Monster

Pirate Moon smells surprisingly fresh and watery to my nose! I think that's the red musk and the leather mingling and playing tricks on me. This smells like warm, dry wood, splintered and scorched by the sunlight and salty water. There's a sunny sort of tropical feel to this, I think that's the coconut palm and the lime. This is a sexy summer scent for the girl (or guy) who doesn't like to smell like a fruity girlie drink. The wood and resin notes in this are just gorgous. A wonderfully complex blend that really REALLY smells like (well, what I imagine...) a pirate ship. When this is dry all of the notes come together in one harmonious accord of Eau du Pirate Ship. Yarrrrr!

Sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil. I'm going through my box of BPAL and reviewing scents I haven't...for future reference and all that (some of these have actually gone unsniffed since I purchased them! Yikes!) This is one ozone/aquatic scent that knocks my socks off! This is a wonderful fresh breath of salt air with just the teeniest hint of lime. The woods notes keep this from smelling like a dryer sheet on me and the "dribble of Snake Oil" balances this out with just the right amount of sweetness. This is a scent my husband and I both love...and relaly need to start wearing again. It's hard to keep track when you have so many oils. I took a risk with this one but I'm really happy to have a bottle in my collection (and the art on the lable is just gorgeous) ETA description from lab.

I'm going through my box of BPAL and reviewing scents I haven't...for future reference and all that (some of these have actually gone unsniffed since I purchased them! Yikes!) This definitely smells like fall..but more of an early fall/late summer scent. Harvest Moon 2008 smells like mid-fall (not too much later but definitely later in the season copared to '06) This is a dusty wheat/milk scent on me with a few crushed herbs in the mix. The apple in this is what really makes this scream "AUTUMN!" This smells like a farm, hay, wheat, apples and milk. Very pretty! Compared to the other Harvest Moons, this would be my second favorite (was never a fan of HM '04 or '05...they smelled relaly "plasticy" to me).

I'm going through my box of BPAL and reviewing scents I haven't...for future reference and all that (some of these have actually gone unsniffed since I purchased them! Yikes!) Out of the bottle this has a sharp, dead leaves/smoke smell to it but when I put it on my skin I smell wonderful fruit notes blended with herbs and just a hint of clove (amazing! clove usually overpowers everything for me). Somethign about this smells like mulled wine to me. This is definitely a fall scent but not so earthy, spicy and dark that you're unable to wear it any other time of the year. Wow, really beautiful, why did I have to keep this hidden for so long? I'm falling in love alllll over again As this dries it really softens up and ends up as a balmy berry scent on my skin. This is comforting and inviting. I love all of the labs Autumn inspired scents. Love love love

I'm going through my boxes of BPAL and reviewing any scents I haven't (for future refrence and all that...) Beaver Moon 2007 is a perfect strawberries and cream scent. To me, this is the non-spicy version of "Floating brains". The strawberry in this is soft, sweet and doesn't go on like nail polish remover. I cream note it's paired with isn't overly sweet at all. This is just a really fun, delicious scent. it sort of reminds me of what my Strawberry Shortcake doll was supposed to smell like as a kid (if it didn't have that weird plastic dolly overtone). I'm so happy I've got a bottle of this. I actually forgot about it for such a long time (it's been stored away for a while now). I need to start getting some use out of this bottle! I actually prefer this one to the 2005 version of Beaver Moon. This version agrees with my skin a bit more (actually, this stuff LOVES my skin )

In the imp: Wow. *cough* REALLY sweet cakes! Wet: Sweet cake with a syrupy *too* sweet note that's slightly sickning >< This makes my whole arm and body smell like maple syrup candies (if you're from the Northeast you know what I'm talking about ) Dry: As this dries it mellows out...a LOT! This is still sweet and cakey but not headache (or cavity!) inducing as it was before. I actually really like this. Cockaigne is sort of like a "cake" single note to my nose. I think I'd like to use this for layering. I personally don't feel like this smells like ANY of the Monsterbaits. Underpants was more of a vanilla sandalwood scent and Underbed and Closet were cassia cake (more cassia than cake) and butter rum. This is CAKE with all caps on! Overall: This grossed me out at first but it actually works out quite well on my skin. This one has AMAZING throw. My husband can smell this from across the room. From far away it smells like baked goods. Foody scent lovers come hither, Beth baked up something deeeelicious for you! Edits: I can't type

