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Showing results for tags '2008'.
Found 38 results
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TABULA SMARAGDINA True, without error, certain and most true. Rosicrucian incense. In the bottle: Rating (1-5): 4 Notes: Woody rose, sandalwood or frankincense?, incense powder Comment: Smells very similar to my Chinese brand of rose soap, but powdery smelling like incense. There are other notes present but I cannot identify them. Wet on skin: Rating (1-5): 4 Notes: woody rose, frankincense? Comment: Less rose and more incense-y on the skin. Dry on skin: Rating (1-5): 4 Notes: woody rose, incense powder Scent Intensity (1-5): 3 Comment: Very consistent scent that hasn't changed much from bottle to skin. I need to be in relatively close proximity to smell it -- I don't have an aura of it surrounding me and I don't have to place my nose on my skin before I can smell it. Update: There is still residual incense smell on my arms after I bathed. I'm quite surprised by that, really. Misc: Duration: N/A Keyword(s): wood, rose, incense Color: Mahogany Smells like: Chinese rose incense scented soap.
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Appalling that they seem to watch me as I sketch, even through eyes sewn shut. Leather tanned with the pulp of Amazon ferns and rainforest herbs. Excerpt from Sir Mallory McTavit's expedition journals: March 11, 1903. Our travels into the Amazon basin have been quite a success thus far, despite a few setbacks. Linders was bitten by some sort of large beetle yesterday, whereupon he promptly turned purple and died. I feel certain, however, that he would be happy to know that we caught the beastly thing and, as its a completely new species, will name it after him. The other slight problem is that many of the guides are refusing to go deeper into the forests with us. They claim that if we continue we will lose our tsantsa. Well, I don't know what that is but I can't very well go back to the Linnean Society and say "sorry chaps, I would have explored more but I was scared I would misplace my tsantsa." I'd be laughed out of the club, I daresay. There are drums in the distance, though...not unpleasant, but the guides seem to be quite anxious. Oh well, off to bed. March 14, 1903 Well I say! The guides have gone missing! Damned buggers up and went in the middle of the night without so much as a by-your-leave! Most inconvenient. I think the drumming in the distance has been bothering them a bit, and to be fair one or two of them may have somehow disappeared as we've been making our way further into the jungle. Still, it's a terrible bother. March 16, 1903 The Shuar Tribe--at least I think that's their name--have finally shown themselves. They're the blighters who've been percussioning for the past week. I must say, I don't see what all the fuss is about. They certainly don't look dangerous, although some of their jewelery and decoration is...interesting. I'm not sure but I think they're the skulls of some kind of little animals... There is a break in the handwriting here, then later on the page: My god! Gods in heaven! They're human! They're HUMAN SKULLS! We must escape, escape tonight. Damn their eyes, they'll not get my noggin! March 18, 1903 The drums...the drums...won't stop. They never stop. Night and day, they go on. We can't escape--they've drawn some kind of curse around this camp we cannot break through. The Shuar have presented us with tsantsa, so we have finally learned its meaning. The tsantsa are the grotesque shrunken heads of their enemies. I recognize some of them as our hapless forest guides. The scent...the scent of the shrunken heads follows me...haunts me...the camp is laden with it. Funnily enough, despite being something horrific in actuality, the scent is not unpleasant. When the process first begins, in the wet stages I smell the smoke of the campfire mixed with soft, tanned leather. Whatever herbs they use to preserve their monstrous creations smell ever-so-slightly medicinal and green, very fresh. One would expect it to be too strong to fathom, but the scent is actually quite light...light, green, and smoky. There's nothing sweet about it, just a genuine scent of the forest. As the heads begin to dry, the smoky scent of the leather takes over, though I still smell the herbs and greenery underneath. I try to focus on the lingering, sharp herbal scent to take my mind off of the horrors that surround me. Whatever shall become of me? Oh no--they're just outside my hut...and the drums, the drums have started again... ...Here the journal ends. You will be pleased to know, dear reader, that the very scent Sir Mallory described is now available to you from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab--and without all the ghastly muss, I might add. If you are a fan of The Bow and the Crown of Conquest or Allison Gross (the underlying herbal smell is reminiscent of this) or are looking for a leather/smoky scent that's not overpowering but not sweet either, then perhaps you will enjoy this lovely creation. The tropical forestry is certainly evident in it, as are the herbs and leathers. Delightful! And think of poor Sir Mallory when you wear it.
