Your Salon Must-Haves!

[puck_nc]

I placed my order today. I got Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree like I planned and also tried for Melancholia--it's been moved to the discontinueds here on the forum but was still live on the site. I hope I get one of the remaining bottles...

[orata]

I got impatient (and worried about Melancholia) and placed an order for Salons--then realized maybe I should have waited for 13/Coraline. Fffffff I hate paying extra shipping.

 

I gave Melancholia a lukewarm review at first but it settles to a really beautiful soft creamy floral--I've been wearing it almost nonstop from the decant I got from swaps recently.

[tacey]

I'm testing Cupid Complaining to Venus (Apple blossom, fig, white peach, honey absolute, red sandalwood, and wild thyme), which I remembered liking but I've never bought or worn much, and much to my surprise it goes on reminiscent of Eisheth Zenumin (Ladies of the Grindhouse, CD)! Naturally I have to compare them, and side by side it's not as close as my scent memory suggested. The Carnie Lady has a solid cocoa presence (Honey, ambergris, neroli, white peach, patchouli, and cocoa absolute) that really separates them. However, the thyme noted in Cupid isn't coming out for me, which is the piece I think would really highlight him as a must-have. For the peach/honey similarity, I'm happy with my bottle of Eisheth Zenumin, and relieved to not add another bottle to my Salon shopping list...

 

I'm still waffling over back up bottles of my current Salons... they're mostly about half gone and knowing they are irreplaceable makes me so nervous. I don't want to be afraid to wear them!

 

ETA: The reviews on Schlafende Baigneuse are all over the map, but it's one of my personal favorites. I wear it only for those soft, cozy days at home when it's all about me and just feeling happy... it stays close to the skin and I love it anyway. YMMV, of course...

Edited July 13, 2012 by tacey

[Alia Kaitan]

I've managed to get my paws on some Bat (thank you, you know who you are!! <3) and oh. my. It is an absolutely perfect dusky musky night floral. A little 'damp' and cool to my nose, like a dew laden garden at night, a tad sweet - I can pick out wafts of honeysuckle from time to time. Not overwhelmingly floral, though. The musk and amber give it a soft, fuzzy grey feeling. Eeeeee. This one may be back up worthy, or several. It'll be getting a lot of love from me.

[neptuneanblues]

I haven't tried any of the Salons yet, nor have I bought any bottles of BPAL at all yet, but apparently there's no time like the present as far as that's concerned. I absolutely must try The Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil, but I think I can only afford one more. I'm hemming and hawing endlessly over whether to get Lucretia or Judith Victorious.

 

Prettymuch exactly what you said (EDIT: well, I've made BPAL orders before, I'm referring to what Salon blends I'm interested in)! Great minds think alike?

 

Well, Lucretia has arrived in the mail, and sadly, she is not a must-have for me. Hopefully she will find a good home with someone else! Not sure whether I feel like taking another gamble before the Salon exhibition closes....

[OctoberGwen]

Well, Lucretia has arrived in the mail, and sadly, she is not a must-have for me. Hopefully she will find a good home with someone else! Not sure whether I feel like taking another gamble before the Salon exhibition closes....

 

That's too bad. I don't care for Cloister Graveyard on my skin (and I thought I might not), but I love the painting so much and the scent embodies it so perfectly that I'm not too bummed out. (Plus, Great Cry In Egypt is really lovely to wear. I was fortunate that I could afford two.)

 

There are more I wish I could try, but I don't think I'll be gambling on any more bottles before they're gone.

[stellamaris]

I'll be gambling, why not. After all I have had so many hits, Cloister Graveyard, Philosopher in Meditation, Arrival at the Sabbath, Lot & His Daughters (shoot me and kill me, this is so good), I want to give a few others a chance, like The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt, La Mort Qui Danse and Ressurection of the Flesh. And that is it. Maybe...

oh yeah, Judith Victorious, I knew there was one more.

