Fishwomon

I just got a decant of The Lurid Library in the mail today, and I have my face pressed to my wrist. I think this may fit the bill of incensey but not churchy. It smells like the page of an old book that's soaked up the smell of incense. It's delicious, definitely more occult book store than high church.

I loved Grass. To me it smelled like a freshly-mowed lawn. I've never found anything, here or elsewhere, remotely like it.

I just dug out an imp of 2005 Sugar Skull because, you know, it's that time of year. I don't think it's changed much as it's aged. On me this is caramelizing sugar, slightly burnt sugar - in a good way. Very, very sweet. Sugar overload. Not what I want to smell like, personally, but it would be delish if you love the foodie smells.

Almond in the imp and when very wet on the skin. The bay and cloves emerge quickly and hang around a long time. This is a classic men's cologne, but it doesn't have the sharp note of so many commercial colognes. And yes, it does smell like an autumn/Christmas candle - it's bay leaf, after all.

Almondy, green, with the slightest hints of mint and lemon. It gives me a bit of a headache.

I wonder what it is in this blend that doesn't work on me. It sounds like it would be right up my alley - amber and musk, yum. But...

 

I don't get almond or cherry at all in this, which is fine by me. The word that comes to mind is brassy - this is a brassy scent. Sharp. A bit bitter. I can see how it would be warm and dry on some, but on me, it's fancy department store sophisticated-lady perfume, and hence not to my taste.

Unfortunately, I get nothing but grapey wine - no leather at all - and then she fades away. Not for me.

No review but Andrabell's (the first one in this thread) is needed, to be sure. She captures Dorian perfectly. But, in the interest of science...

 

Actually, the first time I smelled Dorian, I didn't particularly care for it. It smelled like baby powder on me. Meh.

 

Then I let the imp sit around for a year and tried it again. I don't know if this is an aging issue (the oils, not me) or a matter of my tastes changing, but when I tried Dorian again a couple of months ago, I fell in deep, fast love. I don't really smell any tea, and I definitely don't get lemon. I get vanilla and musk, but while that could be powdery or girlish, it's not. It's transcendent. It smells like skin and sex. Not sophisticated and slightly dangerous sex, but passionate, fresh, enthusiastic, flushed-skin-and-bright-eyes sex.

 

A must have.

Malediction is one of those imps I never paid much attention to - I don't even know where I got the imp - but one day I decided to try it, and I fell in love. Yes, you have to like fine patchouli and vetiver; this scent is a perfectly balanced blend of the two. It's dark and dirty. I feel devious when I wear it, and sexy. My lover loves it, and he doesn't usually like patchouli. My friend's husband loves patchouli, but my friend won't wear it, so he's grateful when I wear Malediction. In general, I find that men loooove it. A delicious, earthy fall and winter scent. Wear with black leather.

I love the initial, wet, sharp almond-cherry note of Hecate. But it fades to almost nothing on my skin...then blooms with grown-up-lady myrrh and musk: a dusky, purple smell. This oil could be for you if you like a sophisticated, mature scent, more like perfume than essential oil.

Sweet and pleasant, a mellow Dragon's Blood scent. The oil is a lovely red color in the bottle. The scent isn't spectacular on me, but it's nice.

Alas, on me Black Opal is sweet vanilla baby powder. I'm glad it works for so many, though; I know my imp will go to a good home.

This isn't an oil I would've chosen for myself, but I acquired an imp from somewhere, and I'm pleasantly surprised. In its initial (wet) stages on me, Florence is a lovely, unusual floral - if this is iris, then I quite like iris! It's light, pretty, interesting, and not at all a cliched floral. Alas, in the drydown, I get lots of berries, and berries are always too sweet on me. But if you like berries - even if you're wary of florals generally - do give this a try.

I get honey-ed, spicy cinnamon from Baghdad. The amber blooms a bit in the drydown, but the honey and cinnamon last on me. This would be warm and spicy on the right person, but on me it smells too much of cinnamon gum.

