BPAL Reviews Catchup Pt 1

[arianhwyvar]

You might think, from the dearth of reviews, that I have stopped testing BPAL over most of the last year. You would be wrong; I just haven't been posting them. Trying to start catching up now.

(Note: absolutely no one has to look at these. They are for my reference.)


Titus Andronicus (Dark musk and black amber with frankincense, red sandalwood, neroli and bergamot): In vial -- perfume, wood, orange. Wet -- orange, that rich almost varnishy resin scent, quick skin alchemy, a bit of wood. A bit sweet and (good) powdery. (3.5)

Sheol (Vibrant gladiola, graceful stargazer lily, triumphant iris and bright heliotrope flare, and is finally made somber by heavy copal, a drop of labdanum, and tonka.): In vial -- resin. Wet -- resin, maybe with some floral. A rather heavy smell. A thick note coming in I don't like so much. ...Stalish floral. Eventually very eh. (2)

Scarecrow (a hot wind blowing through desolate, scorched, barren fields.): In vial -- surprisingly perfumy. Wet -- what does this smell like? It's like a floral that goes throat-drying at the end. Almost medicinal. Not too fond of this. ...What an odd smell this is. It *is* sort of 'hot', 'scorched fields' and 'desolate'. ...Almost a bit like incense, maybe a bit plasticy. Mostly staying a weird bitter smell, not very nice. (2)

Eos (Her scent is that of softly glowing skin, jasmine, buttercup and honeysuckle.): In vial -- jasmine/floral. Wet -- honeysuckle (light), light jasmine/other floral. Nice. Light floral staying pleasant while dries. ...Pleasant dry, light and slightly sweet. (3.5)

Wanton (Palmarosa, red sandalwood, attar of rose, patchouli): In vial -- rosey but not bad. Wet -- strong but fairly pleasant wood/herb/medicinal. Sandalwood + palmerosa? A light, high-pitched scent, nice/interesting with the wood. Some rose, but not much/not bad. Woodier right wrist, rosier left. ...More sandalwoody for a while. Maybe a bit soapy. More rose/thicker. (2.5)

Baron Samedi (our spin on traditional Bay Rum.): In vial -- yum! Sweet foody alcohol. Wet -- a bit cakier, but still nice. A bit of skin alchemy. A little staler/more alcoholic, less foody. ..Faded over several hours. (3)

Utrennyaya (Osmanthus, Damascus rose, violet, delphinium, white mint, palmarosa and white sandalwood.): In vial -- floral with an incongruous note I don't really like -- oh, it's mint. Wet -- stronger mint with floral, a rather odd combo, almost reminds me of lavender. ...Mint calmed down, now mostly eh floral. (2)

Incubus (Spectral white musk and the heart-stopping chill of sheared mint, fanned by caramel-touched body heat, and the diabolical sensuality of black musk, nicotiana, and sage.): In vial -- good! Slightly herby, other things I can't identify. Wet -- caramel, I think, fairly foody. An herbier smell coming in -- and mint. Sage too I think. Almost a little citrusy-herby. ...A tiny touch of mentholation. ..Herbier, a little less sweet, not quite as nice. ...Hm, light, slightly herby, vaguely masculine -- reminds me a bit of Aziraphale. Ok, but not something I'd really want to wear. Dry -- light, pleasant, slightly warm/sweet. (3.5)

Swank (the scent of a crisp pomegranate martini.): In vial -- excessively sweet, but yes, kind of martinilike. Wet -- yep, that smells rather like a fruit martini. And indescribable alcohol/martini smell. Still a kind of artificial fruit I'm not so fond of, but calming down a little. That kind of sparkly going up your nose thing, too. (2)

Doc Constantine (Sheer musk, cedar smoke, fir needle, black amber and leather): In vial -- strong (good) evergreen and leather. Wet -- perfume, leather, lighter evergreen. I think the 'perfume' smell is musk/amber. ...Leather/evergreen coming out more. ...More 'nothing but leather.' ...Reminds me of something in my earlier BPAL experience -- my Yule? (4)

