Newbies Guide to the BPAL Galaxy

[Ina Garten Davita]

(This is a work in progress. If you have any suggestions for this topic or questions that you would like to have answered, please ask here.)

 

The chances of finding out whats really going on in the Black Phoenix Universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the scent of it and keep yourself occupied. Don't Panic. This is your guide...

 

BPAL~ Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, the reason we're all (mad) here. Founded/created/run by Beth and Brian, AKA kebechet and Doc Constantine.

 

BPTP~ Black Phoenix Trading Post. This is where you can find all sorts of Black Phoenix branded dry goods and swag along with amazingly scented bath and body products. Run by Ted, aka Puddin'.

 

TAL~ Twilight Alchemy Laboratories. This is where you can find specially crafted spiritual oils for your magickal workings.

 

*Each company is its own entity, orders and shipping are not typically combined.

 

WCWC/Will Call~West Coast Will Call is a monthly brick and mortar event that takes place on or around the full moon at Dark Delicacies. Check the announcements for details.

 

DSWC~ Dirty South Will Call takes place in Atlanta around the time of the full moon. Info for DSWC is on a to be announced basis. Check the announcements for details.

 

GC~ General Catalog. These perfumes are available for purchase year round.

 

LE~ Limited Edition. These perfumes are limited in nature and typically released on themed updates throughout the year and are, as the name suggests, only available for a limited time.

 

Go Live/Live Until~ This is the duration that a scent or collection is available on the Lab's site. Go live is the date it is released and available for purchase. Live until is the date the scent will be pulled from the site and is no longer available for purchase from the Lab.

 

Update/Update Stalking~ We have an idea of when the update is coming but we never know the exact moment when it will hit. Forum members hang out in a stalking thread, drink tea, eat update themed foodstuffs and chat and hit refresh on the Lab's site in another browser window. The anticipation is as excruciating as it is delicious!

 

 

Lunacy~ the monthly perfume based on the upcoming full moon.

Lupercalia~ the lusty and exotic Valentine's Day themed update.

Lilith~ the update to commemorate Beth and Ted's daughter Lilith's early September birthday.

Weenies~ the Halloween update. This is an overwhelming favorite, it's the Lab's "Black Friday", and it's usually huge and full of autumnal goodness.

Anniversary~The Lab celebrates its anniversary in early November and will come out with a Phoenix themed update to commemorate the occasion.

Yule~ This is the Christmas/Winter Holiday update.

Forum Only~ this is a limited edition scent that is for forum members only, usually with a secret link. One of the most clever was F5, a most refreshing scent. Anyone who ever stalked an update gets the jokes.

CD~ Carnaval Diabolique. Like the carnival that is gone in the night, so Carnaval Diabolique disappeared. We are waiting for its return. Stalk the Carnaval here.

Inquisition~ This is an update from The Trading Post. You make a plea to the Goblins for which scent you'd like. One year it was the Naughty and Nice Inquisition. There were t-shirts to go along with the perfume that said "The Lab Decreed Me Naughty/Nice."

Event Exclusive~ A scent made specifically for a particular event like Dragon*Con or the annual food and toy drives. This may be a 5ml bottle or a sample size.

 

Retail/E-tail Exclusive~ A scent created by Black Phoenix but is only available at a particular location or website such as the Lace series at Dark Delicacies, Haute Macabre or Pretty Indulgent.

 

Trunk Show~ The Lab sells off stock of unreleased scents, leftovers and even prototype versions of released scents. If you see a scent with a label that reads Fenris Wolf v2, this was a working version of the scent and may differ from the final scent. Check the Lab's Etsy shop to purchase these rare goodies.

 

SN~ Single Note, these are limited editions and sometimes are done in a tongue in cheek way like Pumpkin Spice Everything Single Note.

 

DC~ Discontinued. These perfumes that were once part of the General Catalog but due to component issues were unable to stay. I have it on good authority that discontinuing scents makes Beth very sad.

 

Imp/Imp's Ear~ the sample size vial offered by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.

 

Unimpable~ These scents are only available as a bottle from the Lab, such as Limited Edition scents and special series like Only Lovers Left Alive or the Jim Henson collaboration.

 

Frimp(s)~ Those wonderful free samples that the Lab/Post typically include with each order. Don't expect them, don't make special requests for them. Let the Lab fairies work their magic and you may end up finding a new favorite!

 

Frottle(s)~ The rare treat, free bottles with large or special orders.

 

HG~ Holy Grail

 

Unicorn/BPALicorn~ a rare, hard to find scent like Pumpkin King, Storyville, Formula 54.

 

Prototype~ This is be a scent that is up and coming, but its release isn't guaranteed. There will often be prototypes for sniffing at Lab events, they create lots of buzz and people love to read reviews of them.

 

Unreleased~ A scent that was created but for some reason never released, samples or bottles may be floating around but they are rare.

 

Age/Aging~ like fine wine, some BPAL blends get better with age, Snake Oil is a prime example of this.

 

Skin Chemistry~ sometimes abbreviated to "skinistry," the qualities unique to your skin which affect how a perfume is going to smell. It's amazing at how this varies. Food, hormones, climate. Join the discussion here.

 

Testing~ applying a small amount of a new scent to see if it works with your skin chemistry. What are you testing today?

 

Amp~ Amplify. Your skin may play up a particular note based on your skin chemistry. Join the discussion here.

 

Death Note~ this is a note that you don't care for or doesn't smell good on your skin. This note can take over a blend and make it unpleasant. This can vary from person to person, nose to nose. Never pass up a blend because of one note, you NEVER know what is going to work and Beth never lists all the components that go into a blend.

 

ISO/DISO~ In search of/Desperately In Search Of. Like when that GC on your wishlist gets discontinued, you will be DISO of a bottle of that scent.

 

Fairy~ a person going to a BPAL event who volunteers to purchase event only scents and ship them to you. Find your fairy in the Swaps area of the forum.

 

Sniffie/Empty~ An imp or bottle that doesn't have any usable amount of oil left in it. Just enough to get a whiff or teaser of the scent.

 

BNNU~ Brand New, Never Used

 

TOL~ Top of Label

 

TOS~ Top of Shoulder

 

TAT~ Turn around time. From the Lab's main site:

 

 

All orders, including domestic orders, may take in excess of 14-21 business days to process, pack and ship out due to a heavy workload, the process of hand-blending and the nature of our product. All oils are made once theyre ordered to ensure freshness. Our shipped-through info is constantly updated in the BPAL Forums.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate rush order requests.

CnS~ Click N' Ship, this is the e-mail delivery notification that you get when your postage has been printed and your package is on the way to the post office.

 

DC~ Delivery Confirmation, you may see this abbreviation in the swap and sale area of the forum.

 

Sn.a.ke Oi.l~ When you see things typed with periods or odd spacing, it is so that the search will filter it out and you won't be disappointed to find that something you want may have already been swapped.

Cleanly tested~ A toothpick or other disposable implement was used to test instead of applying directly to the skin from the bottle or cap. Some people have concerns about contamination/eventual spoilage of the perfume by skin oils, or the transmission of germs from swapping perfume that hasn't been cleanly tested. This thread has more details on the subject.

 

Quick and Dirty Last Word~ PM a mod or search before starting a new topic. I'm almost always available since my iPad and I are attached at the fingertips, drop me a line any time, and please try to avoid discussing swaps or sales outside of swap area.