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- Yesterday
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This weekend – December 13th & 14th – BPAL will have a vendor spot at Merry Gothmas, a spooky holiday market at the Ventura Fairgrounds! Chrissy will be presiding over a selection of Limited Edition and General Catalog scents and will be happy to contribute to your sniffing, sampling, slathering, gift-selecting, and what have you! https://www.merrygothmas.com
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On Good and Evil starts out rather heady with fig and beeswax, but quickly settles into a softer subtler state. Wearing this behind my ears I catch whiffs of sticky waxy fig as I turn my head, with a touch of contrasting grit from the murky background notes, of which an earthy vetiver seems most prominent.
- Last week
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[from a 'feltie' sample so generously gifted to me by a fellow forumite] she warned me that there was a sort of... pissy scent to this one, and when i asked for more info-- she also went on to describe it as barnyard and i must say that she wasn't lying the in the slightest. reviews of the counterpart "is he, you know" have also mentioned there being a pissy and or poopy sharpness to this and it most certainly finds its way here. thankfully, the stank does disappear on the dry down and it's that sensational bpal lilac coming out full force. as mentioned by leptonpyr it's definitely more than just a sprig of lilac it's a whole bush of it! i'd say that it's kind of a mature lilac blend? i have very limited experience with the majority of the notes in here, but it's definitely lilac and then a sweetness that supports that [can't tell whether it's the sugar cane or the vanilla] and then a subtle herbalness underneath. quite a lovely lilac if you can get over the brief stank!
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On wet, this is almost exactly like pink lemonade on me. The eucalyptus and bergamot give the strawberry a very sweet fizziness, and I almost get a furniture polish like quality to the throw. However, it settles down a LOT after a few minutes and the polish disappears. Vanilla and amber are usually quite strong notes on me and they work hard to beat everything down into submission. Instead of candy-like strawberry this is much more of a strawberry creme for me - smooth, creamy and rich. There's some good distance on the throw still, but it's subtle, though the wear time is only about so-so until I'm left with a faint strawberry musk.
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Okay, I totally missread "The hope of springtime penetrating winter darkness." as "The hops of springtime penetrating winter darkeness." and thought 'MAN, that's weird. What do hops have to do with the winter bird theme?' and pictured beer hops in the snow, then bunny hops in the snow, then drunk bunny hops in the snow. So, I will now affectionately call this The Darkling Thrush, aka Drunk Bunny Hops In The Snow. And it fits! I get the green bite of winter air with evergreen (the type of evergreen that is ever so jammy), and cold soft snow, with a touch of soft, sweet florals.The warm amber sort of plays with the snow like it does in Es Lacht der Mai, but I find The Darkling Thrush to be much softer. It's more of the Skadi type snow note, to my nose, and not like Snow White or Pink Snowballs, which I generally enjoy more. However, I like how this smells cold and dark in a peaceful sort of way, like the silence when snow blankets the land, and the air is still, the same atmosphere Winter Night Figure on The Bridge brings, yet with more evergreen. Being that I've wanted this since the winter of 2006 (which is right around the time of my first Lab order!), I'm glad someone posted one for sale all these years later, and to have found a soft, cold, violet evergreen snow blend in it. 🌬❄️🌲🧝🏼♀️
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The sum of its parts is so gross and manages to convey the hate and disgust from its inspired paragraph. I love this story so much (good memories from school!) but knew none of these scents were “me”; I got this imp for the love of the project and a hope that this would be the least terrible to my nose. it’s been on me for maybe 20 minutes and has settled into an indolic jasmine with rotting citrus and dry plaster. It is breathtaking how dirty and musty it is. I can’t stop smelling it and feeling grossed out, it is such a weird scent to have been made. the marigold is slowly starting to peek out, making it sweet, and maybe the vanilla is there too, but that jasmine really makes that first part such a bad experience for me. i love it for what it represents, but I don’t think I could ever wear it, haha
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This opens to all sugary apple and it makes me so happy. It’s not at all medicinal or herbal, as some apples tend to get on me. the mint gives it a cool iciness that tickles my nose and as the scent settles onto my skin, the milky notes keep it grounded. I absolutely love this one, it’s cuddly and bright.
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Oh THIS IS THE STUFF. I smell like the day after sitting around a bonfire. There might be a little bit of beer, but it's mostly sweetened wood smoke and dried leaves. I usually don't like anything with dried leaves but this is straight up magical. I've been wearing this almost every day since getting it. I layer it with gingerbread sometimes.
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First of the Three Spirits v5
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to saralaughs's topic in Event Exclusive Oils
This is a floral that I can get behind! Very fresh, green, grassy, clean, and a bit soapy in the bottle, with no distinctive floral note that I can discern even with a couple of deep sniffs. Most definitely NOT indolic. I've never smelled the released version (that I can recall) but this variant is really nice. Stays cheerful and bright on skin with a barely-there hint of vanilla in the drydown. There is also that whiff of lemonbalm that seems to mingle really nicely with the other notes. Really pleasant with medium sillage for about 6 hours before it starts to fade. At age 14, this bottle has lost no glory; the only note that seems much more subdued than others have reported is the honeysuckle. I love this for a day when your mood needs a little lift and your mind a reminder that spring always comes again. -
It smells like the dead, wet, disintegrating leaves and fallen blooms around my camellia bushes right now. Forest floor muskiness. But the khus, saffron and clove are drier and spicier than that. Clove comes out more on wear but that note doesn’t get too strong for me. The khus etc bring to mind Old Spice notes but the camellia and amber give it a little roundness. A+ for evoking winter/fall but I’m still trying to decide how much I like it.