The Jersey Devil (Pitch pine with blackberry leaf, cranberry, cedar wood and tomato leaf.): In vial -- perfumy, pleasant, hard to figure out notes. Wet -- pleasant slight evergreen, woods, berries? tomato leaf? More evergreen coming out, moderated by blackberry?/tomato leaf? ..A brighter herby note coming in. ...Getting more perfumy/piney. And a little stale (right wrist). A bit sweeter than I would have expected. (2.5)

Urania (Moonflower, Moroccan jasmine, benzoin, white musk, iris, moss and a flash of ozone.): In vial -- delicate, slightly floral. Wet -- stronger floral, but not bad. ...Pleasant floral (that floral I like might be moonflower?) A bit of skin alchemy (white musk?) ..Light, faintly sweet and floral. (3.5)

Blockbuster (Used to open up options in your life, overcome obstacles, and create opportunities. This blend increases your potential for success, inspires creativity and quick thinking, and helps you to be more flexible, adaptable and open to change.): In vial -- excessively sweet and fruity. Wet -- a strong sweet herby? smell -- cinnamony? but with something else. Not something I'd necessarily want to wear just because of its scent, but it did seem to wake me up, and it's not unpleasant. Stayed cinnamony/herby? Lasted a long time. (2)

Jonathan Harker (lavender, iris, white tea, verbena and white sandalwood.): In vial -- verbena, tea, a bit of lavender. Wet -- verbena, a bit of tea. Lavender coming in? Blends well. ...A bit of skin alchemy? ~1 hr -- light wood, maybe a bit of tea. (3)

Midnight Mass (a traditional Roman Catholic sacramental incense): Wet -- nice incense. Becoming sweet and interesting. Staying nice. (4)

Knect Ruprecht (The snow-covered foliage of the Black Forest and the fruit and woods of apple and almond trees): Wet -- almond, apple, pine. Becoming nothing but eh pine. Becoming a pine scent I really don't like. Bleah. (1.5)

Talvikuu (Skeletal limbs of birch and fir coated in a thick, impenetrable blanket of snow. This is the death of the year personified.): wet -- sweet evergreen, almost aquatic. Not super strong evergreen. I see why some people thought of it as minty. Not bad, but I think I prefer my evergreen without aquatics and vice versa. (2.5)

The Rat King (Dust, wood and feral musk with a fang-sharp undertone): Wet -- eugh. Dust? Nasty rancid dust. Gets a bit better over time -- something I can't identify. (1.5)

Chanukkiya (Olive oil, beeswax, glowing amber, sweet sufganiyot, pomegranate, and fig): In vial -- mmm, sugar. Wet -- foody sugar, going initially a bit cakey, but then leveling off. Hints of olive oil/wax, maybe amber, though still sweet/foody. Yep, sugar, wax, oil; not bad. ...Cakier again, a little of those others. ...Eh, stale cakey on left wrist, a bit nicer on right. Fairly long and pleasant vaguely cakey dry stage. (2.5)

Pumpkin I 07 (Pumpkin with pear, white wine grapes, and jasmine-laced tea): In vial -- foody deliciousness, with a hint of fruit/tea. Wet -- wine grape very strong initially, then fades back. A bit cakey. Winey/cakey? A bit of staleness? Still a bit nice foody/spicy. ...Stayed that way -- a bit of nice, a bit of staleness. (2)

Pumpkin III 07 (Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream): In vial -- pumpkin, caramel, white chocolate. Wet -- chocolate, something fruity -- the pomegranate. A changing, darker/more burnt note, like cocoa beans. Pomegranite/dark cocoa, and maybe a little staleness. A bit of sweet creaminess near the skin (right hand). (2)

