I was extremely lucky to get some decants of:
Erik & Christine
Silas & Ruthyn
Jekyll & Hyde
Erik has leaked a little so I know what *he* smells like, but will be testing the others shortly.
Sadly, a lot of my BPAL is in boxes as yet unpacked - because I'm back at my folks' place and they are renovating, so they've asked me to only unpack bare minimum, sob sob!
Received several decants from the lovely 2sistersreviews on LJ. I'm going to test the ones I think I will like the least and see how I go from there. A few leaked and they smell heavenly! I'll probably love the Ode to Aphrodite ones!
The Lab gave me squillions of imps and so I've started testing them.
Les Bijoux - bah, hates me. Reason? Rose. I can smell a lot of the other notes, but not the ones I love. Yeah, red apple doesn't much like me either. Sigh.
Intrigue - ooh, this is sexy, in a very understated way. A little too dry for me, though the fig does sweeten it up ever so slightly. I don't detect the cocoa which was a bit disappointing. I won't keep it but would love to see what it smells like the on menfolk.
Sin - a much less intense version of Smut I feel! But no throw on me, odd given that Smut has amazing throw on me. Wanted to keep my decant, but it dried to nothing on me and became crayonish. Shame.
Amsterdam - I don't know what tulips smell like, but this is lovely, it's a very fresh floral, sort of green yet watery too.
Sri Lanka - first is fresh sandalwood, then incense-like sandalwood mixed with cedar. The cedar is nice too, but this has such a gorgeous sandalwood. It stops smelling so sandalwood-laden, however.
I just realised that I got an extra bottle of Snow White because the decanter I bought Yule decants from sent me it instead of Snow Bunny!
So, I had an excuse for another order...
Water of Notre Dame
Dove's Heart
Bezoar
Snow Bunny
Beaverversary
Earth Phoenix
Yep, all 5mLs.
I need more 5mLs like I need a shot in the head...sheesh *grin*.
Black Cat - smells wonderful. Spicy, rosy sort of scent. Am very much hoping it will do what it says it can do! Perhaps I didn't put on enough.
The Lion - oh wow, I like amber, but this is just heavenly. Sunny, spicy and slightly sweet.
Flower Moon - just got enough to test this, and wow, it's gorgeous. Quite girlie. I think I love tulips and daffodils (actually, have always loved daffodils from an early age - reminds me of my childhood in England). Would definitely try to get a bottle.
Cordelia - these Asiatic blends tend to suit me - except the lemon! Drat. I love all of the notes, but that seems to be a tad too strong on me. I'll retest one day in the hope that it's died down a bit.
Miskatonic University - Irish coffee incarnate. I don't like it...yeah, I know, not a popular view, but I don't tend to like foody, sweet scents generally speaking. Can't believe how true this is though.
...and ordered Agape and Dorian.
Also, recently arrived: Viranhotkantita & Peacocks. I've had those on my wishlist for quite some time and was lucky enough to acquire both. I've had some very good luck with my wishlist of late!
Reviews/testing to follow!
Schwarzer Mond - the resurrected one. Wow. This is punchy! Dark, and sexy too. Am so glad I got this in 5mL form! It just gets better and better on my skin, and smells magnificent from afar (ie. when my nose is not glued to my wrist!)
The Gaoler's Daughter - wet, peach! As it dries down, the gardenia becomes more prominent. Such a girlie, flirty scent, am surprised there aren't more reviews for it. It's a very innocent yet cheeky blend. Not sure if it worth a bottle.
Pickled Imp - Very strong of cloves, then cinnamon and pine come out. Doesn't seem so vanilla-ish, but will let it age a bit or stand and this should improve it. I initially got this confused with Bezoar, which I may actually prefer.
Belle Epoque - fresh bottle, needs ageing, as imp had much more vanilla. It'll be a bedtime scent for me. It is gorgeous, and subtle and timeless.
That's it for now, or I risk sensory overload!
It's the Yules! Am writing more detailed notes in my imp journal, but here are some of my thoughts in summary about the Yules. I got a set of decants of all of them.
Le Pere Fouettard - I had to look up what 'gaufrette' was - a thin, fan shaped waffle wafer. Nice, not too foody at first, then whip leather makes an appearance, and gradually takes over the foodiness. When leather is at its strongest, the liquorice becomes known to my nose. An artful blend, but not something I would wear.
There's A Certain Slant of Light - ozonic, barely there. Very little staying power on my skin, which is fine really, am not too fond of these sorts of blends, as they tend to smell very male-colognesque on me. It smells minty in the vial.
Visiting the Temple of Auspicious Fortune Alone On the Winter Solstice - definitely get the rain at first! Wow! Then it gets musty, rather than dusty, and has an Eastern/Oriental feel. Much later it starts to get incense-ish. Again, not one I'd wear, or scent my environs with.
Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills - a more complex version of The Snow Maiden - sleety, chilly and berryish, but then it gets rather minty to my nose.
The Magi - I don't think I appreciate the complexity of this blend. I get the frankincense but it's too hard to tell what the other things are.
Perchta - has the characteristic BPAL chilly note, which is lovely. A hint of something spicy, then all the florals come out. Am keeping my imp.
The Head of Holofernes - wine and pomegranate are evident at first. This is actually quite lovely, and will be keeping my imp. Don't so much detect other notes, and had to look up what onycha was!
Butter Rum Cookie - just as the name says! Has almond, which is behaving on me (BPAL almond does not like me so much) but does get a little cloying after a while. It is yummy, though.
Gelt - wow, smells exactly like the coins. I love cocoa, and am surprised that the amber is quite muted in this blend. Will end up retesting.
Midnight Mass 2008 - am surprised it doesn't have more throw, but is really true to its name: smells exactly like mass incense. Be a nice blend to wear at nighttime. I actually got a bottle of this straight-off rather than just a decant.
Snow White 2008 - got 2 bottles by accident! No matter, it means I don't have to use sparingly, and will be my actual fragrance on Christmas Day.
Bottle-worthy: The Head of Holofernes, Midnight Mass 2008 (got bottle), Snow White 2008 (got 2 bottles).
Keeping imps: Perchta, Butter Rum Cookie, Gelt.
I retested a few 5mL bottles I had to try and figure out whether or not I should find them new homes. These were:
Tiresias, The Androgyne - a lot of people are saying they want to stock up on this. I bought a secondhand bottle, only half-full to try and its throw on me is amazing and it's quite unique, but not something I'm enamoured with. I do have a home for it though...have a girlfriend who was rather partial to it. Will give to her!
The Perfumed Garden 2006 - I love the jasmine in this, but not super-keen on the rest. Am genuinely torn, no idea if I should get rid of it or what.
Libra 2007 - bah, rose! This didn't like me at the beginning, and still doesn't.
The Emathides - oh my, this has developed into a beautiful, herbal blackcurrant scent. The fruitiness is very subtle, however. The throw is not as strong as I'd like but I can't bear to get rid of it.
Stay: The Emathides.
Go: Libra 2007, Tiresias.
Undecided: The Perfumed Garden 2006.
