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smellsgood2014-04-09 12:23 pm
musyc) wrote in smellsgood2014-04-09 12:23 pm
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BPAL Reviews, 22 various
The usual personal caveats: I smoke, and I have difficulty, as a rank neophyte, with differentiating scents, especially in the floral categories. But I'm learning! XD My process with BPAL is to test and sniff before reading the catalog descriptions so I'm not persuaded by words over smells. Under the cut, sniff reviews, again cross-posted from my journal.
Follow Me Boy (vial): A houdoun recipe dating back almost 150 years. This blend is favored by prostitutes, exotic dancers and others in the sex industry for its power to attract, seduce, and enthrall. Ensures financial gain and increased profits.
Wet - Oh god, what is that? It's ... bug spray. This is not an attractant, it's a repellant.
Dry - Washed off, off, offfffffff. Oh no, ew. (Get It Off Me)
Croquet: We have some trouble managing our flamingos, too. Pink lime, pink grapefruit, white nectarine, wild rose, sage, woody patchouli, bergamot, and ornery hedgehog musk.
Wet - Sweet, fruity. Tangerine/peach? Very sweeeeeeet.
Dry - Still with the sweeeeet. This is very fruity, too far into it for me to really enjoy. (Not For Me)
Held forlunabee34.
Bewitched: Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.
Wet - Cherry/berry "froot" scent.
Dry - Something a little woody, but still mostly that "froot" feeling. This is nice, but it reminds me of Celestial Seasonings teas, which I prefer to drink, not smell of. (Not For Me)
I Died For Beauty (Discontinued) (Vial): The Venusian splendor of ylang ylang and violet stirred by hyssop, frankincense, and grave loam.
Wet - Pale floral, hint of dust? It's a closed-up dressing room after the lady has left.
Dry - Floral coming out VERY strong. Frankincense starting to take over. (Flowers!)
Devil's Night (LE 2009) (Vial): This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.
Wet - Rot and moldy leaves. Acrid. Something spicy, clove?
Dry - Cookie frosting. Rum? Unpleasant. (Get It Off Me)
Van Van: A venerable voodoo blend, used for purification of the spirit and to amplify positive personal power.
Wet - Patchouuuuuuuuuuuli. Yikes.
Dry - Vanilla and patchouli. Not good, no no. (Get It Off Me)
Asphodel (Discontinued): The grey and ghostly flower that fills the fields of Hades.
Wet - Violets? Lilies? Floral, floral, floral.
Dry - Flowwwwwwwwwwwers. Tide liquid detergent. (Flowers!)
Zephyr: Zephyr -- A gentle white scent, breezes laced with the scent of springtime blooms and citrus. Lemon, lemon verbena, neroli, white musk, white florals, white sandalwood, China musk, bergamot and a drop of vanilla.
Wet - Sickly sweet. Almost stuck to my tongue sweet.
Dry - Sweet fading out, floral coming to the fore. Too heavily. Musk is there, but it's all floral to me, almost headaching so. (Flowers!)
Vixen: Lascivious, flirtatious, and vampy as hell. A true heartbreaker’s perfume. The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli.
Wet - OH JESUS FUCK PATCHOULI. Yuck yuck yuck yuck.
Dry - Don't know, didn't get that far. This is the STRONG patchouli that I can't stand. Washed off while still wet. Never going to be able to get through to the dry if that's the wet stage. (Get It Off Me.)
Nanshe: The Babylonian Goddess of Dreams, who bestows the power of Oneiromancy onto her priests. This blend opens up psychic sensitivity during sleep and aids in the understanding and correct interpretation of portents and symbols.
Wet - Citrus. Vitamins. Lemon? Something green underneath. Strong and mediciny.
Dry - VERY strong lemon. Eau de Pledge. Far too strong. Fades out again later, more green and less yellow, but midstage is icky. (Not For Me)
Mouse's Long and Sad Tale: Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood.
Wet - Cotton candy! This is sweet and light. It's a wet sort of pink, a scrap of silk ribbon left in the rain.
Dry - Fading into vanilla, sort of melancholy? Still very pink. It's a lovely scent, but it's not something I'd wear often. (Not For Me)
Jezebel (Vial): Biblical witch, priestess of Astarte, and general troublemaker. A true role model for today's upwardly mobile Modern Woman. A gloriously decadent blend of honey, roses, orange blossom and sandalwood.
Wet - YES HELLO I AM ROSES. ROSES. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSES.