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'Abuiro' has been burned into the leather straps. My, they took such care in crafting these horrible instruments. Coppery dried blood, metal, vetiver, and bonfire smoke. I was just thinking...that I need more vetiver blends. For all the time I spend championing the great cause of vetiver, I really need more bottles that represent my love of that most dark and earth, gritty, sweetly scorched scent. If you love vetiver, and I know there are others like me out there...or you love smoke, you need a good poking of the heretic's fork! It's not entirely like the other burny smoky woody ones out there though it bears some resemblance to them. Malediction in the GC, or perhaps Agnes Nutter from the Good Omens collection, can give you an idea of the sort of burnt wood smell that lies beneath this, but there is also a cold glittering slightly rusted note that I take to be the metal and dried blood. It comes out more as it's drying, and really lifts the scent out of the realm of the purely burnt and smoking. If you wear it around the right people they might just say "Pardon, but is that the smell of blood drying on a rusted metal fork of some sort amidst the charred remains of a heretic's bonfire?" To which you may answer, well, whatever seems appropriate for the situation. I'm getting some of the more glistening vetiver notes as this dries, as I always think of it as a smooth and polished woody surface blackened by age and soot. Mmmm.
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BEZOAR Much smoother in texture than I had thought it would be. How does one employ it? Copaiba balsam, Tolu balsam, hay absolute, cardamom, and hiba wood. Interesting... I am covered in scents right now so I am likely going to come back and edit later... but this scent is definitely interesting. (And I'm starving for any info on the other new carnivals right now, so thought I would contribute what I can.) There is almost a rotting citrusy mint smell about this in the bottle, that really grows stronger, yet fresher on the skin. I'm liking it more and more as it warms up... its like the Antikytheric mechanism's grandfather. The Lion definitely is a family relation as well. After 5 minutes, the hay is really coming out, along with a fresher wood note and the cardamom... lets see how long this lasts. The hay seems to be crescendoing at the moment, as well as the cardamom. The throw isn't too strong on me... and the whifts seem to be a fresher version of what I get smelling it close up. Very close to the skin, very unisex. It smells like one of the earlier stages of the Lion's dry down. Well... a lion eating licorice instead of cake.
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THE MALTESE CROSS OF SANCTUS GERMANUS Could this contain the secret of eternal life? Golden amber, blood orange, ambergris, lilac, frankincense, and agarwood. In the bottle: Rating (1-5): 5 Notes: blood orange, frankincense Comment: I was excited about this because French Huguenots also identified with the Maltese Cross and that's part of my family tree. Very sharp and intense in the bottle. Wet on skin: Rating (1-5): 4 Notes: blood orange, golden amber Comment: My nose is a bit fried from weather and allergies at the moment, so I'm not picking up much other than orange. Dry on skin: Rating (1-5): 4 Notes: golden amber, lilac, agarwood, frankincense, maybe ambergris? Scent Intensity (1-5): 4 Comment: I don't generally enjoy floral notes, but this is quite pleasant because it's not at the forefront. In your face stabby orange subdued by pretty golden amber. Misc: Duration: N/A Keyword(s): non-floral floral Color: Marigold Smells like: N/A
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LICWIGLUNGA What language is this? I have never seen graphemes such as this before. Hemp paper, frankincense, dried pomegranate juice, lavender, gum mastic, verbena, fennel, star anise, and Dittany of Crete. Starting a thread for a new BPAL has never given me pause. I have met my match in Licwiglunga. I do love herbals but find this one totally unique. Without notes listed, earlier today I kept thinking cherry or lotus but find it's dried pomegranate. Emphasis on dried. This must be a variation on the usual note Beth uses? So this is an herbal incense with a smooth character and a touch of fruit. It smells better as time goes on . Thank heavens, cause in the bottle it is quite sharp to my nose. Ultimately, it dries to pomegranate incense. This is very pleasant. Which sounds like faint praise but is meant in the best sense of the word. I've a hard time imagining someone outright NOT liking this. Besides being a nice casual blend for everyday wear, I think this would make awesome room scent. Here's the extra-fun part, researching the Scent's name and notes: Licwiglunga- Incantation or Magic Circle for conjuring the dead (necromancy), usually for advice. Dittany of Crete- an herb "used in divination and contact with spirits. When using Dittany of Crete as an incense, it is cautioned that spirits materialize in the smoke." Related to oregano and marjoram. Gum Mastic- Resin from trees related to pistachio which grow only on the southern part of the island of Chios, Greece and nowhere else in the world. Egypt imported this as a key ingredient in their Kyphi recipes. "Mastic creates a light, balsamlike, fresh, lemony, gentle fragrance. It is cleansing, clarifying and mentally refreshing."
