meredevachon

Frimp from the Lab, and one I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise as the cocoa didn't really seem like something I wanted to wear as a scent. In the imp: Incense and dutch-process cocoa. Wet: Dark, bittersweet chocolate with some kind of roasted nuts. Drydown: This is very dry smelling. Hints of sandalwood peeking out, but still mostly bitter-dark chocolate. Dry: After a while it goes back to almost exactly how it smelled in the imp. It's a lot less foody that I would've expected for something with cocoa notes, but it's still not me.

Frimp from the Lab. Fruity scents aren't really me, so I don't have high hopes for Carnal. In the imp: sweet fruit. Wet: Fruit. Fruit. FRUIT. Dry down: What had seemed almost like the syrupy sweet of canned fruit quickly goes plastic and artificial smelling. Fruit scented magic markers? Strawberry Shortcake dolls? Something from my childhood, and not at all carnal. Yeah, this is another that I'll pass on to someone who'll appreciate it more.

Frimp from the Lab. Another I tested before reading any reviews/the description. I probably wouldn't have ordered this; honey and lotus both being sweeter than I like without something to ground them. But I didn't even get honey from this. Florals, sweet sweet florals, maybe a bit of fruit. Very bright, and stronger than I like. This one's just not for me.

Frimp from the Lab. Tried this without reading the reviews. Am shocked to see so much grapefruit, and glad I didn't get that as grapefruit has never been something I liked. In the imp: sweetish aquatic Wet: Still slightly sweet, but with the tang of salt water. Dry: Like walking along a beach in the late afternoon after spending the day in and out of the surf, warm breeze coming off the ocean, salt water drying/dried on the skin. Not as dark, evil, or mad as I would have expected, but at least I avoided the dreaded grapefruit. It's never going to be a first love, but it's one I'll wear.

I got this for the combo of tobacco and leather, both of which I usually love on me. In the imp: Strong-sweet florals. Hm. Wasn't expecting that. Wet: No tobacco, no leather, still strong, almost cloying florals. Drydown: Scent of tropical flowers on a humid night, where the air is thick and bordering on oppressive. Or this could belong in a corner of Rappucini's garden; there's something dangerous about these flowers. Dry: I waited and waited because I saw tobacco or leather eventually came out for some reviewers after a couple of hours. No luck. Still floral. Still sweet. Still not me. But, because there are some things I just don't want to give up on easily, I'll see what a little age does to this one. Because I really want it to work, and it wasn't bad, just not anything I'd wear as is.

In the imp: Sweet, with just a hint of what will be leather. Yeah, I'm terrible at picking out notes in the bottle. Wet: Ah, there's the leather. Sweet, but neither foody nor girly (which is not necessarily the same as feminine, although to me this is more unisex than either masculine or feminine). Dry: As this dries, it all kind of blends together, so it's hard to pull out individual notes, but in a whole is more than the sum of its parts kind of way. In skimming through reviews, I saw comparisons to both Tombstone and Golden Priapus. I love both of them (GP being in my top 5). This seems lighter and sweeter than either, but I can see (or smell) similarities, I think. This one's definitely a keeper.

With leather, tobacco, and amber, I had to try this. Of the three Riders, I figured this would be my favorite. In case you aren't interesting in the tl;dr... I was right. It's amazing. In the imp: Tobacco-sweet and the chemical I associate with the Lab's leather notes. Wet: The tobacco and amber make this very sweet (but not in a foody way) almost immediately, with the leather coming up through the sweetness. Drydown: I wouldn't know opoponax if it bit me, but the rest of this is exactly what I would expect. Dry: Oh dear lord and lady, this is good. Maybe not enough to get into my top 5, but def top 10 material. Leather warmed by skin and sun. Round richness of the amber. Sweet and a little earthy from the tobacco. All blending together harmoniously. Enough throw that I don't have to keep my nose stuck to my arm, but not so much I feel like I'm calling attention to myself (in other words, perfect for me). Lasts for hours. Yeah, I love this one.