In the imp: Laundry soap Wet: Not so bad, definitely salty but still...laundry soap :/ Dry: Well, this doesn't smell like laundry soap anymore! Now it smells like bathroom spray :/ I can see how this smells like salty brine and seaweed but I can't get past the fact that it smells just like household air freshener. Overall: Not for me. I didn't ahve high hopes for this one so it's alright. This is sure to be a winner with aquatic perfume fans

In the imp: Stright up strawberry and orange blossom. Wet: The orange blossom keeps the strawberry from smelling too much like candy. This is really nice. There's just a squish of spicy carnation in here, but not too much. This is definitely a fruity blend. Thankfully I'm not getting any poppy in this phase. Usually poppy smells like plastic diapers to my nose, I'm not smelling anything like that in this at all. Dry: This just gets more gorgeous and sweet as it dries. The orange blossom and strawberry work so so well together. Poppy hasn't showed up on me at all...this pretty much stays the same from top to bottom on my skin (the strawberry and orange blossom creating a nice steady crescendo with their love affair) Overall: Oh yeah! This imp isn't going to last a long time. If you like fruity scents, you've gotta try this one!

In the imp: Fig and almond milk. Wet: This smells JUST like "Indian Summer" by Ava Luxe (which I love)! I'm not sure if the note listing is the same but they smell very similar! This is yummy fig with mild spices and a sweet almond milk note. Dry: When this dries, the almond milk note morphs to a coconut milk note instead. The fig is still dominant and I'm sniffing just the faintest base of sandalwood (It's there but you've kind of need to look for it). Overall: Freakin' DREAMY! Oh yeaaahhh! Yummy and delicious all around (without smelling too sweet). This one is slather worthy.

The Native American Creator / Trickster God of Chaos and Change. The warmth of doeskin, dry plains grasses and soft, dusty woods warmed by amber and a downy, gentle coat of deep musk. In the imp: Cedar with something sharp...and then something sweet and mildy spicy. Wet: A teeny teeeeeny bit of vetiver with a large hunk of cedarwood. There's a bit of sweet musk mingling in the background and I'm not getting any amber at all. Dry: Dry this is a strange, sweet musk. The little bit of vetiver has now disappeared and I'm left with a slightly powdery musk. Overall: Hmm...I liked this in its wet phase but dry is just not happening for me. More vetiver please! ETA Lab description.

In the imp: Pretty, fairy tale peach scent. Wet: Wow, I don't think there's a BPAL scent quite like this one at all. I instantly like this. It's mildly fruity with a misty feel to it. The description is perfect...it's exactly what I imagine while sniffing this one. This sort of reminds me of a really nice shampoo my mother used to get when I was a kid. I wish I could remember the brand. This doesn't smell soapy at ALL, just clean and pretty. I already love this. Dry: Just as gorgeous dry as it was wet. Again, mild fruit and mist against a base of sandalwood and gentle musk. This becomes a bit powdery as this dries (amber?) but not so much where it's unwearable. Overall: I can see this one becoming really popular. It's unlike any BPAL scent I've tried and is just PRETTY, plain and simple I can see myself wearing this scent for the rest of the summer and during the spring months.

I have a silver-colored goldfish named "Nosferatu". I will think of this as his scent. In the vial: Sharp pine! Oh my! Wet: Ohhh! Wonderful khus and that strange "dust" note (dunno how she does it but it's dead on) with pine needles. Wow! Sniffing this even has a cooling effect on my nose. How neat! Dry: Wowowow gorgeous! This smells like the breeze blowing in from a spooky forest...through a large set of gothic windows into an old, dusty library. I always associate khus with the smell of old library books. I just LOVE the way this smells. Thre's a nice base of myrrh and patchouli on my skin. Overall: Such a sexy vampire scent. I've gotta pick up a bottle ASAP. Wowza.

