Apple

OK, bumping this thread...

 

Kalirren is looking for a green scent of a very particular sort. Specifically, he wants the scent of a whole deciduous tree, from top to bottom. Fresh green leaves, bitter wood, optional moss, dirt, and faint flowers. However, he does NOT want any conifers, which rules out a really large chunk of the recs in this thread. Also, excessive vetiver tends to take over on him. The real trick appears to be in finding something that has both these characteristics (no pine, not too much vetiver) and also does not disappear within ten minutes.

 

He has tried pretty much all the Rappaccini's Garden scents (someof these were good, but all had something unpalatable about them), The Hesperides, a number of the Voodoo scents (closest here was Van Van, which was lovely fresh but did not age well), and probably a handful of others. The current list of likely candidates includes the following:

Arkham

Envy

Ochosi

Rapunzel

Yggdrasil

 

Any other suggestions?

Me too! Me too! I want this scent too!

But alas, I haven't found it yet. Arkham was too floral, Envy too lavender-y, and Ochosi and Yggdrasil were nice but not quite right. I think a lot of folks would recommend October to you:

October (2007 LE) - Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air.

I liked October in its own right, but it didn't give me a deciduous forest feeling. It is, however, a fresh, crisp, green scent, and Kali may like it even if it doesn't quite hit the nail on the head. Robin Goodfellow might be another to try, although it was rather sweet on me:

Robin Goodfellow (Illyria) - Dark musk, moss-covered wood, ragwort, heather, and sage.

Have you peeped in here yet?

Forest and Woods Scents (with & without evergreens)

I don't know how bad of a death note jasmine is for you, but I can't smell it at all in Kitsune-Tsuki. I actually had to look it up after you said that, because I went, "Wait, which one has jasmine?". Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

I haven't tried all of the ones you've mentioned, but here's my thoughts on the ones I have:

 

Bordello: Much to my surprise, this blend actually went awful on me. I think I amped the wine. A lot of people love this one and have commented on the prominent plum though, so it might still work for you.

 

Dionysia: I STILL can't quite pin this one down.. I actually just put some on so I could compare for you. The plum is definitely there, but somewhat subdued by the woods and resins. It's a bit more tart than most of Beth's plum blends. It's very pretty and you should try it if you like plum, but to my nose it isn't very similar to Lovers.

 

Prunella: I had to go try this one too. Poor thing has been languishing untried in my imp box. And... damn, I'm amping the wildflowers (which are surprisingly green and stemmy and pretty, but not what you're looking for). If you already have some, you might as well try it anyway though.

 

I don't know if you've tried Makhanitis (also from the past Lupes), but it's probably the second-plummiest blend I've come across (the first being Kitsune-Tsuki). The plum is a little deeper than Kitsune-Tsuki, so it might work well for layering if you can find some. As for the vanilla part of layering, I think Lyonesse and Dana O' Shee are both good candidates. Mouse's LST is super sweet to my nose. Agape might also be a good choice (it's got that creamy, soft vanilla thing going on), and shouldn't be too hard to find on the forum, but I'll try some layering experiments with it this week and get back to you.

Thank you so much for the detailed reply, terrenity!

On my skin, jasmine is second only to civet as the worst note of death ever, and it has ruined many a blend for me... but there are a couple of jasmine-containing blends that I can wear (e.g., Wilde, Kubla Khan), and so I might look into swapping for an imp of Kitsune-Tsuki.

Bordello was fruity and candy-sweet on me. It wasn't bad, just very one-dimensional (and I don't like smelling like candy). I hadn't tried Lovers in a Ricefield yet, and it didn't occur to me at the time to try layering Bordello with anything. Might have to re-try it...

Makhanitis wasn't even on my radar (I think I must have dismissed it initially because of the champaca), but that does look promising. Thanks for bringing it to my attention - on the wish list it goes!

I haven't tried Agape, but I just thought of Shadwell as a potential choice for layering. To my nose, Lovers in a Ricefield has just the slightest hint of a coconut note. Nothing remotely like suntan oil or macaroons or anything, but like the scent of extra virgin coconut oil, diluted. On me, Shadwell went unexpectedly fruity-coconutty, and I think I may have swapped it. Gonna have to look for some more.

