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oh WOW! This is good. Obviously, you've got this macadamia as the headliner and she's incredible. The sweet beeswax, the old paper and leather, the teakwood, the hearth smoke... all provide such a beautifully dark, dense and cozy atmosphere. So smooth and rich.
- Today
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My friend Sarah had several Halloween parties throughout middle school and high school and her mom would always make this punch that was like 7-Up and rainbow sherbet, and this really reminds me of that! Very fizzy, tart citrus out of the bottle/when first applied, but then it quickly disappears. Then the focus shifts to the strawberry and plum. The plum! The plum makes everything richer and a bit darker. But then... the citrus-y fizz comes back into the picture a bit more. Fizzy, fruity. Kind like... Sweet Tarts? Or this aforementioned Halloween punch my friend Sarah's mom made? It's kind of all blending back together again. Honestly, it's kind of like being at a Halloween party. You mingle with the different notes and then settle into a corner with a good conversation and see the party as a whole. It really, really reminds me of that punch. Ahh memories!
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Dead Leaves, Salt and Sea Home & Linen Spray
wilhelmscream replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Atmosphere
I think that first review says it all! Definitely getting "sleepy, spooky small coastal town in Autumn" vibes from this. It smells like a cold, grey day at the beach. Fresh and sort of cologne-y, but with a quiet, spooky edge. -
After many years of struggling to get the most out of our website, we've decided to commit to a major refurbishing, hopefully as soon as January. We're looking forward to all kinds of increased functionality, streamlining things for the customer as well as on our end. However, we've been advised that a lot of customer and back-end information will not survive this transfer. Your order history on the old site, for example, will no longer be accessible on the new platform. Your reviews *on the BPAL website itself* will no longer be accessible (the BPAL.org forum is its own domain, and will not be affected by the migration). If you wish to save any of this information, please do so by the end of the calendar year. Past that point, as we proceed with the site overhaul, we can no longer guarantee the preservation of that data. If we can think of anything else to add to this list, we'll definitely let you know. That brings me to the sad subject of wish lists: we'd recently asked folks to please back up their wish lists, as some critical function had been lost and we were going to try to repair it. As it turns out, we were not able to fix the wish list system, and that info is now unrecoverable. We're terribly sorry if you did not hear about this in time to save everything. This situation is one of the many ongoing problems that has inspired us to make the leap and join the 21st century (in this one small way, at least). We'll be sharing more news about this renovation as we have it! And I'll try to circulate this info as widely as possible so fewer folks are caught unawares. You're welcome to reach out with questions if you have them, although I don't have much additional info at this time. Please just know that as an online retailer, we're very enthusiastic about the fresh possibilities likely to come from having a navigable retail website. Just imagine!
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Powdery violets and incense, with just enough spice and sweetness to keep things warm and cozy. Love this!
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Happy holidays are on the horizon, and per our custom, we're hoping to encourage folks to support smaller businesses during the great consumeriffic shopathon dance-battle this holiday weekend. So, into every order over $24 (before shipping) placed on Friday November 28th through Monday, December 1st, we will lovingly enclose a free stash of the following 1/32 oz. pie-themed perfume oils: ✤ MATCHA LATTE CREAM PIE We're that relative who tries to make everyone try a green pie! This one dances lightly on the palate. ✤ LONDON FOG CREAM PIE A velvety, sophisticated concoction for the ages! ✤ STRAWBERRY LEMONADE PIE A burst of summer sun to treasure during the icy months ahead. ✤ BOMBASTIC SUBTROPICAL TURQUOISE CREAM PIE Disclaimer: this perfume oil is not blue, it is not combustible, and it is not caffeinated. As I've mentioned in past years, we GREATLY appreciate your help in spreading the word about what we do, – whether it's this Free Gift promo, or our brand new Yule collection, or just BPAL in general. This time of year it's awfully hard to break through the static, even to folks who are already following us. By sharing our posts, writing reviews, or otherwise recommending our work to others, you help expand our reach exponentially. Believe me, it makes a big difference. May all of your bajas be absolutely blasted in the festive weeks to come!