[fireweaver]

When the Ecstacy of St. Theresa's frankinsense calms down, it'll be a lot more lovely. There's a 10 min. period where that note just shouts instead of joining in the chorus of beautiful scent

 

Schlafende Baigneuse- pretty, but I don't know if it's causing me to sneeze or if it's the weather. Going to wait til I know I'm not sickly and then try it again. I liked the scent that I could smell for a few minutes!

Edited July 18, 2012 by fireweaver

[orata]

Yaaay, I got my bottle of Melancholia! I think that's my favorite Salon--creamy florals. I also love Three Brides (spicy rose-carnation floriental) and Kiyohime Changes from a Serpent (aquatic plum-fruity-floral).

[forspecial_plate]

I'll be gambling, why not. After all I have had so many hits, Cloister Graveyard, Philosopher in Meditation, Arrival at the Sabbath, Lot & His Daughters (shoot me and kill me, this is so good), I want to give a few others a chance, like The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt, La Mort Qui Danse and Ressurection of the Flesh. And that is it. Maybe...

oh yeah, Judith Victorious, I knew there was one more.

 

I gambled too. I got really lucky and found 3 lovely forum members with partial bottles of the ones I wanted. Sailor's Den and Lantern Ghost of Oiwa are the 2 I haven't tried before, but they sound really interesting.

 

Love And Pain is the 3rd, which I've tried and know that I like a lot, although I've gone back and forth a few times on it.

[neuilly]

I am head-over-heels in love with The Lantern Ghost of Oiwa. I bought a back up bottle and wish I was done with school and fully employed so I could afford more. I really hope they find a way of bringing back some of the more popular scents...so long as this one counts as popular

 

But seriously it's such a complex scent and yet somehow effortlessly smooth. I have no idea what's in it based on the smell. It doesn't seem like perfume or an oil, it's just....ah, so good!!

[doodlehum]

I bought my first ever back up bottles. It was so hard weeding it down to just the three, but I got back ups of Love and Pain (if I were allowed only one bpal for the rest of forever and ever aged Love and Pain would be it), Cleopatra Testing Poisons, and Schlafende Baigneuse. The ones that I love but still got cut off the list were Carceri d'Invenzione, Itaso Kansei, and Three Gorgons.

[calivianya]

Holy crap, Love and Pain. I just got it in the mail yesterday and it is totally amazing even though the lavender still does its magical disappearing act that lavender usually does on me. Love and Pain is just so good that I bought a perfume fixative as soon as I realized how soon it wears off on me just so I can wear it...

[stellamaris]

What is this perfume fixative of which you speak? I need some of that!!!

Wearing Lot & His Daughters today, why does this have to be so good?

[rabbitwhisperer]

I'm thinking of doing the unthinkable: ordering four Salons unsniffed.

 

Cleopatra Testing Poisons

Schlafende Baigneuse

Sunflower

Love and Pain

 

I'm scared. Schlafende Baigneuse and Sunflower seem like the riskiest -- I really dislike sneezy soap smells, and I'm being forever disappointed by the Lab's scorched greenery smells (they often seem either too flat or too high-pitched). But on the other hand, the positive reviews are so POSITIVE!

 

What to do, what to do...

[Alia Kaitan]

rabbitwhisperer: It seems both Sunflower and Schlafende are in moderate to high demand among Salon-goers, so if they didn't work out, you would probably be able to re-home them pretty easily. </enabling >

[rabbitwhisperer]

rabbitwhisperer: It seems both Sunflower and Schlafende are in moderate to high demand among Salon-goers, so if they didn't work out, you would probably be able to re-home them pretty easily. </enabling >

 

Yes, quite true! I went ahead and bit the bullet yesterday and bought all four. Fingers so very crossed! If they smell as fabulous as they sound, I will be a happy camper indeed.

[patina]

I have to admit I'm sad for the Spider's disappearance.

