lizabelle

Oh goodness, I'd bet money this is the same honey note as in Honeyed Apple from this year's Weenies! It has that same light, clear, but somewhat boozy feeling. The herbs aren't very noticeable on me unless I get my nose very close to my arm and even then I really struggle to find them. That's a bit disappointing, because I love sage. Since I already have Honeyed Apple I don't feel like I need this one.

Spicy dirt! I know I've described other scents that way but this time it's actually the intent of the fragrance. I basically get dirt, cedar, and tobacco out of this, but somehow it doesn't seem overly masculine. It's just earthy, and calm. I like it a lot, actually, but it's not really a "me" scent. If you like the lab's dirt notes and pine/wood/tobacco, this one's for you.

Hmm. Hmmm. This may be another case of "I want to wear that, not smell it all around my room." I adore white florals and this one is a true beauty, with the perfect blend of gardenia and jasmine that's somehow cool and sweet while also being indolic--but I'm not feeling it. Most of the time I spray this kind of thing on my bed to freshen up the whole room, and no way do I want my bed smelling this sweet or strong all the time. I'd love an oil version (or even a HG/BO version), though!

Huh. It's a truly bizarre moment when you realize that you would wear something as perfume in a heartbeat, but you don't want your sheets to smell like that. This is very similar to The Queen's Croquet Ground, but with pink roses instead of red. It's an important difference, because while the red ones are bright and green, the pink ones are very floral and powdery. This is an extremely feminine scent, and as I mentioned I would gladly wear it but I don't think I want to be surrounded by it. Noted for next time.

Oh no, I love this one too! As others have said, this is a good basic "clean" scent. It does lean toward pink floral but it's not overly feminine, just soft and fresh. I actually wasn't sure about this one because I'm not really a fan of cherry blossom perfumes, but it turns out I like them just fine when they're not on me. Also perfectly spring-y, which is what I need at this point in the year.

I've heard this described as evil and/or sexy gingerbread, and that description is spot-on. Starts with very strong, true ginger that then turns into cookies. The ginger really needs to be experienced, because I can't do it justice--I wonder if this version is in any other BPALs? The sillage of this stage is amazing. After a while it burns down to boozy vanilla, a strong lingering ginger and some woods/incense. I love how woody this is because I was not expecting it. Definitely a full bottle for me!

My first Snake Oil! It takes a very long time to warm up on my skin, which is surprising. It starts almost bitter on me with what I would guess is a red musk/vetiver combo, but of course I could be wrong. Very heavy incensey vibe. The honey/vanilla combo comes into play extremely slowly but once it does it forms what I've heard people describe as "BPAL smell." It smells just like my imp box! Once it gets past that it's simultaneously sweet, powdery, and dark, and while I like it I might try aging my imp to see if it improves. This surprisingly has very little throw that I can detect and I think it would improve with time.

Green grass and red roses. The perfect rose scent. Seriously, it's like sticking my nose in a gigantic flower after a spring rain. I used to have a rose diffuser in my bedroom, which was both strong and super realistic. This is somehow stronger (but not overpowering) and more realistic than even that was. I'm trying to think of something productive to say other than "my nose is glued to this quilt now." Can I order it in vat size?

Huh. On me this smells like something I recognize, but I can't place it. Some mainstream perfume. "Dusty tuberose" is a perfect way to describe this, as is "fluttering," "dusty," and "sooty." Basically, the description is spot-on. If you like gray/purple florals you will like this. It has a similar somber quality to Hades. The tuberose is front and center, with orris close behind. Over time something almost licorice-y happens, which is odd but not unwelcome. If I think of the perfume this reminds me of I'll come back and add it in, but for now I'm quite pleased with this.

Oh, this is one of those "I'm at a loss for words" scents. I've said it before but I'm a huge geranium fan and would probably buy just about anything with them included. This is a Geranium scent, with a capital G. Spicy, lemony/peppery geranium with a side of geranium and extra geranium on top. The bergamot is intensely fresh and lovely blended in with it. Over time it settles down enough that the sandalwood can come in, and it's a beautiful dry powdery one. Very fresh and more unisex than it sounds.