I've got imps of Prunella, Bathsheba, Oya, and Frumious Bandersnatch on the way, along with imps of Lyonesse and MLST (and I already have some Dana O'Shee). I'll report back with my results after they arrive, and I look forward to hearing the results of your experiments, as well. I appreciate your assistance muchly!

Any recommendations for an equivalent of Lovers in a Ricefield? I discovered this one too late!

 

Lovers in a Ricefield

Plum blossom, vanilla sandalwood, nutmeg, and wild rice.

I need more - help!

Mm, I love Lovers in a Ricefield too! Unfortunately I haven't really found a twin in the GC. Kitsune-Tsuki and Mme Moriarty both have the same plum note, to my nose, but Kitsune-Tsuki is bright and fruity and Mme Moriarty is deep and sexy, whereas I find Lovers to be soft and sweet. Maybe if you layered Kitsune-Tsuki with lots of something with soft vanilla (Castitas?)?

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, jasmine and red musk are horrid on me, so I don't think either of those would work. I'm considering rounding up a collection of plummy imps and trying some layering experiments, though. Any thoughts on the following and how they might compare with Lovers in a Ricefield, or what they could be layered with to achieve a similar effect?

I haven't tried Prunella yet; the "wildflowers" have been giving me pause (Bensiabel was way, way too floral). I also haven't tried Dionysia, but it looks promising if the pomegranate and raspberry aren't too assertive.

Maybe Bathsheba layered with Lyonesse or Dana O'Shee? Frumious Bandersnatch + Mouse's Long and Sad Tale?

Thoughts? Comments? I'm desperate!

I am still quite new to BPAL, and I am trying to wade through the sea of reviews and recommendations to find the perfect scent. I LOVE vanilla...it is my absolute favorite. However, I don't get a lot of vanilla from the scents I've been trying per recommendation. Here's what I've tried:

 

LOVE!!!! : ) Love's Philosophy (Amazing...it may not get better than this, but I'm still willing to try.)

Like very much: Antique Lace (Although I don't get that scream of pure vanilla- more baby powdery on me, but I still like it)

Is pretty good: Dorian (To me more soft musk than vanilla), Regan (still not really vanilla to me)

Didn't care for: O (too boozy), Boo (liked at first, but dried to a burnt smell), Black Opal (didn't get any vanilla from this at all- not terrible, but didn't smell vanilla)

 

Any other suggestions? If it helps, I used to wear VS Vanilla Lace and loved it. That's the kind of note I'm looking for, although in a bit more interesting way.

My skin chemistry is very different from yours (everything seems to turn into vanilla on me, much to my chagrin), but you might try these from the general catalogue, if you haven't already:

If you're willing to track down limited editions and un-impables, you could try:

On my skin, Tombstone and Midway were both very similar to Love's Philosophy, but your mileage may vary.

Dark Alice was sweet enough to send me a decant of this in a recent ninja package

 

I normally run far far away from anything mentioning leather - it is fairly wretched on my skin - but the idea of a leather-based room spray was too intriguing to pass by... I dabbed a bit on a tissue, to see how it would react once the air hit it.

 

Uhm.

 

Apparently the problem with leather is not my skin, but my nose. Boot Hill smells like pure, unadulterated Deep Woods OFF. I keep sniffing at it, hoping it just needs to burn off a bit...

 

But no If I really concentrate, I can see where folks are getting leather, vetiver, and something bitter green & herbal... but I just can't shake the bug spray association.

 

Ah well. I will pass this along to someone who does love leather, and see if she can give this the love it deserves...

I was lucky enough to be part of this chain of ninja love and received a decant of Boot Hill from the lovely tartchef in an awesome stealth "Package of Glee".

I LOVE IT!!! It's like Quincy Morris and Brom Bones and Jolly Roger had a hot man-on-man-on-man threesome that against all odds resulted in a miraculous lovechild. It's leather, leather, leather with a hint of sweetness and spice and a clean breeze blowing through. But mostly leather. Sexy, sexy leather. I want to scent my world with this, but especially my bedroom...

Please, please release this one, BPTP!