Vixen (The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli): In vial -- vaguely dirty orange. Wet -- orange, headshopped up by patchouli. Not unbearably bleh, but eh. Maybe a little plasticy. Throw doesn't smell too bad. 1.5 hours -- still pretty consistent -- vague dirty, slightly plasticy/stale orange. (2)

Hetarae (A seductive and dazzling blend of golden honey, fiery patchouli, sweet fig and clove, and a blushing touch of ylang ylang.): In vial -- honey, spices, floral. Wet -- floral, fig, clove? A bit of dirtiness? Honey. ...Honey/floral/fig/touch of dirtiness. ...Stays nice honey, eh other stuff. (2)

Penthus (Salt tears over white roses,the fumes of thin funereal incense and the hollownessof calamus): In vial -- salt, light rose. Wet -- stronger ok rose, salt. ...Yep, salt, light rose. ...Dries to ok generic slightly-floral. (2)

Egg Nog 07 (Sweet brandy, dark rum, heavy cream, sugar, and a dash of nutmeg): In vial -- oversweet eggnog. Wet -- right up close, very alcohol. Throw is pure eggnog, though -- creamy and nutmeggy. Hm -- fast fade to eh spices. Gone stale, lost eggnogitude. ...Oh, there is still a bit of egg nog there. (2)

Diwali (Lotus root, mogra, mango, tamarind, cardamom, clove, almond milk, cashew, rice flower, coconut, supari, raisins, and incense crafted from aloeswood, red sandalwood, cedar, and spikenard): Vial -- interesting, nice -- almond milk & spices? Wet -- indian fruits and spices. Rice flower. Maybe raisins. Reminds me of an indian restaurant (in a good way). Is that tamarind? And some woods/incense? Light/complex, like many of the Asian scents. ...Becoming a bit thicker. Maybe a touch soapy? A bit nose-burning? ...Mostly wood -- stale on left wrist, more interesting on right. (3.5)

Pele (muguet and Hawaiian white ginger enveloped by warm, damp tropical blooms): In vial -- yep, warm and damp. Wet -- warm, damp, and a gentle floral. Reminds me of being at the pool with my grandparents or in the showerhouse afterward. A very gentle, soft floral. Rather nice, though very light. Could be a nice hot weather smell. (3)

House of Night (A sorrowful graveyard bouquet of somber blooms, funereal boughs, dismal green and laden with grief): In vial -- sharp, almost evergreeny perfumy floral. Wet -- more green than the floral I expected. A dark green. ...Ew, nasty urine-like note. Headache-inducing? cypress? ...Vile note mostly faded into ok drydown. Ok -- eh. (1.5)

Zorya (Spices of the Orient mingle with crystalline musk, midnight flowers and cereus, jasmine, primrose and vesper iris): In vial -- light floral. Wet -- light floral deepened by something else -- the spices or musk? Nice. As it dries, fine but a bit generic. (3.5)

La Belle au Bois Dormant (Plumeria and white pear, Damascus rose, tuberose, magnolia and evening dew): In vial -- pear, fresh floral. Wet -- medium floral, fairly pleasant. Eh, going staler. ...Gone stale/woody/meh too floral. (2)

Event Horizon (Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin): In vial -- a dark scent, and opium. Wet -- a resinous varnishy (in that good violin shop way) smell -- labdanum? A little sweetness. ...Yep, dark & resiny, like Titus Andronicus. Not bad, but not something I'd wear. A bit ozony? (2.5)

Pumpkin 4 2007 (Pumpkin with cactus blossom, sage, and sweetgrass): In vial -- yummy pumpkin. Wet -- pumpkin and a smokey herby smell I'm not sure whether I like or not. It's ok. Sun-warmed grassy? ...Grassy/hay-like, with a bit of pumpkin. ...Faded/woody, with tiny hints of pumpkin. (2)

Comments

[hilariarex.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you venture into the new autumn scents, as I might want to try some. I really like autumn scents, so I'm hoping to someday find some that work for me.