The idea of this one captured me, and I'm glad to say that the real thing lives up to it. It starts out with a thick, gooey chocolate/beeswax combo that almost seems more like fudge than cake. Over time the chocolate seems to melt a bit and then retreat into the background (but never disappears), making way for soft worn leather and spicy dry paper. It seriously does smell like a well-loved book and a crackling fireplace, maybe with a candle burning low close by. I will wear this tons, and it's probably going to age beautifully. I got a copy of Frankenstein with my order, which I have actually never read!

I ordered some Goblin Squirts, halfway thinking "oh, I don't need more atmosphere sprays, I have some already and I don't use them." I was so wrong. These are way more highly concentrated and disperse way better than the ones I'm used to, and I might be ruined for anything else now. I sprayed the wedge pillow I rest against when I sit in bed and I'm now surrounded by a cloud of the most beautiful flowers. Okay, the actual review now. This is one of the best lavenders I've ever smelled. It's definitely lavender-heavy but I can't fault it for that because it's truly amazing lavender. You know those super fancy essential oils that are hand picked by monks in Provence or something? That's this lavender. It's sweetened and smoothed by vanilla and jasmine, and if I squint I can detect the violet and hyacinth. If there's cedar in here it must be a really tame one because there's no spice to this at all. Also having a hard time finding the rose and melon, but it's lovely as is so I don't mind that. I've had a migraine on and off for two days (don't worry, scents don't really affect me that way!) and maybe it's just because I love lavender/jasmine/vanilla but I could feel all my muscles relax after the first sniff. This may be a sleep blend for me.

Oh my goodness. Up to this point every single king mandarin note has shown up as lemon on my skin, so smelling this incredible juicy orange is a surprise. It's a very sweet, true orange with no peel to be found, just fruit. Over time the resins start to weave into the brightness of the orange and create something unlike anything I've smelled before. It's simultaneously light and dark, deep and soft. The myrrh/opoponax/lavender combo is absolutely stunning and just gets velvetier and more intense over time. Seriously starting to think opoponax is my magic spell that makes everything gorgeous--I wonder if there's a single note out there? I'm so glad I took a chance on this bottle.

Yikes. There's gotta be amber in this because it's amping beyond all desire or reason. I think there's also ylang ylang, but unlike the nice ylang that I've sniffed in some BPALs (Hetairae) this one is going indolic, heady, and slightly sickening. Oddly I might like this if it would just calm down--it's honeyed, creamy, and floral in a way I very much like, with just a bit of powder that's not as overpowering as with most ambers on me. However, it's just too strong. Scrubbing.

Please note that the imp I'm testing is aged--I don't know exactly how long, but it has the old logo. I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but because it has rose and because so many people seem to list it as a favorite or a must-try that I was pretty excited to get an imp of it in a swap. It's sharper on my skin than I expected, and the moss is strong. Like, really strong. This is sharp, wet moss on a foggy day when all the scents around seem amplified. The rose is there and velvety but kind of peppery at the same time, if that makes sense. Maybe it's the rose leaf? There is an earthiness throughout and I'm finding the whole thing oddly addictive. I can't stop sniffing myself, even though I haven't decided if I actually like it/want to smell this way. Might require a few more tests before I'm sure.

Gosh I love the lab's fizzy scents. This one is straight-up root beer, complete with lots of bubbles. It's even giving me that tickly carbonation feeling in my nose! (Or I might be imagining it because the smell is so dead-on. Either way, impressive.) Dries down to a vanilla/root beer hard candy-esque thing that's pretty great. Probably getting a bottle because who am I kidding--I never knew I wanted to smell like bubbly things until BPAL, but now I need them all.

I knew I was getting berry out of this! Never would have guessed it was cranberry until I read that, though--it almost read as extra-tart strawberry on my skin. The apples are a lovely, perfect cider and at some point I almost get buttery popcorn. No idea where it's coming from but it's nice! This is very much an autumn fair/festival scent. Sadly it has almost no throw and no lasting power on me. Off my wishlist, then.

