samarablackcat

Oh, I am in love! Just when I think I can't possibly have another favorite, BAM! here comes King Cobra, wafting seductiveness, exuding the come-hither, boy toy cloud of pure sex. Gotta know why...

Orris Root

Iris florentina

A Moon plant, orris root is good for digging deep into the Moon-ruled subconscious and uprooting what is hidden. Like any Moon herb, it can also be used in divination and dreamwork. The iris is also called the fleur-de-lis, so this Moon plant has often been associated with dominion and war, which gives it a nice protective aspect. Some consider orris root a Venus herb. It is definitely widely used for love magick, and in Hoodoo is known as Love Drawing Herb (and Queen Elizabeth root). The powder form is blown onto clothes, sheets, and so forth to make sure that the owner returns one's love. Florentine orris root, which I have, is more sweetly scented than germanic orris root, which is commonly available. ~from Alchemy Works~

Copal resin

A generous plant ruled by Jupiter, the copaifera tree gives its oleoresin, (liquid copal), very freely. It hardens into the form of copal usually encountered, white or gold, with a stimulating and warming odor. Like many Jupiter scents, this resin is frequently used in ritual purification of both objects and people. It is wonderful for charging objects with Jovian vibrations. It also is a fixative in perfume, where it tends to mellow harsh scents. It plays a role in traditional medicine; the Guarani people of the Amazon use it to heal wounds after battle (which indicates a strong protective ability), and it has a long history of use for various health problems in the West. Copal has a light resinous scent that mixes nicely with similarly subtle red sandalwood.~from Alchemy Works~

Frankincense

Boswellia spp.

The dried gummy resin of these trees is probably the most famous incense in the Western world. A Fire and Sun associated scent, it is good for spiritual development, centering oneself for meditation or other spiritural work, purifying areas of negative energy, and for finding the spiritual side of what appears to be a material matter. Some use it to clean chakras, especially the Third Eye. It is fabulous for smudging yourself, your animals, and your home when you are the target of negative magick. The fragrance is very relaxing and gives one a feeling of wholeness and wellness. The scent of this resin changes as it ages (and the water in the resin evaporates) and with the temperature. Resin just unpacked from a cold box is going to smell different than it will after it has warmed up. Some people prefer their frankincense fresh; others would rather let it age. Put some aside to let it age and see which you like better..~from Alchemy Works~

The Moon, Jupiter, Fire/Sun mixed with my wonderful Snake Oil. I believe I have found my signature scent. Many thanks to yokaitenchi for this imp in a swap. I see a 5ml or two in my next order. I you Beth. Could not have made a more perfect scent had it been custom designed.

What a strange combination...in the bottle you could not find a more displeasing scent, except for Iambe (which smells like a$$). Horrid, stinky, smelly...like drying blood on a battlefield (in my imagination).

As it dries, this becomes a most pleasant scent. Gingery, peppery and a little musky. No honeysuckle for me; oh, here it comes, about 10 minutes later...just enough to balance out the sharp edges!

Dichotomy in a bottle! Brava!

To me, Szepasszony, when dried, smells like Calvin Kline's Eternity

and Sportive sun, like Alfred Sung's Pure...not exact, but very close

Amber! Warm, enveloping amber, with just a little sweetness underneath. Regal spices raising their heads to make an appearance, but not taking the spotlight. As it dries, The Lion's muskiness, his mane dusty with dry earth like a halo around him, settle into a warm aura arising, permeating my personal space. As I type, the amber is gentle, soothing. I feel like royalty, pampered by my ladies-in-waiting, anointing my skin with precious oils from distant lands.

From the Lab's opening page:

IF YOU ARE PAYING VIA PAYPAL, please do NOT use our online credit card processor. Place your order through PayPal using the payment address paypal [at] blackphoenixalchemylab [dot] com and fill your order info in the comments field. Please note that all orders, including domestic orders, are currently taking an excess of 14 - 21 business days to process, pack and ship out due to a heavy workload, the process of hand-blending and the nature of our product. Please refer to the Shiny and New section for more information about current ship times. All oils are made once they're ordered to ensure freshness. Our shipped-through info is constantly updated in the BPAL Forums.

Also, it depends on what you ordered...Lunar Eclipse is backorderd, for example, so the order I placed Friday won't be here for a while. One of the Lupercalias is also backordered. You can look topic=34477 for the updates.