This came up in my search for blends with leather, and I'm oh so glad it did. In the imp: Walking into a leathergoods store and getting enveloped in the smell of new leather. Unusual because normally leather blends don't smell like leather to me until they touch skin, in the bottle they're usually sharp and chemically. Wet: New leather, supple, expensive. The kind of stuff I have to be careful not to drool on 'cause I sure can't afford to take it home with me. Drydown: The leather loses some of the sharpness that makes it seem new. It's been worn and warmed. And like so many others, I would swear there's red musk here. Overall: The first leather BPAL I tried that worked for me was the now (sadly) DC Loviatar. It wasn't something I could wear just any time, but when I wanted/needed to smell like a strong, leather-clad woman in control, it was perfect. And I've been wondering if I'd find anything to replace it. The Red Rider? Is even better.

I've figured out that all my favorites have vanilla and/or tonka plus tobacco and/or leather. So I'm exploring more blends with those notes. In my most recent order, that meant trying out the three Riders. In the imp: Sweet, with less of the chemical sharpness I get with the Lab's leather notes. It's still there, just not nearly as strong. Wet: Sweet, round, smells like a creamy color. Hints of soft, warm leather. Drydown: Leather, but not like any of the other blends with leather notes I've tried. The sandalwood keeps things sweet and warm, and I get hints of amber too. Dry: This is the leather of vintage kidskin gloves, supple and soft and smooth, worn by a young lady and still carrying traces of her perfume. Overall: It's not going to be the first thing I think of when I think of leather. But I like it, and will wear from time to time.

I wasn't sure about this one, but I just had to order an imp to see. I'm not a foody sort, but the polished woods and dusty tomes called to me. And while I love the smell of coffee, I wasn't sure I wanted to smell like coffee. Still, when the BFF and I decided to get together at a coffeeshop today, I knew this was the one to test today. In the imp, wet, and for the first hour or so: This smells so familiar. I know this scent. Just don't ask me what it is, 'cause I couldn't tell you. It's an olfactory deja vu. Sweet, definitely. And whiffs of saltiness from time to time. What it is is right on the tip of my tongue, and I just can't come up with the word. Dry, several hours: Whatever morphing has happened was subtle, but eventually it's Irish Cream. I think I can pick out hints of wood and old books when I really sniff for them, but wonder if I'm just imagining it. Good throw without being overwhelming, and amazing staying power (after soap and water AND rubbing alcohol, I can still smell it close to the skin. When the BFF sniffed it on me, it went something like this: *sniff* Sweet. *sniff again* Very sweet. *deep inhale along my skin* Maple syrup? [note, I hate maple syrup] *sniffs some more* What's it supposed to be? As soon as I mention Irish coffee, she agreed. And when I mentioned the other notes, she said it sounded like just her thing. I'll have to think about this one. But I may pass it on to the BFF, because she's right, it sounds just like her.

A frimp from the Lab In the imp: As I was opening the imp, I got a sudden burst of fresh ground black pepper. Then when I actually sniffed, acrid smoke, and only hints of pepper. Wet: Smoke from a wood fire, sharp, overpowers anything else that might be there. Drydown: The smoke isn't as sharp, spices start to appear but other than the pepper as kind of generic spice melange. Dry: Oh, I like this more after it's had a chance to develop. Sweet roundness of tonka. Something almost nutty (throw a handful of nuts into the fire to watch them roast and then pop open maybe?). Overall: I had previously been surprised by how much I like Djinn, but I'm careful when and how I wear it, because it's not exactly an everyday kind of scent. Rumpelstilzchen is less pure fire and smoke, not as acrid or intense. I think, for the days I'm wanting to wear something smoky, I'm more likely to choose Djinn, as a personal preference, but there are probably times and places I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing Djinn where Rumpelstilzchen would seem okay for me to wear. I'll probably keep the imp, but don't need a bottle.

This was a frimp from the Lab with my most recent order, and I knew nothing about it when I pulled it out of my untested box to try it out. In the imp: Sweet. Sugar, maybe? No, honey. Almost. And a hint of something that I hope isn't going to turn coconut-y. Wet: Oh, that's where the honey and the please-don't-be-coconut came from. It's beeswax. Creamy, soft, warm beeswax. Still sweet, but not sticky. Drydown: I just had to come read the Lab's description, candles now seems so obvious. Hints sometimes of vanilla, and other times amber. I love both, so you won't hear me complaining. Dry: Beeswax candles and flickering warmth. It stays close to the skin, and like it belongs there. There might be a skin musk in there too. Overall: It's a subtle warm-sweet scent that I probably wouldn't have tried if the Lab hadn't gifted me with it, but I am so so so glad they did. It's lovely. ETA: One night I put this on shortly before bed just because I was in the mood for another hit of bpal. I've worn it to sleep every night since, and am just hoping I have enough to last until my 5mL arrives.

