Lumina

Couldn't find an existing thread for this (...no, really?! ) I guess it is just a little unusual. Well, here goes: Okay, so I'm going to my Aunt's house for Christmas and I'm going to be wearing a new dress. Now my Aunt has this dog, and he's a great dog and everything, but do I want my new dress pawed on by a mutt? NO! And no, Auntie does not discipline this dog so that he doesn't jump on people. She thinks he's being cute. She also does not seem to believe in canine bathing or manicures, so clothes do get clawed up! So I'd love to get some recs for dog-repelling bpals. My stipulations are: 1. It needs to work quickly - the beast gets excited when people come in the door and for the first couple of minutes they are in the house. So I'd like for the dog to catch the scent really early on and just keep away from it. 2. It needs to be one of the scents I already own, since it's too late now for a lab order. I have varying amounts of: Samhain '05, Herr Drosselmeyer '06, Jacob's Ladder '06, Inferno, Saturnalia, Fallen, Mag Mell, Ulalume, Horreur Sympathique, Hellfire, Hades, Elegba, Danse Macabre, Le Serpent Qui Danse, The Red Queen, Hellion, Tweedledee. I also have (non-bpal) single notes of: Frankincense, Myrrh, Vetivert, Lavender, Ylang-Ylang, Coffee, and Cedar. My best guesses from the above would be Samhain (in which something amps all the way up on me), or Saturnalia, which even I find a little stinky (in a good way, but WOW STRONG!) But I would so much appreciate some help with this, so please give me your recs! P.S. I hope it doesn't come across like I'm dog-bashing. I do love dogs, I just don't need them wrecking my clothes, y'know.

What's your favorite texture? To touch, eat, wear, or moisturize with? Respective answers: Soft plush or crushed velvet, melt in your mouth chocolate, merino wool or satin (depending on temperature etc), and Villainess Whipped. What's one luxury item you want to pamper yourself with but haven't yet? A damn good book? I badly want to read a decent horror or a supernatural crime novel with a good plot, preferably including slashy elements and definitely with plenty of snarky dialogue. And a morally questionable male protagonist. My problem is that maybe I have weird taste in fiction (or maybe all the bookshops I frequent are just crap), but I cannot seem to find anything matching that description If I had time, I'd bloody well write one myself. Do you prefer arm warmers to the wrist, to the base of the fingers, or half fingered? Not sure, since I've never had armwarmers! If they're more for decorative purposes or layering with gloves, then I'll say to the wrist. If for warmth, then I'd prefer them longer. But let me put it like this: I cannot envisage any way in which you could possibly go wrong with arm warmers Unless you were to send me neon pink ones, in which case I would probably hate you! Any favorite cartoon characters? Disney, Sanrio, etc? Nope. I'm not a cartoon fan. Have you (or maybe the younguns in your family) been exposed to the Webkinz craze? Never heard of it. Who's your favorite playwright? Shakespeare. I also admire Oscar Wilde, Jean-Paul Sarte, and Luigi Pirandello. Anyone into physical activities? For instance- I'm training to become a Combat Archer in the SCA, and something I would use would be an Archers glove...is there anything you do as a sport/hobby in which you might need equipment? The only physical activity I'm planning on doing is indoor climbing, and the sports centre provides all the equipment for that. The BPTP yoga pants sound like they'd be perfect for climbing in (snug enough fit, while allowing good flexibility), but they are firmly on the list of things I expect to be buying for myself. Are there any witchy type supplies you're in need of, or would like to try etc.? Herbs, smudge sticks, resins, tarot/oracle cards, incense burners, pretty tools, stuff like that? Not for me, thanks On nut intolerance - does it include things like almond/coconut oil bases and essential oils in perfume oils, skincare products, scented candles and the like? No nut intolerance here! If you are a fan, who were your favorite Buffy and Angel characters? Spike! Do you like Shakespeare? Which plays? HAMLET!!! And Macbeth, Othello, Julius Caesar (OMG the 1953 version! Brando! Gielgud! ), Merchant, Much Ado, Midsummer, Titus (Anthony Hopkins!). I'm sure I would like Lear, if I could manage to see a competent performance Question for the Class: Favorite Musical? Really not a fan of musicals - people spontaneously bursting into song is just disturbing! If I had to pick, I'd say phantom of the opera is least offensive.

How do you like your chocolate? White, milk, bittersweet, as dark as possible? Plain, with flavoring, with chunks of stuff in? Fairly traditional, or weird and experimental? I am a chocolate snob who will sneer at anything less than 85% dark, and I've eaten (and enjoyed) 100% chocolate. Mind you, I may sneer at the less dark stuff but I'm not above eating it if given the chance! Would quite like to try vegan white chocolate (it does exist) just out of curiosity really. As for flavouring/chunks/traditional/experimental, I will eat pretty much anything if it's vegan and chocolate-y. Chunks of stuff sounds good. I approve of weird flavours. Good flavours would be: szechuan pepper, earl grey, chilli, fennel, green tea, raspberry, blueberry, peanut butter, coffee, cinnamon, chai spices, neroli... okay, I'm going to stop now - I'm hungry! Favorite animals? Least favorite? Favourites: Platypus , octopus, snake, dragon (okay, so it's a fantasy animal, but still), stegosaurus, cat, bat, owl, wolf, fox (fennec fox = cute), scarab beetle, crocodile, ibis. Least favourite: Biting insects; things with stings. Silverfish. Millipedes. How do you feel about Heifer International? Or do you have other favorite charities not mentioned in your application? I'm actually really picky about the charities I would donate to, for philosophical/ethical reasons. I would definitely support animal charities that do not put animals to sleep unnecessarily. So for all witches of the shimmying types- would you like tassel belts/jingle belts/ ect and if so, how big are your hips? I don't shimmy, but I do want to make myself a set of hip chains in the good ol' Byzantine weave. This will require approximately a shedload of jump rings, which are way, way cheaper on my witch's side of the pond, and can be found *here* (I'm looking at 20ga, 7/64"ID, non-tarnish silver/bronze/gunmetal/amethyst etc.) My hips are currently 42inches (hence 'shedload', y'know?) but I'm expecting to lose another 15-20 pounds by the end of March, so that measurement may change. Hopefully. What are 3 places that you'd like to visit, or re-visit? I want to re-visit New Orleans! I was there a year or two before Katrina, and I loved the place so much. Actually I want to spend a year touring around all 50 states in the US. (Quit that laughing - I can dream!) I'd quite like to go to Japan (not Tokyo, for the sake of my sanity - I've seen pics of it, and whoa, crowded!) And Machu Picchu. And the Amazon rainforest. And Israel, because I'm curious. And Jamaica. And Greece again. Literary erotica. Who doesn't love it? Frankly, I prefer homoerotica. Male version preferred, but femmeslash is okay too. I'm suspicious of hetero stuff, but could possibly be converted if it involves vampires or other supernaturals. (And I mean the actual blood drinking vampires btw, not some sissy whining emo bitches. You know that to which I refer...) Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL wishlist during the round? Planning to buy: Yules - Midnight Mass, Jacob's Ladder, Butter Rum Cookie, and possibly Gelt. Might buy: CD scents - Mme Moriarty, Priala. Won't buy: any GC scents, or any of my wishlisted LEs (except as mentioned above). Can't promise not to buy: Lunacies, Forum-only. Can promise I won't purchase anything from other etailers during the round (not for myself, anyhow). Do you read graphic novels/comics? Which ones? I've read the entire Sandman, and Lucifer. I'm currently trying to read Hellblazer but am too mean to buy the graphic novels, so what I do is I sit in the Starbucks cafe inside Borders and read whatever they've got, and then don't buy it. I've probably spent enough on coffee that I could've bought the entire series, but let's not kid ourselves, I was going to have those gingerbread soy lattes anyway. The problem with my technique is that Borders has a really crappy graphic novel section and I can never find what I want. I also want to read Preacher, but the bloody Borders doesn't stock it, dammit. Which witches would want Bpal boxes? Or imp cases? ME! My Bpal storage is disgraceful. I have imps all over the place and my bottle collection outgrew the priority mail box that the lab shipped in. Anything to rectify this would be totally squee-worthy How about a short - or longer - piece of fanfic? Yes! I won't squick my poor witch by posting my preferences in public, but feel free to ask for details if you dare What is the weirdest and/or most practical thing you are not buying for yourself right now? The thing that you probably should be buying, but have been putting off in lieu of something else? Weirdest: A PMC kit and a blowtorch, putting that off because I'm afraid of doing myself a mischief with it. Most practical: a new pair of shoes. I'm procrastinating because it's hard to find vegan shoes that will fit and aren't ugly. Also I want some BPTP yoga pants to wear for the indoor climbing course that I'm planning on doing in the new year, but I'm putting off ordering until I can actually afford it. Would you like handmade piece of calligraphy as a gift? Yay, please! What jewelry are you wearing now? What jewelry do you wear everyday-or do you change jewelry all the time? Right ear: one 14mm ear tunnel, one flat-back jewelled bar in my tragus. Left ear: two 16ga seamless rings (either s/steel or titanium, I forget), and one 3mm plug that I just noticed I lost the O-ring for. Again. Bugger. And I was wearing a 20ga drop earring, but I took it out for the night. That list is pretty much unchanging, but only because I don't own any other ear jewellery except a 14mm turquoise plug that sometimes switches places with the tunnel. As for pendants/necklaces, I've got rid of the cheap trashy ones I bought from Claire's Accessories as a teenager and am left with only 3 sterling silver ones, which get a lot of rotation. I've recently started beading, but haven't yet made any jewellery for myself, only to give as gifts! Boxes, baskets, etc.? Maybe. If it can be used for Bpal storage. I might would break a basket, I'm afraid. I break most things that are breakable Chia Pet, do you need one? Do not want! They give me the squicks! Creepy little freaks, go and live with the Hello Kitty on the island of deranged not-cute psycho freak things! Houseplants and/or things to put them in: thoughts? Have mercy on the plants - don't let them in sight of me. Do you like baskets, jars and other interesting containers? Filled or Empty? I like things that will be useful and not just take up space, so count me as a maybe on this one. Filled/Empty? Depends what's filling them

