fairnymph

Colourless oil. Fresh, bright, sour-sweet, tart and juicy green apple - with a hint of a slightly soapy, airy sort of blossom floral note behind it, possibly apple blossom. Springlike and youthful in feel.

Instantly much more floral - and there is a strong floral here I know, beyond the apple blossom of which I'm pretty sure. Something white? I'm not sure why my brain is broken. Possibilities that come to mind: narcissus, gardenia, neroli - there is sharpness to this blend.The apple is much fainter on my skin, instantly, than it was in the imp, and it has gone a bit artificial and fake, like the aftertaste of cheap sour apple candy. Still soapy in a slightly cleanerish way, like Comet - it makes me want to sneeze a bit.

This is going quite strongly to artificial plastic chemical YUCK on me which make me bet on narcissus strongly as one of the f florals (but there are a few here). If the oil weren't colourless, I'd almost suspect some dragon's blood too because this has that odd sweet floral cheap generic air freshener soapiness that makes my face itch. I do think there is some 'strong traditional most likely white floral' bc this has just turned so INTENSELY floral on my skin.

Oh, I'm an idiot - I know what the obvious classic floral is - ROSE! - and it's the exact same one from Rose Red 07 & 09. At this point about an hour in, the apple is 99% gone, leaving only a sticky artificial residue. But most of the plastic here is due to this rose note, which is the only one that goes plastic on me but in a very distinctive chemically way. I do still think there is some narcissus here because this is sharper and whiter feeling than Red Rose, and overall this blend reminds me a bit of Pride, which is a n/r blend.

Yep, this is all the sharp, chemical, plastic rose of the later Red Rose blends with some also sharp and a little plastic narcissus and definitely at least one other floral, since this has been going soapy on me from the other start - apple blossom can explain some of the soap, but not all. A faint trace of artificially flavoured sour apple candy, but really the apple was gone within minutes on my skin as usual and then it turned. Initially low throw, this amps up to have powerful throw then fades quite a bit.

A major disappointment, but I'm very glad I finally got to try it thanks to the always fabulously generous bookandbroom. *hugs*

Light golden yellow oil. Intensely creamy and rich white chocolate that smells a bit artificial, quite a bit of brandy that's only lightly tinged with apricot, and a light but delicious and unique black raspberry note. I'm sad and surprised by how weak the fruit is.

More...perfumey? As in, sorta floral? Bizarre. More of the black raspberry, which is definitely black raspberry, not raspberry or blackberry - it's a new note in BPAL to my nose, and I love it! It's like a darker, less sweet, more complex raspberry note. The booziness has faded dramatically letting a bit more apricot emerge, but it's not too heavy or cloying as I often find that fruit. The white chocolate is still heavy and fake-ish, but I do get a strong cocoa butter note. Less creamy but no less rich.

Faint throw on my skin for how much I slathered and how strong it is in the imp, so I had to reapply. The delicious black raspberry note really amps on my skin to become by far the strongest note, with apricot firmly in second place, and not syrupy - more of the jammy, cooked apricot note from Banketstaaf. The brandy note holds well after its initial fade and adds wonderful depth, richness and complexity. The white chocolate, though thankfully light, is more plastic-fake, with an oddy creamy waxiness and that musty quality of many foody/baked good scents in the drydown.

Delicious, deep and true black raspberry and rounded apricot brandy (it's like I can smell the wood it was aged in - sort of like an apricot Montresor) over fairly faint fake vanilla/musty white chocolate. This would be SO INCREDIBLE without the white chocolate, and I may try to put up with it. Good throw and longevity after heavy slathering.

ETA: It really does smell like an 80s fruity plastic doll when I sniff and think about it, now. Which is not necessarily bad. And the roommate liked this one and he's much pickier than I am.

Golden oil. Rich, honeyed, intense beeswax, sour rose and sour wine, and a lot of sweet, dark and heavy frankincense. An odd mix of sweet and sour, with all notes accounted for.

More, rose and it's less sour - I think most of the sourness is from the wine - it's actually a fairly fresh rose, not really 'dried' - and while it's a strong note on my skin, it's not taking over the blend by any means. The beeswax continues to be a powerful presence, still very rich but less honey-sweet, and it has a lot of heft to it - both it and the frankincense feel particularly heavy and verging on cloying. More smoke & resin/incense qualities from the frankincense.

Darker and darker. The rose has faded and become more sour again, a reversal to its imp-state - and been overshadowed (as has the beeswax somewhat) by the frankincense and wine, and I swear I get the dark oak note from Zadok Allen Vinyard and the Antikythera Mechanism - actually this scent reminds me of the former quite a bit though this lacks fruit. This just smells very woody and smoky, a bit bitter, rather masculine.

The wine note is interesting in that I'd never mistake it for grape (let alone grape syrup as wine in BPAL often is), but it doesn't really scream wine to me - more like a poor quality wine that's been left open for a few days and has turned vinegary. But I don't think I'd identify it as wine blind. Frankincense and dark wood are definitely ruling this, but the wine has become less sour over time, integrating with the other notes.

After an hour or so the rose is truly more like dried rose - a very subtle sprinkling of petals - this would be a good scent for those who fear rose or amp it out of control. The beeswax has lost just enough of its cloying richness to be warm and glowing and creamy-waxy with a light sweetness - it's very lovely in the later stages, and becomes a main player again, on par with the dark woods and smoky, sweet frankincense, with no distinct wine but a suggestion of faintly fruity-boozy purple depth. Moderate throw, fades a fair bit. Unisex.

Morphs a lot on my skin, but it's never something I'd wear.

Light yellow oil, maybe - nearly dry sniffie, so hard to tell. Pretty much straight sweet, creamy, vanillic yellow cake with rich, more sugary than butter vanilla frosting - but this is surprisingly not too sweet or buttery, not cloying. I get a bit of fruit punch candy fruit like it's been sprinkled on top of the cake.

Stronger, richer and foodier on my skin - the cake note is really pronounced, more than the frosting - and I get a definite hint of spice that is almost definitely clove, and possibly there's a little cinnamon or cassia here. This feels really 'warm', sort of comforting, like cake fresh out of the oven, and a bit of an autumnal vibe. More towards buttery (definite tonka here), and less towards the more delicate vanilla on my skin, sadly. That faint fruitiness I smelled initially is totally overwhelmed by CAKE at this point.