In the bottle: The particular chemically note I've come to expect from the Lab's leather. And dryness. Wet: Leather and resin, a little sharp, but very solid underneath. Drydown: Polished wood meets dusty books. And the incense/resins seem stronger now. I keep getting hints of other things, but nothing that sticks around long enough to say hello. Dry: Sweetness of tobacco comes out eventually, along with something darkly bitter (coffee or maybe a smoky, peaty single malt), but there's still a dry, almost delicate scent that really evokes the feel of old parchment. The leather's still there holding everything together when I look for it, but very much in the background. Overall: I can walk around with my nose attached to my arm, right? That wouldn't seem weird at all? 'Cause I don't want to stop sniffing this. It's got a dark, close, back of the library where nobody ever goes looking kind of feel which is very cozy to me. I love it as much as I thought I would. Maybe more.

The Conjure Bag and I don't have a good history, but as I'd like to find one (or more, always more) of them that works for me, when I get a frimp, I try it. In the imp: Musty, not musky which I would have preferred and even expected, but musty. And stone. Lower levels of an old stone church maybe? And when I sniffed, something that made my nose twitch uncomfortably; not a good sign. Wet: About the same. Musty. Stone. Dampness. Same nose twitching when I tried to get a good whiff. Dry: After around 20 minutes, whatever it is that my respiratory system doesn't like kicks in full force. Watery, itchy eyes. Sneezing fits to wake the dead. Scratch in the back of my throat. And the symptoms only went away when the scent faded.

Got this as a frimp way back when, it didn't work for me, and I never got around to reviewing it. But I'm trying to get more organized so I can gift friends with some of the imps I don't wear (for whatever reason)...making room for more, obviously. Hence the backlog of reviews. In the imp: bitter chocolate, maybe a dutch-processed cocoa? and roasted hazelnuts. I'm not really one for foodie scents, but if it stayed like this, I'd at least want to sniff it now and then. Wet: And here comes the grape Bubble Yum, I mean wine. Every. Single. Time. White wines seem to work okay, but if it's red, it's going to turn into grape bubble gum. At least I can still make out a little of the chocolate. Dry: Within 15 minutes, all I get is the sickly sweet and sticky grape Bubble Yum, even the chocolate's gone. Massive throw, lasts until I just have to wash it off - I think I lasted 5 hrs once, when trying to see how long it would last, and I gave up before it did.

In the imp: Pollen. I'm not sure I'd ever thought about pollen having a scent separate from the plant it comes from, but when I smell this, my brain says, "pollen," so that's what I'm going with. Wet: Florals, wet and juicy florals. Dry down: Light and sweet florals, but deceptively so. There's more power behind them than is readily apparent. Dry: Goes to potpourri, still very much florals, but now more like dried petals in a bowl with fragrance or essential oils added to make the scent stronger. Strange how it smelled wet when the oil was, and very dry once it had dried, but that's what it did for me. This many florals? Not my thing. But I have a friend who might like it.

That'll wake you up in the morning! In the imp: PINE! Wet: Eucalyptus comes out to say hello (sniffing up close was enough to make my nose twitch-itch) with the pine standing tall. Dry: Every once in awhile I get a hint of bright sweetness that could be the orange, but other than that, it's pine and eucalyptus playing a friendly game of tag, taking turns which is It. Maybe in an oil burner, because I could see it scenting a room quite well, especially when it gets cold out. But on me? No thanks.

I want to like Black Phoenix, I really do. And I keep trying it, hoping it'll get along with my chemistry because so many people love it so. But I think I need to just accept that it's not for me, and console myself with all the delightful BPALs smell amazing on me. In the imp: Fruity, very fruity. Almost syrupy. Wet: Goes powdery right away, with the fruit slowly fading. Dry: Powder, and something that reminds me of some cleanser they use in hospitals. Oh well, some things just aren't meant to be, right?

Got this as a frimp with an order awhile back. If I'd ever wondered how truly foodie scents suited me, Gluttony gave me my answer. It smelled exactly like I would have expected from the description, and I hated it. Something with the occasional food (or food-like) note, I can handle, and even like. But overall, I don't want to smell like food. This one got passed on to a friend.