I admit I was skeptical with all those florals in there, but this is a perfect unisex rose. It starts with a ton of vetiver and some leather, both of which soften and take a backseat to the rose and gardenia over time. I don't get a whole lot of jasmine out of this until it dries down, but that's fine. The other two blend into a sharp, almost peppery and slightly green rose (with gardenia supporting quietly). The vetiver is still hanging out in the background and the cinnamon adds a touch of spice without taking over. In the drydown the same cool jasmine as is in New Orleans and Defututa comes in and the leather re-amps somehow to create a truly fascinating masculine/feminine clash. This is totally different than the other BPAL floral (and especially rose) blends I've tried and I kind of love it. There's definitely a rogueish feel to it, and someone more masculine than I am could definitely wear this. Edit: After (more or less accidentally) aging my bottle for nine months, an update. This has turned to dark, worn leather and honeyed, boozy florals. it retains that lovely 50/50 masculine/feminine quality that I so loved in it fresh, although the leather is quite strong so it may be more like 60/40. I couldn't say whether I like it better this way or fresh from the lab, as both are lovely. Either way I'll be wearing this tons this winter.

I'm finally getting to smell this and I'm blown away. It deserves all the praise people give it! I was slightly worried about the "fougere" aspect of this on me, because it never seems to go well with my chemistry, but I get none of it. Instead there's warm, rich, boozy vanilla with some musky powder and maybe a teensy whiff of tea. It borders on a vanilla SN on me and I'm not complaining--it's like if someone made a liqueur out of vanilla beans. (Which...does that exist somewhere? I want in on it.) There's something kind of spicy in the background, I can't tell if it's actual spice or wood but it lends a lovely depth to the whole thing. As it dries down over time it gets even more boozy and slightly less sweet, turning almost into some kind of vanilla syrup resin. There is a tiny touch of bitter greenery in the drydown, but it's not overpowering and it actually goes quite well with the vanilla. This scent is incredible and I will be getting a bottle, or several.

I would never have pegged this for rosewood--on me rosewood is usually smooth and creamy, but this is sharp and spicy. (Yet again I was convinced it was cedar--I need to train my nose!) The red musk is actually kind of cuddly, like the one in Scherezade, but despite the warmth of the notes there is a sort of unsettling feeling to the scent overall. It does feel a bit like something watching you from the trees! Whatever amber is in this seems to not hate my skin, but it's also not terribly prominent. If I really smush my nose into my arm there's a bit of resinousness, but otherwise this scent is dry on me. Probably not a full bottle for me, but I do like it.

Starts out with sickly sweet artificial cherry, which almost immediately fades down to a skin scent of rich dark wood and true almost overripe cherries. I've never smelled mahogany before but it's like a darker, smoother cedar note. The currant is similar to the other Mad Tea Party blends' currant--a bit dry and dark. It keeps the cherry from going too sweet. Actually quite nice, but I wish this had some throw on me. Maybe if I got a bottle and aged it? But there are so many other fish in the sea BPALs in the catalogue.

I'm starting to think I amp cedar notes, because this is entirely cedar on me. A beautifully spicy, aromatic cedar, but still... In comparison to Aureus, which is also all cedar on me, this is warmer and spicier, but has far less throw; weirdly it gets drier over time. I get no resin or incense out of it, sadly.

Another gorgeous jasmine scent from the lab. The jasmine in here reminds me of the one in New Orleans--not indolic, not soapy, just cool and sweet and perfect. This is so well-blended I thought at first that jasmine was the only floral in here, but when I get in close I can smell something a bit more "yellow" that I think is champaca. The olive and honey are subtle but present and give the whole thing a depth that the other notes wouldn't have otherwise--this is borderline boozy floral and I really like it. I do get a touch of spice in the background/mixing with the honey but there's not a whole lot--I'd love more of that and the smoke but this is very pretty as-is. When I inevitably get a bottle I might try layering it with something smoky or spicy to play up that aspect.

This...sure is cake. It's like Eat Me and Drink Me had a baby--it has the boozy richness of Drink Me and the sugary fluffiness of Eat Me. I get no wine out of it, and since I amp BPAL's wine note to an extreme I'm a bit confused. I also get none of the spiciness others are smelling, which is a shame, and no honey. I also tend to amp sweet notes... If I did get spice/honey/wine out of this it might unseat Drink Me as my favorite cake scent, but it's not wowing me as I'd hoped.

Looking at the notes I thought this would be right up my alley, and it is! Starting out I get a lot of tea and ginger, with other herbs I can't quite pick out rounding out the cup (they're soft, warm, and green). The fig and mosses blend together into a deep, rich base and the overall effect perfectly captures an herbalist's shop. Fig as a base note is kind of genius and I'd love to see it in more BPAL blends. Possibly a full bottle for me; I'm a sucker for herb/fruit blends like this for hot weather and this fig is amazing.