Usagi

In the Imp: sweet almond, candied coconut, and...fried food? Wet: SWEET coconut milk, and dry coconut pieces, with a faint salty, clay-like smell Dry: sweet coconut floral This scent, on me, is like a stronger version of Snow White; there's something in the background than adds an adult depth to it, possibly faint coconut rum, or some other tropical alcohol. Very nice.

I received a decant of this in a mystery pack a while back. This scent was super morph-tastic on me. The only constant was some kind of chocolate. Lots of fun to sniff. In the Imp: Chocolate, probably dark or bittersweet--powdery and dry, but sweeter than just cacao, and the possibility of mint On wet: chocolate bubblegum Dry: chocolate, slightly salty caramel, and an elusive mint in there somewhere.

In the Imp: creamy, sharp, with some faint nuttiness underneath Wet: grapefruit bath product Dry: sweet, tangy citrus aquatic, with a hint of spice I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It's such a nice citrus smell, very bright and beach-ready; not ominous at all. The dry down especially is very subtle and wearable. On a personal note, I experienced a weird mental glitch when glancing at the imp label, and thought "BPAL has a scent called The Deftones?! " (In fairness, the label was slightly rolled) I think this one is a keeper for summer use; at the beach. Or is that like inviting disaster? eta: because I fail at spellcheck...

In the Imp, wet, and on dry down, this smells of only one thing: cedar. And it is strong; like being trapped inside a cedar chest. Except for a brief moment during dry down, where it gets an added hint of earthiness, this does not morph at all. This is definitely not for me, but if you are looking for cedar, or would like a strong, masculine scent, you might give this one a try.

In the Imp: Dragon's Blood and something sharp and 'perfumey' Wet: Light, sweet Dragon's Blood. This is much lighter than the other Dragon's Blood blends I've tried. Dry: Creamy, sweet Dragon's Blood. This is gorgeous! It really does have a dreamy quality to it, but not at all heavy; sort of soft and ethereal. This may also be the first time that something with amber in it hasn't tried to do a powdery perfume imitation on my skin. Or that the ylang ylang hasn't screamed from the rooftops. Apparently, the notes in this blend into absolute gorgeous without any quarrels at all. Definitely in contention for my favorite of the Ars Draconis (only a few more to go ).

I'm apologizing beforehand, because I usually do the whole imp to dry review. But this imp didn't change on me at all, and it is going to be kept and cherished simply for the sheer of scent that it was on my skin. Basically, I got a decant of this in a mystery pack from a lovely forumite. I tried it on, and my reaction was "this smells so familiar...what is it???" I had a friend sniff my wrist and she agreed it was familiar. I sniffed again. "I know what it is!" "It's the baggage claim at LAX?!" Honestly, this smells on me like the scent of industrial suitcases(fabric/vinyl, not leather) coming off of the conveyor belt while standing next to people who have been in their cologne so long that it has become skin-warmed and mellow. This is probably one of the most unusual oils I have tried.

in the Imp: Jasmine, floral Wet: Jasmine-- light, sweet, and heady (yes, that does seem contradictory) Dry Down: Jasmine, or possibly stephanotis. I'm am pleasantly surprise by this scent. I just received it as a frimp from the lab, and was leery of trying it, because of the high possibility of jasmine. It is jasmine, but in a soft floral, perfect way. Finally, a BPAL jasmine I can wear! Really pleased right now. After about an hour of dry down, there is a hint of spiciness, possibly clove. But it just adds to the gorgeousness of this scent, rather than detracting from it, keeping the sweetness in check. Not a lot of throw, but that works for me. I very nice, up close, 'you-smell-good' kind of scent. Yea!

Oh, wow. I'm so glad I'm not with the skin skank contingent on this scent! On me, it's more like a traditional cologne. in the Imp: woody, sharp and slightly sweet. A dry, light wood Wet: Men's cologne, sharp and woody; very classy Dry Down: warm, powdery, sharp men's cologne. It smells so familiar, but can't put my finger on it. I wanted to say sandalwood; it had a similar sharpness. But on dry down, I'm not so sure. It's very classy. Subtle, doesn't have a lot of throw. Not for me, but it would probably smell great on a man or on women who can rock the more masculine scents. In my mind, it's the conjure bag's male complement to Love Me.

In aromatherapy, I think anything citrus or Jasmine is supposed to be uplifting/energizing/happy. So, if either of those notes works on your skin, you might give scents that have them a try. Personally, I'd say-- Shanghai: light, bright citrus, that reminds me of summer. the Unicorn: it's more peaceful and uplifting, but still really nice. Akuma: this might just be personal, but it smells like candy-- mostly Sweet Tarts-- and it just makes me smile. the Hesperides: creamy, warm apple. Absinthe: smells like anise milk, which I find really comforting and happy. I think I'm going to have to go try some of the other suggestions myself, now.