When I've given BPAL as gifts, I've tried to tailor my imp selections to the preferences of the intended recipients by trying to figure out what types of scents they enjoy and what current fragrances they use. I do have a sort of mental list of scents that I think are very accessible, interesting, and/or representative of BPAL, and I've listed those by scent category below.

If I had to pick just six imps for a totally random newbie, I would probably go with:

1. Dorian (I really dislike this one, but so many people love it.)

2. Snake Oil (Ditto.)

3. De Sade

4. Nosferatu

5. Embalming Fluid

6. Something from either the "Fresh/Clean/Light" category below, or something from the "Foody" category.

FRESH/CLEAN/LIGHT

51

Amsterdam

The Dormouse

Lightning

Mag Mell

Rosalind

Sea of Glass

Sudha Segara

Szepasszony

Titania

The Unicorn

CITRUS

Croquet

Embalming Fluid

Kuang Shi

FRUITY

Akuma

Blood Kiss

Bon Vivant

Bordello

Fae

March Hare

FLORAL/ROSE

Hermia

Two, Five, & Seven

Whip

???

(I don't wear heavy floral scents and don't know anyone who does. If I'm going to wear something floral, I tend to prefer lighter scents like those listed up above in the "Fresh/Clean/Light" category, so I'm at a loss here.)

VANILLA

Dorian

Lyonesse

Mouse's Long and Sad Tale

SPICY

Bengal

Plunder

INCENSE/RESIN

Bastet

Cathedral

The Lion

No. 93 Engine

Snake Oil

anything with red musk (Czernobog, Fenris Wolf, Scherezade, Sin, Vixen, etc.)

FOODY

Bliss or Vice (chocolate)

Dana O'Shee (almond extract)

Eat Me or Cockaigne (cake/butter)

Hellcat (frosting)

Jack (pumpkin)

OTHER/INTERESTING/WEIRD

Nosferatu, Death Cap, Jazz Funeral, Penny Dreadful, Zombi, or Yorick (DIRT!)

De Sade (leather)

Perversion (tobacco)

MASCULINE/UNISEX

Dee

Jolly Roger

Olokun

Wilde

I've found a couple of new dirt loves in the past couple of updates, namely The Fool (like a wet herb garden in Ireland) and The Season of Inundation (slushy, cold wet dirt and resins). If you're a dirt whore like me, these are must-haves.

 

Thanks for the tip on Yorick, Apple---for some reason that one totally escaped my attention! I've gotta grab an imp and see how it compares to my HG, original Graveyard Dirt. The new GD is almost as good but I think it needs some aging to become slightly less dusty and more dirty and earthy and wet and mmmmm.

You're very welcome! I think you will like Yorick; although not identical, it's the closest to Graveyard Dirt of all the BPAL "dirt" scents that I've tried.

And now you have me lusting after The Season of Inundation and The Fool - they both sound marvelous!

For those who enjoy the BPAL dirt/soil/loam note, definitely check out Yorick:

It's very similar to Graveyard Dirt, and it's GC!

Are there any GC, that smell like fur, but without the amber?

Or that don't smell strongly of amber?

How are you with coconut? I see Brown Jenkins mentioned frequently as a "furry" scent:

There are some additional suggestions in this thread:

Recommend some scents that remind you of animals

Just throwing this one out there in case anyone is looking:

If you like Declaration by Cartier, you'll love BPAL's October.

I know they don't sound alike, but I wore Declaration for years, and they are very similar.

This link should show you the results of that search - in addition to Ivanushka, Hunter Moon and Coyote, which seem to get the most mentions, Bastet and The Lion got a lot of comments like "a cat's fur when they're lying in the sun."

We just got a kitten who is adorable and who I nuzzle constantly. He has a delightful, sweet, clean kitten-y scent that I'd forgotten (we have two adult cats, but I don't generally stick my face in their fur). Yesterday I spritzed on some Bastet, and I'll be damned... it really does contain a "fur" note (or "kitten accord")! I already thought Bastet was perfect, but somehow that makes it even more perfect.

Oh, thank you so much for the links!

 

I love the idea of a "tweed" acent, all warm and cuddly. I'm a bit worried about the booze, is it strong in Perversion or just in the background?

