BPAL Madness!: Witch's Dagger - Viewing Profile - BPAL Madness!

De Sade

This was part of my French order.

Preconceived notions: I didn’t get any leather in Wanda, none in Loviatar, and only a slight bit in Casanova. If I’m going to get leather, it’s going to be in this one, which is said to be pure leather.

Note: By the time I tried this, I’d also received Dead Man’s Hand, so I’m reviewing them at the same time.

In the vial:
If I hadn’t had Dead Man’s Hand to compare, I would have said that this smelled like pure leather. But Dead Man’s Hand is more of a pure leather. This is leather and a very tiny bit of incense or smoke - something dark and brooding.

On me:
For the entire hour it was on, it really didn’t change much. Pure, black leather with ambient dark incense. This is excellent.

Overall:
I love this. I like it much more than the pure leather of Dead Man’s Hand. It has something mysterious to it, something dark and maybe even a little ominous. Nothing you can really pick out, but it’s there. Without Dead Man’s Hand to compare, I would never have noticed anything but the leather.

Edited to add: Whoever said bonfire - yes! That's definitely there as well. Mmmm...

Dead Man’s Hand

Preconceived notions: Nothing with Leather had worked on me, but I’d just ordered De Sade when this came out. Eventually, I decided to try this, too.

In the vial:
Pure leather. Just leather. Maybe a little dust, but mostly, just leather.

On me:
Like De Sade, this stayed constant the entire time. Just pure leather, brown suede.

Overall:
If De Sade didn’t exist, I’d probably keep this, since the leather is so accurate. But I like De Sade better, and they’re close enough that I don’t need both. I’m going to try to swap this for a bottle of De Sade (since my De Sade is in imp form).

Oisin

I got this for a friend, but since I don’t use much when I test, I figured I could review it.

Preconceived notions: Sounds a little too light for me, but we’ll see.

In the bottle: Grass, herbs, wild flowers, and fresh air - a meadow.

On me:
Sweet frehs herbs, morning dew, sunlight filtering through the butting trees on a beautiful spring day. This is life and light and happiness.

In 20 minutes:
The same, I think there might be a bit of fruit in this as well.

In 30 minutes:
Vanilla, flowers (rose?), and the original scent: sweet, soft, pungent, and airy.

In 1 hour:
Sweet, floral, smoky. A very harmonious blend.

Overall:
This is very nice, but I was right - too light for me. I’m happy I got to try it, but I think my friend will enjoy it more.

Temple of Dreams



Review of the fragrance itself. Will update when/if I try it as a dream oil.

Preconceived notions: Herbal, lemony, citrus, lavender, clove, rosemary, spice, something deep and resiny. Good for work with dreams - it sounds like people have had success with it.

In the vial: Mostly lavender, but something sharp, white, and glittering, yet hazy and soft - white musk? Also something minty, maybe eucalyptus (or rosemary as noted above, though I find eucalyptus to be more cool and minty than rosemary, and this is definitely both).

On me:
Intoxicating. Maybe there’s some mugwort in this - I recognize the way it works. And there’s still some mint or eucalyptus in it. It’s mostly lavender, and definitely dreamy. I can easily see using this for dream work.

In 15 minutes:
Mint, but a lavender/herbal mint, not a sweet mint. Somewhat spicy (maybe it is rosemary after all). Not bad.

In 55 minutes:
About the same, and beginning to fade.

Overall:
I really like this and I can’t wait to try it out for dream work. I can’t see wearing this as a day fragrance, though. It’s too intoxicating, and I’d likely run my car off the road in a dazed dreaminess, or daydreaming instead of getting my work done.

Urd: Fate

Preconceived notions: A sexy incense scent. Sounds great for me.

In the vial: Sweet dragon’s blood and cinnamon.

On me:
Dragon’s blood or vetiver and spice, and something soft and sweet (vanilla? amber?) It has a sense of timelessness - elegant in the sense of simple, beautiful, and effortless grace.

In 10 minutes:
Smoky, distant, ageless, dust, yet filled with life. Another excellent incense scent. I want to smell like this all the time. I wish I could describe it better.

In 20 minutes:
Sweet incense with spice. Exotic, yet calm. Definitely a skin scent. Very good for a priestess blend.

In 30 minutes:
Less sweet, but otherwise, about the same. Very dark.

In 40 minutes:
About the same.

In 1 hour: Still about the same, but sweeter. I recognize this - it’s the scent of some amber incense sticks I have (which are sweeter and heavier than the actual resin)

Overall:
This is wonderful and amazing. Definitely a keeper, maybe a big bottle. Exquisite.
(and maybe that “amber” was really the nag champa)