This is reminding me of CD023 quite a bit, so I'm pretty sure that was a proto for this scent. And now it's going fruity, further supporting that theory - I'm getting a berryish or stonefruit jam or jelly note of some sort - specific fruits that come to mind are raspberry, apricot and fig. There's a heavy warmth to the fruit which makes me most suspect the latter two. I also get a bit of a Candy Phoenix thing but lightly - I'm not getting all the intense sugar of other reviewers. The rich butter cake is still going strong, but smells drier - almost stale - and the creamy vanilla frosting is still sadly light.

This has turned incredibly fruity - the blend is all about the fruit now, with only a bit of slightly dry-stale yellow cake in the background. I've pinned down the fruits - I think - as a blend of apricot, fig, and possibly a little candied red cherry (think slushies, cherry flavoured blow pops, etc). The apricot mixed with the cherry and the hint of foody cake and spices reminds me of Banketstaaf- I'm pretty sure it's tee same apricot jam note - and the fig reminds me of the note from Carnal. I'd say the apricot is the strongest note at this point.

Unfortunately this is making my skin itch, and I don't get cinnamon red hots but I do get a lot of warmth so I'm still betting on cassia, even though it's not very distinct here. Very likely also a touch of clove, but mostly this is apricot jam, sweet fig and syrupy, candyish red cherry over a much lighter backdrop of foody, tonka-rich yellow cake with sugary vanilla icing. 90% super sweet fruit and 10% cake. Sure to be popular, but not working for me at all. Amps up to have decent throw and longevity.

Meh.

Extremely pale nearly colourless yellow oil. Soft, gentle, sweet and delicate - and oddly both sort of warm, in a flushed skin sense, but also slightly cool, from the light snow note (which strikes me as being faintly piney and faintly minty, but either way too faintly to be sure). Sniffing more deeply, I get a bit of citrusy bergamot and a hint of spice. The florals are very delicate.

An odd sort of rotten floral note emerges - the same thing I get from Ides of March, and more recently Penis Admiration - I usually attribute it to iris, so I have no idea what the true cause is here, but maybe it's bergamot bc this really does remind me QUITE a bit of Ides, albeit more feminine and without the greenery. Or maybe it's the olive blossom, which I can't identify here and it's usually a distinct note on my skin. The snow note strikes me as the same delicate minty one from Ded Moroz and Winter Mums, which is the one snow note I like and can wear. The amber is definitely white amber, furthering the DM similarity. I love the lily here - it's subtly sweet, fresh, and clean - quite like stargazer.

As this dries some musk, a delicious sweet vanilla musk - the same from Victoria - begins to amp on my skin. The mysterious rotten floral aspect is fading (and I think it might either BE the bergamot or else it's merging with the bergamot), and I'm getting a more distinct greenish, bright yet warm edge that I think is due the cardamom - yet this is nothing like the intense spice and heat of the note in Lamia. If I didn't know it, I definitely wouldn't guess there were snow in this blend at this point, and I doubt I would have earlier either - it's very faint, and this blend definitely trends more towards warmth.

Okay, I have pinned it down - I believe the 'rotten floral' effect I get has something to do with the minty note here meant to convey snow, and I was wrong - it is NOT the same note as in DM and WM, though it is more like those snow notes than any other. But I think the actual mentholic/cool note here may be my nemesis PENNYROYAL. In any case this is much cooler and 'mintier' than it was earlier, and the white amber has also amped greatly. I finally get a little olive blossom, I think, which adds a rich edge to the creaminess of the vanilla musk. And I'm getting much more of the stunning lily note, which is sweet, luminous, bright and clean and yet not at all soapy or powdery. It reminds me of the Casablanca lily note from Sweet Life. The cardamom adds a touch of bright warmth and in tandem with the vanilla musk gives me a vague Lamia feel, but otherwise I'd never guess it were here.

This would be AMAZING without the rotten floral note. What's even more upsetting is I'm not sure what exactly is the source of said horror, because in all the blends that share this note, I can't find a common note that's actually listed. Frustrating!

Colourless oil. Slightly bitter and sharp citrus - sort of like lemon verbena crossed with narcissus?! - and the green tea note from Shanghai and Embalming Fluid. Very faintly below I smell some creamy, sweet, milky Bliss-style chocolate.

LEMON PLEDGE OF DOOM (yeah, um, what did the notes say again? they LIED). So this reminds me a lot of Shanghai, but more Pledgey and fortunately less soapy. The green tea note is lighter, overwhelmed by the LPoD, and the milk chocolate is even more smothered, almost to the point of total oblivion. And I was afraid of the milk chocolate in this blend!

MORE LEMON PLEDGE OF DOOM. It's trying to devour me whole! It is SUPER SUPER LEMONY and I do like lemon but TRUE lemon, not verbena furniture polish/floor cleaner obnoxious steamrolling bully FAKE LEMON. However, the green tea has amped up a little despite the aforementioned tyranny, and a milky creaminess underlies the 'blend' - chocolate I can't really pick out, though.

This is really just Shanghai with extra LEMON VERBENA and some faint milky creaminess - and a fair bit of sweetness that I seem to amp in the later stages even though no chocolate is distinct. A disappointing, shocking deviation from what I expected - although I guess it's still better than Bliss, which is even worse on my skin. Intensely strong throw that amps over time.

This is, obviously, a review of the prototype. I have no note information, so the following is simply my blind impression.

Pale yellow oil. Fresh, bright, ozoney, a little metallic, and little cologney - definitely some sweet-tart citrus peel (grapefruit or bergamot?), delicate florals of some sort, and maybe some other fruit, something tropical/exotic and zesty? Lovely!