In imp: Mmm, Whiskey! Not quite as smoky and oak-y as the Mad Sweeney (which was single note expensive woodsmoked booze on me - with an emphasis on the smouldery smokiness - and amped like all heck broke loose!) There's also plenty of barley and a smidgen of something tangy, almost coppery. If that's the blood accord, it's pretty darn good. Want it in more blends, please! *is a vegan with vamipiric urges* On wrist, hair, and bosom ...I slathered!: Well, colour me surprised - this sweetens up quite a bit on the skin, compared to its in-the-imp smell. If anything I'd have expected it to go the way of the Sweeney and turn into intimidating alcoholic smog. But in fact I'm getting a slightly sweet barley musk, snifter on the side, and just the barest tantalizing waft of still-warm gore. <-- It's a good thing! It's a much gentler scent than I was expecting, with no harshness or aggression. My skin chem also seems to approve, since I'm still getting wafts a couple of hours after I put it on. There's something captivating about this blend, a real sense of a story behind it. I'm getting, not images, but a wyrd feeling of actually being present in that story. It's a warm dark night almost at the end of the summer, the heat haze of the day has ebbed away, but the rich bare earth is still warm beneath my feet. The barleyfields reach up almost to the back porch, and a gentle breeze ripples the tops of the grasses. The night is full of ripeness and anticipation, and the barley is calling to me with whispers of foreboding... Comments: You know, this is what I wanted Hellhound to smell like. Er, despite the fact that the listed notes are completely different *Still grumpy that the Hounds had to be unleashed, i.e. sent to new and better homes!* And seriously, I the blood accord! Also I'm really drawn to this blend as an inspirational scent; when I want to sit down and get a story written, I'll be reaching for John to whisper in my ear Wear length: 4.1/5 The wear length is a little less than I'd like, but it's really not at all bad considering that a] my skin is the black hole of complete annihilation for a shocking number of scents, and b] that goes double at this particular time of the month, if you catch my drift. Throw: 3.6/5 Teasing little wafts keep reminding me that I smell good! Keep the imp? You're mine now, Johnny boy. All mine... forever! Upgrade to a bottle? This is my top pick from the 'Weenies, and probably the only one I'll get a bottle of. More than just the one bottle, I should think.

This is for the '08 version. After reading the reviews of SM's earlier incarnations, I went ahead and bought 3 bottles unsniffed My order arrived at the end of the summer, I tore open the box excitedly and grabbed a bottle, sniffed it and... Review mark one: In bottle: WTF is this?! This is sugared marzipan and it's nasty! Do not like. Do not want. Where the :bleep: is my ambery patchouli-myrrh musk, please? On skin: It's still the nasty marzipan, only the mound of sugar on top just got even bigger. I think that I would like it to go away now Comments: Look, I know my skin chem is kind of evil, but this time it is really not me that is making things go wrong. According to the notes this is practically my perfect can't-go-wrong scent, why the heck else would I have ordered a 3 bottle stash without sniffing first? Patchouli, amber and myrrh just never go wrong on me, so I don't understand how this has happened Now my instinct was to put my bottles up for swap/sale right away, because SM was just not working for me. But I didn't do it, because so many people posted rave reviews that I just thought, hmm, there's got to be a reason for all the fuss. So the bottles went into a drawer to see if ageing would help. And it does! Testing again today: Review mark two: In bottle: Medicinal, and I now see how people are getting a cola smell. There's also a touch of almond, but it's not sugar-coated marzipan any more! On skin: It's earthy-resinous, warm and spicy. The myrrh in here is fantastic, lovely and dry/warm. After about 5 minutes the musk starts taking over, and it's a nice deep dark musk but I'm glad when it settles down again and lets the full richness of the blend show through without overwhelming it. Comments: Now I understand what the fuss is about! This is It's perfect for autumn/winter, when you want some warmth and coziness. For me, scents with myrrh have a very comforting quality, and SM is no exception. It sort of entwines itself around me like a warm blanket. At the same time, SM is a slightly subversive scent, hinting at hidden depths and mystery. It makes me think of standing around the bonfire with the flames high and flickering, and feeling that there's something lurking in the shadows just beyond the edge of the light, just out of sight. I actually think this blend will benefit from even more ageing, so I'll probably review again in a couple of months!