It really is the scent of a coffee shop at the holidays. Bottle: rich, dark coffee lightly sweetened with egg nog cream. Wet: the coffee and creamer strike a balance of delicious intensity. Dry down: sweet vanilla with a hint off holiday coffee in the background. I'm not much of a coffee scent person, but this is awesome! Perfect to wear for cold, rainy weather. The dry down also lasts for a good while.

Imp: wood; resin, dirt and sharpness Wet: not very strong, but lush and light-- the ray of sun penetrating the tropical canopy and warming the leaves, blossoms and dark soil. There is also a slight skin cooling sensation to the oil itself. Dry down: citrusy shower product-- as in it isn't overwhelming like a classic perfume. It's very light, both in fragrance and composition; easy to get used to and forget you have on your skin. Conclusion: This would be a great summer scent; perhaps added to unscented lotion. The ginger is a refreshing balance to the floral, with just enough earthiness to make Pele unique.

Imp: Candied cherries and something green, against a faint backdrop of alcohol Wet: Creamy, sweet Amaretto Dry down(2 hours later): sweet, waxy vanilla Conclusion: This is definitely worth trying if you are looking for a rich, creamy scent with just a little bit of a boozy kick.

Imp: Very strong, more masculine with a nutty undertone Wet: citrusy, bright Dry down: very light; sweet citrus bath product. Conclusion: I guess I get mainly geranium, with some calla lily sweetening it. Thank goodness, because cedar usually takes over my skin. And it's such a reversal from what I smelled in the imp; quite girly and soft. This is actually quite nice on the dry down, not terribly strong, but really pleasant to catch a whiff of on your skin now and then. Lasts nicely also; at least three hours on my skin without fading much.

Imp: roses and something sweet; almost cloying. Wet: faint rose, and overwhelming sweetness. Dry down: Rose and powder, with something underneath that's a little off. Conclusion: I'm guessing it's the musk at play, giving it that strange, foreboding sweetness. Not for me, but if you like rose and musk, give this a try.

in the decant: fresh, minty melon, with subtle floral background on: smooth, creamy melon; green and sweet. It reminds me of a certain slushie made with fresh, ripe honeydew that I once had. After extended wear(2-3 hours), it becomes a little less bright and more mellow-warm summer melon, and feels a little more like a perfume. Honestly, I ordered Earth Ox in the hopes that it might be a plum version of this incredible melon goodness.

I'd like to preface this by saying that this bottle came from eBay, and --I'm going to guess-- it's probably aged, since it's in a cobalt bottle. The liquid itself is this gorgeous, thick brownish red; goes very well with the scent description. In the bottle: spicy, dry on: sticky, some kind of woodspice, smoke/ash. At first cool, a feeling on the skin as well as a tickling of the nose when I sniff. At one point, it reminds me of the medicinal comfort of old herbal cough syrup, or maybe jaegermeister? Later, it dries down in to a warm, sexy, herbal campfire. I get no leather, much more spice and woodiness. Very rich and interesting fragrance.

In the imp: smells like a sophisticated men's cologne-- light and citrusy. On: Green tea and lemon verbena( the plant; there's something woody, slightly peppery and warm, in it). It's a light fresh scent, with a surprising sour-salty twist. I agree with the people saying this is a summery scent. It would be great for summer, or for when you miss balmy mornings in the herb garden. Not a particularly strong scent-- at least, on me, but I like that-- and nice staying power. Lovely.

Finally getting around to reviewing some of my hoarded imps! So, Urania: In the imp: White floral with some aquatic and/or citrus notes. There is also something smooth underlying, musk, and when I stir the little imp wand, perhaps the vaguest hint of almond. On, wet: warm, complex white floral with a little tangy 'kick'. Dry down: Straight white floral aquatic. Very complex and feminine. On my skin, this scent kind of reminds me of White Moon '06. Urania is slightly sharper, but still very bright and light. Overall, a very classic, feminine scent.

in the imp: bright pine and eucalyptus on me: at first, very bracing pine and eucalyptus. It even feels cooling on my skin. Then it morphs to very nice pine with something not very nice and soapy. dry: gone faint and musty. Dried pine sap, perhaps. Sadly, not for me. This would make a very nice Holiday room scent, or cologne, for someone who had very dissimilar skin chemistry to mine.

