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Hellooooo all! Just wanted to post that I got my order - I was one of the delayed group that ordered O in April. My order was mailed on the 29th, but was stuck in Canadian customs for a bit - the documentation is dated June 4th. I rec'd my package on June 7th - wonderful, wonderful, and tons of imps! I tell you, the generosity of BPAL just blows me away There were a bunch of tarot imps that I wouldn't have necessarily tried because I didn't know what the components were - and I love them. So great! I will post in the "got my order" thread too.

As a heads-up - Customs opened my package, and charged me taxes on the assessed value of the goods (commodity taxes - sales tax and GST, similar to VAT in the UK). They also charged me a handing fee of $5.00. LUCKILY ... the assessed value was only approx 25% of the sales value! Anyway thought I would let you know.

Thanks thanks thanks

[split off the rest of the custom's talk into randomness ~qs]

Great idea - thanks!!

As of 5/18, the following is relevant:

 

1. All April orders that contain O or Lady Macbeth should ship at the end of this week.

Hellooooo wonderful BPAL folks

Could one of you confirm whether the April orders containing O went out by May21st (the "end of the week" re: the 18th as noted by Beth)?

I am hoping hoping hoping that my package is not lost (ordered April 23, so I fall into the delayed group). If there were further delays could you post the info?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks so much for taking the time to keep us in the loop, Nella! Hope you have a wonderful time off with your family cheers and thanks again for helping me with my orders :D

Thanks Mitzy

Hellooooo Canadian BPAL ladies! I am wondering if anyone who ordered O in April has received their package. Anyone else fit into this category?

Ah, very newbied out ... I always get a receipt from paypal confirming my transaction, and I thought it was an automatic thing that when the recipients "pick up" the money that an e-mail is sent to confim that they have accepted the payment. So ... if that's not the case, then nevermind I will rest assured that the money is where it's supposed to be! Thanks, Q!

CCNow, ARGH!

I am a paypal newbie, so maybe I am making a bad assumption ... but I haven't received a notice that the money I sent to the "cupcake@papow.com" account has been accepted (I sent it on April 23rd). It seems other people are ordering via paypal as well - could it be that there's a bunch of money in there that you haven't picked up, Beth? Just a thought. Hope things get better soon!

Also, now that Nella (Snow White) is at the lab, I'm sure that the e-mails will be cleared more quickly. Maybe try PM-ing her?

Hi Nella, nice to meet you!

Do you have a favourite oil yet??

When I wore this, I was transported back to my childhood visit to Jamaica. I was sitting on a stack of burlap bags in the back of a relative's store, eating a tamarind candy. The smell of sugar and sticky fruit and hemp/burlap ... that's what this oil makes me think of.

The initial impression was of sticky guava or plums - sweet, slightly fermented, the juice left on the knife after an afternoon in the sun. Then I smelled leather, or resiny hemp ... the fruit was not as strong. Spicy, but I wouldn't describe that as the dominant note.

Its masculine, but I will wear this myself!

I was reminded of Shadow - the sandalwood note is the same to my nose. The floral components are so familiar - I want to say lilac, but I don't think that's right (curse my newbie nose!).

This scent is quiet, still, dry. It makes me think of dusk, when the light is blue and the air is still. I love the light woodiness in this. I don't usually wear florals, but on my skin the floral component of Shroud is not overpowering - the sandalwood/other woody components balance the florals perfectly. I'm not sure why I get this impression, but when I wear this I feel that the woodiness and the other non-floral components are a separate scent from the floral components - as though I'm smelling two separate perfumes that happen to be in the same physical space.

One of my BPAL top ten!

Soft lemon with a whiff of fresh flowers and sunny greenness. Confession - I wear this when I'm hung over! Heh. It's so fresh and clean. It's like a soft happy lemon yellow cashmere sweater. Pretty, fresh, soft, comforting.

On me, this is the wicked cherry sister of Snake Oil!

