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Hello one and all! I've been asked to relay this news from the warehouse: we don't have an official "order by this date to receive your package in time for Christmas!" cutoff. Everything is just too loosey-goosey at the moment, for reasons both foreseeable and un-. So how about this instead: if your order is time-sensitive because it contains Christmas gifts, please make a note of it in the comments section of the order, and/or email Ted (answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com) to let him know. We're gonna be on the lookout for these orders so we can prioritize them in the queue and give them the best shot of reaching you ahead of the holiday. Thank you so much for including us in your holiday gift-giving! We are definitely feeling the love this year, and doing our best to spread it around.
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We've created a gorgeous new perfume oil to accompany the launch of Century Guild's latest Alphonse Mucha fine art poster print: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/centuryguild/monaco-rare-vintage-1897-mucha-art-nouveau-poster?ref=creator_tab MONACO The whistle cries. Cheek pressed to the cool glass, breath fogging faintly as orchards and riverbanks blur past in watercolor hues. The air fills with rose crème and warm pastries from the dining car. Night falls. The train glides along the darkened coast, and lights shimmer in the distance like earthbound stars. Burnt sugar amber, polished French oakwood, cacao fleur, blushing peony, and cashmere musk. Only available via CG's KS as part of the poster rewards tier!
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Greetings, astromages! BPAL/TAL has contributed a set of three oils to the latest launch from Sphere + Sundry, drawing upon aspects and influences of Jupiter in Cancer. These can be found (along with an array of incredible products by other contributors) exclusively in the S+S shop: https://sphereandsundry.com/product-category/series/exalted-jupiter-in-cancer/ XENIOS The Welcomer. An expansive, joyous, festive oil that honors the sacred act of opening one’s doors. An oil that guards travelers, blesses hosts, and keeps peace between amicable strangers. Utilize to enhance festivities, invite easy conversation, and smooth frayed bonds, and encourages goodwill, open hands, and gentle hearts. This oil rewards those who offer warmth, bread, and a place at the fire to those in need. HERKEIOS The Bulwark: protector of the home, the hearth, and the family. An oil for warding, anchoring, and sanctifying homes that need fortification and for protecting families (found or blood) who deserve to rest without fear. Use to seal a space, bless a doorway, or shield your household. Wear or utilize in ritual when you need to feel rooted, watched over, and unshakably safe. May your hearth stay lit, your walls stay strong, and your loved ones remain fiercely, quietly protected. EPIKARPIOS The Guardian of Fruits. Under the wide, magnanimous crown of Jupiter, fruits thicken on the branch and ambitions grow fat with promise. Epikarpios is the old name whispered to the orchards, the title given to the god who watches every seed, every plan, every hidden hope and coaxes them toward sweetness. Utilize in ritual to enhance personal growth that unfurls like hearty vines, financial growth that roots deep and rises strong, and success that ripens heavy in the hand, and to enforce your sovereign right to thrive with your hard-won harvest.
- Today
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There’s a similar makeup note to Clown White SN but here it’s faint under the buttercream and sandalwood and gardenia. It’s largely vanilla, fairly low throw but delicious. Gardenia blends seamlessly, only detectable in top note.
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Well OK Sarah! As a big 80s fantasy fan this is certainly evocative of that subgenre in its way. This is Big Hair and Big White Dress: The Fragrance, but rather than the fairytale magic, this is more of what that would actually smell like behind the scenes. The powdery white florals of a specific hairspray, talc, makeup applied with well-loved brushes and a freshly dry-cleaned ballgown under the hot studio lights.
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oh this is so lovely. lavender MIST! I am hit or miss on Dorian blends but this is a hit for me. very soft, perfectly evocative: a sweet memory of dry cypress on the ground and a chill in the air.
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This is beautiful; I'm surprised I have never reviewed it. The leather is more prominent on me now than it was when fresh; soft leather and chestnut are the main players on my skin. There's also sandalwood and amber which tend toward the cool spectrum. I don't get any pepper or clove. Despite the misty description, there's only the tiniest twinge of aquatic, and Phantom Team doesn't dissipate immediately either; the wear length on me was quite decent. The chestnut and leather combination is one I don't have in any other scent. It's both comforting (chestnut) and sexy and rugged (leather).
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The honey smells baby powderish. The scent is soft and stays close to the skin.
- Last week
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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.
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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. ❤️