More floral (though still fresh, light, and Spring-like - bulb flowers or blossoms) on my skin, and the ozone is even stronger, too - very zingy and fresh and white in feel. This reminds me a fair deal of Szessapony, but it's more interesting, less generic. This definitely has citrus peel and maybe some pith (it's slightly, pleasantly bitter) - I think it's white grapefruit, but it's much nicer than the note in Baobhan Sith which I find quite sharp - this is softer and sweeter. I think maybe there's a little mandarin in here, too. This is wonderfully clean and fresh, and the 'feel' reminds me a lot of Amsterdam, though this is more fruity and zesty. Daffodils and tulips wouldn't surprise me at all, and I definitely get some peony. Also maybe some cherry blossom?

As it dries it starts to remind me very strongly of something else but I can't place it...oh, oh wait, no, really, could it be - *goes to check* - it's Neo-Tokyo! YES!!!!!!!!!!!! A shockingly similar blend of ozone, delicate feminine florals, and juicy, bright fruits with a superbly sexy yet subtle musky base. Now I think I am getting some mint - it's extremely light, which must be why I missed it before - and I'm nearly 100% positive it's white mint. It mingles beautifully here and makes the blend cool and even more bright and refreshing. As for some other scents that I love that this evokes - add the Dormouse to the list (peony, and maybe there is tea here, too?). Wow, I'm absolutely in love with this!

This is reminding me a bit now of the Spell of Amorous Love, and earlier I suspected a tea note, so I think this has that blend's green tea note (it reminds me a bit of Matcha) which could also be one of the tea notes in the Dormouse, and the other fruit is definitely red currant, the same deliciously tart and juicy note from tSoAL. And...I'm pretty damn sure about the cherry blossom now, too, especially once I realised the N-T similarity. The cherry blossom has amped up quite a bit along with the peony, so this is Asiatic, Springy, pink blossom bliss! I get a very slightly soapy edge...but it's extremely slight, and mostly just adds to this blend's amazing feeling of CLEAN. This has so many refreshing notes, and I think I found yet another - ginger, the juicy bright sort, white Hawaiian I think - that would explain the Baobhin Sith association I got earlier!

The smooth, slightly grassy green tea and zingy-fresh ginger notes really amp in the late drydown, making this scent much stronger and less ephemeral but no less beautiful - but the cherry blossom has amped up even more, as has loads of musk to round things out. This has turned quite musky indeed, in an almost creamy sort of way - earlier I thought it might be vanilla musk, and there could be some of that too, but there's definitely white musk, a rounded sort that isn't too sweet or sharp. I find cherry blossom has an almost musky tone, as well, that could be adding to the MUSK. The musk(s) and cherry blossom only dominate the peony, tea, and ginger by a little bit, and the daffodil has amped up to be on par with these. The sweet-tart, juicy red currant is still here, but faintly - it's faded the most of all the notes, while the grapefruit peel has held really well and is almost candied - there's a sweetness here that I don't get with the typical BPAL white grapefruit note.

Cherry blossom dominates in the end - but not in an overbearing way - it's well balanced by the other beautiful notes, which it doesn't overwhelm, and yet it's definitely still intently cherry blossom focused. It's the ultimate cherry blossom scent - it actually reminds me a lot of the CB perfume that Bath&Body Works released several years ago for their Spring LE line, but of course this is MUCH lovelier and more complex. Totally stunning and absolutely my sort of scent, this has instantly become a top-10 favourite. Fortunately my skin amps it to have great throw after a few hours, and it lasts ages.

Another one I will hoard, and that I would sell my soul, my 9 remaining fingers, all my useful orifices, future unborn children, etc for more than the precious small quantity I have now.

This is, obviously, a review of the prototype. I have no note information, so the following is simply my blind impression.

Extremely pale yellow oil. Fresh, light and fruity. Like a virgin white sangria mixed with fresh cream - not that I get grape, but it reminds me of a refreshing summertime fruity drink. I also get a lovely creamy note, and some light florals. Beautiful!

Stronger, brighter, fruitier, creamier - more complexity to the fruit, it's both sweet and tart. There's definitely some white pear in this, and a slightly green spring floral, like crocus - as well as a sharper, brighter floral - maybe magnolia? It would explain the creamy effect. When I first applied this I had a sort of insta-memory of the Horn of Amalthea, I think due to the pear and crocus with the creamy backdrop, This also have a very similar feel - a very well-blended delicate melange of fruits and cream and honey - but white honey, very light and not too sweet, here. I'm pretty positive this has that cos lettuce note from HoA as well - sort of cool and watery and light green and refreshing, and there's definitely some cucumber too. So gorgeous!

Yeah, right now it's pretty much Squirting Cucumber crossed with HoA and both of those are scents I adore. However, it's definitely more floral than both and my skin is amping the flowers, as it does. In this case, they are lovely flowers and I'm thrilled. Definitely some creamy magnolia, and now a little bit of fruity sort of rose (like Marchen's The Rose, or the appley-rose of Rose Red 2005). There's a slightly spicy floral too, like phlox, and I think there's some daisy or a type of light carnation, too. This has also become more green, almost grassy on me, and reminds me of The Host of the Air and the Passionate Shepherd - fresh Spring greenery. I think there's some ivy (a tad bitter, a darker green feel) and heather here. And yet - it's still very creamy, sweet, and fruity. A definite cream note, the same exact one from HoA.

I'm trying to dissect the fruits. White pear, check. But there's another tarter note that's almost berryish - red currant, I think? And I think there is some white grape, the same note from Juliet, which this scent also reminds me of. But on top of that there's something else from the HoA - and I'm betting it's pomegranate. Amazingly the fruit doesn't 'curdle' the cream. I am so picky about cream notes, and this is THE creamiest cream note and one of the creamiest scents I've tested, without being sour or rancid, or too rich and buttery. It's just - perfect - and is the note that ties this blend together. I'm struggling to analyse this blend accurately because it's so complex and so well-blended.

In the later dry stages this reminds me VERY strongly of Kitsune-Tsuki, though the HoA and SQ similarities are still strong too. So I'm betting on some daffodil, with magnolia filling the role of the jasmine in K-T. And this goes QUITE musky on me like K-T so I wouldn't be surprised if there's white musk here, too. Daffodil and crocus have a lot in common to my nose but I do think both are present here. As said, this is a sweet, creamy and complex fruity floral with some bright spring greenery. Pear, white grape, red currant, maybe some plum and pomegranate - bc this is reminding me of Black Heart now, too. True cream and white honey. Definitely some cucumber and cos lettuce and possibly some true greenery - phlox, heather, maybe some grass and ivy - that gives the blend a slightly bitter and distinct green edge, making it all the more unique despite its similarities to other BPAL blends. And, this has good to great throw and longevity!