Frimped as part of a swap! In the imp: Oh, this is going to be good. Yes it is There's no mistaking the vanilla, but right now the woodiness is the strongest element. To my nose the cedar smells smooth and fresh, and it's coupled here with another woody element - balsam, according to the notes (which I've never knowingly smelled before) - which is adding body to the cedar and giving a lovely warm/dry aroma to the blend. I confess I would not know what sassafras is if you smacked me over the skull with it. Probably we don't have any in England Wet on skin: First few seconds: okay, the vanilla-bomb has landed!.... No, wait a minute... there comes the cedar/balsam again. And then there's a new smell, which is kind of very slightly bitter/spicy and oddly familiar. And deep rusty-orange coloured. It's not very prominent - just a hint that plays around the edges. I know what it smells like: Angostura bitters, which my mother used to put in her tonic water. ?!? That's weird. Drydown: I agree with Seismogenic, this one does take its time in the drying - oil sheen is visible on skin for quite a while! As far as the scent goes, it does change somewhat during the first ten minutes. The vanilla becomes nicely rounded: it's not too rich or sweet, but has a strong presence. The woods remain more prominent, which is very much as I prefer it. The warm dryness of this scent is really fantastic - it's kind of like the feeling of somebody's warm breath on your neck, if that makes sense. And, um, I mean that in a good way! Personally I wouldn't call it outdoors-y, but I strongly suspect that's because I've not yet encountered quite the right sort of outdoors (living in England, here!). Myself, I'd say it's like being in a log cabin surrounded by cedars, snuggled up with a creamy vanilla tea and a sexy cowboy guy who has just been riding through the woods, dressed in leathers. (There's not actually a smell of leather, but it does fit in with the overall impression!) Wear length: 4.5/5 This lasts all day. And I keep catching wafts of it. Overall: 4.5/5 I confess that I have issues with vanilla: I want to like it but hate smelling too sweet/cloying, which is how it usually comes out on me. Tombstone is pretty much my perfect vanilla scent, because it doesn't come out sticky-sweet but just mellow and smooth. I also confess that I am a massive fan of cedar, and of woods in general. This is a vanilla-woodsy-warm scent, gender-neutral but it would be utterly lovely on a man. Keep the imp? I'll give this imp to the first person who can prise it from my cold dead fingers. Mine! Keeping! You no can have! Bottle? Heck, yes!

Xmas/holiday ornaments -- Want any? What kinds do you go for? (certain line or color or style) I like the traditional-style ones, the ones that make me think of The Nutcracker. Bright &/or shiny. Wood or felt is good. Plastic is very bad. Glass is fab but possibly not recommended for obvious reasons *cough*clumsy person/postal system/curious kitty*cough*. Cat-proof is good. Catnip-filled is not the best idea. (Believe me, I should know.) Would you like your witch to reveal themselves in the final package, or wait until you've received the package and reveal on the board? Or not reveal at all? I'm happy with whatever my witch decides! But, y'know, it'd be nice if s/he did reveal What do you keep your jewelry in and would you need/want something new? My jewellery is all over the place (and did I mention I am a rather messy/disorganized person?!) I sort of don't have anything to put it in. This is mostly a problem with my necklaces. I should really get one of those things like you can buy for hanging bananas, but for jewellery. Um. You know what I mean. No, really you do! *Too much coursework = brain malfunction tonight* Do you get excited about nifty socks, and if so, do you have a style or height that you prefer? I always need socks. Actually always. Don't know why, but I seem to get through them really quickly. If someone gives me socks for Yule/Christmas, I am honestly delighted! (And yes, I am often mocked for that! Like I care! ) Maple - yay or nay? Yay! Also yay for stevia! Seriously: food! I hope my dear witch will send me at least one thing that is an eatable Are you still counting on your witchee keeping up with questions at this point, or do you know enough about her already that questions are just kind of a fun bonus now? For the purpose of gift plotting/shopping, I don't need to know anything more; but it's nice to read his/her answers 'cos it makes me feel I'm getting to know my Witchee (who is super, btw!) Any opinion on Lush products? (And do you take baths at all, or are you strictly a shower gal?) No opinion on Lush, as I haven't tried it yet. And much as I hate showers, I no longer have access to a bath Worse yet, the 2 showers in my uni accommodation are shared between 8 people. I believe the term I am looking for is "gross". Silver/Gold/etc. What is your real preference? My first choice is always silver, but other colours of metal are okay as long as they are not gold. Apparently my skin tone is just not good for wearing gold or gold coloured metal. Copper/bronze colours are okay. Silver looks good. Gold looks cheap on me. The exception is rose gold, which is okay. If you could get a gift for one housekeeping related task, and never have to do that one task, what would it be? Okay, it's time I confessed: I do absolutely no housework unless my home is about to become a health and safety hazard. But that's because I'm lazy; once I get started on a task I'm fine. My one big hate (aside from anything involving stinky cleaning chemicals) is washing dishes. I inherited this dislike from my mother, who would never be able to do without her dishwasher. Once I move into my own place, dishwasher is top of my electrical appliances list. And I do mean top. I can live without TV. Actually I am living without TV right now and I don't even miss it. Anyway: Dishwasher. Do Want.