Dry - I BROUGHT MORE ROSES TO PLAY. SANDALWOOD HAS TO SIT IN THE CORNER. ROSES ROSES ROSES. (Get It Off Me)
And in the More Of This category:
Bathsheba: The Seventh Daughter, Daughter of the Oath. She was King David’s lover, and the mother of King Solomon. Her scent is breathtakingly lovely, exotic and powerfully sensual in its innocence: carnation, sensual plum, and Arabian musk.
Wet - Oooh, lovely. Light and attractive floral, something ... fruit? Oh, it's plum. Of course it is, apparently I love plum. XD
Dry - Still lovely! Fruit has faded, musk coming out stronger. Really like this.
Whitechapel: A gentlemen’s blend, possessed of dignity, charm and refinement, but in truth masking a corrupted, hideous, soulless core. White musk, lime, lilac and citron.
Wet - OOOOOOOOOOOH. Musk and ... lilac? Think it's lilac. This smells like a well-loved violin.
Dry - Citrusy smell starting to come out, still musky. This is not only a well-loved violin, it's an antique that has seen some scandalous parties. Definitely like this.
Bensiabel: Plum juice, lilac, leather, and a smattering of herbs.
Wet - Plum! Loads of plum. Something that feels feathery. Like ferns. It's a pale purple, the greyish-purple of pre-dawn fog.
Dry - Soft, lilac. Plum deeply faded but still lovely.
Storm Moon (LE 2005): The Storm Moon marks the darkest portion of the year. A season of long, impenetrable nights and turbulent tempests. A raging, electric and wet scent: slashing rain notes, rolling thunder, and sharp, cold winds layered by a breath of softly wafting lunar incense, a hint of Luna's blooms, and the brittle herbs of winter.
Wet - Lemon and ozone. Spiky, anticipatory.
Dry - CLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAN. Fresh laundry and comfort. Never has failed to have people wrapping around me with happy little smiles. I've had this bottle for years (since 2005, apparently XD ), and every time I put it on, I'm instantly happier and clearer-minded. I adore this scent, so I'm glad that little drops go a long way. I'll be sadface when I finally use it all up.
Frederic (LE 2012): Victorian whimsy and piratical romance: a reluctant seaman’s chypre sloshed with a mix of bay rum, patchouli, amber musk, dark woods, tea rose, and red currant.
Wet - Spice, tobacco, wet wood. This is an excellent fall scent.
Dry - Patchouli coming through. Muskier. Slight unpleasantness in wet stage fades to smell of bonfires and booze.
Suck It (LE 2009): A companion to Bite Me. Layers well with Lick It. Sexy and suckable: black cherry brandy.
Wet - Cherry Lifesavers. Black cherry Lifesavers. Also those wild cherry cough drops, which I admit to eating as candy instead of cough drops. They're good!
Dry - Black cherry and more black cherry. DELICIOUS.
Rose Red (LE 2005): The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut.
Wet - ROSE. *Exactly* what it says on the tin. Fresh-cut long-stemmed roses. Intense memory of Renaissance Faire gifts.
Dry - Fresh rose scent stays with this for hours and hours. This is not the HELLOROSES of mainstream scented goods, lotions and shampoo, fakey-fake roses. This is fresh, new, stepped outside and clipped a stem with dew still on the petals rose. Absolutely delightful.
Lorelei: A tragic heroine from German lore. In despair over a faithless lover, she threw herself into the Rhine. In death, she has become a siren that haunts that river to this day, luring sailors to their doom. Neroli, sandalwood, ylang ylang.
Wet - Interesting! This smells purple-blue. Like shadows on steel. Think that's the neroli? Like this.
Dry - Sandalwood coming through, still shadow-blue. Very nice.
Phantasm: This delicate, spectral perfume gives rise to an eerie distortion of of the senses. It bestows an ephemeral, ghostly, and truly haunting quality to your presence. Green tea, lemon verbena, jasmine and neroli.
Wet - Lemon, very pale lemon. Lemon gelato. Very light floral beneath.
Dry - Haunting is right. Light and fluttery. This is pale yellow lace curtains in a spring breeze.
Vinland (Discontinued): The legendary site of the Viking colony in Newfoundland founded circa 985. Crisp northern wind blowing over loganberry, wild roses, prairie crocus, iris versicolor Linné, mountain avens, yellow birch bark, mayflower and maple leaf.