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Whomever said this smells more like fresh apple than citrus in the open was exactly right, according to my nose! There is an orange-y sweetness from the yuzu that reads more orange blossom than fruit pulp to me. I generally can't do citrus notes, but this one is ok when balanced out by the astringency of the tea. The cherry blossom is there with a slight powdery touch that adds some texture to the scent. While none of these notes appealed to me on paper, the combination and ratio of them are not unpleasant, especially after drydown. Overall, though, I get strong enough Bath and Body Works spray mist vibes from this that I am unlikely to wear it again.
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In the imp, I get an overwhelming waft of artificially flavored marzipan. Blerg! No! I can't even force myself to put it on. If, like me, sweet almond tends to read pseudo cherry-like to you in an off-putting way, do not try Hecate. If you're into that, get right in there! With gratitude but strong aversion, this goes directly into the destash pile to find a more appreciative home than I can give it.
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The imp I kindly received as a gift to test has a deep burgundy liquid and moderately crimped label, indicating it has had a comparatively long life prior to getting into my (metaphorically) grubby hands. I mention this upfront for comparison purposes as many of us have experienced the largely positive benefits of aged BPAL scents and understand that our mileage may vary based on the factor of time on top of everything else! Wet in the imp, there is a sweet, slightly chewy patchouli that doesn't come across as heavy or overbearing. I get none of the clove or cinnamon here that others have mentioned, and I'm not mad about it. Applied to skin, the scent swells into an incense-y red musk with just a touch of pleasant soapiness underneath. Gorgeous! Not masculine at all to my nose and skin, this gets even nicer the longer it sits and mingles with my skin. After 30 min the patchouli really starts to emerge and I am wondering what percentage of DNA this must share with Snake Oil as there are definitely some overlapping vibes. Goes strong for 7+ hours and I can still smell the delicious remnants of it on my skin when I wake up the next morning. I wish I had a time machine to get 5 bottles of this a decade ago and let them sit, because aging has transformed this into something deeply satisfying to wear. If you have the opportunity to get your hands on an aged imp or bottle I highly recommend it!
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A scent as heavy as thunder from the Vatican, with notes that inspire every sin and excess. Black opium, with vetivert and honeysuckle. Immediately, wet in the imp, I get the sense of a commercial European men's fragrance that I've smelled in the past, but can't quite place. Despite that, it doesn't read exclusively "masculine" when applied to skin. The honeysuckle here really creates a nice balance with the darker notes, which are thankfully non-indolic in their florality. On drydown there is a sweet and steady thrum that sort of just wafts up at you from time to time. Low to moderate sillage and about 5 hours of wear before it largely fades away. Very workplace safe to my nose and, applied with discretion, also unlikely to cause offense in closed public spaces. I enjoyed the experience of wearing it and would probably appreciate it even more if I was just starting my BPAL journey. This is perfect for a man or masculine leaning person who wants to begin dabbling in indies but isn't quite sure where to start - not to say it is simple, but it has familiar elements in tone and wear to classic fragrances that will feel familiar but also a bit special.