Amazing, utterly my sort of scent in every way, and something I will hoard when released! Oh, what I would give for more than the wee imp I have.

I only sniffed this briefly, as I can't use products with mineral oil so a skin test was out. But my impression:

RED MUSK whoa and maybe something minty, softly though, not a sharp or harsh or medicinal mint, maybe some tobacco, and then some sort of smoky-resiny incense.

Very helpful, I know...but definitely something for red musk, tobacco, and incense lovers.

Rich golden oil. Fresh, but also sharp, and very manly. A bit cologney but with lots of intense, dark and smoky vetiver. Maybe some leather lurking...and definitely some metal - that same 'steel' note from the Bloody Sword. This has some spice to it, too. Overall complex and intriguing being both cologney/bright/fresh and dark/spicy/smoky.

Vetiver galore, definitely in command - possibly two types of vetiver, the slightly soapy, light, cologney sort and the dark, smoky, gritty Brimstone/Djinn sort. There's also a bright white-green, slightly sharp floral that I'm almost positive is jonquil, and I think there is a little narcissus here, too. Also, some sweet and fruity that really helps balance this blend - papaya? Or green mango? It's slightly tart, and seem sort of tropical or exotic - I know for sure I've smelled this in another BPAL blend. This somehow reminds me of Green Phoenix and that could be why.

The fruit is really amping on me, sweet and tart but also oddly bitter, in a good way, like its not fully ripe, still green, and with pith and peel - the whole fruit - I suspect multiple fruits because I also get more intense fruity sweetness - kiwi, maybe? And now I'm getting a sort of raspberry note, a little plastic or artificial, like it's blue raspberry slushy - then again raspberry is often plastic on my skin. The vetiver has lightened a lot but there's still a tremendous dark depth to this scent, and while also lighter, I still get the steel note.

Definitely kiwi - I'm reminded of That! The Terror...but this is sweeter, riper - ah, it's MELON! I'm pretty decided on the papaya. The candied, almost dusky sort of fruit blend overall reminds me a bit of Candy Phoenix, too. This is going musky one me, and it's green musk, and overall this scent is beginning to remind me of I Married a Vampire from Planet X. A strong clove note is amping on me. Vetiver has faded further, but there's still some grit and smoke.

Green musk and something that's gone a bit powdery - maybe some black musk as well, or some black amber. Still lots of sweet, exotic fruit - kiwi and papaya and MELON and I still think raspberry - and the fake plasticky artificial, syrupy edge increases over time, much like how Candy Phoenix dries down on me. The clove remains strong, adding to the sharpness of the plastic, but it doesn't amp after its initial emergence. Vetiver and steel remain dark, masculine elements in the background, but this really becomes all about the musky fruit - a total morpher.

Not quite my style, but an impressive evolution that I think will vary greatly depending on individual skin chemistry with the potential for great yumminess.

2010 version

Very pale yellow oil. Super tart (almost sour), juicy fruit - lots of citron especially, but citron quince and apple aren't far behind. I think the myrtle is the sour, citrusy-green note, and it's quite strong, as is the bright green thyme. The sandalwood and musk here are super sexy, warm and creamy - but the myrrh strong is killing this blend for me - it's strongly dusty and bitter and oppressive, and combined with the cat-peeish AND soapy jasmine note - I'm not hopeful.

More apple - it was clear in the imp, but it really pops beautifully on my skin, and is very tart and crisp and fresh, like sour green apple candy - and it almost has a candied feel, too. The citron and myrtle soften a little to be still very bright and tart green citrusy notes, but much smoother and better integrated. The quince is jammy and sweet-tart and gorgeous as always, and the sandalwood has amped noticeably to be really sexy and creamy and not too dry or woody. The dusty, dark myrrh and cat-pee jasmine are lighter, but still a nagging presence that ruins this otherwise stunning blend.

QUINCE! This is very similar to if not the same not from Autumn Moon, and my skin loves to amp it, though amazingly the apple is still holding on very well too, and apple usually disappears rapidly on my skin. The thyme has amped up too, it's ALMOST a bit too much herbal-medicinal, but not quite - as it is, it gives a strong outdoorsy/garden impression that I enjoy. The citrusy notes and creamy notes are still strong and gorgeous, too. Unfortunately, the jasmine is really amping too, and it has a sour sharpness that reminds me of a certain type of gardenia, as well as cat pee and soap undertones...eek, this is such a shame! The myrrh has backed down enough or been overwhelmed as other notes amp that I could maybe handle it, but with this jasmine too - no way.

Later it's faint sweet-tart fruit, light green herbs and deliciously smooth and creamy sandalwood & musk with sour, urine-tinged JASMINE SOAP and some dusty myrrh. Once again, evil fucking jasmine and nasty fucking incense ruining a blend of notes I adore. Very strong throw at first which fades a bit, but then this blend holds reasonably well.

2010 version

Goldenrod-amber coloured oil. Sweet, musky, earthy, woodsy, and resinous - but much lighter, smoother and less harsh than I expected. The honey, beeswax and delicious rich musk jump out, as well as the oily ambrette, grassy balsam and a little well-behaved juniper and wonderful grounding oakmoss. Only light patchouli, which is what scared me most about this blend.

More green, sharper, more earthy - the patchouli comes out, and it is indeed intense and dark and earthy - but not that dirty, not the 'black' patchouli or the rooty sort or dirty hippie type - it's a very nice, natural type. Loving the balsam here which reminds me of Ü, but lighter here than in that scent. The beeswax is more distinct with a waxiness that blends with the warm oiliness of the ambrette and musk in a lovely way. The honey is surprisingly light now, possibly white honey. Oakmoss still lovely and still now root that I can detect. A very pleasant surprise.

