etienne

This is the 07 version.

 

Very strong, sweet brown sugar. I also get a hint of something boozy. When I sniff my wrist really closely I get a hint of the fruits although they are definitely at the background and the throw is all brown sugar.

 

It's not an everyday scent for me - and strikes me as an autumn/winter scent rather than spring/summer. I think this would layer nicely with something creamy/vanilla-y to balance it.

I don't know if this is the right thread for it but it seemed the best option...

 

I was using TKO for the second time last night from a testable sniffie I got in a swap. I put some on plushie and kept it close to my face so that I could smell it. All good so far - then, at about 6am I woke up (thanks to the cat wanting feeding...), went back to bed 5 minutes later and took the TKO plushie near me again. When my alarm clock went off at 7:30am I felt extremely tired - much more so than usual. I felt a bit groggy and getting up was really hard work. I wondered if it was the TKO and the fact I fell asleep again with it so late in the morning so that the effect hadn't worn off yet by 7:30am? Has anyone experienced similar?

I was just getting into BPAL when the Resurrected version was available and back then I thought I didn't like foody scents... little did I know then!

 

This is yummy! It really smells like doughnuts and candyfloss with a bit of creamy vanilla in the background with more toffee emerging as it dries. I want to eat it instead of wear it.

 

I don't get very much throw but I haven't applied much because I only have one decant and have to use it sparingly and is it any wonder if my skin eats this anyway, since it's so delicious!

Initially quite foody, cake-y floral. I like it but I'm not wild about it.

And then, something absolutely magical happens. It turns into the most gorgeous floral with just a hint of fruitiness. I tested this earlier in the day and a few hours later started thinking something smells amazing but I had tested something else too so wasn't sure... I've now tested it again, and sure enough it's this!

It has a fairly good throw on me and seemed to last several hours even though I didn't put on very much.

I'm also in love with the description and the label.

This is a real winner and I'm considering trying to hunt down another bottle!


ETA: Lab description.

Mmm, this is delicious and a good candidate for becoming my summer scent. It smells a bit candy sweet but not foody exactly. I don't get much honey in this but I believe it's in the background adding it an all round softness and roundness. There is something ethereal and otherwordly in this so it definitely fits the fairy image.

 

This doesn't have much throw on me - but if I slathered more it probably would.

 

I like all the Stardust scents but this is probably the most wearable for me and I'm considering upgrading my decant to a bottle in my next order.

This has two of my favourite notes in it, so it's no surprise I love it!

 

Wet in imp and on my skin it's all sweet dragon's blood resin. On drydown the amber comes out to play and gives it a slightly spice touch. I wish more of the dragon's blood would stick around longer, but all in all this is right up my alley and if I didn't already have so many similar scents, I would be ordering a bottle right away.

 

And, just as a curiosity, I must add that this is the most vibrant red BPAL oil I've encountered so far! Initially the colour scared me a bit.

I'm glad I got the imp of this in a swap the day before placing my Lab order, because I need a 5ml of this!

 

I love red musk in general, and I love spicy scents. This is gorgeous - very warm and sweet, as well as extremely sexy. Something about the spice reminds me of Snake Oil - this is almost like a softer, sweeter version of Snake Oil to me.

 

Does anyone else think Red Phoenix and Midnight Kiss smell very similar? Or do I just have a weird nose?

 

Haha, funny nose!

 

But seriously, I've got them side by side on my desk... Midnight Kiss is very grape & cocoa, with a salty red musk undercurrent. Red Phoenix is all Big Red gum with a trace of plum underneath, way spicier than Midnight Kiss. It does even out a bit on the drydown, though, I'll give you that...

 

I think Blood Phoenix & Midnight Kiss are much more similar. If you're looking for a Red Phoenix sub, maybe layer Mme Moriarty & Bengal, or Chimera - something cassia-heavy...

 

Red Phoenix to me is all red musk, patchouli and tobacco. And so is Midnight Kiss, basically. I know MK doesn't have tobacco but it has nicotiana which I imagine smells similar.

 

I have a bottle of Blood Phoenix, too, and that's completely different to me.

 

<--- definitely funny nose.

Does anyone else think Red Phoenix and Midnight Kiss smell very similar? Or do I just have a weird nose?

I really want to love this and amber and musk are certainly some of my very favourite notes.

