Upstart Crow

The Fortune That Changes Bad Luck to Good, Intervention in Times of Need A hymn for blessings: pomegranate juice, mint, and juniper berry. I love Violent Gesticulations from the 2017 Weenies, and when I saw the notes for this, I hoped for something similar but that may be a bit less high-pitched (which is perfect for Violent Gesticulations! But I didn't want a carbon copy). I got pretty much what I hoped for in this lovely scent. The pomegranate is darker and heavier, less punchy and more mellow--a bit like the kind in September Midnight. The mint and juniper berry blend in a way that accentuates the best parts of both--the crisp menthol of the mint and the woodsy, slight pungency of the juniper. Very well blended, but each note still manages to stand out even while balancing each other. Definitely a keeper! Glad I trusted my love of pomegranate enough to get a bottle.

Smoky vetivert and dead leaves with just the slightest hint of vanilla to it. I love it, but it smells almost identical to my bottle of Death of Autumn, so while I'll keep the decant, I won't need a bottle .

I wanted this to work so badly because I love plum and clove and it smelled so delicious in the sample, but the oudh made it smell like plum feces on me. I wish I was kidding. Hard no from me.

[No additional description provided.] As a lover of violets, sugared florals, and dead leaves, I just had to get a bottle of this without sampling. It is everything I hoped it would be. A sweet floral that edges more on the sugary than the floral side with a gasp of cologny-dead leaves behind it. It's an unusual fall scent, and I think it could be worn year round, really. Another violet winner! Definitely pick it up if you think even one of the notes would appeal.

When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily until, at length a simple dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye. It was open wide, wide open and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old mans face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.

 A dim ray upon the vulture eye: smoked violets and bulbous orris, threads of crumbling lavender, and wet iris butter. These are still settling from the trip to me, but I just had to review. I'll change this if the scent changes when it settles down. This is an incredible violet, iris, and lavender blend. Dark and spectral at the same time. The iris and lavender blend so perfectly that while I can smell both, I can't tell where one ends and the other begins. The violet (which I assume is also orris here) gives it just a hint of sweetness, but it's a darker and smokier violet than I've encountered in any BPAL violet scent other than Bruised Violet Compound. In fact, this is like a lighter but slightly menacing version of BVC. Throw length seems to be about average on me, but my skin likes to devour oils, so ymmv. Definitely pick it up if you like any of the three notes. It showcases each of them really well.

Okay, I have a nasty cold so YMMV. But wow, this is exactly as described. Vetivert with plastic and strong chemical smoke. I love "unusual" and vetivert-heavy perfumes, but this one makes me slightly gag when I smell it up close. I'm going to hang on to it, though, to see how it ages.

I avoided getting a bottle of this one for years, even though it was on my list. I normally don't like frankincense and sandalwood is meh, but they're just gorgeous in this blend. I get an ozone, ethereal, incensey violet with just a hint of amber (which really fleshes the scent profile out) and a hint of smoke. Wow.

I got this mainly to help the ACLU and was expecting to either like it okay or to dislike it if the coffee was too strong. It's now one of my top ten favorites BPALs. Wow! On me, the coffee is strong for about five seconds, then settles down behind a slightly aquatic traditional cologne with leather notes that come out to play as the blend settles. I think men who prefer more traditionally "masculine" scents would really dig this (I, however, am not a man and will wear it regularly.)

“You’ve been troubled?” “Yes. Good word. Troubled. Yes. Like a home for troubled teens. Funny. Yes.” “And what exactly is troubling you?” “Well, we fight, we win.” “And that is a source of trouble? I find it a matter of triumph and delight, myself.” “But. They’ll die out anyway. They are passenger pigeons and thylacines. Yes? Who cares? This way, it’s going to be a bloodbath.” “Ah.” Mr. World nodded. He was following. That was good. The fat kid said, “Look, I’m not the only one who feels this way. I’ve checked with the crew at Radio Modern, and they’re all for settling this peacefully; and the intangibles are pretty much in favor of letting market forces take care of it. I’m being. You know. The voice of reason here.” “You are indeed. Unfortunately, there is information you do not have.” The smile that followed was twisted and scarred. Gods of the Stock Market, of securities and trades, of trade and upheaval, debt, fortune, and risk: chaotic synthetic notes, bubbling aldehydes, and the electric green of market euphoria. Yay! First I just got this out of the box, so it's probably still a bit unhappy from travel and in need of rest, so I may update later. This is a beautiful aldehyde scent. When it goes on wet, it's got that lovely astringent floral scent that is classic aldehyde, but it's laced with a sweet note that almost reminds me of pink bubblegum. Not in a cloying or foody way, though. It blends really well, with whatever it is. It is a very green, bubbly scent that morphs quickly into something floral and a bit oily and starchy. I don't want to say french fries because it's not that smell, but it gave me an impression of it. Still not unpleasant.This fades and the sweetness returns. Interesting. I think I'll keep it and try it on again when it settles to see what happens.