My roommate says it reminds him of wild passionfruit, and it DOES smell fruity - and fresh and zesty and green. On him, it's a lot of earthier and darker with the patchouli in charge. But on me, it remains a lovely light note that merges with the oakmoss. I do definitely find this masculine, probably too much for my personal wear, but I'm loving it. The musk was strong to begin with but as usual it amps greatly on my skin as this dries and it becomes more and more sexy, really emulsifying the blend and making it seamless.

Okay, after a few hours and a bit of rubbing off on things accidentally, I'm getting a lot of patchouli and general incense/resin, as well as a definite, slightly dirty rooty note that must be the Sampson's root. The balsam has gone quite drily woody and lost most of its initial grassy fresh greenness, and the ambrette has darkened. The beeswax is less sweet, more dry and almost crumbly, and the (definitely white, bc it's so light) honey has faded. Oakmoss and juniper are still around and lovely, as is the amazing musk.

So in the end this is a very earthy scent with lots of patchouli and the Sampson's root dominating over an earthy, woodsy, and slightly resinous base of balsam, oakmoss, juniper and ambrette - with a good dose of rich, exotic musk to round things out. I really prefer the earlier stages which are sweeter, lighter, greener and fresher - but the final drydown is still nice - or at least, I think I'd enjoy it on a man - this isn't something I'd wear. Lower throw and decent longevity.

I might keep my imp to try on men.

Dry, slightly sour and vinegary grapey wine, lots of SMOKY wood - much darker and sharper and smokier and woodier than I expected.

A little sweeter - that coffee bean comes out, as well as bit more floral, a lovely soft pink smelling rose note. Some black cherry and plum, too! Much brighter and pinker/purple as opposed to brownish black (as in the bottle), in feel. But the wine's still very sour-vinegar and this is still very smoky and woody (think the black oak note from Antikythera Mechanism). I get the tang of blood - maybe that contributes to the sourness. Not really any dragon's blood, thank god!

This is settling down and coming together nicely, surprisingly quickly, too. The heavy wood and smoke have softened, and overall this blend has faded and quieted. The sourness of the wine has calmed, the coffee's less sweet and obvious. It's mostly the purple fruits and soft pink rose with a slightly boozy dark wood background - nice - and a little blood to keep things interesting. Reminds me now a bit of the Blood Garden, but much darker and less fruity.

This is one of those blends that just becomes more and more cohesive and seamless over time. It's dark fruit and even darker wood with just that touch of fresh, girly rose to keep it from being totally opressive. I don't mind the smokiness - it reminds me of - or might even BE - tobacco, which I like in perfume. The plum note is particularly lovely and overt in this, and really, the only thing that makes me feel iffy about this blend - beyond it being 'dark and smoky' - is the hint of coffee - it just makes this foody in a way that mars the blend for me.

Yeah, the bitter, black, and eventually a bit stale - definitely not the typical coffee note, but the same one from the BTOD2 proto - coffee, what I suspect is some smoky-gritty vetiver, and the oak - definitely that intense black oak note from the AM - make this just too dark and bitter for me. These dark/bitter note have intense throw on me, almost nauseatingly and I can only smell the lovely fruit, rose, and slight tang of blood if I sniff very closely, so this just doesn't work. As said - very strong throw and good longevity, too. I'd call this more masculine to unisex.

Peachy, light orange oil. Creamy, moderately sweet, foody delicious, rich VANILLA and some musky sandalwood. I get a hint of plastic, a tiny hint...otherwise this smells blissful.

Much drier and woodier and less sweet - the sandalwood explodes on my skin, and it's rather dry for my tastes. I think there is at least one other wood note here, too - I'm almost positive some warm, rich, exoctic teak (cause this reminds me of that note from Glowing Vulva), and it's so dry and warm that there could be some cedar, too. This has a hint of sharp spiciness, that plastic note, which is either carnation or saffron. This is reminding me of Underpants, except that it's much less sweet and creamy and rich and vanilla-y on my skin - and lighter in the imp, too. Definitely a similar vanilla/sandalwood/spice blend.

Oh yeah, this is totally reminding me of both GV and UP, like if they had a baby - and I really mean a baby, because this is a much lighter scent than either of those which are on me, VERY intense in throw and overall potency. This is no weakling, but it has a delicate feel - it's more like Jingo-Kogo in that regard, which has great throw and longevity, but has a 'light' feel. I'm pretty positive that this has both the teak note from GV and sandalwood and saffron notes from UP. Especially the last, as it's so distinctive and I've never smelled anything other than UP that shares this saffron note. I also get something a little - anisey? Very light, and I could be confusing it with the saffron which my skin does strange things too, but I get a tiny bit of black licorice.

The sandalwood note is not only the one in UP but also in Jingo-Kogo - so I now see why people find those two blends so similar, though I don't really because they FEEL so different to me - but yes, they have the same intense, musky, creamy, delicious sandalwood note. I think it's Mysore, based on comparison to my EO of that note. I'm still confused about the saffron note - I do think it is just saffron now, and not some anise in there - but it's turned into that sort of wintergreeny saffron note that Love's Philosophy turned into on my skin, and I am not a fan. Also, the teak here is just too rich for me - I rarely find teak wearable. Overall this scent amps up greatly in throw and potency.

Sweet, drily woody, deep and exotic teak with slightly sharp, intense, almost mentholic saffron dominate over a gorgeous creamy, musky, quite intense mysore sandalwood base with some of the soft vanilla from Antique Lace and UP. The latter two notes are fantastic and amazing and they are what jump out in the imp - but on my skin, the teak and saffron are total intense bullies and the vanilla in particular - which is so lovely - fades until it's a faint mist, taking some of the sweetness and creaminess with it, too. If this is released in a similar form, I will buy it anyway for a scent locket. Very strong throw and superb longevity.

Yeah, this one is going to be WILDLY popular.

Colourless oil. Warm, exotic fruity-floral. I get the champaca and pear most, with some warm wood - but not really any jasmine or spice, thankfully. Nicer, more feminine than expected.