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You come to a building that seems to have been hastily erected from splintered wood, stone, and plaster. Flickering light from within sparkles out through blood-tinged chunks of glass that have been wedged into the arch entrance. You push open the thick velvet curtain that covers the mouth of the building and look inside. The chapel is small and cramped, and the air is thick with heavy incense, bitter wine, sulphur, and the coppery scent of blood. A massive stained glass window is set against the back wall, glowing brightly. In the center of the room, a groveling figure is crouched before a woman draped in purple-black clerical robes. The woman's eyes are filled with righteous hellfire, and she extends a hand in benediction to the man who has fallen prostrate at her feet. He murmurs, "Libera Te Ex Caelum", and she gestures for him to rise. As he gets to his knees he winces in pain and moans in a strange expression of ecstasy, and you see small horns growing from his skull. Black incense, bitter wine, brimstone, and blood. In bottle: gritty dirt On skin: wowee, this is a dark blend. The incense is as black as charcoal, smoldering on a stone altar Half-hour later: sweetens up a bit with the wine, but this is the scariest, spookiest wine blend I've ever tried In conclusion: this blend sounded almost too dark for me, but I'm hypnotically lured by any wine blend. This one is a great combination of the sweeter wine with the pitch-black eeeevil.
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How gruesome and absurd! Dark musk, pimento berry, oakmoss, birch wood, and petitgrain. This is an instant top 5 favorite for me. I don't find this oil gruesome or absurd at all. In fact, I think when it comes to sexy and masculine blends, this even trumps Schwarzer Mond. It has a very slick and well polished feel to it yet it is also dark, spicy, woodsy, very full bodied, heavy and dense feeling. I've never smelled petitgrain before (I think) so I can't comment on that note, but at first this goes on as oakmoss and pimento berry which eventually opens up the dark musk and woods. As is the case with all the Wunderkammer set, this is a very unique scent and nothing like any bpal I've ever tried with the exception of maybe Schwarzer Mond... this stuff feels like SM's distant brother. This will be the first scent I stock up on to an embarassing degree.
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No single thing holds secrets so well as one's shroud. Rotting linen, white sandalwood, hyssop, and dust. At first this goes on as a super decayed/antique perfume that smells confusing and mysterious. I can't pick out individual notes here at all, but I definitely get the rotting linen reference. It is really old and ghostlike smelling to me, dusty, old perfume, expensive linens, dim hallways. Very stately. After the first hour the perfume-y element fades drastically and the rotting linen note is exactly what I hoped it would be. This is a very comfortable scent to me and one I'll definitely use as a room scent.