Very welcome! On me, the tobacco note in Perversion is strongest; it smells just like coconut pipe tobacco. I have noticed some batch variations with it, however. I've gotten imps directly from the Lab that were very coconutty (which I guess might be the rum?) and others from the Lab that only had a hint of coconut and that were more straight-up pipe tobacco. If you find it's too sweet and boozy initially, maybe try another imp from a different batch. I don't really get any leather or wine, but other folks do. My skins tends to really mute down the Lab's leather notes, though.

I'd like to try some more autumn scents -something a bit different from my usual apple+smoke combo/spicy scents- I was tinking something with soil or leaves. An outdoorsy scent. Or maybe a warm library scent? I have Dee, and I like it, but it's a bit too sweet for my taste.

 

Any suggestions?

Inkaddict - You might want to check out these threads:

Autumn/Lilac/Library-y Recommendations

Old books... Books, paper, libraries, Library, book and paper BPAL scents

Forest and Woods Scents (with & without evergreens)

I want to smell like dirt! Dirt, Earth, Soil recommendations

The most natural or lifelike scents?, forest, earth, rain, water, grass, moss and so on...

For a new take on autumn scents, maybe try:

For the library scent, I'd suggest:

I don't really feel like I own any drop-dead sexy blends.. Dorian is close, but it's more haughty and refined, while I want something tousled and sensual. Snake Oil was bad, O just.. smelled like powder. I hate patchouli, boozey notes, and red musk, which seem to be in most of the popular "sexy" BPAL blends. Anyone have any suggestions on something sexxxay that I could try? It could be GC or LE, doesn't matter. I'm a foody lover, some of my favorite notes are vanilla, light musks (skin, white), carnation, beeswax.. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I also hate red musk, had no luck with Snake Oil, and found O to be powdery. Have you tried Bastet? It's sweet, spicy, and sensual, and some find it borderline foody:

I would put Morocco and Western Diamondback in the same category:

And since you like vanilla, musk, and carnation, what about Inez?

You might also like:

I feel a little uncomfortable reviewing a TAL oil that I used with intent, for a variety of reasons. Hell, I feel odd using TAL oils with intent, but at least I do that in the privacy of my own home. Please understand that I don't mean any disrespect by that statement; it's just that I've been a more-or-less reluctant atheist/rationalist (less reluctant and more atheistic in my youth, more reluctant and less atheistic in the past couple of years) for the past 22 years or so. So the idea that I could anoint myself or objects with an oil and focus my energies/intentions/hopes/etc. didn't initially strike me as likely to be more effective than making a wish while blowing out the candles on my birthday cake (in fact, I do make a wish every year - but still).

Nevertheless, I've recently taken an interest in... well, a lot of different things. I'm trying to open myself up to possibilities and to my own personal efficacy and... stuff. I've been taking a "It can't hurt and it might help" approach to exploring the limits of my ability to have faith, and it is with this attitude that I've been hoping to experiment with TAL oils.

I don't want to get into the details of my situation because they are long, boring, and well-understood by anyone who's ever been poor. Suffice it to say that I'm broke, I'm unemployed, I've got bills to pay, and I didn't know how much longer my husband and I were going to be able to stay afloat before everything came crashing down. So I anointed all of the entrances to our house, our bed, a salt lamp in the bedroom, and my nightshirt with Bastet's Laughter, concentrating on welcoming good fortune into our home and banishing poverty. The oil smelled nice: bright and happy and bubble-gummy (lotus?). I liked it. I probably wouldn't wear it as a perfume, but it was a pleasant scent that I didn't mind having on me or in my home. It made me smile.

I should note that I also anointed my computer, the telephone, and my nightshirt with Road Opener (I view the computer and the telephone as symbolic links to the "outside" world and imagined that the paths leading to new opportunities would be virtual ones leading to and from these communication devices), concentrating on opening up opportunities.

The next day I took my dog to the vet because I suspected that she had yet another mast cell tumor developing and was probably going to need yet another surgery. But the sore looked better that day, and the vet thought it was more likely that it was a skin infection and not cancer.

Then my credit card company called to remind me that my account was past due, as if I needed reminding. When I explained the situation to the representative, he arranged to lower my interest rate... something a previous customer service rep had refused to do a couple of months earlier when I called and attempted to negotiate new terms.

