Mistral

I second Val Sans Retour. I'm waiting with baited breath for the lab to release this one for real, because I love the pure grassy meadow scent I get from it. I love Rosalind, too, and it is grassy, but it has a more floral component to it, too. On a side note, I love Demeter's Dandelion. If only it lasted longer!

I got this as a freebie from the lab, and it's love at first sniff! I think I might have finally found my "grassy meadow" scent - it's grass and dandelion, with the barest hint of citrus, which just adds to the pleasure. I love Rosalind, but it's still a bit too flowery on me, and this doesn't do that flower thing at all. My only complaint is that it faded really, really fast. I see the reviews that said it was really strong...maybe Beth is trying to get the throwing power right? (Just guessing, since I know nothing about anything about perfume. Maybe it's just that I loved it so much, I wanted it to smell more.) Anyway, I know that as soon as this is truly available, I'll be ordering a bottle!

Rosalind is more sweet grass than fresh-mown hay - more like a spring meadow than twighlight field, y'know - but it might be somewhat close to what you're looking for. Worth trying, anyway. But then, I love it, so I'm biassed.

This is total, perfect gingerbread on me. Warm, buttery, gingery, spicy...I could eat my wrist. And it's strong - my husband asked, "The only gingerbread thing in here right now is you, right?" And it lasts. In other words, a perfect scent. I think it would also be really nice as a room scent, especially around Christmas. Imagine people coming in to your house for a party and smelling pure gingerbread...

Carnation seems to turn to baby powder on me. Both Alice and Maiden did instantly, though Maiden was at least a rosy baby powder. I'm sad, though, because I like florals and I love spice, and other people seem to find carnation a spicy floral. Oh, well. It's not like there aren't hundreds of other BPAL scents to choose from.

According to legend, the birthplace of King Arthur. The scent of a castle's great hall in the midst of joyous feasting. Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin. I've been meaning to review this for awhile, because I love, love, love it - it's by far my favorite scent so far. It smells the same in the bottle as it does on me, and it lasts. However, I'm not sure what else I'm smelling besides cinnamon, though I know there's more there. I mean, I'm smelling warmth, and joy, and celebration, and family, and happiness...but as for actual notes, I guess my nose isn't educated enough yet to pick them out. But I adore it, and I've ordered a 5 ml bottle.

I'm not quite sure what I can say about this one that hasn't been said already, but I love this scent so much (it's my first 5 ml order!) that I have to try... In the bottle: Apple juice. I wasn't sure about this when I first sniffed it, until... Wet: Crisp apple. The slightly fermented smell that made me think of apple juice is gone - all that's left is a lovely, crunchy, juicy apple. Yum. Drydown: The wood and leaves come out slowly. The crisp apple smell is still dominant, but now it's like an apple tree on a breezy summer afternoon. My mom had an apple tree in her back yard when I was growing up (it's since come down, sadly), and this scent takes me right back there. I only wish it lasted a bit longer, but I'm willing to apply it again and again all day!

In the bottle: Grapefruit peel with something behind it. I think it's the tea. Wet: Exactly the same, which is the first time that's happened to me. Drydown: Still grapefruity, but the ginger has poked its head out, and there's a hint of white floral - yum! Later: All of the scents are still there, but they've blended into something wonderful that can't be truly described. This is definitely a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" oil. It's so complex and lovely. I just wish it lasted a bit longer on me, but that seems to be a common problem for me - most of the oils I've tried so far just disappear into my skin.

The first time I tried this, it went completely baby powder on me, but I figured that might be the time of the month, so I tried it again. In the bottle: pure rose Wet: Rose with a spicy kick. I'm not experienced enough at this yet to pick out new (to me) notes - is that the carnation? Whatever it is, I love it. Drydown: More spicy, less rose, slightly powdery. Still like it. Later: It did get more powdery, but not like baby power, like before. I really like this one!

I loved this scent in the bottle - lemon with a kick. I almost thought it was eucalyptus - I'm not sure if it's the aloe or the green tea, but I liked it, whatever. Once I put in on me, though, it turned into Lemon Heads. Anyone remember those? The little, bright yellow lemon candies that were (are?) sweet and sour at the same time. Which, truthfully, is even better, since I loved those candies. It didn't last very long, though, and my husband said that it hurts his teeth. I'm thinking of using it as a scent for my car, because it's so fresh and yummy!

I was really looking forward to this one, and I loved it in the bottle and when I first put it on. Sweet grasses and wildflowers, with a kick of berries. But it faded really quickly...like my skin was just drinking it up. I still love the scent, but reapplying every hour on the hour just isn't practical.

Okay, this is my first review, so please be kind... In the bottle: I got a spicy wax smell. The wax was predominant. On the other hand, when my husband smelled it, he immediately said, "Buttered popcorn! Movie theater popcorn!" I have no idea where he got that. Heh. Wet: The wax smell is still there, but it's fading. And I got hit with a peach. Drydown: It smells exactly like this spicy peach jam my grandmother used to make. Yummy. Later: Still spicy peach, though now it's more spicy peach mousse instead of jelly - it's become creamy, somehow. Still yummy, and it's lasting. I didn't get a single hint of pumpkin, oddly enough. Must be my body chemistry.