Your thoughts on the update? I'd quite like to try the scents if the opportunity arises, but I won't be placing an order. The T-shirts aren't my thing. And from now on I'm being cautious about untested scents since I'm not liking Hellhound or SM, which I ordered unsniffed. How do you decide what to put in which package for your Witchee or how many packages to send? I don't know. I haven't decided yet If you were my witchee, would you be terribly offended if I sent you a box containing project "experiments" or random miscellaneous pretty bits of brainstorming that I thought you might like/wear? Please do! It's all good by me. Do you often drink take away coffee in paper mugs? Take away coffee is the work of the actual devil. I can't understand how people are able to drink and walk at the same time. If I try it, I end up either pouring hot liquid all over myself, or else snorting it up my nose. Or dropping it. Sometimes the Starbucks serves the drink-in stuff in paper cups when they're too lazy to wash their mugs. That's the only time I'll take a paper cup, and then I glare at it. What would a perfume based on you smell like? Weird. Myrrh and roses, with woods and a side order of coffee. Who here likes Wizard of Oz things? Believe it or not, I have never seen Wizard of Oz, nor do I ever intend to. It's one of those things I have an extreme aversion to the mere thought of. (I've had some slightly odd fixed beliefs ever since I was a child: it's an Aspie thing). Anyway, I have always flatly refused to be exposed to that movie. I've also never seen Chitty chitty bang bang (and seriously? That's a stupid effing title for a movie). Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? Have you tried out (and if not, would you be interested in doing so) its weird little brother, RiffTrax? Don't know what it is, actually. It sounds like technology, meaning I intend to stay out of it. *Is a technophobe* What will you like from Singapore? Candies? Food? Asian crafts/toys? Candies/food is always good. I don't really know what's available, there's probably a load of great stuff I've never heard of! Do you like art deco/nouveau - style prints? I like Art Deco/Nouveau, but often don't care for its depiction of the human form. (I've seen too many weird looking figures in Deco/Nouveau - style art) I prefer nature forms or animals. I used to have *this* poster, which I loved, but it got torn. Advertising art in the Jugendstil/Nouveau style appeals to me quite a lot. I also like absolutely anything by Louis Comfort Tiffany or Tiffany Studios. Obviously they worked in leaded stained glass, but a good selection of prints exists. There are some *here* And I like the rose designs by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. What is one thing that, if you received it in the middle of all the hubbub, would make you smile and take your mind off of all you have to do for a bit? Any pretty thing that I can wear, sniff, read or otherwise get distracted by. I don't know, surprise me! How do you feel about Hello Kitty? Please, no. It creeps me out. Horrid not-cute little beastie thing! Legwarmers? Armwarmers? Armwarmers, yes! Legwarmers, possibly? - I've never tried them. Scarf, yes. Temperatures are dropping already over here. What is your favorite category of the GC? Bewitching Brews, off the top of my head. Stance on Joss Whedon and his enterprises? I got bored of Buffy, and don't know about any of his other stuff. I wouldn't go looking for it. Has anyone tried ice wine before? Do/did they enjoy it? Never heard of it, but am curious now. What other perfume companies (besides bpal) have you been curious about? Arcana, HAEE, Madini, a couple of others. Does anyone here do anything with grave rubbings? Actually I've always wanted to try it out, but have never got around to it yet. Would you enjoy art based on original Graveyard photography? Yes! Very much yes! What's in your Netflix or Blockbuster queue, do you want any new Netflix/Blockbuster friends, if so how do we find you on there? Er, what? Never heard of it. Do you play a musical instrument? Nope. Clumsy fingers = no musical talent. Plus, I can't sing. Really, really can't. Like, what kind of horrible noise do I even make? It is very bad. What do you think of Irrelevant Disturbing and Surreal Crawdad Dream? Love it? Hate it? Kicking yourself for not getting a bottle? Didn't like the look of the notes, didn't order, haven't tried it, and don't regret it. How do you feel about trinkets? You know - tiny toys or doodads that serve no purpose than to be cute, take up space and make us smile. Love them or waste of money? I don't like 'em, for 3 reasons. First, I don't have enough space as it is; second, I much prefer things that are useful. Third, I've a tendency to get a little compulsive about hoarding stuff, and I really don't want to encourage that in myself. Can melty things be shipped to you, or will they be in puddles by the time you open the package? Things like chocolate will be fine now that the summer's finished. Who likes pirates? Me! Jack Sparrow... mmm! *wants one* What are your feelings about Dia De Los Muertos? I'm curious about it, but it doesn't seem to exist over here. What do you think about the Nightmare Before Christmas? It's over-hyped and over-merchandised. If candy is sent, would you prefer small amounts to a Halloween sized bag? I shall decline to answer that on the grounds that I do not wish to incriminate myself! Do you like notes in your soaps or bath stuff that you don't like in your perfumes? If so which? I'm not sure. Probably not. Do you like floral soaps or bath stuff? If so, what florals work and what don't? Jasmine disgusts me in all products. Geranium makes me ill, and Lily of the valley doesn't work for me. Rose is good as long as there is no Geranium in it (but there almost always is, at least in the ones I've tried). Mimosa, Lavender, Magnolia, Iris, Neroli, Wisteria, and most other florals are fine. Love the hypnotic florals like hyacinth, jonquil, osmanthus. How do y'all feel about honey and maple? And different flavored honey, not just the standard kind? I've never knowingly tried flavoured honey, but would gladly try it. I like maple over pancakes or ice-cream. Actually, I don't use much of either honey or maple because I don't sweeten my tea or coffee and I don't often put them on/in food. What is your favorite thing to do on a cool fall day? Go for a walk in a forest or in the countryside. Which I sadly do not often get to do because I live in the city. What one (or two, if you really must) BPAL bottles are you most longing for? GC bottles? Aziraphale, 'cos I've almost finished my 1st bottle already; and Pride, because I *need* that scent and couldn't quite afford to stick it on the end of my last order. (I don't normally do delayed gratification, but I was ordering SM and Hellhound plus backups, and it got a little expensive!) If you could have dinner/drinks/coffee with any 3 living people that are not your family/friends already, who would they be-? Pass. I'm not sociable enough. Band-aids: do you like the fun and funky ones? Nope. Hate plasticky and sticky things, which would include all band-aids. What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you? I guess I'm lucky, I can't think of anything enormously scary that's ever happened to me. But then again, I have constant low-to-mid level anxiety, which is annoying. What is everyone's favorite Halloween song?! Didn't know there was such as thing as a Halloween song! I guess I'd have to go for the tubular bells theme from The Exorcist, and Bela Lugosi's Dead or Of Lilies and Remains by Bauhaus. What would you tell yourself 6 months in the past about 2008 so far? Don't worry about it; yes, your instinct's right and you won't regret it; omg you need to start saving up for a new wardrobe because that diet will work and you will end up with your pants literally falling off; leave that scab alone or else it'll scar. Robots versus zombies: who wins? Robots, because the zombies are dumb and slow, and the robots have built-in machine guns. What would zombie say? *in between mouthfuls of brain* Grrh, arrrhgghh.... *munch, munch* ...MMmmm ... Graaarrrgh...*Burp* Do you decorate for Halloween? What sort of decorations? Dress up for Halloween? I usually carve a pumpkin, and dress up in something Goth, but don't otherwise decorate. I'd love to make a bigger fuss of it, but I refuse to buy the throwaway plasticky decorations that the shops sell, because I hate plastic and hate throwing things away. Wish I had the time to make some decent handmade decorations. I might try for a pirate costume this year, now that I've dropped enough weight to wear so-called 'normal' clothing sizes. Bats, cats, skeletons, monsters, vampires, witches or what other ghoulies do you prefer? Vampires! And bats, cats, werewolves, demons, warlocks, Grim Reaper Do you like horror flicks? Sure, but not that demented horror-porn stuff like Hostel. Anything else goes, though. And especially vampire flicks. Interview with the vampire is a favourite. Who here prefers stylus and ink to ballpoint? Anyone invested time and effort into calligraphy or proper Victorian writing? Only wish my clumsy fingers could hold a pen properly, because I love that stuff. What about stationery? Need some? What styles do you like? Sharpie pens in bright colours are always good, because I make mind maps instead of taking linear notes in lectures and get through loads of pens that way. What is one item that you've wanted forever, could have afforded, but have never gotten and why (haven't you gotten it!)? A mind machine (e.g. like Nova pro), and I haven't bought one because... I don't know, there always seems to be something more important, and also the technology might get out of date quickly. I'd love to buy Wild Divine, though. Maybe my Christmas gift to myself... What Halloween scent are you most looking forward to? John Barleycorn, and To Autumn. (I got my decants yesterday!) Reduce - REUSE - recycle. Do others feel the same? Sure, but I'm not a fanatic about it. Basically I'll do it if it's easy/practical. What is your favorite crafting supply? Beads, especially glass beads 'cos I hate the plastic ones. Weigh in...Are you right or left-handed? Right. Any period of time that you love? I guess I'd say the Renaissance times. What's your favorite part about Fall? The smells and colours, piles of leaves, the texture of the breeze, the way the colours of the sky change in the evenings. I feel it's a kind of relaxing time of year generally. Do you like office/school supplies? If so, what is your favorites? Pens in bright colours. What's your favorite Halloween candy? Don't know, but that candy corn stuff looks truly revolting. Do. Not. Want! Will you be participating NaNoWriMo? If so, is there anything you'd like to have for that? Nope. Where does everyone like shop for witching goodness? That's my sneaky secret! What is your favorite pumpkin goodness? Pumpkin pie. But that's a winner by default because I haven't tried any other pumpkin-y baked goods!