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Egyptian Secrets of Albertus Magnus
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Spiritus Arcanum
The notes order listed here is like a set of ingredients, in that they display their strength in successively decreasing potency as written. I can detect each and every one of them both in the bottle, and on skin. Although it's not listed, I could swear that there is also a touch of cinnamon and/or cassia as there is a powdery heat that also emerges during the dry down. There is definitely a "mystical" aura here, something magical and ancient. The green cardamom is bright and snappy, largely front and center for the duration of wear, whereas the honeyed fig barely registers. I was incredibly impressed at how the overall scent bubble grew over time, giving a strong projection for 8+ hours. Beautiful, balanced, wearable. I foresee reaching for this a lot in colder months when I want to take an olfactory trip back in time. -
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Bodegón Con Cesto de Frutas, Melocotones, Granadas Y Bernegal
artisjok replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Limited Editions
Seconding the “smells like the painting looks.” The earthy notes and fruits all have a muted feel, yet maintain a sense of intrigue in their depth and complexity. There’s a definite warmth, both from the spice and just the overall composition of notes. The sun going down, the final hour working a market stall, just gradually tidying, but in no hurry yet, mind full with the interactions of the day. Looking forward to entwining into a lover’s arms. It is heartening, and I’m really just having a delightful experience over here. -
I reviewed the 2016 version shortly after it came out but earlier this year I won a bottle of the 2007 version from the Lab in one of their eBay auctions, so I feel like there's reason enough to do a second, separate review. I'll start off by saying I am absolutely one of the BPAListas that favors well-aged Snake Oil over the fresh stuff. And I truly mean the older, the better: I've got several bottles that have been quietly aging for years while I verrrrry slowly make my way through my precious 2006 10mL bottle - at this point, closing in on 20 years? It's like liquid GOLD. So it should be unsurprising that I am quite enthusiastic about having snagged this 2007 bottle of Saw Scaled Viper, because of COURSE, the SO is a big part of the equation. As with the 2016 iteration, the dominate of the other notes is cassia here, too- and I'm just as pleased about it. I sometimes feel like cassia is an unsung hero of spice notes, sometimes overshadowed by the familiarity we all have with clove and cinnamon. But whereas those notes can often be so strong as to have a ring of acridity in them, cassia is all smooth, rounded edges, and it's really beautiful. If you've ever spent anytime in the deep South (of the US) and had the pleasure of smelling the pods of white magnolia trees in autumn, you'll be familiar with the scent, as the two are incredibly similar, even though they come from completely different plant species. There is cinnamon here, too- sure- and wisps of the ginger as well, in the deep, deep background. But the dance between that cassia and the Snake really are the main love story of this scent, no matter what year / formula you're talking about. I keep both the 2007 and 2016 versions side by side as I find they have qualities different enough that I prefer one over the other during any given mood. What they have in common though, is being favorites of the Snake Pit for me. ❤️
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I never tried the original except for the hair gloss. I still have a small decant of that. I put that on my arms first and then put the perfume my wrist. Next to each other, they smell fairly different. The hair gloss has more of a chocolaty patchouli note to me and is more earthy, whereas the 2025 perfume is sweeter and fruitier, and definitely reminds me of Angel by Mugler. I do like both, but they do seem a bit different to me. also the HG seems to have more staying power on my skin.
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Treat this as more of an impression than a review since I'm reviewing the scent and not the intent. The Burning Light is mostly about the orange, apricot, and ginger on me, backed by the incense. The ginger with the other notes is making this veer medicinal on me, sadly. I'm going to stick with Holiday Survival Juice for a joyful, uplifting TAL blend.
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I received a tester of this in a decant order. This is mostly about the leather on me, and it's a strong black leather. I also get some rubberiness from it, which I agree is probably from the leather combining with the ink. The dusty pages are present, but I'm not getting any beeswax or any sweetness from this whatsoever. And that strong leather really could have used some beeswax goodness along with it! Maybe it's just my skin running away with the leather? I'm glad that I was able to try it, but I wouldn't reach for this over sweet book scents like Jólabókaflóð or Picture Books in Winter.
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I almost didn’t do a full wear of Bear Moon, since the little test was all honey on me, but that would have been a shame. This is one cozy experience! I’m also getting primarily musk and honey with touches of berry, which fades out in the wear, and it’s just hitting the spot on this cold, drizzly day. I think the wood is there supporting, but not super evident. I did want more leaves, and maybe sometime I’ll try layering with another scent for that. The recent Yule release has the 100 Acre Woods collection, and I’ve also been reading Winnie the Pooh stories with my children recently. This scent could easily bee (lol) Pooh’s, a snuggly sticky experience in a warm tree home, surrounded by good friends and memories.
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I was unsure if Qui Aime Bien would work for me after reading the reviews of floral soapiness. It is a rather cleean, sharp floral brightness to start with, haughty florals that look appealing, but have a punishing bite in their sap. The drydown is completely different. A warm pollen, musky and smooth. A very yellow perfume. I think it’ll embodies the name “who loves well chastises well,” both sides aptly represented. I love wearing it to bed, my favorites to bundle down with- clean and cozy!
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I'm also getting An Evening With the Spirits vibe from this one. It has the same sort of eerie coolness as some of those scents. I decided to try it because I wanted to try at least one scent from The Yellow Wallpaper collection, and this one seemed like it would be the most accessible (plus, y'know, it contains lavender ). This is indeed accessible, with the plaster dust being pretty tame and kind of lending a powdery make-up or classic perfume vibe in the background. However, the standout notes to me are the iris (which is somehow not as sharp and screechy as usual) and the musky ambergris. I've tried this a few times now, and the lavender and vanilla husk aren't really distinct on me, and I'm not getting anything rose-y from this, either. While this isn't something I need a bottle of, I'm glad the iris wasn't extremely rude to me (despite being a main player), and that this wasn't heavy on the plaster. If you like iris and are looking for a scent with An Evening With the Spirits sort of feel, though, this might be up your alley.
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do you remember Bronze Dildo? I know that one was a bit divisive, but dang, I am always impressed by a perfume oil that smells like bronze. and this also smells like bronze!! Statue of Freedom strikes me as much less bombastic than BD, thanks in part to the luscious amber smoothing over the edges. It's a stunning yet subtle scent.
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I looooove BPAL's big, booming, bourbon cream, but I'm glad this collaboration incorporates skin musk to tone it down slightly. The outcome is incredibly accessible, wearable, and yes, layerable! Wear your DILF to the office by day and then add a dab of snake oil for a night out.