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My half-hour talk “Star Wars and Resistance” is now on YouTube as part of the SPACE Showcase. My talk kicks in around 11 minutes into the Showcase. This talk is a “sneak peek” into my new three-part online module for SPACE (Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education) for Signum University in Spring 2026. The Signum University Webathon 2025!: SPACE Showcase And here are the details of my Spring Star Wars modules. Rebellions Are Built On Hope: A Star Wars Series Over nearly half a century of storytelling, Star Wars has challenged audiences to find their own agency and power in the face of injustice and tyranny. The Star Wars works Andor (2022, 2025), Rogue One (2016), and A New Hope (1977) fit together to provide a story of resistance, resilience, and rebellion built on a deep engagement with history, philosophy, and political thought. Join Dr. Amy H. Sturgis as we consider how Star Wars wrestles with big ideas, invites conversation and action, and inspires hope in unprecedented times. This SPACE series consists of three hybrid modules: Module 1 (Feb. 2026) covers the series Andor, Season 1 (more info here); Module 2 (March 2026) covers the series Andor, Season 2 (more info here); and Module 3 (April 2026) covers the films Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (more info here). View the full post.
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Wow, a very cozy and warm scent. That macadamia is front and center enveloped in a subtle dry smokiness that keeps it interesting. I’m not really getting the leather that others seem to, but I may just not be as familiar with it. After about a half hour on the skin is when that delectable beeswax starts to be the main player. It’s a good thing I don’t mind looking nuts (ha ha) constantly sniffing my wrist. If you like nutty gourmands that have just a touch of sweetness, then this may be a new favorite.
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Wet: bright, bright fizzy blood orange. The fizz reads soapy on me, like I stepped into a bubble bath full of orange peels. Dry: the blood orange had evaporated and that’s when that yummy plum note took over. This one didn't last very long on me, but it was so lovely while it was there.
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It is nothing short of magical how they were able to perfectly capture this passage as a scent. The blackened blackberry note is so special here. Like others have said, it comes out (as if it was creeping) after drying down, following that lovely wet, green grass and honeysuckle opening. Whatever it is that is blackening the berry gives it a jam-like almost resinous aspect to it. Just perfect. I have to appreciate this scent too because it made me discover that I am a f-r-e-a-k for grass. I received this as a decant (thank you Saeva^) and I’ll definitely be purchasing a full bottle of this one.
- Yesterday
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2025 version Having just smelled the Clove and Sweet Incense duet a few days ago, I definitely smell those exact same two notes here in the bottle almost immediately. This bat is punchy, screechy, LOUD and ready to take a bite out of anyone who gets too close. I put a wand size dab onto my skin and Holy Toledo, Batman - it fills the room. Are we sure there is no red musk in there? I could swear it is lurking in the background. The drydown is a bit of a rough ride for me, with the anise undertones of the clove really making it hard to smell much else. But patience is a virtue!! The sugared patchouli was waiting for me on the other side of it. Very assertive projection and 8+ strong hours of presence on skin. My shirt sleeve absorbed quite a bit of scent so it will be interesting to see if it all comes out in the wash or not! I think I like Snootier Bat better for regular wear, with more leather and less clove in that variation, but this is a total banger in it's own right, time and place. Not work safe or small enclosed space safe; you'll want to wear this to a club, festival or show where you want every nose turning in your direction.
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I love it! I definitely would agree with other reviewers that this is somewhat heavier on the carnation than the perfume oil version, but it's still recognizably Alice, with the other notes coming through clearly, playful and cheering and with a hint of a sharp wit. The throw and longevity are both strong. I was frimped a decant of this one, and went to buy a bottle very quickly as I knew I would quickly go through my tiny decant (and I like to save hair gloss decants to travel with) - it pairs well with so many of my perfumes, and its playfulness makes it a very appealing hair gloss choice for everyday wear. As a lover of florals and musks, my favorite hair glosses have ended up often being very elegant and sexy to me, which is a delight and I so much love having all of them, but it means that Alice really fills a gap for (I previously tried Razors in a Doll's House for this niche, but it ended up being rather too sweet for my taste). I am so happy to have a bottle of this now.