If you could bring back any TV show from cancellation what would it be? Brimstone, because the concept was really cool and I totally fancied John Glover as the Devil I wonder if my witchee would like a blanket type thing. Would you? Yes I would, especially if it's a comfort blanket or travel rug type of thing. What's your favorite "I know it's bad for me but I can't help myself" treat? Probably that fourth cup of coffee I know I really shouldn't be having. I'm addicted, I admit that. Otherwise, perhaps the occasional handful of vegan chocolate buttons Very important question: Are you planning on buying anything off your BPAL and/or other wishlists during the round? Good question My answer is: No, although I may well *add* to the Bpal wishlist when my Halloweenie decants will have arrived. But I'm trying to only buy for my witchee for now! Do you wear a watch? If so, what kind/style? I rarely remember to wear a watch. If I do, it's a solidly built men's watch with both a clock face (with second hand) and a digital display. It has alarm and stopwatch functions, which I do not know how to use. It's fairly heavy, so that I'm always aware that I'm wearing it. How do you feel about having a donation made in your name to something?If you like that idea, what types of organizations/groups would you want the donation to go to? Honestly it's not something I would have thought of, since I actually prefer to support charities by buying goods from them rather than by donation. (Because I seriously disagree with the way certain charities allow their 'paid volunteers' to earn commission from the donations that they solicit!) Some charities I would be happy for a donation in my name to go to would be: women's refuge centres; animal rescue centres that do not put old/unwanted animals to death; charities promoting the study of Classical Latin; Catholic charities; Interfaith organisations. Personally, I would *not* want a donation to be made in my name to any charity that funds medical research, due to various ethical issues. What is your favorite art movement and/or style? ie impressionist, surrealist, art nouveau, etc. It's more of a transitionary period in the history of art than a self-contained movement, but I love the early Italian Renaissance (especially Florentine). I like how the art of this period aims at blending idealism and realism like the art of Classical times, while still using the elegant stylised figures of the late Gothic style. It's unique and beautiful, and somehow completely authentic to the function of the art. In general, Renaissance and pre-Renaissance art fascinates me because so much symbolism is contained in the imagery of the paintings, sculpture, and architectural forms of the period. It amazes me how much information is in them, and I find it wonderful that back in the 14th/15th centuries, the people who looked at these paintings were able to 'read' the stories in them as easily as we would read a book today. *is a secret art history geek* Do you have a case for your mp3 player/digital camera? If you would want one, what size is your digital device? I don't have a case for my ipod. It's never especially occurred to me to want one, but actually it's a pretty good idea. If my witch wants to make/buy a case, I'd strongly prefer a knit/felt/fabric one. I choose not to have real leather/suede and I usually don't like the way the fake ones feel to the touch. I can't find my ipod right now to measure it, but I can tell you it's a (really old) 4GB ipod mini (the original mini version, not the 2nd generation mini). For tea drinkers, do you bag it or prefer loose If I'm feeling snobbish, I'll insist that loose is better. On the other hand, I hate picking tea leaves out of the pot or the mesh filter. I've started using those empty sachets that you put the loose tea into, and I love them! But I do also have ordinary bagged teas for everyday, anytime drinking. Does the weather change where you are, as in, does it get cold in the winter? Anyone need homegrown scarves, hats, mittens, etc? I live in England. We have some notorious seasonal weather changes. Right now we've got alternating warm and chilly days, and the rain we've been having is due to continue all the way through next week. Some parts of the country are flooded, but not where I am. Winters over here are indeed cold. January/February brings the worst freezing spells. And yes! I'd love any item with insulating properties (General note: I have short fingers, so can only wear fingerless gloves/mittens!) Who are your forum buddies? People you know well enough online or IRL to help your Witch pick out stuff for you? Don't really know anyone on the forum.

Just a quick note to say hi to my Witch I hope you will enjoy being matched up to me for this round! I feel like a bad witchee 'cos I'm still not caught up with all the Q's, but on the other hand my questionnaire came out a little on the long side, so maybe it's not too bad. Anyway, I'll try and do my best to keep active on the thread so you'll know I didn't suddenly drop off the planet Your excited witchee, Dani x

My questionnaire is chock-a-block with ideas for Witching me on the cheap, and without sending "stuff for stuff's sake". And I just came up with another one--make me a Pandora, Finetune, or Last.fm station you think I might like! What manner of affordable Witchery might you covet? Can't access Pandora or Finetune because I'm in the UK. I think I can get Last.fm, but haven't heard of it before so will have to go and see how it works! My affordable covetousness: American candy (if my witch is in the U.S., that's pretty inexpensive); any beading supplies; hair scrunchies; tea; handcrafted thingies, e.g. bookmarks, drawings. I've got more in the list in my sig. Does your cell phone have a place to attach charms? Haven't the foggiest. Most of the time I don't even know where my phone is, let alone whether I can attach things to it! *is hopeless* If you drink coffee (and make it yourself) do you use a French Press, regular filter basket coffee maker, Espresso Machine, Percolator? Morning is my stupid time, so that's when the instant crap gets made. When I want a nice coffee rather than an emergency caffeine infusion, I use a French Press at uni or an Espresso Machine at home (if my mother hasn't put it into storage without telling me!) What movie soundtracks (or scores) do you love? The Blade Runner soundtrack is the only one I can think of. Ooh, and Disney's Fantasia. Um, that second one probably shouldn't count... for the obvious reason. How do you scent yourself? Do you layer soaps, moisturizers, etc. or do you go straight to slathering your bod with BPAL? I don't layer. This is possibly because I don't know how to layer. What actually is layering? Wow, I'm ignorant tonight! Do you/how do you scent your world? Candles, incense, diffusers, potpourri? None of the above? I'm not allowed candles/incense at uni, although I do like using them at home. I would use incense for scent and candles only for light. I have an oil burner, and have used it with essential oils. I have an irrational hatred of potpourri. I hate the sound of it, I hate the texture of it (I know you're not really supposed to go about touching it, but I kind of have to if I see it. Weird compulsion.) I hate the colour of it (nasty fake colour dye), and I hate the smell too. I've never met a potpourri I liked the smell of. And I've just realised I hate typing the word 'potpourri'. BPAL is such a scent-ual experience. What are your other tactile, aural, or olfactory pleasures? Tactile: I like holding smooth pebbles; stroking soft fabric; stroking my cat; touching bubble wrap, tissue paper, leaves, flower petals, trees, wooden things, strangely shaped things; turning pages of books; playing with string; making knots; twisting things, etc. That's just a small list - I have a pretty strong awareness of tactile sensation generally. But although I like touching things, I strongly dislike being touched by other people, unless they are trained physio/massage therapists. I do like aromatherapy massage. Aural: I like classical music, with the exception of Mozart (has an odd effect on me, so I avoid it). I also like Jazz. I almost never listen to music while travelling. I have to be in my own room when I'm listening to music. I don't use a radio. I like listening to music while I'm writing, but not while reading. Olfactory: I like nice-smelling soap, Bpal, baking smells, cut grass, 'outdoorsy' smells. I cannot go around a garden without wanting to touch plants, and I always rub herb leaves and smell them. I love fresh tomato leaf. When I get a chance to burn incense, I love cedar. I strongly suspect I would like other woods and also resins, but haven't tried any yet. How do people feel about receiving baked goods/kits to make said goods? Or other cooking items? Would you enjoy oil or vinegar flavored with herbs grown at home? Strange and exotic spices with recipes to try? Cookies made with carnation petals? Somehow I don't think even a kit would make it through customs. But I would love to receive vegan-friendly recipes! What are your pet's names, and what are they named for? My cat's name is Minou, which my mother told me means 'pussy cat' in French. I picked it because it sounds cute and because I wasn't allowed to call him Balthazar. Looking back on it, I'm really quite glad I didn't call him Balthazar. I think he never would have forgiven me!