Wet - This has a hint of that "florist's refrigerator" smell that I don't care for, that rotten/dying roses scent. But underneath is something ... something both pale and dark at the same time. Like fire smoke, burning aromatic woods. Very unique!
Dry - Cold and wild. I want to sit outside with a cup of coffee and watch the mist roll over the trees as the sun rises. Definite keeper.
Follow Me Boy (vial): A houdoun recipe dating back almost 150 years. This blend is favored by prostitutes, exotic dancers and others in the sex industry for its power to attract, seduce, and enthrall. Ensures financial gain and increased profits.
Wet - Oh god, what is that? It's ... bug spray. This is not an attractant, it's a repellant.
Dry - Washed off, off, offfffffff. Oh no, ew. (Get It Off Me)
Wet - Sweet, fruity. Tangerine/peach? Very sweeeeeeet.
Dry - Still with the sweeeeet. This is very fruity, too far into it for me to really enjoy. (Not For Me)
Held for
lunabee34.Bewitched: Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.
Wet - Cherry/berry "froot" scent.
Dry - Something a little woody, but still mostly that "froot" feeling. This is nice, but it reminds me of Celestial Seasonings teas, which I prefer to drink, not smell of. (Not For Me)
I Died For Beauty (Discontinued) (Vial): The Venusian splendor of ylang ylang and violet stirred by hyssop, frankincense, and grave loam.
Wet - Pale floral, hint of dust? It's a closed-up dressing room after the lady has left.
Dry - Floral coming out VERY strong. Frankincense starting to take over. (Flowers!)
Devil's Night (LE 2009) (Vial): This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.
Wet - Rot and moldy leaves. Acrid. Something spicy, clove?
Dry - Cookie frosting. Rum? Unpleasant. (Get It Off Me)
Van Van: A venerable voodoo blend, used for purification of the spirit and to amplify positive personal power.
Wet - Patchouuuuuuuuuuuli. Yikes.
Dry - Vanilla and patchouli. Not good, no no. (Get It Off Me)
Asphodel (Discontinued): The grey and ghostly flower that fills the fields of Hades.
Wet - Violets? Lilies? Floral, floral, floral.
Dry - Flowwwwwwwwwwwers. Tide liquid detergent. (Flowers!)
Zephyr: Zephyr -- A gentle white scent, breezes laced with the scent of springtime blooms and citrus. Lemon, lemon verbena, neroli, white musk, white florals, white sandalwood, China musk, bergamot and a drop of vanilla.
Wet - Sickly sweet. Almost stuck to my tongue sweet.
Dry - Sweet fading out, floral coming to the fore. Too heavily. Musk is there, but it's all floral to me, almost headaching so. (Flowers!)
Vixen: Lascivious, flirtatious, and vampy as hell. A true heartbreaker’s perfume. The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli.
Wet - OH JESUS FUCK PATCHOULI. Yuck yuck yuck yuck.
Dry - Don't know, didn't get that far. This is the STRONG patchouli that I can't stand. Washed off while still wet. Never going to be able to get through to the dry if that's the wet stage. (Get It Off Me.)
Nanshe: The Babylonian Goddess of Dreams, who bestows the power of Oneiromancy onto her priests. This blend opens up psychic sensitivity during sleep and aids in the understanding and correct interpretation of portents and symbols.
Wet - Citrus. Vitamins. Lemon? Something green underneath. Strong and mediciny.
Dry - VERY strong lemon. Eau de Pledge. Far too strong. Fades out again later, more green and less yellow, but midstage is icky. (Not For Me)
Mouse's Long and Sad Tale: Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood.
Wet - Cotton candy! This is sweet and light. It's a wet sort of pink, a scrap of silk ribbon left in the rain.
Dry - Fading into vanilla, sort of melancholy? Still very pink. It's a lovely scent, but it's not something I'd wear often. (Not For Me)
Jezebel (Vial): Biblical witch, priestess of Astarte, and general troublemaker. A true role model for today's upwardly mobile Modern Woman. A gloriously decadent blend of honey, roses, orange blossom and sandalwood.
Wet - YES HELLO I AM ROSES. ROSES. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSES.
Dry - I BROUGHT MORE ROSES TO PLAY. SANDALWOOD HAS TO SIT IN THE CORNER. ROSES ROSES ROSES. (Get It Off Me)
And in the More Of This category:
Bathsheba: The Seventh Daughter, Daughter of the Oath. She was King David’s lover, and the mother of King Solomon. Her scent is breathtakingly lovely, exotic and powerfully sensual in its innocence: carnation, sensual plum, and Arabian musk.