I'm getting coconut and chocolate? I should probably let it rest a bit after being mailed to me and try again.

Gangleri asked: How were things wrought, ere the races were and the tribes of men increased? Then said Hárr: The streams called Ice-waves, those which were so long come from the fountain-heads that the yeasty venom upon them had hardened like the slag that runs out of the fire,these then became ice; and when the ice halted and ceased to run, then it froze over above. But the drizzling rain that rose from the venom congealed to rime, and the rime increased, frost over frost, each over the other, even into Ginnungagap, the Yawning Void. Then spake Jafnhárr: Ginnungagap, which faced toward the northern quarter, became filled with heaviness, and masses of ice and rime, and from within, drizzling rain and gusts; but the southern part of the Yawning Void was lighted by those sparks and glowing masses which flew out of Múspellheim. Ice and rime and congealing venom, frost over frost, forever into the void: salt-strange rain and floes of hoarfrost, antediluvian poisons, and radiant sparks from Múspellheims furnaces. First reviewer? Nice! Unfortunately, my review isn't going to be glowing. I'd hoped for something chilly, snowy, aquatic, and maybe just a bit salty. What I got in the sample container was a loud, vaguely noxious shriek of something citrusy that smelled like salted vomit when I applied it. I scrubbed it off immediately and layered the skin over with something I liked to take the pain away. This is only one of two BPALs I've ever deeply disliked. Both had "salt" as an ingredient. I think I've found my death note .

I'm not at all sure what to make of this. In the bottle: I get minty, rainy graveyard dirt. On me: I get peppermint/spearmint, light aquatic, Graveyard Dirt, and...grass? Yes. On me, that is definitely the grass note from Blade of Grass! Awesome evocative scent, but it's kind of jarring to my nose, even though this fades into a minty/dirty smell after a while. I will probably sell or swap my bottle for a Yule that is higher priority.

Aber is iffy to me, but the mosses make this blend deep, earthy, and just a little sweet. Definitely getting a bottle!

Normally, I wouldn't have bought a scent like this. I don't like foody scents for the most part, and as much as I love raspberries, I don't want to smell like them. But the fact this scent benefits the ACLU made up my mind for me. In bottle: Sharp, dark raspberry. This doesn't smell like fresh raspberries or even overripe ones, but more like what a perfumer's impression of a raspberry would be. I assume the darkness comes from the birch tar and the tea leaf. This just smells black, rather like the dark label. On me, wet: Pretty much the same. Pretty sure the darkness I'm smelling is the birch tar, as I drink tea a lot and can usually detect what the leaves smell like. I also get a small hint of something metallic. I guess this is the iron fist from the description? Drydown: The raspberry calms down and the dark birch tar comes out to play. I do wish it amped more on me and stayed strong longer, but this is definitely a keeper, as I don't have any raspberry scents and this one isn't all that glaringly foody. Definitely pick up a bottle if you think at all that this might work for you. It's an unusual scent and the money goes to one of the best causes it can these days.

I, too, am getting sharpened pencils here, which is absolutely the frankincense. This and the cloying sweetness are the reasons frankincense is such an iffy note on me. It either enhances the blend subtly or it overrides everything else in a way that isn't unpleasant exactly, but which is just something I don't much care for because it hammers everything else down. I get just a hint of the full-bodied rose here, and some sweetness from the violet, but overall not what I'd expected or hoped for. Not a bad blend at all, but just not entirely for me. If you love frankincense, though, you really ought to pick it up!