...And some more! See, I'm doing it Do you have phobias? I 'm phobic of dead fish, especially when it's served as food. Same for seafood in general. Prawns really freak me out. I'm not phobic of live sea creature, just dead ones on plates! I used to fear spiders but am now pleased to see them as long as they do not sneak up on me like one did this evening! (A huge one, too. But kind of cute in a spidery sort of way ) How do you like your mix CDs? Random? Stuff you know you'll like? I'm too anti-competent with technology to even know how to make a mix CD But if it helps, I prefer my playlists to cover one category at a time, e.g. I would never mix jazz with classical on the same playlist. Is that even a sensible answer to the question? *feels sort of dopey* Would you rather get food or jewellery? Unfair question! How am I supposed to choose between the shiny and the yummy?! Do you like children's toys, such as jacks, those little things you tilt around to get the ball in the right hold (wtf are those called?), the aforementioned caplet dinosaurs, cap guns, etc?: Children's toys in general - no. But, I would :love: a wooden or metal puzzle toy like pretty much any of the ones shown *here*. Or a tactile/sensory stimulation/fidget toy, e.g. tangle toys, (I'm an Aspie, and a bit of a texturephile ) Fanfic as a gift* - yay or nay? Your fandom? Slash preferences?*well, a virtual gift obviously. You know what I mean. Fanfic? Yay! Halloween-themed fanfic? Extra double triple yay! My fandoms are Harry Potter, Good Omens, Hellblazer, Brimstone, and one or two rarer ones. I love slash. I don't read non-con/rape stuff, but pretty much anything else goes Any beaders here? Need beading supplies? I'm trying to learn beading, but am still kind of crappy at it. I'm very new to it and haven't even got the most basic supplies. I would welcome absolutely anything my witch might send me for this. Note: when I say I don't have the basics, I mean stuff like headpins, findings, wire, beading thread, calottes, crimp beads & covers... you know, all the essential stuff. Because I just bought myself a load of the shiny beads and forgot that I needed stuff to fix them together Um. Bad me. I also don't have crimping pliers, although since I don't have crimps either... Oh, you get the idea! Do you knit/crochet? Do you need any supplies? I attempt to knit. Um, I could use some pretty yarn (anything from dk to chunky). Even 1/3 of a ball or less would be useful for my little projects, if my witch wants to get rid of leftovers! I already have stitch markers that I don't use, so don't need any more of those. Pretty buttons/sew on sparkly gem things/sequins etc. would be lovely. What kinds of eye shadows do we all like? None. I don't do make-up. At all. Ever. Please, don't send me any - I won't be able to use it. Do you like lip balm? If so, do you like tinted, glossy, sparkly, pearly or just plain lip balm? Okay, lip balm is *love*. I much prefer plain, medicated, or lightly tinted. Glossy is okay, but I wouldn't pick it or myself. Sparkly or pearly I just won't use, because it then counts as make-up!

Whoah, I've got a lot of catch-up posting to do! I'm going to start with the most recent questions: Where are a few of your favorite places? There’s a little out-of-the-way tea room that I love, which is attached to the battiest plant nursery I have ever seen. The tea room is one of those really quirky places: It has a tiny kitchenette with a counter, a kettle and a tea cupboard containing perhaps four kinds of teabag. All the china is mismatched. You order your tea, go through an aged wooden doorway and take a table in this amazing room. All the walls are covered in brightly-coloured Indian wall-hangings and there are lamps, ornaments, statues of the Buddha, pictures of gods, baskets of pine cones, copper pots, freaky-looking things that might be either a kettle or a distillation device, and just loads of random stuff covering every single surface. (If you look closely, everything in there has a price sticker attached.) There is an old stone fireplace, and if you look up at the ceiling you’ll see the ivy that has crept in through the roof and is curling around the beams. There's a cozy, settle-in-and-make-yourself-comfortable kind of atmosphere. I love sitting at a table in this place and drinking tea and just looking at everything and enjoying the ambience. It’s a totally unique place, weird in the best possible way. Other favourite places are the rose garden of Regent’s park in London; any wooded areas or pine forests; and an area of the Dorset coast where my family used to go on holiday. Out of curiosity, all the fall babies who are celebrating their birthdays during the round - who are you, and when is your bday? Um, I celebrate my name day is on September 29th. But my actual birthday is March 26th, so I doesn't count What is one (only one) object that you collect, that totally goes against your personality or beliefs? Stuffed toy animals. Totally against my personality, but strokable/soft textures are like my personal catnip or something. Are you a soap addict? Anything you like to avoid in soaps (goat's milk, lye, dyes, etc...) or any particular scents you like or brands you want to try? I’m working on developing an addiction icon_wink.gif I'm vegan, so would not use soaps containing animal products e.g. goat’s milk. I’d love to try the Shub-Niggurath soap from BPTP, but it seems not to be around ATM. I’d also like to try some more Arcana and Villainess. Do you like kilts and would you wear one? I’m English, so I wouldn’t wear one because a) it’s not part of my heritage; b] kilts are for men, right? c) For myself personally I don’t like the style too much. It just wouldn’t look good on me the way it does on some people. On the other hand I do love the wonderful variety of tartan colours and patterns. I think a tartan scarf would be lovely. What's your favorite book? My Latin dictionary, because it has special significance to me for various reasons, and because it is pretty much essential to my studies. Also, I have a 19th century folio-size copy of Paradise Lost with full-page Gustave Dore illustrations, and I love it to bits. It’s a little battered about the cover and has that old book smell, the pages feel beautiful to turn, and there is a fold of tissue paper covering each illustration. For me, those qualities make it feel really special to read. It appeals to my aesthetic sense of what the reading experience ought to be. (Does that sentence work in English? I'm too tired to think properly ) What size socks do you wear? How about hat size? I wear UK size 7 socks. I don’t know how you work out hat size, but my head measures about 56cm circumference. Do you read comics? Which ones do you love and which can't you stand? I’m really picky about which comics I read. I’ve read Sandman and Lucifer, and made a start on Preacher. Nothing else has captured my interest ATM. I’ve dipped into Manga here and there. Little Pet Shop of Horrors is one I like; Fruits basket was okay but a little… 'unexciting' for me. Eerie Queerie was amusing. Right now I’m more interested in illustrated novels rather than comics. Symbols that are meaningful to me? The ankh, the eyes of Horus, the yin-yang, the Raven, the tree of life, the cross of the crucified, the triskele, the hexagram, the winged hourglass. By nature are you a morning lark or a night owl? I’m naturally nocturnal What's your favorite type of music to hear live, rather than recorded? Jazz piano; classical. What is your favorite autumnal-seasonal drink? Cinnamon spice tea Might need to edit this post later. Tired brain=dumb tonight. Apologies for any major non-seq's, etc.

