Hunting for the ultimate _____ blend

[iiinterstate]

Its the best one I've come across so far, personally. I also tried Muse and the Mock Turtle's Lessons for their lime note, but Muse had too much jasmine in it for me, and the Mock Turtle had reaaaaallly short wearlength.

 

Oooh, Shoggoth is a good lime, you say? I tried Mr Nancy recently, and while it's absolutely fantastic in its own right, it's not quite the ultimate lime I've been wanting. Are there any other limes you'd recommend?

 

[Lime: Shoggoth

[StrawberryKitten]

Does anyone know of a scent that combines the following:

 

tea rose

heliotrope

honeysuckle

ginger lily

 

 

The combination should (I think) be light and clean.

 

My experience with BPAL so far is that almost everything turns powdery, heavy, or warm once it's on my skin.

 

Any recommendations?

[lookingglass]

Now that I have fallen in love with violet, I have to go back and try the violet scents again... I love Bois de Violette by Serge Lutens (and am not going to spend $200 on it). It is very green on top, but dries out kind of mossy and sweet at the same time, like how wet earth is almost chocolatey.

[donnatron]

lookingglass, if you can handle vetiver, definitely try Saturnalia. It dries down to a gorgeous mossy/earthy violet scent, like fresh flowers coming into bloom in freshly tilled earth. Bluebeard also contains vetiver, but it's less aggressive thanks to the addition of white musk. Wings of Azrael is a very foresty violet touched with juniper and cypress; it's a balance between pine-y notes and florals.

 

Nocturne and Le Serpent Qui Danse are floral violets through and through, but the each have a base note (vanilla in Le Serpent, and tuberose in Nocturne) that lend them a certain gravitas. Queen Gertrude is incredibly commanding and powerfully feminine.

 

On me, at least, I can barely smell the violet in Faustus, but it's worth trying out for that dark, earthy hints of violet.

[phantasmmysteria]

Earth and vanilla!

Also beeswax, I haven't found a blend yet that hasn't been overpoweringly floral *Waits for No. 93 engine to arrive*

<snip>

First of all, I love the beeswax in No. 93 engine -- it's not overly floral to me at all!

[fairnymph]

I really want a good LILAC blend! Lilac is my all time favourite flower, and so far BPAL has not fulfilled me.

 

What I've tried, and doesn't work: Rose Moon, White Moon, Les Fleurs du Mal, Nocturne, Veil, Blood Countess, Whitechapel, Cordelia, Lysander, Night Thoughts, Fox Fires (the best of the bunch but too smoky), Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, Pontarlier

 

Have not tried, but scare me: Dragon's Eye (but lily of the valley is a nemesis note, and I don't like dragon's blood much), Ouija (but rosewood scares me, don't like 'dry' notes), Bruja (amber and myrrh nearly always bad), Spectre (multiple nemesis notes), Himerus (multiple nemesis notes), Viola (multiple nemeses), Bad Luck Woman Blues (multiple nemeses), Purple Phoenix (MN), Virahotkantita (MN), The Sailor's Den (MN)

 

Have not tried, but have on hand: Cancer (original celestial - I have it but I'm scared to try bc it's my last resort!)

 

Should I try: Villian (will it be too cologney-masculine for my feminine tastes?), Crowley (leather usually plasticky on me, also worried about masculinity of the blend), Famine (tobacco and frankincense usually bad), His Station and Four Aces (leather, masculine), Violet Ray (sandalwood, ylang ylang), Melancholia (sandalwood, ylang ylang, narcissus)

 

Okay, so, is there anything else I am forgetting, and of those in the last category, are any not too masculine, or sandalwood dry, or powdery, or headily floral? And why oh why must wisteria and lilac be so commonly paired?

 

Does anyone know of a scent that combines the following:tea roseheliotropehoneysuckleginger lilyThe combination should (I think) be light and clean. My experience with BPAL so far is that almost everything turns powdery, heavy, or warm once it's on my skin.Any recommendations?

 

Maybe give Victoria (Stardust) a try?

Edited May 16, 2008 by fairnymph

[ClareN]

I really want a good LILAC blend! Lilac is my all time favourite flower, and so far BPAL has not fulfilled me.

 

What I've tried, and doesn't work: Rose Moon, White Moon, Les Fleurs du Mal, Nocturne, Veil, Blood Countess, Whitechapel, Cordelia, Lysander, Night Thoughts, Fox Fires (the best of the bunch but too smoky), Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, Pontarlier

 

Have not tried, but scare me: Dragon's Eye (but lily of the valley is a nemesis note, and I don't like dragon's blood much), Ouija (but rosewood scares me, don't like 'dry' notes), Bruja (amber and myrrh nearly always bad), Spectre (multiple nemesis notes), Himerus (multiple nemesis notes), Viola (multiple nemeses), Bad Luck Woman Blues (multiple nemeses), Purple Phoenix (MN), Virahotkantita (MN), The Sailor's Den (MN)

 

Have not tried, but have on hand: Cancer (original celestial - I have it but I'm scared to try bc it's my last resort!)