Got this one originally because I love vanilla, amber, and rosewood on me, and wood-scents in general. And I was not disappointed. In the bottle: Wet conifers. Walking through a tree farm after a storm, where the wind's battered the trees a bit, and that plus the wet on the trees and damp still in the air amp the scent up even more. Wet: Rounder warmth from the amber, with hints of vanilla, help to soften the evergreens. Dry down: I want to nuzzle this. Same scents as while wet, but like I'm settling down into them. Overall: This is just so cozy. A sun-warmed bed of cedar and pine without the prickly needles and branches poking in inappropriate places. The vanilla and amber sweeten and soften things enough that it doesn't come across as too masculine for me. I just smell good. (and that's the idea, right?) Comfortably ensconced in my top 5 BPAL scents.

I've tried coming up with a review for this one for a long time now, but greedily clutching the 5mL to my chest isn't very helpful in describing how it smells. Once upon a time, a friend on LJ mentioned having gotten some new BPAL imps. Okay, more she glee-ed over getting them. I'd been circling around the idea of trying Kubla Khan, but with so many notes and some I wasn't sure about on me, I'd been hesitant to order it, so when she said it was one she'd gotten, I asked her to let me know what she thought of it, etc. A few days later, when she tried it and discovered it didn't work for her, she kindly passed it on to me, as any good enabler would do. And on me, it was heaven. I immediately knew I needed a bottle. In the bottle it's sweet and floral, more of both than I like. But once it hits my skin, it's perfect. Just don't ask me for any notes, because it's too smoothly blended for me to pick them out. It's lush and languid. If a purr had a smell, this might be it. My second favorite scent, surpassed only by Mouse's Long and Sad Tale.

Very evocative; the scent and the name fit perfectly together. In the bottle: Cedar, and something medicinal and green, a dark green. Wet: Dark, thick vanilla, maybe a bourbon vanilla, where the bottle was left open until a lot of the alcohol evaporated, and you're left with something thick as syrup and just a touch bitter. And cedar, warm and dry, not sharp like hamster bedding or pencil shavings. Dry down: As mentioned by several other reviewers, this oil takes a good while to dry. I get hints of sassafras from time to time, but mostly it just adds to the pleasant company vanilla and cedar are keeping as they relax and get comfortable together. Dry: Dusty dry, but somehow creamy at the same time, and hard to pick out individual notes. It's a blend that's truly a blend on me; the whole is greater than its parts. Is it a woody vanilla or a vanilla-y wood? I can't tell. But I'm compulsively sniffing my wrist, and that's pretty much always a good sign. Also, it doesn't smell like leather, but it seems like leather, if that makes sense; my brain's making an association there somewhere. Overall: This isn't likely to be one of my first tier scents, but it's high on my list. And I'm always glad to find another non-foody vanilla, and for me this is. So glad I got a bottle.

Hm...thought posted my review for this earlier today, but I must've flaked. In the imp: Sharp metallic. Wet: Now it's more like I expected, mostly musk and patchouli. Dry down: Patchouli's getting stronger, and as that's not my favorite... *shrugs* Metallic note's coming back too. Dry: Patchouli and heated metal, and up until the point the scent faded several hours later, that's pretty much all I got. Overall: It's not bad; it's just not me.

Another frimp I probably wouldn't have ordered but was glad to get a chance to try it. Wasn't sure about the mix of melon and chili pepper, (okay, mostly was worried about the chili pepper), but part of the fun of BPAL is the adventure. Especially as I love tobacco and juniper notes in things. In the imp: Tobacco and melon. Sweet, but not overly so. Wet: When I first put it on it's hard to pull out any specific notes. All I know is it smells good. Dry down: Tobacco comes to the fore, and I start getting whiffs of spicy heat from the chili pepper...and I like it. Dry: I have to keep sniffing myself. It's very round, a mix of muted greens and golds and tawny browns. Like hazel eyes heated with mischief or pleasure. This is one of those scents that makes me remember why I need to pull other things from the box besides my top 5 wear all the time scents. It's wonderful, but I tend to forget how much so when I haven't worn it in awhile.

In the imp: Green, soft. Wet: Creamy and round, from the shea, I'm assuming. And still green, fresh wood, leaves. Dry: Sweet cream and green wood. Makes me want to curl up. Feels like spring. New growth, breeze through the trees. Overall: This isn't a knock your socks off scent on me, more cuddly-sweet. The imp's good, and I may grab it from time to time, but I doubt I'll ever get a bottle.