 

I don't know how to review O. It's perfection. It's warm, intimate, glowing skin. It's the oil that bring me compliments when I'm hugged. The amber, vanilla, and honey are beautifully balanced. It's not sweet like the taste of honey, but it evokes the color and texture of honey. It stays close to the skin but lasts and lasts. It's the first BPAL oil I've ever promptly ordered a 10 ml. of and then tracked down imps so I can keep myself in O until the bottle arrives. I don't know why it took me so long to try O, but it's really a jewel in Beth's crown. O can do no wrong.

On me, Prague is a very sweet floral, candy-sweet. I love the city and would like an oil that reveals its darker, labyrinthian, Kafkaesque side. As it is, it's not my style.

My skin totally amps the rose. I don't get any dryness, dustiness, rosewood, or even hazelnut. I love the idea of this oil, but I don't care for rose. I can imagine the faint smell of this on vintage Victorian garments, though, and that's cool.

I don't get bourbon, mint, or sugar. I get a straight shot of brassy men's cologne, like the kind of cologne a man who sat in a Juke Joint drinking bourbon would wear. Not to my taste.

I'm really glad to get the Pain suggestion. I added it to my wishlist. Thanks, Electra!

I bet Quietude would help; it has so much lavender, and the lemon balm (or what I take to be lemon balm) is soothing, too.

 

For my headaches, migraine and others, I use lavender essential oil on a cool washcloth.

I love Quietude! It's remarkable. The last three nights (i.e. since I got the imp) it's put me right to sleep, no matter how much caffeine I've had. I won't even go near the imp during the day, lest it put me to sleep. I'm definitely going to try it next time I fly, since I don't like to fly.

 

The scent? Dry, herby lavender and lemon balm. I wonder, too, if Quietude contains skullcap, valerian, and/or hops. Not because I can smell them - ha! - but because those are common herbs to use for relaxation and sleep. I'd love to know. It's a strong oil, too; I put a little too much on last night and the scent was too strong. I think a small dab on throat and nose is sufficient.

 

Powerful.

 

ETA: Someone in another thread said she smells Bourbon rose geranium in Quietude, which makes sense to me. The more I use this, the more I love it!!!

I'd like to know the notes in this, because I'm trying to track down what note turns to generic perfume on me - and it's definitely in Baba Yaga. I love the story of Baba Yaga, but on me, this oil was nothing like her. The oil is very faint on me; I have to stick my nose right up to my wrist to smell it. What I get is a very generic, uninteresting, brassy perfume smell. Alas.

 

ETA: During the drydown, this gets a lot stronger, and I really don't care for it.

Umbra has been on my wishlist, but I'd forgotten why, not having heard anything about it or read any reviews lately. Then today an imp arrived as part of a purchase I'd made from a forumite.

 

It strikes me that this is a seriously underrated oil.

 

I LOVE IT.

 

I adore vetiver essential oil, which I burn often next to my statue of Akwaaba, and Umbra is a perfect blend of vetiver, cedarwood, and a dark, dark (not "hippy") patchouli. I get a whiff of cinammon while the oil is wet on my skin, but then that just merges with the rest of the scent.

 

I'm listening to Bach's Cello Suites as I write, and Umbra goes perfectly with the rich, dark, smooth sound of the cello. Dark wood. Dark earth. Dark skin. Sublime. I can't stop smelling my wrist.

 

There is just a hint of sexy, sweaty smell. I've just started reading The Emperor of Scent, where Luca explains how the French like the scent of things overripe and slightly unwashed. In the most romantic and lustful sense, Umbra is that.

 

10 ml.

Wow.

 

This is Count Vlad as suave host, welcoming guests on a late autumn night into his candle- and crystal-lit great hall, a sophisticated and charming host whose eyes subtly but too eagerly seek the sweet spots on his guests' throats.

 

This is not a scent for boys (or girls). It's a scent for sophisticates with an edge. George Clooney could wear this scent. So could Patricia Clarkson.

 

(Fans self.)

 

Dracul is all black-and-orange. When it's wet, I smell the fir, cloves, and orange. I also get a whiff of black pepper. As it dries, the scents blend, and a hint of mint joins the mix. Spicy!

 

Wow.

I was really intrigued by the notes in the description of Gaueko, but on me it smells very well blended, and I don't discern any particular note. It smells dry, sharp, and brassy. It's not very distinctive on me, so I think I may swap the imp - or hold onto it for a while and try it again later.