In the imp: Plummy wormwood. Slightly medicinal smelling. Wet: Mmmm dark plum with smoke. This reminds me of Medicine Show...through a thick purple mist. Dry: Ahhh there's the ozone. This is actually quite nice. After reading the note listing I knew this one would be hit or miss for me (nothing inbetween). So far, so good! I'm really liking the imagery this conjures up. This smells mysterious and slightly dangerous (in a good way!) STotM dries down to a plummy incense scent with a background of ozone (a very faint, delicate background, as if the sky is so filled with smoke you can only get faint glimpses of it). Overall: Another immediate LOVE for me. Truely a unique scent. Love love love!

Ok, this was given to me in a recent forum purchase. I loved it so much I bought a bottle that day. I'm reviewing what's left of my imp In the imp: Sweet lemons. Wet: A BEAUTIFUL lemon note, slightly sweet, not at ALL like cleaning fluid...this one is very wearable! The tuberose blends with the lemon flower beautifuly and the opium smoke keeps everything from going too girly and pretty. Dry: The coconut note comes out a bit more as this dries and the musk blends with the opium smoke creating a sort of lemon incense sort of smell. Overall: THIS is how you do lemon. Everything in this blend is so so well-balanced. When I first sniffed this I knew it would rocket up to my top 5. A wonderful CD scent, not to be missed at all! I can see this one being popular with lots of different noses

In the imp: Vintage cologne smell. Wet: The Salon blends are all so complex, it's really ahrd to pick out individual notes. This has a real classic...vintage perfume feel to it. There's a sharp, bitter note in here...I think that may be the cypress. I will agree with everyone when they say "cologney". Dry: Yup! Just like everyone else has been saying, this is a real morpher (like like old vintage cologne you find at antique stores! First sniff isn't that great but a minute on your skin and the real smell comes through). This is now a gentle wisp of red musk mixed with resins and the memory of something herbal smelling. Overall: The wet phase wasn't so great by dry...it's pretty damn fantastic if you ask me. I'm not so sure this is something I'll wear ALL the time, but I can definitely see myself dabbing some of this behind my ears on special occasions or in the winter when I make my annual trip to the Boston Ballet at the Wang Center.

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this one yet! Scherezade is one of my all-time favorite BPAL scents. This is the perfect red musk. There's the sort of "juicy" quality that red musk has and it's paired with a gentle brush of spices. This is warm, sexy and absolutely gooorrgeous! This has always gave me images of a seductive belly dancer writhing through silk veils while lit candles flicker and make her shadow move across the wall. I use this one to layer and "deepen" a lot of other scents. This goes really great with fruit scents that won't stay on my skin. The red musk helps keep it anchored down. If you love incense/exotic perfumes you've GOTTA try this one. It's a holy grain scent for sure

In the imp: Minty ozone Wet: Again, minty ozone with a sharp violet leaf and a bit of amber. This reminds me of something from the Steamworks series. Dry: This smells like fresh morning air to me (with the mint acting as sort of a toothpaste in the morning smell ). I'm not detecting any smokey notes at all. This is a very bright ozone scent with amber anf violet (to keep it from smelling like laundry soap). Overall: Very nice! I can appreciate this one but I think it's a bit masculine for me (says the girl who lives vetiver. lol I just associate most ozone aquatic scents with men. I think that's because my father wore all ozone type scents when I was growing up.)

In the imp: Woah! Intrestingly enough, this smells like the inside of a hotel lobby to me...not a cheap litle motel but a nice hotel you stay at when on vacation to say...Disney World! Wet: Ok, I can't get by the fact that this smells exactly like the lobby of a hotel. This also smells like the inside of the camper my family used to rent as a kid in Point Sebago Maine. This smells like fresh, green plants, leather (??), the perfume of other people and the faint memory of smoke embedded in the fabrics. Dry: As this dries it remidns me less of the inside of ahotel lobby (which wasn't bad, btw) and more of a sharp, woodsy mans cologne. I think this would smell great on my husband during the winter months. Overall: I like this one a lot! I won't wear it but I'm sure my husband will adore it. I also love how this remidns me of a hotel lobby and the camper I used to spend summersin as a kid. it's kind of magical what scent can do for the memory sometimes. I just recalled a bunch of things I thought I'd forgotten forever. Thank you, Beth!