Lots of champaca, intense and lush - but then I love champaca, so this is fine by me! The pear is still there, sweet and a little juicy tart - it works WONDERFULLY with the champaca. I get more woody warmth, but not in a very distinct way - I can tell there's red sandalwood, but the cedar is amazingly NOT distinct. A little peppery hint, and a little soapy jasmine, but both tolerable so far.

Champaca's still strong, but the jasmine is amping, and it reminds me strongly of an expensive hand wash - it's soapy, but expensively soapy, luxuriously soapy. But still - SOAPY. I get a bit of more of the pepper, which comes across more as a bite or a sharp edge than black pepper distinctly. The red sandalwood has amped further and is really rich and warm and exotic here, and the cedar is equally nice - a little more apparent now, but NOT going to pencil shavings - more subtle sauna.

A delicious, slightly soapy fruity-floral and exotic-warm-woody blend - I think it's reminding me of a Molton Brown handwash in particular. Much nicer than I anticipated with a black pepper note that quickly disappears, and a jasmine that turns unfortunately - but tolerably - soapy on my skin. Still, the lovely champaca and pear - which HOLDS on my skin as pear so rarely does - blend surprisingly well with the warm, dry woods - which usually are not my alley, but are working for me here. Good throw and decent longevity.

I may actually keep my bottle! A very pleasant surprise.

2009 version

Amber coloured oil. Sour rose (a la Empress, the Miller's Daughter, etc) and sweet piney resins and dark incense. Some balsam or pine pitch, frankincense, and dusty myrrh for sure. This is quite dry and woody too, so I suspect some rosewood at the very least. I do get a bit of smoky candle wax that reminds me a bit of the note in Gypsy Queen, but has a sort of old, dry, staleness to it here.

Much warmer and sweeter, instantly, with the sourness no longer sharp and unpleasant, but more of a balancing tanginess. The warm is so intense and sudden that I definitely suspect rosewood, as well as an amber of some sort, red sandalwood, and possibly a very well behaved and otherwise subtle cedar note. Really complex and very well blended immediately on my skin - amazing! The frankincense jumps out much more and is adding much of the sweetness, as is a slightly honeyed beeswax note that's very lovely and nothing like what I got in the imp. I still get the candle smoke, too, and it's definitely like GQ and quite nice. I'm pretty sure there is balsam (which is light and green and fresh, very smooth and almost a little sweet in a grassy way) in here as well as some sort of pine pitch.

Morphing more; this has faded a lot, and also become even more well-blended. It's also softened, and by that I mean that it literally feels softer as well as having lost most of its sharp, sour, or otherwise off-putting aspects. However, the rose has become sour again - and I really think it's that rose-infused amber combo from The Miller's Daughter - and the frankincense has amped up a lot - it's probably the strongest note now - and is cloying in its dark sweetness. In combo with the sweetness from the beeswax, this blend is just too sweet for me. Also, the incense is going a little soapy in the way that Black Lace's does on me. And this has become much, much dustier and more powdery - from the rosewood, the amber (and I think there is black amber and possibly also black musk, both of which have a too-sweet slightly powdery drydown on me), and the musty myrhh.

This becomes sweeter and sweeter in the later stages, definitely too much for my tastes, and I'm pretty sure due to the black amber and black musk as well as the very prominent frankincense in this blend. Still, and hint of sour rose and some soapiness from the Black Lace style incense remains below these dark, sweet, heavy and cloying top notes. This has definite powder and dust, in a very tactile, velvety sort of way that's objectively nice.The myrrh becomes more musty, almost fungal in smell, and dusty and a little bitter - it amps quite a bit along with the other resin and incense notes. The dry, warm woods are here too, but sort of the backdrop - they don't jump out. This scent is nicer and much less dark/intense than I anticipated, but nothing in this blend appeals to me. Great throw and fantastic longevity.

Deep golden oil. First whiff is VERY sweet, richy and creamy - definitely foody - with loads of delicious vanilla and some tonka - but behind it I can smell the almost tart or citrusy ho wood, which is really fresh and green and bright without being sharp, soapy, or anything bad. It's fantastic here, and melds with the also-bright, almost fruity greenness of the lovely galbanum. The lilac is just beyond that, feeling cool and blue, a soft, fresh and unisex springlike floral - possibly the best lilac I've smelled in BPAL.

More floral, woody, resiny - with way more lilac and the green notes amping instantly on my skin, and the so-commanding sweet notes now in a close second place below these. Unfortunately, the lilac also turns on my skin instantly, becoming sort of rotten the way some iris types do (and whatever's in Ides of March, it that same soapy, green, rotten floral sort of thing), and it's also gone quite soapy. Cry! The ho wood is a bit sharper, but still pretty nice, while the galbanum is a little...off. Sour or something - I think it's contributing to the rotten floral effect. The vanilla is still gorgeous but so much fainter on my skin, sadly, and the tonka is buttery and cloying and more distinct now. My skin totally destroyed this blend.

The rotten floral effect is amping, alas, and the lilac, though it has thankfully lost most of its soapiness - apparently that was a brief phase - has gone very heady on me as it often does, in an oppressive and cloying manner that's not helped by the buttery, wannabe-fake-vanilla sweetness of the tonka - bc this is definitely not a wearable type of tonka for me. The galbanum's still sort of sour and definitely mixing with the lilac & tonka in a bad way. But the ho wood - still pretty strong - and the smoky vanilla - sadly much faded - are still absolutely lovely - they're just completely bitch slapped into ghosts of their former selves by the heavy bullying notes.

This has been amping and amping and it has suffocatingly intense throw - it's all rotten floral, super-heady lilac and sickly sweet cloying tonka (which is almost nutty-rancid as well as possessing overtones of grossly fake vanilla and fake butter) with some sour green also sort of rotten galbanum and only faint wisps of the brutalized, once so lovely and distinct ho wood and smoky vanilla. A revolting and truly nauseating blend on my skin. Sink time. Oh thank god it washes off reasonably easily.

&

An evil morpher.

I suspect this whole "grind the fragrance molecules" thing is bogus. You know.. like how you shouldn't jog too much, because it jumbles up all your insides. Or how if you swallow your chewing gum it will stay in your stomach for seven years.

What she said. I agree 100%.

