What Do I Even Like?

[ellgee]

So quite new here - have made two orders of imps but trying to figure out what it is I like!

 

Haven't always worn a lot of scents due to my work but back in the day I stuck with: Tea Rose, Calyx, Aromatics Elixir and adored patchouli but got tired of the "Who's wearing pine sol?" questions.

 

Recently loved Chanel Mademoiselle and Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline on others but when I tried on myself, they turned sappy sweet and completely revolting.

 

I have just received:

 

Patchouli Imp Pack

Sea of Glass

Black Pearl

 

Ordered yesterday:

 

Whip

Highwayman

Zombi

Rose Cross

51

 

Am I even on the right track? I based my orders by searching the forum for my my previous scents. And I'm totally open to new things and spending lots of money. Well not really but I probably will. There's just SO MUCH!!

Edited October 19, 2014 by ellgee

[Teaker]

Sounds like you're on the right track to me! The best thing to do will be to go through the imps you receive (remembering that if you don't like something on the first try to let it sit for a couple weeks and try it at least once more) and find the ones you like and dislike. Look for common notes in the scents, so if a lot of your favorites have a note in common you can look for more scents with the same note. Ditto for notes you dislike. That will help you narrow down the bpal catalogue considerably so it's not overwhelming.

 

For example, I love rose. But every bpal I tried with rose in it just smelled like soap. I figured out that I can't wear that note, so every bpal with rose is a no-go for me (unfortunately).

 

Have fun! Maybe post what scents you've received that you like so far, and the forumites can make some recs based on those.

[Arden Ivy]

Aromatics Elixir's most prominent notes are mosses, chamomile, patchouli and incense with its main floral note being rose, so Zombi is pretty much those minus the Chamomile. Rose Cross would be reminiscent as well.

 

Calyx looks to be a fruit salad more than anything, and none of the imps you have are that fruity, so that might interest you some.

 

Chanel Mademoiselle and Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline don't have any notes in common, so there is nothing there I can warn you to stay away from. Mademoiselle has opoponax, which is very sweet sap, so that might have been your problem with that one.

 

I'm new myself, so my advice might not be that valuable.

[ellgee]

Oh no Arden, you advice was greatly valuable! Yours as well Teaker. I appreciate the insight very much and can already tell I will be learning a lot.

[arlith]

Sounds like you're on the right track to me! The best thing to do will be to go through the imps you receive (remembering that if you don't like something on the first try to let it sit for a couple weeks and try it at least once more) and find the ones you like and dislike. Look for common notes in the scents, so if a lot of your favorites have a note in common you can look for more scents with the same note. Ditto for notes you dislike. That will help you narrow down the bpal catalogue considerably so it's not overwhelming.

 

For example, I love rose. But every bpal I tried with rose in it just smelled like soap. I figured out that I can't wear that note, so every bpal with rose is a no-go for me (unfortunately).

 

Have fun! Maybe post what scents you've received that you like so far, and the forumites can make some recs based on those.

I had a similar thing happen to me. So to go with this, don't be afraid to try anything that comes your way, even if it sounds like you'll hate it. One of my favorite scents (Vixen) is one I would have never picked out to try when I first got into bpal. I try to skin test everything that I end up with, even if I think I won't like it. I just make sure to do the testing at home, where I can wash it off if it doesn't react well with my skin chemistry. (If you get a really stubborn one that doesn't wash off, you can try a bit of lemon juice on it, that usually help get of lingering bad scents. Or a bit of cooking oil, then lemon juice, then the soap. I've had some strong smell things.)

 

Definitely keep track of things, you'll see patterns and learn more of what is more likely to be a good oil for you. (I have a spreadsheet with things I've tried and liked, and another of things I didn't like.)

 

(And if you haven't already, check out the for sale section, it helps out so much when you have lots of things you want to try, you can get some really good deals there.)

Edited October 29, 2014 by arlith

[lady_pandora]

 

Sounds like you're on the right track to me! The best thing to do will be to go through the imps you receive (remembering that if you don't like something on the first try to let it sit for a couple weeks and try it at least once more) and find the ones you like and dislike. Look for common notes in the scents, so if a lot of your favorites have a note in common you can look for more scents with the same note. Ditto for notes you dislike. That will help you narrow down the bpal catalogue considerably so it's not overwhelming.

 

For example, I love rose. But every bpal I tried with rose in it just smelled like soap. I figured out that I can't wear that note, so every bpal with rose is a no-go for me (unfortunately).

 

Have fun! Maybe post what scents you've received that you like so far, and the forumites can make some recs based on those.

I had a similar thing happen to me. So to go with this, don't be afraid to try anything that comes your way, even if it sounds like you'll hate it. One of my favorite scents (Vixen) is one I would have never picked out to try when I first got into bpal. I try to skin test everything that I end up with, even if I think I won't like it. I just make sure to do the testing at home, where I can wash it off if it doesn't react well with my skin chemistry. (If you get a really stubborn one that doesn't wash off, you can try a bit of lemon juice on it, that usually help get of lingering bad scents. Or a bit of cooking oil, then lemon juice, then the soap. I've had some strong smell things.)