 

Should I try: Villian (will it be too cologney-masculine for my feminine tastes?), Crowley (leather usually plasticky on me, also worried about masculinity of the blend), Famine (tobacco and frankincense usually bad), His Station and Four Aces (leather, masculine), Violet Ray (sandalwood, ylang ylang), Melancholia (sandalwood, ylang ylang, narcissus)

 

Okay, so, is there anything else I am forgetting, and of those in the last category, are any not too masculine, or sandalwood dry, or powdery, or headily floral? And why oh why must wisteria and lilac be so commonly paired?

 

I like lilac too, and haven't found a perfect lilac in BPAL yet. What I've tried of the ones you mentioned:

 

Himerus: I got no lilac, just fruity-powdery-generic-floral.

Purple Phoenix: This might have had some lilac in it but the jasmine drowned it out, for me.

Villain: Kind of cologney and lots of lavender, but definite lilac on drydown.

Crowley: I got very little lilac, mostly leather and red musk.

Famine: No lilac and epic fail with my skin chemistry.

His Station and Four Aces: By far the most lilac-heavy BPAL I've tried. Oakmoss and leather are there in supporting roles, but I don't think it's terribly masculine. This is likely your best bet, but also one of the hardest to find.

 

Someone tell Beth we are due for a good strong lilac scent!

[ivyandpeony]

Does anyone know of a scent that combines the following:

 

tea rose

heliotrope

honeysuckle

ginger lily

...

 

I don't know of a blend that has all of those notes, but I think Juliet might be worth trying. It's a clean, sweet floral and it does have the heliotrope and honeysuckle notes.

 

 

I really want a good LILAC blend! Lilac is my all time favourite flower, and so far BPAL has not fulfilled me.

 

...

 

I don't care for very dry or for masculine blends either. And dragon's blood and leather are notes I can very seldom wear. Of the blends you haven't tried that I am really familiar with, I love Spectre (but it is incredibly hard to find, you'll fight like a madwoman for it if it pops up on eBay). Virahotkantita surprised me immensely and is a favorite, I usually amp cedar to the detriment of everything else but not in this one, so it turned out to be a lovely lilac blend for me. I also love Melancholia.

 

Dragon's Eye is too dragon's blood-y for me; Ouija too dry; Himerus, Viola, Bad Luck Woman Blues, Villain, Crowley & His Station all ultimately too masculine for me to love.

 

I don't find Famine to be lilac-y at all - it has a beauty of its own but as a smoky tea blend, not as a floral. It is just a wee bit on the masculine side while still being gender-neutral IMO.

 

And some of the blends that didn't work for you are favorites of mine (Rose Moon, White Moon, Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, & Pontarlier) although I wouldn't categorize any but Spirit as predominantly lilac either. Ultimately, no one has an identical chemistry to yours, so don't rule too much out completely.

[fairnymph]

I like lilac too, and haven't found a perfect lilac in BPAL yet. What I've tried of the ones you mentioned:

 

Himerus: I got no lilac, just fruity-powdery-generic-floral.

Purple Phoenix: This might have had some lilac in it but the jasmine drowned it out, for me.

Villain: Kind of cologney and lots of lavender, but definite lilac on drydown.

Crowley: I got very little lilac, mostly leather and red musk.

Famine: No lilac and epic fail with my skin chemistry.

His Station and Four Aces: By far the most lilac-heavy BPAL I've tried. Oakmoss and leather are there in supporting roles, but I don't think it's terribly masculine. This is likely your best bet, but also one of the hardest to find.

 

Someone tell Beth we are due for a good strong lilac scent!

 

Yeah, seriously! A lilac without cedar or wisteria! Sounds like it might be worth checking out Villian and His Station, and I can maybe layer them with other stuff to make them more feminine as necessary. Thanks!

 

I don't care for very dry or for masculine blends either. And dragon's blood and leather are notes I can very seldom wear. Of the blends you haven't tried that I am really familiar with, I love Spectre (but it is incredibly hard to find, you'll fight like a madwoman for it if it pops up on eBay). Virahotkantita surprised me immensely and is a favorite, I usually amp cedar to the detriment of everything else but not in this one, so it turned out to be a lovely lilac blend for me. I also love Melancholia.

 

Dragon's Eye is too dragon's blood-y for me; Ouija too dry; Himerus, Viola, Bad Luck Woman Blues, Villain, Crowley & His Station all ultimately too masculine for me to love.