And as someone with a chemistry background - it's also utter bullshit from a scientific standpoint. It's simply not possible. If you could crush molecules you'd be a bajillionaire because you'd be performing nuclear fission.

ETA: Okay, so not fission necessarily - the bullshitter doesn't say 'grind ATOMS' - but at the very least that statement implies you'd be doing some serious chemical breakdown far beyond what naturally occurs with volatile chemicals.

Pale gold oil. Slightly sour white rose, loads of sweet frankincense, some sharp neroli and really rooty, powdery orris as well as dirty, rooty patchouli. Some dry wood that's probably the sandalwood, but overwhelmed here. Quite dark, sharp, and masculine.

Instantly much more powdery from the orris which amps crazily, and the white rose is stronger and more sour, almost sharply so, too. A little soapy as well, or that could be from the also stronger sharp neroli, which is making my face itch. The florals totally take over instantly on my skin, with almost none of the resinous notes showing through, although I AM now getting the warm, musky and almost creamy sandalwood - the one lovely note here.

Softening and coalescing overall. The white rose is less sour, more of a tang now than acidic - but it's a bit dried, or like wilted petals, and a little soapy and powdery - but only slightly so. I don't tend to do well with white rose. The neroli has faded dramatically and rapidly and left only some slightly citrusy soap behind. Meanwhile the sandalwood has amped further and continues to be gorgeous - it has lost the dry edge it had in the imp completely, and is all smooth and sexy now. Orris however continues to be a big powdery bully, though it's less rooty now, more violety and not too bad. I detect a bit of frankincense now, but no patchouli at all.

The patchouli has decided to return from the ether, and it's super rooty, blech. Also, the rose has blossomed - it smells much nicer, like other roses do on me, more 'rosy' - or more tea-rosy, perhaps. Still tangy, but nicer. It reminds me now of the rose in Katrina van Tassel. The orris powder has faded a bit as has the sandalwood, though it's still strong and beautiful. And the frankincense is still hanging around too much for my liking - its smoky woody resin is just sweet in the wrong way for me, and like cheap incense combined with the other notes of this blend.

The final drydown is surprisingly nice - this morphs quite a bit on me - and very well blended. It's soft, slightly tangy rose with slightly powdery violets, smooth musky sandalwood, darkly rooty patchouli and sweet incensey frankincense, though the latter two fade a bit after time, along with the neroli (no longer distinct), they add darkness and a fair bit of soap that I just don't like. Still, much more wearable than I ever anticipated. Decent throw and great longevity.

Light golden oil. Sweet black licorice with a very creamy and quite lovely coconut note - it reminds me of the one in Black Pearl - and not really any soot or bay rum that I can pick out.

Stronger overall, but especially the black licorice and the coconut. The latter is actually too creamy now - so rich it's practically buttery, and I take it back about it being the same note from Black Pearl. I get a little herbal astrigency from the bay rum, but it's very light, and all bay, no rum. I still get no soot or anything smoky or dusty, though this does have a remarkably black feel for being so sweet and foody.

Black licorice continues to amp, which is good because it's smothering the much worse buttery coconut note. I am getting a bit more bay, too, which is also good as it balances this blend. Now I do seem to get a 'sooty' feel, though I don't get any smoke or dirt, but maybe a hint of dark dust? Normally I hate dusty notes, but this is really interesting and not actually bad - it's almost sort of velvety - it reminds me of the dusty velvet curtains in Erik.

The licorice has faded a bit of the coconut has amped up, because they're about on par now. While the coconut is still WAY too buttery and really - greasy and cloying - it has more of the creamy, tropical and pleasant qualities it had in the imp now - it's more complex. The bay remains a light balancing note, but the rum has actually come out a bit and adds a sweet, warm booziness that rounds out this blend and ties it together.

Velvety black licorice and buttery, creamy coconut with deep sweet booze and a bit of sharply herbal bay - interesting, and much less foody after a few hours - much less sweet and much less BLACK LICORICE, with more soot and booze - but the coconut persists enough to make it still 'foody'. Not that this would be my thing at all. Unisex, good throw and decent longevity.

Golden oil. Sweet, woody, foody, but sort of bitter and earthy too - and definitely a bit smoky, as well. I can see how I interpreted this as 'peanut butter' in the prototype. I definitely get a fair bit of coconut, the dirt and a sort of dry Gelt-like cocoa powder, some richly foody tobacco, and some gritty vetiver and rooty patchouli.

Dirtier, darker, smokier, woodier, more resinous - much more slightly sweet soil, patchouli and VETIVER on my skin. But more cocoa too, more sweetness from a very food, almost candy or sweetened coconut note and the almost chocolatey tobacco note, which is the one thing here I DO like. There's a dry woody note that I think might be mahogany, and I think there's some benzoin or tonka here because of how much sweeter it is on my skin.

This stuff has really strong throw, and it's going very cloying-sickly sweet on my skin, so I'm betting heavily on tonka - and the coconut is definitely contributing, too. Also, it's becoming quickly clear that like Gelt this cocoa is going to rancid nutty powder, that's exacerbated by the musty dusty of the Spanish moss. The dark/resinous/dirty notes are more in the background now but still plenty strong and just not all pleasant.

This stuff doesn't really dry, but it does evolve over time regardless. It's balancing out a bit more now, with the sweet and foody notes being on par with the dirty woody smoky notes. The scent is coming together more; blending. As a result the tonka is more bearable, and the coconut seems to have definitely faded, as well as the scary cocoa note. The lovely tobacco however has amped, so I'm no longer eyeing the sink.

After a couple hours it settles into a lightly sweetened, dusty, dark woody scent that's actually not bad - the vetiver loses its grit, the patchouli its rootiness, the soil is almost gone and the moss is only a bit musty, and only traces of the sweet foody notes remain, while the tobacco absolute has amped to become the top note, and it's rich and gourmand and delicious. A surprising turnaround. Unisex to masculine; good throw and moderate longevity.

Light gold oil. Boozy black cherry - reminds me of Suck It - but with a hint of mulling spices and sweet nutty/creamy grains. But it's very black cherry forward, above all.