In the imp: Melon candies. Wet: Ok, this is going to drive me nuts! But, this smells JUST like a candy (now discontinued) that I ate in the 90s. They were small, hard, round candies that were sort of like those lifesaver "holes" candies but came in a box and had a tropical theme. The flavors were all tropical and the comemrcial featured kids dancing around and splashing into the water on a tropical island. I wish I remembered the name of these things! I feel like they were naemd after an island or...i could be wrong but, if anyone remembers the name of these thigns please PM me! Yeah but, that's what this smells like wet. Dry: Dry this is sour fruit with something dusty smelling in the background. Overall: The wet stage was fun and nostalgic for me but this just goes sour and old on my skin. My husband agrees with me. Oh well

In the imp: Incense! Reminds me a bit of All Souls. Wet: Mmmm sweet, smoky incense with a hint of tobacco smoke. This one gets right to the point, a very simple (yet beautiful) blend. Dry: Just a single incense note to my skin. This is like All Souls on me...without the cake. Wonderful! This is also very mild and sticks close to my skin. Overall: I just LOVE this one. This would probably be great for layering other scents as it is almost like a single incense note on me. Love love. I've gotta pick up a 5ml of this one soon. This will be a great addition to my CD collection

The scent of the salty seas, bittersweet wine, palm and tropical ferns. In the imp: A warm tropical scent. Like a hot breeze. Wet: Wow...well I'll be darned, it's an aquatic scent I think I might like! This is a fresh burst of rain-soaked tropical plants. The "salty sea" note is pretty incredible. This really does an amazing job creating the image of lush palm trees outside a little bungalow next to the ocean. I'm sipping wine and soaking up the sun. I can hear the waves crashing in the background and the birds calling out overhead. Dry: The dry stage of this smells like salt encrusted skin warmed by the sun. This is clean (but not soapy), very very mildy floral smelling and just lovely. Overall: A really nice "fresh" scent I can see myself wearing a lot these summer months. Beautiful!

In the imp: Sweet herbs Wet: Hmmm...very odd I'm smelling sandalwood in this. I'm also getting a subdued (not overly sweet) fig with herbs. This really has a "woodsy" quality to it. Dry: This dries down to a sandalwood smelling cedar note on me (??) Weird! Overall: Very pleasant but a little forgettable for me. I was hoping for more fig and currents. Oh well! Nice but not for me

In the imp: A watery bouquet Wet: Rose paired with moss making it smell like a "sharp" rose. Lots of floral notes going on here! I'm not detecting any saldalwood, myrrh or amber at all. This is allll flowers on me (slightly aquatic smelling) Dry: This is almost ALL rose on me as this dries. Just rose and moss. In the final drydown stage I'm sniffing a bit of lilac. This ends up as an expensive smelling soap scent on my skin. Overall: I can appreciate this one but it's not for me.

Skin musk, white cream, honeycomb, yellow rose, King mandarin, chrysanthemum, golden amber, honeysuckle, and wide-throated yellow monkey-flower accord. In the imp: Strong hairspray rose Wet: Wow...really strong....still very much like hairspray or department store perfume. There's a lot going on in this. This is very floral smelling on me. Dry: A bunch of sour floral notes on my skin. I've gotta wash this off, it's a bit too much for my nose. Overall: Not for me at all. I can see why a floral lover would adore this but unfortunately for Schlafende Baigneuse, I'm a woodsy resin kinda gal ETA lab description

In the imp: Sticky sweet cinnamon. Yum! Wet: Beautiful brown, sugary cinnamon smell warmed by copal. I'm not detecting any honeysuckle at all. Dry: Same from top to bottom, a cinnamon buns scent. Very odd considering the note listing, but really nice! Overall: My skin eats this one up. I'll have to wear this one out for a whole day to see how it holds up but, so far I love it! ETA: It's been a day now and I've decided that I don't like his one. This dries into a stale smelling car air freshener scent on my skin. This is nice int he wet stage but dry it's pretty gross on me ><