 

I don't find Famine to be lilac-y at all - it has a beauty of its own but as a smoky tea blend, not as a floral. It is just a wee bit on the masculine side while still being gender-neutral IMO.

 

And some of the blends that didn't work for you are favorites of mine (Rose Moon, White Moon, Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, & Pontarlier) although I wouldn't categorize any but Spirit as predominantly lilac either. Ultimately, no one has an identical chemistry to yours, so don't rule too much out completely.

 

Hmm, Melancholia terrifies me but if Virahotkantita doesn't amp too cedary and the frankincense behaves...maybe I should give it a shot! Do you recall how sweet it was on you? I don't like super sweet blends. (Gosh, I'm picky!)

[whisperingmachines]

I want some MORE CARAMEL... I've got and love my Red Lantern, what else should I look for? Is the Salon scent (arrival at the sabbath and homage to the devil) very caramel-y?

[fairnymph]

I want some MORE CARAMEL... I've got and love my Red Lantern, what else should I look for? Is the Salon scent (arrival at the sabbath and homage to the devil) very caramel-y?

 

Channukiyah is PURE CARAMEL on me, from the beeswax (though occasionally beeswax isn't caramel on me, it usually is, and especially in this case).

[ClareN]

I want some MORE CARAMEL... I've got and love my Red Lantern, what else should I look for? Is the Salon scent (arrival at the sabbath and homage to the devil) very caramel-y?

Sugar Skull, obviously; The Emathides (strong caramel note with florals and musk), La Befana (caramel and violets), Incubus (caramel and mint), and have you tried Kill-Devil? I haven't, but the reviews say it's very caramel-y.

[Lavada]

I want some MORE CARAMEL... I've got and love my Red Lantern, what else should I look for? Is the Salon scent (arrival at the sabbath and homage to the devil) very caramel-y?

 

Tiresias, the Androgyne from the CD line. Dark and sexy.

[ImperatrixMundi]

You caramel lovers got a new scent with the update! Agrath-Bat-Something... Reds like Glowing V with musk, honey and caramel.

 

The ultimate White Musk blend issue has not been resolved yet I tried Vechernyaya, thinking that would be it, but the poppy and patchouli are so strong.

[waternight]

I really want a good LILAC blend! Lilac is my all time favourite flower, and so far BPAL has not fulfilled me.

 

If you can find it, you need to try Asphodel. On me, it's pretty much ALL lilac, and it's gorgeous. Unfortunately, it was recently discontinued. I'm still kicking myself for not picking up a bottle...

[Cowicorn]

For a good musky vanilla, (this may be just me) but antique lace turns into the most delicious warm vanilla that reminds me of an early 20th century European bakery and the scent seems so welcoming, like home. ;-) Anyone else get the same reaction?

 

 

I'm looking for any scents that are the epitome of their category. Like the MOST rose-y, the MOST caramel-y, the MOST yougettheidea... I didn't like O or Snake Oil, too dark and almost choky, if that helps. :3

[ImperatrixMundi]

For a good musky vanilla, (this may be just me) but antique lace turns into the most delicious warm vanilla that reminds me of an early 20th century European bakery and the scent seems so welcoming, like home. ;-) Anyone else get the same reaction?

 

Lucky you On me it was plastic, my skin makes vanilla notes so incredibly fake and chemical smelling. I'd so love to find an ultimate vanilla scent but Antique Lace, Black Opal and Love's Philosophy have all been capital failures.

[GingerGunlock]

I'm looking for my ultimate clove blend. I've tried Malice, The Smiling Spider, the Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn, Dracul, Wrath, Troll, and Madrid, and while many of them are very nice, and a few are in regular rotation, they haven't been what I was looking for. But every time there are new clove blends, I'm hopeful. Every time.

[anardana]

I'm looking for my ultimate clove blend. I've tried Malice, The Smiling Spider, the Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn, Dracul, Wrath, Troll, and Madrid, and while many of them are very nice, and a few are in regular rotation, they haven't been what I was looking for. But every time there are new clove blends, I'm hopeful. Every time.

 

Have you tried March Hare? It's fruity but clove-y too.

[Poenari]

I'm looking for my ultimate clove blend. I've tried Malice, The Smiling Spider, the Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn, Dracul, Wrath, Troll, and Madrid, and while many of them are very nice, and a few are in regular rotation, they haven't been what I was looking for. But every time there are new clove blends, I'm hopeful. Every time.

Valentine of Rome and Mort de Cesar! They are heavy on the clove to me- both are LE's but fairly available. Also, I didn't get any clove from Dracul at all, and wondered what everyone was talking about. I set my bottle aside (it's now aged for two years) and just tried it again this week, and it's OMGClove!

 

If you like dragon's blood, then I also recommend Blood. It's all clove and dragon's blood, and one of my very very favorites.