 

Definitely keep track of things, you'll see patterns and learn more of what is more likely to be a good oil for you. (I have a spreadsheet with things I've tried and liked, and another of things I didn't like.)

 

(And if you haven't already, check out the for sale section, it helps out so much when you have lots of things you want to try, you can get some really good deals there.)

 

 

 

Yup. Trying it on at home cannot be overstated. There's a big difference between something turning to stank while you're on your couch watching TV, and something turning to stank when you're slammed at work or on a date or something. And definitely try lots of things. I started out thinking I would mostly like florals and have instead turned into more of an incense nut.

[Mokiefraggle]

Definitely second the suggestion to try everything, especially the freebies. Some of my favorites have been frimps that I'd never have thought to order, while some of the things I thought I'd love ended up getting shuffled off to my fiance or even to my mum, because they just didn't work right on me. Sometimes, you just have to go outside of your comfort zone. And as I believe was also suggested, make sure you test a scent more than once! They'll smell differently right out of the shipping box than they will a few days down the road, and your current state of health or hormones or a whole host of other factors might make a scent turn terrible that would normally be wonderful on you. I also personally say not to try too many scents at once, particularly not putting light scents next to heavier ones, but your mileage may vary on this one.

 

If you like rose scents, you might also consider Phantom. It's one of my personal favorite rose scents, with a lightly smoky, incense-y backdrop. If you like your rose sweeter, you might try looking for the LE Ossa Arida, which is a soft, gentle rose with amber, vanilla, and frankincense giving it a sort of warm, lightly sweet undertone.

[crimescenecleanup]

If you like Aromatics Elixir, try BPAL's Caterpillar, from the Mad Tea Party Collection.

[Poenari]

When I was new to BPAL, I was already older than many here, and had been wearing perfumes for decades so I had a pretty good sense of what would work for me starting out. I had worn oils back in my long-ago college days, but had "graduated" to department store perfumes. Even with that, I had some hits and some misses starting out. I found that one of the things that helped me the most was to quit wearing my alcohol based perfumes entirely and retrain my nose. It only took about a month (I never go a day without wearing perfume) and the BPAL world really opened up to where I could really begin differentiating notes on my skin. I'm still nowhere as good at identifying individual notes as many on the forums, but I successfully blind buy my bottles from the Lab because I've leaned what will work on me.

 

Now if I try a commercial fragrance, I mostly smell alcohol. Remember too, that the goal of mass-marketed scents is for it to smell the same on everyone, so that it is recognizable and they can sell more. BPAL smells different on everyone, and even changes as you wear it, depending on your own body chemistry. Then there is the aging factor, as the scents age like wine and that's why you see some people prefer fresh over aged or vice versa. Enjoy this journey, be patient, and keep trying!

[lady_pandora]

When I was new to BPAL, I was already older than many here, and had been wearing perfumes for decades so I had a pretty good sense of what would work for me starting out. I had worn oils back in my long-ago college days, but had "graduated" to department store perfumes. Even with that, I had some hits and some misses starting out. I found that one of the things that helped me the most was to quit wearing my alcohol based perfumes entirely and retrain my nose. It only took about a month (I never go a day without wearing perfume) and the BPAL world really opened up to where I could really begin differentiating notes on my skin. I'm still nowhere as good at identifying individual notes as many on the forums, but I successfully blind buy my bottles from the Lab because I've leaned what will work on me.

 

Now if I try a commercial fragrance, I mostly smell alcohol. Remember too, that the goal of mass-marketed scents is for it to smell the same on everyone, so that it is recognizable and they can sell more. BPAL smells different on everyone, and even changes as you wear it, depending on your own body chemistry. Then there is the aging factor, as the scents age like wine and that's why you see some people prefer fresh over aged or vice versa. Enjoy this journey, be patient, and keep trying!

 

What's weird, though, is that BPAL has kind of...increased my understanding of department store perfumes too? I'd basically stopped wearing them because the initial burst of alcohol+harsh topnotes usually made me feel like they were trying to set my nose on fire. But after trying a lot of BPALs and getting better at picking out notes and following the progression of BPAL throughout the day, I have a lot more patience for the initial burst of those other scents too and am better able to pick out their notes as well. I don't really buy them pretty much ever--I like BPAL better and it's often a better value for the money--but if someone gives me some as a gift or something, I can wear it occasionally and appreciate it more than I used to.

[ellgee]

Wow, I have been busy and not returned to this post but wanted to say thank you. You guys are so knowledgeable. I have purchased so many imps and am working my way through trying ALL of them. Of course, I have my favorites already and on occasion wear my Aromatics Elixir. Will definitely try Caterpillar.

 

I made a spreadsheet and am making notes on what I smell first and throughout the day. It is very helpful.

 

Today, I am loving Goblin. Oh my. Can't stop smelling myself. LOL!

[ziggystardust13]

I would give Snake Oil and Vixen a try! Those two are my holy grail scents. So glad I discovered them!

[sprout]

Late reply but iirc aromatic elixir is a chypre. If you searched review thread with the word chypre it could stimulate some ideas of imps to try...