[titania]

The Lantern Ghost of Oiwa is so gorgeous. I wish it wasn't leaving. This is the first and only exception I've made to the no backup bottle rule. I never want to be without it. Is it bad that I'm considering getting another bottle? I know I shouldn't, but...

 

I really like Sunrise with Sea-Monsters too. It's fresh and aquatic, and it has enough complexity to make it interesting. It's great for the warmer months especially.

 

Cupid Complaining to Venus is another amazing one. If you like honey and your skin amps it, you need this. Zomg this honey. And with the backdrop of the other notes? So much win. I love the peach.

 

As for Schlafende Baigneuse, the honeycomb/white cream/skin musk combo makes this one. Overall this scent is clean and lovely and good.

 

I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to try more, but it's probably better for my wallet. I have enjoyed all the Salons I've tried.

[manuberu]

.

Edited February 13, 2013 by manuberu

[OctoberGwen]

I am so bummed the salon is ending, though probably not for the same reason everyone else is.

I'm a newbie to Bpal, just received the CnS for my second order yesterday, and I still haven't figured out what works for me, what doesn't, etc etc, so ordering anything from the salon would be a complete waste without that knowledge. I didn't buy an imp pack because they seemed pretty expensive and what's the point when you're just starting out, right?

However, it pains me to see all these beautiful scent opportunities slipping away before I have enough expertise to tackle them. Arghhh.

I've been desperately reading reviews and this thread, but that just makes it worse because there are so many that sound so good. D:

 

I had the same experience with the Carnavale Diabolique last year, which left town just a few short months after I'd found BPAL. I know exactly how you feel!

[angelamaria]

Can anyone tell me how Arrival at the Sabbath ages? I really like it but if it gets too iris-y or gets foodier as it ages, then it isn't for me.

[Monday]

Can anyone tell me how Arrival at the Sabbath ages? I really like it but if it gets too iris-y or gets foodier as it ages, then it isn't for me.

:D

 

Anyways, I had an aged bottle and as far as I can remember it was pretty much all smoky caramel. But in a grown-up way, I can't say it was very foody or floral. Salon blends are a lot more difficult to figure out.

[angelamaria]

Can anyone tell me how Arrival at the Sabbath ages? I really like it but if it gets too iris-y or gets foodier as it ages, then it isn't for me.

:D

 

Anyways, I had an aged bottle and as far as I can remember it was pretty much all smoky caramel. But in a grown-up way, I can't say it was very foody or floral. Salon blends are a lot more difficult to figure out.

Damn, it was one of the Salons I crossed off my list as I was paring it down. Now I have less than 24 hours to decide if I live on instant noodles for a while lol or hope someone will have it up or something. :/ I am a bit disillusioned with The Changeling for being too~ foody, but this seemed just right. (Not that they are similar--that's just my brain being crazy.)

[rabbitwhisperer]

So my Salons arrived and PHEW! they're awesome!! I'm wearing Schlafende Baigneuse today and yes, it's slightly soapy, but not at all in an off-putting way -- it's just clean and slightly sweet. Beautiful! I wore Cleopatra Testing Poisons all day yesterday and love it too! I haven't tested Sunflower for any length of time, but what I tested was gorgeous. Love and Pain is really delicious but unfortunately too masculine for me; my husband's wearing it right now and it smells fab on him.

 

I'm feeling pretty pumped! I've never ordered unsniffed anything before -- well, except for a Lunacy or two -- so this was a big victory!

 

 

I'm thinking of doing the unthinkable: ordering four Salons unsniffed.

 

Cleopatra Testing Poisons

Schlafende Baigneuse

Sunflower

Love and Pain

 

I'm scared. Schlafende Baigneuse and Sunflower seem like the riskiest -- I really dislike sneezy soap smells, and I'm being forever disappointed by the Lab's scorched greenery smells (they often seem either too flat or too high-pitched). But on the other hand, the positive reviews are so POSITIVE!

 

What to do, what to do...