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Glittering, aldehydic, pale amber; I agree with previous reviewers that it has an enrapturing salty-sweet combination to it which is both pretty and slightly mysterious. I suspect this would go sharp on my skin, so it's lovely to have it in hair gloss form, where it can shine alongside my amber-centric perfumes, which all have more sweetness or floral to soften them. This doesn't have quite so much throw or longevity as my other bpal hair glosses; it's a little subtler, but quite lovely. I ordered a squirt of this from the lab with my last bottle order, and am very pleased I did, though I am going to need to wear it some more times to decide whether I will get a bottle of it. I go through hair gloss so much more quickly than I go through perfume and so the bar for buying a bottle is much lower on these for me; I can tell this one is going to pair well with many of my perfume collection, but I'm not quite sure it feels a niche I need.
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i got a frimp of this and i really like it. i smell the dead leaves and something that definitely feels like an atmospheric airy sort of scent, mixed with a hint of something smoky/leathery. it really smells like you're sitting in an old car with leather seats driving with the windows open.
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Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather. I would be sorely disappointed if this ever disappeared from the GC. Leather, lavender and cedar are most prominent in the bottle, and the carnation joins the party when applied to skin. While I can detect the sage with deeper sniffs, it's really not medicinal or herbaceous, and the white musk is sparingly incorporated. Vanilla may be present but doesn't add much to the party for my skin. Others have noted the leather taking a front seat here and I enthusiastically agree. This is a scent for kicking butt and taking names, best worn as an amplifier of assertive and commanding energy. I like it for any situation requiring one to keep control of themselves and silently bend others to their will, Jedi style. Moderately strong projection and 6-7 robust hours of presence on skin.
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This one is much more than the sum of its parts. It is at once recognizable as a “perfume” of a familiar genre (spiced amber) and also evocative of the landscape in the poem, replete with dead grasses and leaves, and stiff, blackened seed heads. I don’t even really want to discuss notes here because none of them dominate, but I suppose the most important are the black amber and the khus on my skin. There was some combination up top that was momentarily unpleasant, probably the dead leaves with the chrysanthemum. But even that felt very reminiscent of a damp, dying landscape. The rest is straightforwardly gorgeous, deep but not overwhelming. I find this to be one of the driest (in terms of sweetness) amber blends from BPAL I have tried: a dark brown amber with almost bitter spicy, incense, and green elements. It is all melancholic beauty that is difficult to put into words. — My boyfriend immediately asked what I was wearing when I walked into the room he was in and told me he really liked it. So I guess there is a lot of throw right off the bat. He also said that it reminded him of magazine perfume strips from the 90s (?). Maybe CK Obsession ?
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Clean, sexy, soapy mountain man straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. This scent comes out of the imp strong and stays that way on skin, pleasant and refreshing. I would much rather smell it on Chad Michael Murray but it's not too bad on me, either!
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i love the art for this and i covet that dress. anyhoo it opens with red musk and something animalic, which is the black velvet note perhaps (?) it's oud-y. i then get some amber and maybe champaca but it's not all that floral.another reviewer mentioned nag champa and i totally smell it now. however this is mostly animalic oud on me that doesn't want to calm down. i get no rose and maybe a tiny bit of champaca? i think this would be gorgeous on someone else but it's not working for me.
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i definitely get wine/grapes at first along with the "organza" fabric sort of note. later i get some background notes but they aren't too obvious. the grape is strong here for me and the lilac is overpowered by grape. kinda wish this didn't have the grape/wine aspect....i think it'd work better for me as it's just not my cup of tea.
