't care for here. The sweetness is overriding any subtler scents. Drydown: Basically the same as wet, I notice the tobacco scent a bit more. Dry: Nope, this just isn't doing it for me. It's mellowed a little bit, but still just smells like a sticky sweetness. Overall Impression: I clearly have the wrong body chemistry for this, because I can tell in the vial how it might be a nice scent, but it's not for me. This will be going to friends.

In the Vial: Lovely, fresh green scent. There's a hint of fresh mown grass in it, though the primary scents are lavender and lime. The mint does not come through very strongly to me, but there's a hint of it mingling with the green scent of grass. Wet: Delicious! Like lavender still on the plant and wet from spring rain. The mint comes through a bit more here, and adds to the freshness of the scent. The lime is lovely and gives it a bit of a bite. I wish it had stayed like this the entire time it was on. Drydown: The lavender is the primary scent now, though the green notes still keep it smelling fresh an preventing the somewhat powdery scent that lavender sometimes has. This is one of the nicest lavender perfumes I have worn. Dry: Sadly largely faded after an hour, though there is still a hint of lavender. I wish this scent would have stayed with me longer. It's very light though, so I may just try applying more of it. Overall Impression: A lovely, green lavender scent, fresh and very springy. Too bad about the quick fade though. I'll definitely use the rest of the vial I have, and if I can find a way to make the scent last longer, I'll probably pick up an imp.

Our signature oil. A dark, languid scent. Promotes hedonistic tendencies and extreme self-love. You won’t stop kissing mirrors for a month. Couldn't resist my first review on the site being of the signature scent. I see the formats that some people use and they seem helpful, so I'll try and use one myself. Black Phoenix was a bonus imp in my very first order. I don't know if that was intentional or fortuitous, but it was pretty cute. In the vial: Huh, intense, and hard to sort out the different notes, but pleasant enough. It makes me want to try it, teases my nose with sweetness. Wet: WOAH, SWEET. Okay, the sweetness is intense, a definite cherry almond scent that smells a little bit, yes, like cold medicine. Not bad precisely, but it feels like the individual notes are in competition for supremacy on my skin. Drying: The sweetness is unpleasantly cloying on the drydown, the almond smell is stronger now, almost overwhelming. It's a smell that's strong enough that I can almost taste it, and I didn't put a lot on. A musk note becomes more apparent at this stage which seems like it would be pleasant if it were not for the overwhelming sweetness. After the musk comes a flowery scent which reminds me of baby powder. Dry: The almond and cherry notes are almost completely gone. I've been told how BPAL scents change over time, but the couple I have tried previous to this did not morph so significantly. What's left is a faintly musky, powdery floral which is very pleasant, but definitely not my style. Overall Impression: This reminds me a bit of some vintage perfumes, probably a very good choice for people who like a somewhat old fashioned, powdery floral once the initial intense sweetness burns off. It's not my style, but it's certainly an interesting scent. I'll be passing it off to a friend.