Les Infortunes De La Vertu is soo beautiful! But I don't get that much leather out of it. Western Diamondback is yummy, but of all I have sampled, Quincey Morris is the most leather.Doc Constantine's leather is more subtle. Hmm...off the Dark Delacies to hunt for C Auguste Dupin. And I have Dee coming in my next order. Yum, leather...

Ivanuskha is very nice! But my favorite is also a LE from March 2007, Orobot. It has a piny scent at first which ( on me ) fades to the scent of nuzzling in your favorite canine's (or feline's ) soft down, underneath the the rougher, outer pelt. I works so well on me that I now have procured two bottles, and am working on a third. It gives me comfort and a warm aura of security.

Coyote is a GC scent that is available. It's not as "soft" as Ivanuskha, but definitely furry. Lab's description: The Native American Creator / Trickster God of Chaos and Change. The warmth of doeskin, dry plains grasses and soft, dusty woods warmed by amber and a downy, gentle coat of deep musk.

Hope this helps! I very much like furry scents; will keep you posted if I can think of any more!

In the bottle:

A cold sea breeze from the Pacific Ocean blowing through a pine forest, perhaps in Oregon.

Wet:

Pine, almost medicinal. Picking up some earthy aroma, like trees rotting and becoming loam.

Initial drydown:

Still has a foresty scent, but changing into...

Drydown:

What is that lovely scent wafting around me? Reminiscent of snuggling with my animals, warm and downy, nuzzling closer to inhale their aroma. On my arm, sniffing closely, it still smells foresty, but around me is an aura of animal...feral, yet inviting. I want to bury my face in the rough pelt, to reach the downy fur close to the skin, where the animal's true scent lies.

Oh Orobot! When reading the reviews, I was apprehensive of this, due to the pine-sol references, but I was intrigued by the shape-shifter concept. I think I have found one of my true loves, and will definitely keep this in my top-ten rotation.

Post-script thingy here: This bottle is almost a year old, so might I recommend those who tried this when it was first released give it a try again. Perhaps the aging has something to do with it, but to me this is heaven.

Post-post script: I am not very well versed in identifying notes yet; all I can do at this time is give you my interpretation. But, after all, isn't that what scent is for? To put you in a place either not attainable physically or to evoke a strong memory. Thanks, Beth, for making my world a little better smelling!

I am one of the people who like aquatics, and Calico Jack is wonderful. Ocean water splashing on the deck of a schooner, the scent of salt in the air, and this is in the bottle!

Wet, I am still smelling the salt and something sweet, like flotsam crashing on the shore. Wood, spices, wet leather, deteriorating wood awash with sea water. Aarrrr, matey, swim t' shore and save the booty!

As this dries, I am in heaven. Wafts carress my nose; I want to take a chair, umbrella and book to the beach. Alas, this does not last long, so I think this woud be great in a locket. Why yes, I am thinking of Calico Jack, the locket. A perfect scent for me and a perfect locket to celebrate ( maybe next year) my hometown team, the Buccaneers, whose logo, stangely enough, looks like Calico Jack! See him here www.buccaneers.com

Too bad Convergence XIV is in August; January/February the temperatures here are fantastic, and we have Gasparilla, when the city gets taken over by pirates. Ships sail in to Tampa Bay..lots of drunkeness and silliness abound. Yep, Calico Jack and I are off to the revelry!

In the imp: I sniffed, and thought, not for me. So I sniffed again and thought...RED VELVET CAKE! I'm not a fan of foodie scents, but I ( not reading the essences), decided to forego my usual impulse (hehehe IMPulse) and give it a shot.

Wet: still Red Velvet cake, but not in a bad way, just not me.

Intial dry: The aroma is reminiSCENT of dry cocoa, just before you start mixing with vanilla and sugar to make brownies.

Drydown: OMG! The myrhh is gloriously mixing with with the vanilla and chocolate and this is one of the most pleasant surprises ever. It is a scent that triggers a memory of an ancient temple with wafts of incense rising in the air. And to think, it almost went into the swap pile.

I must admit, I have never been a fan of vanilla; I have avoided scents with vanilla because the always turn yucky on me. But the vanilla from Beth is the best!

Death on a Pale Horse

Divine! In the bottle...light, refreshing

On skin..lavender, with just of touch of sandalwood

Dry...as the lavender slightly recedes, I am reminded of wafts of scents from censors in church, smells of renn faires and have decided to use this as a scent-to-go-to-sleep. Takes me to my happy place. Or maybe a head shop from back in the day

I am so glad maidengenevieve didn't like this one, as I received it in an imp purchase!

I tend to like smells that are not too feminine, per se, that lean more to masculine. This fits the ticket perfectly.