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Moroccan jasmine, chrysanthemum, tea leaf, white musk, and acai berry. (9:54:31 PM) Karyn: Go review yer parfum (9:54:44 PM) Sarah: It's hard! (9:54:57 PM) Karyn: Dammit woman just get napa* to write it (9:55:00 PM) Karyn: "I love sarah" (9:55:04 PM) Karyn: "<3 <3 <3 <3 <3" *the boyfriend, who approves of Daiyu The inspiration behind Jenn's painting of Daiyu was Madam Ching Shih, a woman who began her life as a prostitute in one of the brothels in Guangzhou in the late Ching Dynasty, only to become one of the most powerful women pirates in history, commanding a fleet of over 18,000 boats at the height of her power. She and her crew received full amnesty from the Chinese government, and at 35, retired from piracy. She owned and operated a gambling house until her death at age 69. Contrary to the inspiration behind the painting, Daiyu is a very bright and happy scent. Some of my favorite perfumes include Dorian, Kitsune-Tsuki, Antique Lace, and Persephone. Anything with plum or pomegrante usually works well with my skin chemistry. Being a tea lover, I also mentioned to Beth that I loved the scent of jasmine tea as well as chrysanthemum (often sweetened with rock sugar or goji berries), and that it would be cool to be the "AzN" version of Dorian. That being said, Daiyu does not disappoint. It's like Kitsune-Tsuki seduced Dorian and this is their beautiful, illegitimate offspring. In the bottle, the acai is the dominant scent that I smell, but the musk and tea leaf are balanced well enough that the berry note isn't too sweet/cloying. Applied wet, you get the floral notes--kind of light and airy and not in a dirty diaper way (LOL), and I can smell more of the tea leaf. A few hours after application, it gets sweet and musky, like the drydown you'd get with Dorian but more tart. The staying power is about 4-5 hours on me, and the throw is not very strong, but it won't offend if you slather, which is usually my experience with Asian florals. Note: if your skin chemistry amps up berry notes, apply sparingly. It's one of those blends that makes me think of "it's gonna be a bright sunshine-y day". Strange enough, it fits my personality well, as I tend to be one of those happy-go-lucky types*. This is a beautiful, refreshing scent that is great for warmer months. Thank you, Lab, for the opportunity to become a whore *with a potty mouth
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THE BLASPHEMARE RELIQUARY But, which saint's remains does this vessel hold Ethiopian myrrh, Damascus rose, boswellia, galbanum, and copal. OK, so I bought this unsniffed, because it had roses and incense. I was hoping it would be perfect for me... ...and it is! The roses come on first - they're dry, but not soapy. The rest of it smells kind of like Cathedral, which is an all-time favorite of mine. It dries down sweetly mysterious, and very balanced between the floral essences and the resins - the flowers are light and not overpowering, and the incense is divine. It's like a more sophisticated Rose Cross. Love it.
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FAEU BOULANGER I thought this was an effect of bioluminescence, but it seems there is no source. Could it truly be a soul trapped within this glass dome? Impossible. Mushroom gases, swamp mist, green mint, and bog violet. I'm so glad I went with my instinct on this one! I just knew mushroom gases would not be like the mushroom country smell back at home, but most likely a soft earth scent. In it's first stage I get an earthy violet note pierced by mint notes. The dry down is simply gorgeous. The mint fades into the background, supporting the earthy aquatic notes that mix beautifully with light violet notes. I'm not a floral person, as they tend to be amplified to ridiculous degrees when on my skin. The violet in this not overpowering and just melds so beautifully with all of the other notes.
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I dare not open this scroll. Temptation is the plague of men's spirits. Parchment, Siamese benzoin, infernal incense, red musk, brimstone, and daemonorops. The Wunderkammer collection looks like it's going to be my favorite thing in the entire history of BPAL -- the notes, the concepts, the art -- it's just everything that I read and think about! If I had time I'd write my review in the style of an HP Lovecraft story opening and talk about the trepidation with which I crack open this vial and let forth the wisps of forgotten nightmares, but since it's the first review let's just get down to business! Being a lover of incense scents above most things on earth I was very excited for this one. I've always liked red musk as well because it is so incensy -- such a rich, spicy, deep scent that one might imagine would infuse the tapestries and brocade pillows in a den of beaded curtains and hookahs. I do get quite a hit of red musk for this -- a dry, smoky red musk, that has long since seeped into the fabric and wood of the room. Hypnotic and arcane, not overly smoky, but it drifts around me and hangs in the air as though I've been burning all of my favorite incenses throughout the night. There's a nice dryness to it that I would imagine is from the parchment and brimstone -- but it's not acridly smoky, it doesn't smell like Brimstone the BPAL oil, for example. Benzoin adds a resiny incense kick, and I imagine that the daemonorops is making it just a teeny bit more of a glistening blood red. Overall a lovely, dry incensy red musk blend that incense lovers like me should adore. Scherezade fans take note! But this is a bit darker and smokier than that, and never powdery or perfumey.