[GingerGunlock]

Have you tried March Hare? It's fruity but clove-y too.

 

I haven't tried that yet, but it's on my wishlist, and I'm getting my swapable imps straightened out.

 

 

I'm looking for my ultimate clove blend. I've tried Malice, The Smiling Spider, the Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn, Dracul, Wrath, Troll, and Madrid, and while many of them are very nice, and a few are in regular rotation, they haven't been what I was looking for. But every time there are new clove blends, I'm hopeful. Every time.

Valentine of Rome and Mort de Cesar! They are heavy on the clove to me- both are LE's but fairly available. Also, I didn't get any clove from Dracul at all, and wondered what everyone was talking about. I set my bottle aside (it's now aged for two years) and just tried it again this week, and it's OMGClove!

 

If you like dragon's blood, then I also recommend Blood. It's all clove and dragon's blood, and one of my very very favorites.

 

 

Valentine of Rome, I've never seen hide nor hair of, and Mort de Cesar I opted not to buy because I was wary of the "red wine grapes". I don't like "grape" scent, per se, and pretty much everything I've tried with a "booze" note in it has amped to high heavens and not let anything else show. Blood, though, I will add to the wish list. I'm still rather new at this, and only just getting my feet with which notes I'm sure will or will not work on me, and which ones I just hope about!

[donnatron]

All right ladies and gents--I've probably got enough perfume to last me until I'm dead but I'd like to be the crazy aunt who has everyone squabbling over her perfume collection. I'm in a honeysuckle cycle. I've tried:

 

Long Night Moon: Turned cheap aquatic on me. I tend to avoid lunacies when I'm looking for specific scents because I often find that I can't pick out single scents but instead get a general mood or evocation.

Lolita: Very sexy but can turn dusty lemon verbena at points in the month.

Twilight: Love of my life. The lavender is smooth and mature and the jasmine and honeysuckle are a to die for combo. I'm trying to be a good girl and seek it out on the forums before ordering from the lab and of course adding a few more bottles on to make shipping worth it. It's a struggle, though.

Chimera: I thnk it's the copal that makes this so addictive. A gorgeous, thick, resinous beautiful scent that isn't too heavy for summer.

Eos: I have to be in a mood for the butter quality of this. Very sultry and feminine. The skin musk in this is so gorgeous and so borderline inappropriate for day-to-day moments in my life.

Hermia: This is all sweet pink pepper on me. Has a very impressive amount of throw.

Litha: A coy version of Eos. Still very sexual to my senses, but has less of that post coital sweaty skin quality and more of a come hither quality.

Vampire Tears: A sweet, slightly buttery green scent. Like Eos, I need to be in the mood for the butter.

New Orleans: A flighty younger sister to Twilight. I am a sucker for jasmine-honeysuckle combos.

 

So, yes, I've tried the majority of the GC honeysuckles. But I was perusing the ones I found on the search engine and want to see if it's worth seeking out some of the LEs. Anyone have experience with the LEs and the GCs and know if there are any that I would (most likely, no pressure or anything, guys ) like?

[ivyandpeony]

paperrose, did you ever get a chance to try Chiroptera? I think it's pretty difficult to find these days, but I do remember a lot of honeysuckle in it (I, unfortunately, amped the lemon balm and sage in it until I smelled like some sort of delicious kitchen concoction instead of the floral delight that I wanted to be. Those who get an overall floral vibe from it love it though.)

 

Schlafende Bagneuse from the Salon is very pretty - the honeysuckle doesn't completely dominate, but the notes in it give it an overall "bright yellow" feel and complement each other wonderfully. (The notes are skin musk, white cream, honeycomb, yellow rose, King mandarin, chrysanthemum, golden amber, honeysuckle, and wide-throated yellow monkey-flower accord).

[meeow712]

I am on the hunt for the perfect ylang ylang blend. I looooove this flower! But when she is in perfume, I don't like it to be super floral, so I'm looking for not-so-floral ylang.

 

A few of my favorites have ylang without being floral:

Skuld

Et Lux Fuit

Loralei

 

Any other suggestions on a not-super-floral ylang?

 

Tiki Queen went awfully wrong on me, and I'd had such high hopes for her!

[GingerGunlock]

I am on the hunt for the perfect ylang ylang blend. I looooove this flower! But when she is in perfume, I don't like it to be super floral, so I'm looking for not-so-floral ylang.

 

A few of my favorites have ylang without being floral:

Skuld

Et Lux Fuit

Loralei

 

Any other suggestions on a not-super-floral ylang?

 

Tiki Queen went awfully wrong on me, and I'd had such high hopes for her!

 

You could try Malice. It's "Ylang ylang, clove, Indonesian red patchouli, and dark myrrh." I got it for the clove, and the ylang ylang is what didn't work out on me.