Wet - Oooh, lovely. Light and attractive floral, something ... fruit? Oh, it's plum. Of course it is, apparently I love plum. XD
Dry - Still lovely! Fruit has faded, musk coming out stronger. Really like this.
Whitechapel: A gentlemen’s blend, possessed of dignity, charm and refinement, but in truth masking a corrupted, hideous, soulless core. White musk, lime, lilac and citron.
Wet - OOOOOOOOOOOH. Musk and ... lilac? Think it's lilac. This smells like a well-loved violin.
Dry - Citrusy smell starting to come out, still musky. This is not only a well-loved violin, it's an antique that has seen some scandalous parties. Definitely like this.
Bensiabel: Plum juice, lilac, leather, and a smattering of herbs.
Wet - Plum! Loads of plum. Something that feels feathery. Like ferns. It's a pale purple, the greyish-purple of pre-dawn fog.
Dry - Soft, lilac. Plum deeply faded but still lovely.
Storm Moon (LE 2005): The Storm Moon marks the darkest portion of the year. A season of long, impenetrable nights and turbulent tempests. A raging, electric and wet scent: slashing rain notes, rolling thunder, and sharp, cold winds layered by a breath of softly wafting lunar incense, a hint of Luna's blooms, and the brittle herbs of winter.
Wet - Lemon and ozone. Spiky, anticipatory.
Dry - CLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAN. Fresh laundry and comfort. Never has failed to have people wrapping around me with happy little smiles. I've had this bottle for years (since 2005, apparently XD ), and every time I put it on, I'm instantly happier and clearer-minded. I adore this scent, so I'm glad that little drops go a long way. I'll be sadface when I finally use it all up.
Frederic (LE 2012): Victorian whimsy and piratical romance: a reluctant seaman’s chypre sloshed with a mix of bay rum, patchouli, amber musk, dark woods, tea rose, and red currant.
Wet - Spice, tobacco, wet wood. This is an excellent fall scent.
Dry - Patchouli coming through. Muskier. Slight unpleasantness in wet stage fades to smell of bonfires and booze.
Suck It (LE 2009): A companion to Bite Me. Layers well with Lick It. Sexy and suckable: black cherry brandy.
Wet - Cherry Lifesavers. Black cherry Lifesavers. Also those wild cherry cough drops, which I admit to eating as candy instead of cough drops. They're good!
Dry - Black cherry and more black cherry. DELICIOUS.
Rose Red (LE 2005): The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut.
Wet - ROSE. *Exactly* what it says on the tin. Fresh-cut long-stemmed roses. Intense memory of Renaissance Faire gifts.
Dry - Fresh rose scent stays with this for hours and hours. This is not the HELLOROSES of mainstream scented goods, lotions and shampoo, fakey-fake roses. This is fresh, new, stepped outside and clipped a stem with dew still on the petals rose. Absolutely delightful.
Lorelei: A tragic heroine from German lore. In despair over a faithless lover, she threw herself into the Rhine. In death, she has become a siren that haunts that river to this day, luring sailors to their doom. Neroli, sandalwood, ylang ylang.
Wet - Interesting! This smells purple-blue. Like shadows on steel. Think that's the neroli? Like this.
Dry - Sandalwood coming through, still shadow-blue. Very nice.
Phantasm: This delicate, spectral perfume gives rise to an eerie distortion of of the senses. It bestows an ephemeral, ghostly, and truly haunting quality to your presence. Green tea, lemon verbena, jasmine and neroli.
Wet - Lemon, very pale lemon. Lemon gelato. Very light floral beneath.
Dry - Haunting is right. Light and fluttery. This is pale yellow lace curtains in a spring breeze.
Vinland (Discontinued): The legendary site of the Viking colony in Newfoundland founded circa 985. Crisp northern wind blowing over loganberry, wild roses, prairie crocus, iris versicolor Linné, mountain avens, yellow birch bark, mayflower and maple leaf.
Wet - This has a hint of that "florist's refrigerator" smell that I don't care for, that rotten/dying roses scent. But underneath is something ... something both pale and dark at the same time. Like fire smoke, burning aromatic woods. Very unique!
Dry - Cold and wild. I want to sit outside with a cup of coffee and watch the mist roll over the trees as the sun rises. Definite keeper.