And then I discovered that my application for financial aid was approved and that the loan amount was more than I had dared to hope for by a substantial margin. I actually cried when I logged into my student account and realized I was going to be able to afford to enroll for my last semester of graduate school and finally finish the degree I've been working on for the past 10 years... and I was going to be able to afford to fix my car, which has been sitting at a mechanic's for the past 2 months because I didn't have the money to fix it... and that I was going to be able to afford to pay my bills and support myself again and take some of the weight off my husband's shoulders...

No, my friends, I am not making this up. It was like a goddamn miracle. Or rather, like a Goddess blessed one. Now, of course, I'm still unemployed and in debt up to my ears... but it feels like I've been granted a reprieve. Like I can breathe again. Like I'll be able to rally again. Thank you, Bastet. Thank you, Twilight Alchemy Lab. Thank you, Beth, the Universe... whoever or whatever. I am enormously grateful.

If this is how quickly and dramatically these oils work, I seriously need to get my hands on some Steady Work... and maybe even some Sexual Energy. Although, perhaps not on that last one... I'm not really lacking in that department, and if it worked as well as Bastet's Laughter and Road Opener have, I might kill my husband!

That would be O. I've heard that said of a lot of the honey blends--I think Sed Non Satiata is another common culprit.

 

ETA: Jinx, Apple!

Heeheehee!

I am vaguely remembering that someone said that one of the perfumes smelled like, ahem, lady musk. Was that O or Snake Oil? Does anyone remember that random factoid?

O has that reputation, as do some of the other honey-containing blends.

There isn't much in the way of autumn here though - it hits the 90s through September, and it's November or December before I really even have to start wearing a light jacket.

The same is true where I live. I desperately miss autumn in the Midwest... there's just nothing like the look, feel, and scent of dry, crackling twigs underfoot, a crisp breeze blowing through the fiery red and glowing yellow maple leaves and brown oak leaves... the gentle sun during the day softly illuminating the rolling hills and great open sky, the hint of snow in the air at night... aaahhh...

Still hoping for a BPAL that could capture that for me, so I always keep an eye on this thread and read the Halloweenie scent descriptions with great interest and crossing of fingers.

I absolutely love Bastet. It's gorgeous. Problem is, there's ONE note putting me off. And I think it's the almond, though I'm not sure.

 

So I was wondering if anyone could rec some scents that are very similar to Bastet, just not the same. Maybe I already have them and am just not sophisticated enough to be able to pick apart the notes... distinct possibility!

I Bastet so very much. You might try these; they're the closest relatives of Bastet that I've tried:

And I haven't tried this one, but if you determine it's not the almond (and even if it is the almond, you might have better luck with almond blossom), you might look for a decant of:

sqwook is very wise, those are some good suggestions. I would definitely second her on the Eden, it does have a similar "feel" to Bastet.

Bastet is one of my all-time favorite blends, definitely in my top five favorites at all times. Eden was one of the worst BPALs I have ever tried. Skin chemistry, it is a mysterious thing.

ETA: Two others that might be worth trying:

They don't smell like Bastet, but they have some similar characteristics and share the saffron note. Depending upon what it is that you like about Bastet, you might like them, too.

I more or less live in White Rabbit during the fall.

I'm still searching for the perfect BPAL reflection of my conception of autumn, which is my favorite season. I had high hopes for October (my favorite month), but it was all bright and clean and citrusy and green on me... not autumnal at all. This year I am salivating over the thought of Lambs-Wool, but I haven't tried it yet.

I'm getting discouraged about trying any more aquatics... but all these things about the snow note intrigue me. Can anyone give me a more concrete description of the snow note--is it minty, or what? Not Irish Spring, I hope...

Nope, in my experience (which isn't a huge amount) the snow note is not minty. It's, well... snow. Not like ozone or Irish Spring or anything else, just cold. It's really masterful, and I have no idea how Beth does it.

And here I was just coming to say that I'm pretty sure the "snow" note is a combination of some type of mint and eucalyptus. At least, that's what it always smells like to me.

I was hesitant to try this one. The description sounded perfect, which I've learned should send up a red flag for me and my finicky skin. But nutmeg is one of my all-time favorite notes and tragically under-used in perfume, and so I ignored my trepidation.