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My favorite destash partner was kind enough to slip in a decant of this with a recent order, along with a note stating that it I would probably like this even though I usually try to avoid rose notes. I am so glad I got the chance to try it! Overall there is not too much transformation between notes on my skin during drydown, but the combined effect of them is very pleasant and familiar as several of them seem to have been present in other BPAL scents I have tried. The lace and rose here are very reminiscent of Carved Wooden Bridal Shop, ethereal and faint behind the marshmallow musk. The cream isn't heady, more light than heavy. I can detect a bit of the same white satin here as in White Satin Hearse, a little shiny and bright, but nicely blended along with the other notes so that it doesn't dominate the scent. The oakmoss is incredibly subtle, not really popping in to make an appearance until fully dried down. On my skin, low throw and good longevity of about 8 hours. Mr. Smells, not prone to engaging in the testing process unprompted, leaned in for a sniff and said "this one doesn't smell like candles" (!) then came back again a few minutes later for a rare second whiff and grunt of approval. I can see why other reviewers have likened this to a baby powder or lotion scent. There is something beautifully old fashioned about it, like you'd find it in a hand cream on the dressing table of a Bronte heroine. If I had to choose one scent to wear on a tour of the grand homes featured in BBC bonnet dramas, this would most definitely be it.
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Oh did I never review this?!? I bought a decant of this at a time when I wasn't into incense scents. I also don't think I was in the correct head space to really understand this scent, and I wasn't ready to really face it. Recently, I went to try it again and it became an instant favorite. This is my everyday scent now. It's a dark slinky incense that smells dangerous, and isn't sweet. AT ALL. I am a survivor. Other people of marginalized genders saved me and became my community. This scent absolutely resonates with strength and righteous anger rooted in love, protection and compassion in the face of injustice and oppression. I'm buying a bottle, and I'm glad I finally was brave enough to give this scent another try. I honestly get a bit overwhelmed with emotion reviewing this one. It's something very special.
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Simply lovely. The orris root and ambergris accord mark this as close cousin to Lace Lichen, and if you like that scent this will evoke very similar feelings of brightness and lightness in the open. Largely tea and bergamot to start, with an aromatic greenness from the angelica. After a half hour the frankincense begins to emerge as a soft wisp, increasing in dominance as the top notes recede but never becoming terribly strong. The orris root stays subtle and not very powdery at all. This is a delicate, romantic scent, not cloying but charmingly feminine, perfect for times or places where a lighter scent touch is desired or appropriate. I would call this very safe for work or enclosed spaces 15 minutes after application as it stays close to skin in the drydown and thereafter. Lasts with appreciable detection for about 4-5 hours. Most definitely one of my favorites from The Prophet series that I have tried thus far, appropriate for almost any season or circumstance.
- Last week
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Dead Leaves, Scorched Clove, and Red Cedar
puellacaerulea replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Halloweenie
This one starts out very clove-forward, with hints of cedar and the dead leaves in the background. It takes time for the leaves to come out on this one -- as it dries down, it's mostly a deep, warm clove and clean, slightly sharp cedar. After drydown, crunchy dry leaves come out more, backed by faint cedar and clove. A more warm and woody take on the dead leaves, but I think I like the early clove-forward stages more than the drydown stage. Will keep my decant either way. -
this opens with voluptuous white flowers...i think it's a spicier tuberose, but could be gardenia. luckily, i love those notes so i like this. i get something a bit papery/vinyl like from the ink and paper notes i guess. i think there may be some other subtler white florals here too-like moonflower or phlox. after awhile i get a slight spiciness, but i can't quite place it-maybe pink pepper? there is also something a bit sweet here...above reviewers mentioned red musk, but if it is it's quite subtle on me, because i didn;t read it as that. i'm not sure, anyway this is a pretty floral and i will keep my decant.
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Black Butterfly Moon: Vanilla-Infused Frankincense and Raspberry
Assimbya replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
There's something about this one which just isn't working with my skin chemistry, and I don't know why - the combination of notes comes off as peculiarly artificial in a way that I find pretty off-putting, partially like candy and partially, with the woody frankincense and sweet vanilla, like a commercial room spray. Probably it's my skin's dislike of BPAL's red fruit notes, except I didn't know whether raspberry would be counted among them. Alas!