I made a blog. Go me!

In imp: Yikes, that's lavender! Hm. I don't dislike lavender, but I'm not in love with it as a perfume scent. Still, it may be one of those blends that will smell totally different on the skin than in the imp? On skin: Peppery lavender on initial application, then the scent played dead for 5mins After that, the rose came out to play and I began to get whiffs. A rose background, plus orchid, maybe – I'm getting a slight hint of hothouse? My nose interprets certain musks as powder, and that’s what happens with the white musk in here. I get no sign of frankincense, which is a pity because it's one of my favourite notes. Unfortunately for me, my skin makes this blend smell like rose-scented powder/soap. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful, top quality rose powder/soap, and it’s not the least bit artificial-smelling. It's very feminine, but in a way that is elegant woman-y rather than girly. (If someone gave me a soap that smelled like this I'd love it to bits!) Nonetheless, powdery soap isn’t something I especially wish to wear as a skin perfume. It seems this won’t be a problem, since after another 5mins, it’s mostly faded away! Comments: I can see why people love this, and I do find it very likeable - but it just isn't for me. I think the lavender and the musk are what's making me find it soapy. As a general remark: this was my second rose blend from Bpal, and I've been very impressed with the quality of the rose note. I've tested much more expensive scents from other companies that have used poorer quality rose. So I'm sad that this particular blend didn't work for me but I expect to remain a fan of Bpal roses in general. Throw: 2.9 / 5 Wear length: 2.0 / 5 Overall score: 2.8 / 5 Bottle? Nope. I'll make sure the imp finds a good home

I received Event Horizon as a super-generous frimp from a wishlist-checking!forumite It was one of my most-wanted imps, so yay! In imp: warm, somewhat dry-smelling resin; unidentified floral. Slight woodsiness. On skin: Wet: slightly peppery and peculiar, I think that’s the orchid. Sweet labdanum is the only note I'm picking out for sure. The blend tends towards acrid, but not in a big way. As it settles into drydown, I get the impression of faintly lingering incense, or possibly dusty wood. A very familiar smell. I’d associate this with either a church or a library. After an hour or so, it has morphed, becoming more defined, and I finally get something a little more like opium but a lot more like a particular church I used to go to as a child. Exactly like that church, in fact. The thing is though, I’ve never been to another church that smelled quite like that one. Hey, you think they burned opium there? I can tell this blend is heavy on the opoponax. I do love opoponax/myrrh, so this makes me happy. It isn’t too acrid and the labdanum & benzoin means it’s not at all bitter. Colour association: clear/transparent at first; white smoke on drydown. So, not so much a black hole! Texture association: feather-light drizzly rainfall at first; later, smooth (not gritty) smoke. Comments: A strange scent, not what I expected. It did morph quite a bit from beginning to end. It was only okay in the first and middle stages, but in the final stage it was pretty compelling. My major quibble is that I got very little throw. As a side note: if I ever meet a man who smells like this, there is a strong possibility that I shall jump him. Throw: 1.2 / 5 Wear length: 4.0 / 5 Bottle? Quite possibly. The imp stays with me, and is queued for testing in scent locket.

Thanks for replying! It's really cool of the lab to help us out like that - I'll remember for next time I order. (I would've ordered a load little more this time if I'd known. Still, at least this way my budget remains partially intact ) I'm glad Royal Mail lets people know in advance if there's fees, too. Good to know I won't be put on the spot WOW! - that's a lot of goodies I'd have thought for that much stuff the customs charge would be higher, so I feel a lot more reassured about my own (comparatively puny) order now. Thank you for your help!

Since I'm realising my chances of ever finding a bottle are next to zero, can anyone recommend a GC (or even an easy to find LE) equivalent for Tarot: Death? I searched this thread and there was only the one suggestion so far: Does anyone agree? Disagree? Have any other recs? ...And are the retail-only salons still available? I thought they'd gone away? Sorry to be ignorant

First off, apologies if this is repetitive or in the wrong place! I'm wondering what people's experiences with UK customs have been lately, because I've just placed an order with the lab for 5 lunacy bottles (my second ever order, and the first with bottles in! Yay!) My total came to just over $100 including shipping. Can anyone tell me the probability of customs men swooping on my package, and what kind of fees I'm looking at if they do? I know the Royal Mail will rip me off for a flat fee of £8.00 , but I can't for the life of me understand how the customs/import fees are calculated. I'm not bitching about having to pay the fees (well, except the Royal Rip-off bastards!) 'cos the way I see it I've benefitted from the exchange rate, so fair enough. I would just like to know how much the fees are likely to come to so that I can have the cash to hand. (It's been a while since I felt the customs pinch - I'm assuming the posties still collect the fees on delivering one's mail?) Thanks in advance for your help, guys!

Received as part of a lucky dip imp pack from ebay. I've been wanting to try this one, so was pleased to get it. In imp: Eau de nil. Nothing. Absolute zero. Umm... On skin: Actually I tried it in my locket first, because having read previous reviews I knew of this blend's reputation for doing the vanishing act. And yay, in the locket I can smell something! But, um, that something appears to be sweet fennel (a definite anise smell). And nothing else, until around 12 hours later - and yes, it has lasted this long and we're still going strong! - when I can detect a lemony citrus mingled in there. (Bergamot, but in a very convincing lemony disguise ) How anyone gets a leather note from this is quite beyond me. I don't even get tea, unless it's fennel tea. I did a skin test for comparative purposes, with quite different results. The bergamot turned up first and was clearly not a lemon but gave a lovely true Earl Grey smell. After about a minute the fennel made itself known and tried to take over the show, but ended up in a nice balance with the bergamot instead. If I squint sideways, I can now understand where people get this leather idea, because there is a suggestion of it in the way the notes interact. For me though, they are too clearly differentiated to give that impression. Unfortunately, my skin is the kiss of death for quite a few of the Bpal blends, and so it is for Severin. Five minutes in and it's gone. Wear length/throw: On skin, zero points for endurance and maybe 1.8 for throw - my wrist had to be up close to my nose. In the locket, a completely different and much happier story: it gives enough throw to reach my nose, and lasts over 12 hours without losing too much intensity. Summary: Well, it's all fennel to me, since I'll only ever be able to wear this blend in a locket. But... I like fennel It's not a love, but it's a nice unusual scent that I'd happily wear. And did I mention the wear length in the locket? I'm going to nitpick, though: this isn't a scent I'd associate with a male sub, and for me it didn't match the lab's description. So, um not quite the Sev of my dreams... Buy a bottle? I'm not parting with the imp, and when it runs out I might get another, but it doesn't scream "Bottle! Now!" at me.