I'm so glad I did!

On my skin, Lovers in a Ricefield is the perfect plum scent - the one I've been searching for. The plum blossom gives it a subtle hint of sweet fruit, the nutmeg a teasing of spice, and the vanilla sandalwood and wild rice ground the scent in a rich creaminess that is positively sensual. The scent is rich and warm, sweet and subtle, with nothing overt about it. Sultry in a restrained way, young without being adolescent, and flirty but with the whispered promise that you can (and will) deliver the goods. It's a great sexy, nuzzle-able, "come hither" scent that isn't too heavy for hot summer nights.

On me, Lovers in a Ricefield is not:

Christmas-y or remotely like potpourri, which spiced plum scents often are

candy-ish

cinnamon-y

overly sweet

overly fruity

overly vanillic

powdery

buttery

plasticky

generic or perfume-y

Instead, it's rich and creamy and mildly sweet and gently spiced and a little plummy - very natural. It's perfect and I love it. I only wish I hadn't discovered it so late!

(And as I sit here drinking my tea, I realize Lovers in a Ricefield smells like it could be the refined cousin of Ashbys of London's cinnamon plum black tea... with milk. No, with half-n-half. Mmmn... decadent.)

Any recommendations for an equivalent of Lovers in a Ricefield? I discovered this one too late!

I need more - help!

I didn't have high hopes for Jezebel. I amp rose in the most unpleasant way possible, and orange blossom is often musty smelling on me. But I'm a sucker for honey and sandalwood, and I can sometimes wear very sweet or very resinous rose blends (e.g., I like Alice and The Blasphemare Reliquary). So I cross my fingers and hope that Jezebel will be a rose blend that loves me back.

But Jezebel is not that blend; she's a heartbreaker. Immediately on, she's a soft sweet rose. Very similar to Alice (but rosier than Alice) and in the same family but more distantly related to Maiden (much sweeter than Maiden). As the blend dries, the rose begins to amp, taking on that sharp, ammonia-like quality that it typically develops on my skin. Oh rose, why must you hate me so?

A few hours later, the rose is being suffocated into submission by what I can only assume is the sandalwood... but I think there's either some undisclosed vanilla or some undisclosed balsam of Peru in here, because it's going super-powdery, amping insanely, and I appear to be somewhat allergic to it.

I feel like someone dumped a metric ton of baby powder on me, and that it's coating the inside of my nostrils and lining my mouth and blearing my eyesight as I try to claw my way out of the mountain of powdery doom. Ugh. I'm going to have to wash this off and chalk it up to a serious skin chemistry failing.

This is the second time I've tried Morocco, because I really wanted to love it.

The first time I tried it was back in 2007, when I was brand-new to BPAL. I had high hopes for it; I knew I loved spicy, musky, woody perfumes, and Morocco sounded perfect. I was surprised when I put it on that it reminded me a bit of root beer (is there some unmentioned sassafras in here?)... or maybe bubblegum. As it dried, a vanilla note became very prominent and it started to smell like some kind of rich custard dessert. This was an improvement over the root beer/bubblegum phase, but it still left me unimpressed. There was no sandalwood to be found, no sultry quality - just this very sweet, kind of innocent, bland scent.

So two years later I decide to give Morocco a second chance, wooed once again by the delicious reviews and promise of its sensual warmth and spice. I figured that now that I'm further along in my BPAL evolution, maybe my nose is more refined and I'll be able to better appreciate it.

Alas, no. This time, I am struck immediately by the resemblance to Inez (which is not surprising given how similar their notes are)... and just like with Inez, I am reminded of my paternal grandmother. I have no idea what perfume or lotion or powder she wore (or perhaps what laundry product she used), but whatever scented that dear lady, it was obviously a combination of carnation, vanilla, and sandalwood. Once again, late in the dry-down I get that vanilla-infused custard-like dessert scent, which I like better than the earlier phase (no offense, Nana).

So yeah. Morocco smells like my dearly departed grandmother. I'm sure Nana was a sex kitten in her day, but to me, this scent is anything but sultry. Ah well, I still have Bastet for my luxuriant, sweet, spicy, sensual needs.