Strongly cherry/almond upfront, really sweet and liquer-y. The drydown is spicy and deep, smoky and sexy.

This oil was one of Beth's picks for me when I asked her for recommendations. She was bang on, as usual!

Initially, this is very woody/herbal on me (not a bad thing!). The drydown is wonderful - faintly woody, smoky, honey and vanilla. Most of my favourite oils are warm and a little sweet, this one is solidly in that category.

I love this one. When I first tried it I was in the throes of hayfever, and my initial impression was that it was nice but had no depth. I tried it again last week, and have been wearing it ever since. The fig seems to round out the bottom, it's sweet and warm. The mandarin is sunny and bright.

I wore this with O yesterday, it was delicious! I ordered a big bottle, I think I will end up wearing this alone on sunny days, and layering it in the colder months.

I was very excited to try this one after I read the list of components - imagined it to be a warm, orangey, spicy floral. However... it is very soapy on me, not in a good way.

Cheers, Brian and thanks for the update!

I think the ties are really cool! I don't cut them off. Something about the way they look ... all wild and tangly and black and unruly ... makes me love to look at my imps even more. I also love the tags on the imps, they have such personality.

BUT ... yeah I see that both of these things, tags and ties, are time consuming and they don't affect how much I love the oils *themselves*.

LOL I'm a fence-sitter! Love the packaging because it's unique and interesting, but if the pacakging weren't there, would still love the product.

Posting just to add my voice to the crowd! I am one of the peeps who just found out recently that Beth has a full-time day job. I was shocked!!

Anyway these oils are something very special (wearing Aureus today, I think it's responsible for me keeping my sanity through a tough tax season). I echo rosefaith's post, I do not mind waiting. That said, I really appreciate the updates - they help me figure out whether I should be patiently waiting or if I should be reporting a lost order!

Yeah, my comment was meant as a general comment on consumer culture - not directed at anyone here. I guess that's plain from my previous posts, but I thought I'd clarify in case.

I agree morrighana! They are more than worth the wait So unique, so wonderful. I can't even tell you how much I've learned about my nose since I've discovered BPAL! Sometimes I think that [as a culture] we are so used to convenience and immediate gratification that when we don't get it we freak out a bit. I totally second your thoughts.

Erm... my outstanding order is, as far as I can tell, the oldest here - January 16. To be fair, though, I did not let Beth know right away that it was taking a long time - and I think the lab was hit by the flu shortly after I ordered. I also mailed Beth to let her know that I would not be upset if it took longer than normal.

So, given that I was late telling Beth that it was missing, and that I explicitly said I wouldn't mind waiting, I don't feel really awful that it's not here.... like everyone, I just am excited to try the imps I ordered (lots containing dragon's blood resin) and enjoy big bottles of the ones I had already tried and loved (Tamora and the Raven! Very excited ). I would like to know what the status of the order is... that's what I really want.

I know it's hard work for Beth and Co, but it's also hard not knowing, especially since the money has long gone out.  I would love to place a second order but I dare don't until I at least get some sort of confirmation of what's going on.

i feel like i keep complaining about this, but i'm still waiting on my order from feb 7th. i've e-mailed beth a couple times and she's been so great at getting back to me in a timely fashion (bless her!) but i still don't know if it's been reshipped or what have you. it was only a small order but that's $50.00 i could have put towards groceries or something in the meantime. beth will sort it out, just let me in on the status girl!

Yeah, I would just like to know the scoop ... whether my e-mails are being read, all that stuff. I don't mind waiting as long as I know what's happening

This may be a dumb question, but should I be e-mailing the general address (customer service) vs. Beth directly? Are Brian and Ted also able to respond to questions about shipping? I've been e-mailing Beth at "cupcake@blackphoenixalchemylab.com" with my info.

thanks for any info!

I agree with everyone - none of these changes are bad news, these oils are superb and kick ass over anything else on the market, IMO.