I have Asperger's, and as a child I had some pretty bad anxiety/social issues; also my sensory hypersensitivities were bad to the extent that they caused me to have an eating disorder and to frequently self-harm (partially from anxiety, but mostly due to tactile sensitivity inducing compulsive scratching to get rid of irritating sensation.) I could never tolerate most commercial perfumes, and I still have to walk really quickly with my breath held if I'm heading past perfume counters in a shop. I'm pretty sure it's the alcohol and synthetics in the commercial stuff that causes me trouble, because I'm absolutely fine with the Bpal blends. So far I've found a couple of Bpal scents that have a soothing/calming effect. The first is Wings of Azrael, which has an incredibly profound effect on me. It's comforting and very mentally and sensually soothing: kind of like a sedative without the drowsiness, if that makes any sense. Of the notes in it, I know myrrh, cypress and cajeput are helpful for me; and I like the juniper but don't know whether or not it has therapeutic value. Midnight Mass is another one that works well for me. It seems to help me to focus and have better control over my thought & behaviour patterns. That's because of the resins. Heavenly Love & Earthly Love, which smells very similar to Midnight Mass, doesn't have the same effect. Aziraphale has a noticeable grounding/stabilising influence, and is comforting because I can smell it around me like an aura. I guess I'd have to say it feels protective. I also have a very strong reaction to Frankincense, Myrrh and the incense blends used in churches. They just sort of put me into a meditative state, the sort of meditation that gives you clarity and relaxed awareness. The thing I've found about that is that once you've induced that state, you really need to be in a calm environment; otherwise you risk worse-than-usual reactions to stressors. A frankincense/myrrh/wood blend is better than frankincense on its own because the myrrh and woods ground it. Tomato leaf, strangely enough, is comforting for me even though I can't eat raw tomatoes. I don't mind lavender as a scent, and obviously it does help skin & sore muscles, so may be fine for physical relaxation, but it doesn't have a relaxing/soothing effect on me mentally. Similarly rose, which I've heard recommended for anxiety, does nothing for me (although again I like the smell). Vanilla is just a nice food flavouring. Benzoin resinoid (smells vanilla-like) is quite grounding. [Edit: I totally retract the above comment re: rose, since I got an imp of Pride in a swap and omg I now need a bottle. Not want, need. I had a bad episode and went non-verbal for a bit, which really scared me. Immediately I applied that scent it made me cry, which was a good thing as I needed the emotional release before I could get my head working again. I then wore it when I had to go for physio to unlock my muscles, and it soothed me a lot. I can see myself getting through tons of this.] As a person experiencing life with Asperger's I'd say that while sensory issues can be a real nuisance, they can also enhance your life in some respects if dealt with in the right way. Having more profound reactions to scents than other people can be great if you discover which blends are therapeutic to you and which situations to use them in. Each person is unique in their reactions to any given scent or blend, so trust in your instincts to discover what's right for you. Best of luck to everybody, I hope you all find your comfort-scents!

I don't hate the violet, but the violet hates me. Worst offenders: Fallen - violet and vetiver all the way. I think I must amp them, 'cos I can't smell any other notes. Pissed me off because I badly wanted to love this scent and really didn't. Oddly enough I found this blend to be the most 'perfumey', i.e. commercial-smelling Bpal I've tried. I swear it is similar to one of the chanel scents which my mother used to wear and I hated. Saturnalia - Violet/vetiver as above. Only worse. Way, way worse. I personally don't find this a likeable combination. A very strong and tenacious scent. On the plus side, I didn't notice if the violet turned to pee; on the minus, that's because the vetiver was going crazy. Didn't smell like a commercial perfume. Didn't smell like anything I've ever encountered. Peculiar. Not so bad Le Serpent Qui Danse - very floral violet, not overly sweet. the vanilla takes the edge off things, but the violet still turns to pee on me. I'd recommend this to anyone who CAN wear violet, because it has great throw and pretty good wear length. Versailles - Beautiful sweet sugared violets. I even dared to hope it would work out. Then it turned on me: old lady & cat pee smell. I only used a teeny tiny dab on a fingertip, but it clung on through several handwashes. Chickened out of testing Bruised Violet Compound - I sniffed the imp: strong violet smell. This one won't be getting a skin test. Hopefully it'll go to a better home soon, where it will be loved. ...And the one that worked: Wings of Azrael - I was incredulous when I found out this had violet in it, because I somehow didn't pick it out (probably because it failed to turn to pee!) I couldn't recommend this to someone looking specifically for a purely violet scent, because this isn't it, but it is absolutely lovely overall. White floral/woody-green with a gentle veil of myrrh, in a very indescribable kind of way.

Heavenly Love & Earthly Love Ambergris accord, benzoin, teakwood, frankincense, myrrh, Mysore sandalwood, and incense. smells very similar on my skin to Midnight Mass ('06) This perfume is a traditional Roman Catholic sacramental incense, most often used during a Solemn Mass. Traditionally, five tears of this incense, each encased individually in wax that has been fashioned into the shape of a nail, are inserted into the paschal candle. This is, of course, represents the Five Wounds of Our Risen Savior. Symbolically, the burning of the incense signifies spiritual fervor, the fragrance itself inspires virtue, and the rising smoke carries our prayers to God. Not an exact match - Heavenly Love is woodier and has the ambergris accord, Midnight Mass is sweeter and more resinous. But still, very very close imo.

Okay, so I told myself I’m not allowed to order anything else from the lab until I’ve put a bunch of reviews up. So Aziraphale gets to be first ‘cos it was a Good Omens community on lj that first pointed me towards Bpal! Snagged a 5ml of this on ebay (but missed out on Crowley. ) In the bottle: Wow, those are strong woods! The sharp woods are hurting my nose. There’s something else, sure, but it’s buried under the woodpile. On skin: Notes: The scent yields clean woods, nice and rounded. Cedar and sandalwood. I don’t get the ‘dusty Bible accord’, for which I am not altogether sorry. ‘Ethereal musk’ is listed. Now, I’ve never really thought of myself as a musk-wearer, but this is actually rather excellent. It’s giving the blend a lovely creamy glow, and preventing the woods from being pencil shavings. The resins in this scent don’t stand out strongly in themselves, but are at work in the blend. I’m getting frankincense and possibly benzoin. There’s something in Aziraphale that’s looking at me slightly aslant as if it knows it could, in other circumstances, eat me for breakfast. I think this may be what other reviewers’ are experiencing as a cat pee/BO smell? It’s in with the woods on first application and it wants to make me smell like fresh mildew, but fortunately it doesn’t develop and it buggers off after a minute or so. I can’t ID the note that’s responsible, which makes it hard to be properly suspicious of it in future. Throw/wear length: Aziraphale is a fairly light scent in spite of the woods, and I steeled myself for the possibility of it disappearing after the first half hour, but it surprised me and kept going for most of the day. Aziraphale’s a lingerer, in the best possible way: the throw is not going to leap around and batter everybody around the sinuses (I’m looking at you, Samhain!) but it just creates a lovely personal aura that wafts around you gently and is very comforting. I anointed my hair with some and the effect was rather like having my own personal halo. Overall impression: This is very much a unisex scent, and it is English, without a doubt. It’s hard to pinpoint what it is precisely, but there is a quintessential English factor in this scent. It’s evocative of damp summer/autumn weather, and secondhand bookshops, and it’s making me want a cup of tea and plate of scones. (There goes the diet!) Rating: Based on my general scent preferences, I wouldn’t have gone for this one at all. I’ve been preferring spicy, warm, smoky, incensey blends, which really isn’t Aziraphale. So I’m kind of shocked that this is my favourite Bpal scent so far and I’m giving it 5/5. What I love about Aziraphale is that it’s very complete, balanced and serene. It’s a perfect match for it’s namesake. And it doesn’t smell ‘perfumey’ on me. I also love that it has a calming/comforting effect on me, which only one other scent has done so far. (Another) bottle required! :D