Spicier, nuttier, more complex. This reminds me now more of Pomona and Fearful Pleasure. I get a definite apple cider note along with the black cherry. Stlll boozy. The mulling spices are stronger, and I definitely get some cinnamon and clove - along with some allspice and ginger, I think.. Very autumnal-festive. I also get a wisp of woodsmoke (maybe some vetiver?) and some evergreen notes, pine pitch maybe and some sweet fir. The grain note reminds me of the one from Dana O'Shee, quite creamy, reminds me a little of sweetened oatmeal but there's more nuttiness.

The spices are amping like whoa on me with cinnamon in the forefrunt - blended with the apple I'm reminded of cinnamon flavoured applesauce. I also get a dry floral that I suspected earlier - sunflower, and I'm pretty sure there's some heliotrope here too because I get its distinct golden glow. There's a lot going on here - it's a very complex scent. The apple cider is now on par with the black cherry booze, but the spices and smoky vetiver and woodsy notes have now overtaken the fruit. Still, plenty of flowers and fruit just below, along with the foody, nutty grain note.

This blends and harmonizes beautifully over time, and the apple cider and black cherry wine notes really make me think of Mabon in this scent's later stages. The baked apple note actually AMPS on me - apple is nearly always ephemeral on my skin - and the cinnamon and other spices soften, with clove being the strongest - but a nice clove, for once, not too sharp - and then the cinnamon lightly in the distance, and the other spices indistinct. The evergreen woods and woodsmoky-vetiver have softened to a lovely deep backdrop along with the almost creamy,nutty grain note that's only slightly foody now.

Baked, slightly spiced apple is foremost with a bit of black cherry booze and some golden heliotrope and dry sunflower just blow, over a slightly smoky woodsy & gently sweet grain base. This is absolutely gorgeous despite some notes I really don't generally like in perfume. Masterfully blended and superbly well balanced with moderate throw and great longevity. I see why this is popular!

Walnut brown coloured oil. Very dark, intense, masculine. Woodsy - lots of pitch-like, resinous pine, heavy vetiver and dark earthy patchouli, and some pretty darn intensely spicy black pepper, sweetened by heavy black musk. Eek, I'm scared!

A bit lighter and fresher, the pine is not the lab's typical Pine-Sol but a deeper more pitch-pine note, but on my skin it's much greener and more evocative, like trampling through the woods - I strongly suspect some Cypress bc I get a bit of its citrusy tang, and quite possibly other evergreens too. Very woodsy. The vetiver and black pepper are the next strongest notes, and while the former is dark and strong, it's not gritty or too oppressing - just earthy and manly and rather sexy. The black pepper on the other hand is well, peppery, and it reminds me of those packets of preground pepper - blech. Oh, still plenty of almost-cloying sweet black musk. The patchoulit's a bit dirty and rooty, and the myrrh dusty and bitter and dark, but these are the lightest notes, although the sense of DUST generally is quite strong.

This was slightly sour when it first went on, and it's still quite sour if not more so - I strongly suspect some elemi, which could be that citrusy note I initially interpreted as Cypress. But this note is so bright and so citrusy and now so sour, I think it MUST be elemi. The pine and patchouli and vetiver have settled down into a beautiful dark, earthy backdrop that's deliciously manly and sexy. Unfortunately, the dusty myrrh and black pepper are totally ruining my buzz - as is the sour elemi top note. The musk has amped and deepened as usual on me, and is a bit too sweet and heavy, but would be bearable were it the only less-than-lovely note.

This becomes more and more seamless over time, and for what it is, what it's meant to evoke - it's very well done. The black musk really takes hold in the later stages, slightly powdery and sweet and indeed velvety feeling, with the incensey, dusty myrrh to add to the powdery feel. The vetiver, patchouli, and pine pitch continue to be beautifully dark and earthy-woodsy, with only a touch of rootiness from the patchouli remaining. And only a hint of sneezy black pepper remains - it's less cheap preground pepper packet, but it still nags at me. Not a blend I'd wear, but well done. Good throw and great longevity.

Deep reddish brown , auburn oil. Dark, smoky, earthy, resinous, spicy, and INTENSE - with only the sweet black musk a respite. The clove in particular is piercingly sharp. Definitely some vetiver, and I suspect not the sort I like...

Oddly, quite sour - from the labdanum, I suspect. More woody, like bonfire smoke or even BBQ - yeah, disturbingly this reminds me a bit of roast flesh. Eek. Definitely the smoky, gritty, sooty sort of vetiver. The clove though continues to be the worst for me in this batch of badness - it's the very loud, bullying, almost mentholic or medicinal sort that my skin amps. The black musk makes this dark mess cloying and even more repulsive with its heavy sweetness.

Hi I'm CLOVE and I'm here to STOMP STOMP STOMP! Um....still some gritty dirty vetiver and that odd sour note, still a whole bunch of smoky resins and some powdery-sweet black musk, whose sweetness makes the evilly sharp and horrific CLOVE all the more sickly and revolting...time for sink. Strong throw and longevity, naturally.

Golden oil. Warm, woodsy, woody. Sandalwood and juniper are the strongest, with maybe a little cedar too. Heliotrope is quite present, but the citrus is woefully light.

A little brighter, sweeter, fruitier, with both lime and orange and I swear some lemon, too. Still very woody and warmly so, with a dry, sawdusty edge. However, the citrus balances the dry wood and makes this work, though I definitely find it to be a masculine blend. The heliotrope is amped on my skin, and as usual is a gorgeously golden and glowing.

Very slow to dry, but the citrus is coming back a bit and this has sweetened. Still a lot of dry to the point of dusty wood and that juniper berry almost spicy woodsiness, but the strong heliotrope and return of the citrus balances this blend. I think it fits the concept very well, sunny and bold and masculine. I think this is the same delicious lime note from Mr. Nancy, though of course faded with time.

Not a morpher, really. It remains a slightly green-woodsy and fresh, slightly sweet lime-and-orange citrusy, bright golden heliotrope and dry, somewhat dusty and sharp, warm sandalwood - with perhaps a bit of cedar, too. I like it quite a bit, but for a man - and I'm not distraught that I can't acquire a bottle, but very glad I got to test this. Low throw but great longevity.