A paean to all the Wicked Queens, Evil Stepmothers, and other misunderstood villainesses throughout history and lore. Lends an aura of majesty, refinement, strength, and a deep, brooding malice. A sophisticated, womanly scent: rich myrrh and jasmine draped in the subtlest rose. Wicked, in the imp, smelled very perfumey. I can pick out the rose and a little jasmine. But it's extremely well blended. On me, drying down, this smells like a classic perfume. I envision some glamorous Forties star of the silver screen slipping this on before her film's opening at Grauman's Chinese theater. Wicked is warm and dry, and somehow heavy. A very sophisticated blend of rose and jasmine that would be totally at home on an evil stepmother's wrist. Specifically, I'd say Snow White's evil stepmother-- the Disney version. later(1 hour): very faint powdery rose smell remaining Conclusion: a really well done scent, if a little too perfumey for me. Editted to add: BPAL description

I'm glad I didn't read the description before testing this. I read it after taking notes of the scent, and I'm impressed how well this suits the story and draws those images in your mind. Imp:damp and dark-- perhaps charcoal grey; kind of musty anise or licorice candy with a faint perfume-like echo. Wet: licorice and cologne, not a very strong scent; sweet and powdery Dry down: it’s disappearing, very faint sweet cologne fading to the background. Later: very faint sweetish powder, like insipid granny perfume. Slightly later than that: It seems to be warming up again and I feel as though I'm being surrounded by ghostly old lady perfume for no apparent reason; quite disconcerting. If the old lady were real and living in a neighborhood where children had begun disappearing from their beds at night, this is the scent that would linger in their darkened rooms. The scent started out just as the story described-- somewhere in a dank cave. Then it lulls you into a false sense of security by nearly fading away. After an hour or two, you have this strange sense of something not being right, before your mind realizes it's that faint sickly sweet odor that has been following you around. Right before she jumps out of the shadows and grabs you. Extremely creepy and evocative, but not a scent for me.

This little imp was a frimp in an order of a few months ago, and it was about time it was tested. In the imp: dragon’s blood, but a little sweeter and more powdery On Wet: dragon’s blood and babies, and something sort of like suntan lotion? Dry down: getting random sweetness, lilies; less spice,more mellow. Perhaps almond extract? Later: warm and slightly powdery almond handsoap. Summary: Spicey sweetness to creamy almond handsoap. It is both warm and bright. I have a feeling this will find a good home with a Dragon's Blood loving friend of mine. On a side note, After about three hours of creamy almond handsoap, I layered it with Dracul (of all things). A surprisingly nice combo, kind of piney cream. Someone somewhere mentioned Dragon's Milk smelling to them something like Dr. Pepper, and I can see where they got the comparison. It's spice with creamy almond vanilla.

What Christmas trees would smell like if they wore cologne. in the imp: very thick pine sap, with a chill note(eucalyptus/menthol) that makes my nose cold: Vyc's Vapor Rub, but in a good way. wet: really thick evergreen, with spice notes. Very like Christmas trees. drying: the evergreen mellows out to allow more spiciness. dry: a warm, spicy scent with barely a hint of pine. So, you go out to the snowy forest to find the ideal tree, take care in cutting it, bring it back, and sit enjoying it's presence by a warm winter fire. While this would probably fall under the more "masculine" scent category, I can see getting a bottle of this for December, to put on everything-- not just me-- and infuse it with warm pine/spice goodness.

I was hoping for a great fall kind of scent, with all the requisite spices; maybe something along the lines of Bath & Body Works "Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin". The initial impression of Jack was a much more foodie, far less spiced scent. in the imp: Home decor creamy pumpkin candle. I can see where people are referencing the butter. wet: more foodie candle. fairly strong scent, but not so much as Gluttony. Not so much spice, more of a buttery creamy vanilla. dry: vanilla candle; burning. And that's all. Very creamy vanilla with just a hint of some kind of smokiness that I associate with burning candles. It's a nice scent, maybe as a room fragrance, just like the candles it reminds me so much of. Unfortunately, on me(after about three minutes), it's only vanilla. And then it's gone.

I was so excited about the linden factor, that I went straight for a 5ml. I have to say, this is an extremely well blended scent! You can pick out individual notes if you stand there and inhale your arm, but the combination does really well in presenting itself as one unified fragrance. A very calming scent, to me at least. I can feel that image of the shady pool beside the green meadow. I thought I got a tiny whiff of half of what linden blossoms smell like at one point, but not the super- lindeny goodness I was craving. *sigh* in the bottle: sweet bubble bath, with an undertone of freshness. wet: bubble bath gives way to florals, and warm herbal tones. drying: the tiniest woodsy-ness comes out and melds with the florals and herbs. dry(after three hours: yes, I can still smell it): It's barely a whisper on my wrist anymore, but every now and then, I'll catch a little breeze of scent. Elusive, just like a unicorn. Aquatic, warm herbal, light floral; innocent. This scent doesn't disappear on me so much as just blend with my consciousness. Wearing it is very comforting, so much so that I forget I'm wearing it until I catch a hint of it. I recommend it if you are looking for a light floral-- perhaps for a warm day-- that's not too attention drawing.