 

The initial stages are lovely. Sweet, sensual, golden amber. There is something similar to Tamora and Aglaea, and even Hymn to Proserpine, but without the fruity notes of those. Something even reminds me of Angeronalia when they are both wet. I don't really get any honey or currant at all in this.

But very quickly on drydown this develops a very soapy, powdery quality on me. This is the second time I'm testing it and it has happened both times.

 

I almost sold on my decant but now I'm still considering a bottle just in case it would age really well, or maybe to wear in a scent locket.

Ooh, nice. The amber and golden fruit remind me of Hymn to Proserpine - this is like a lighter version of that with the added peach. Peach can often be a deal breaker for me but in Tamora it's perfectly balanced with the other notes. The sandalwood keeps it grounded and the vanilla gives it a creamy softness. It's sweet but not sickly sweet.

 

The throw seems to get stronger after it's been on my skin for some time, I think it's the amber getting more warm and rounded.

 

I'm definitely keeping the imp and seeing how I get along with it and will consider a bottle purchase. I think this would make a lovely summer scent.

In the imp this smells very sour and I'm a bit worried...

 

But I need not be, as on my skin this is just wonderful!

Lovely sweet honey, gorgeous orange blossom and a hint of rose. All three are some of my favourite notes so it's not surprising I love this! There is something very bold and yet warm about this scent.

 

I'm definitely keeping the imp and might even consider a bottle of this.

Patchouli seems to be a bit of a hit or miss on me. I think black patchouli is becoming the one that doesn't work.

 

I like the apricot a lot - it's golden, just the right kind of sweetness.

Unfortunately, the black patchouli makes this smell like pencil shavings on me. Not the effect I was hoping for.

 

It has a lot of staying power and a fair bit of throw - but unfortunately this just isn't for me as a scent.

My skin chemistry must be doing weird things to this one.

 

Before checking the notes I'm convinced I can smell white chocolate in the imp and wet on skin!

This definitely smells foody to me, but more like bread than cake, if that makes sense.

I get a lot of sharp grapefruit underneath but the foody scent lingers around too.

 

Not me - luckily Midnight Kiss is right up my alley so at least I found one love in these two LEs!

I got this as a frimp from the Lab in my first order.

 

I smell citrus. In the imp, on my skin, wet and dry - citrus all the way. Very bright and crisp but definitely citrus rather than pomegranate.

 

Unfortunately the smell reminds me of the cleaning product my mum used to use for cleaning the bath when I was little... I don't think this is really for me, so it's off to the swap box...

I got a decant as a frimp in a swap, otherwise I probably wouldn't have thought about trying this.

 

It is very masculine to me but despite that, a very lovely scent indeed. Very bright, clean and fresh with a hint of citrus that adds that bit of extra sharpness. A very well blended scent. When it's dry I get a very slight hint of petrol in this if I sniff very closely - that would certainly fit the name!

 

My skin seems to eat this very quickly and it doesn't have much throw.

Not something I would wear but I would love smelling this on someone else, especially a man.

I notice the rose first because it's one of my favourite notes. This is definitely a very pink rose with just a hint of grapefruit.

 

Out of the Lupercalia 08 scents I've tested so far, this is one of the most pleasant smelling on me although that said, it's not something I can really imagine wearing. To me this is a very sophisticated, beautiful pink floral. Something to wear with a pastel coloured cardigan and pearls.

 

At one stage it oddly reminds me of Diorissimo by Dior which my mum used to wear for years - so perhaps I should try to enable my mum with The Presence of Love.

Tobacco, slightly burnt coconut and very strong caramel...

I was expecting this to not really work on me and I was right. I wish the amber came out to play more but for me it's overpowered by the tobacco.

 

Still, this is a very interesting scent, just not 'me'.

I really wanted this to be the delicious creamy scent it sounds like it could be but sadly it wasn't to be...

 

Wet on skin I get something smokey, quite medicinal. I can see why some people are getting wintergreen from this. This stage lasts a long time and after it has gone, I'm left with a plastic-y vanilla. I know that vanilla is a note that either works great on me (think aged Snake Oil sexy vanilla or Perilous Parlor foody vanilla) or turns really plastic-y.

 

I'm going to hold onto my decant in the hope that it will get better with age but I won't be ordering any more.

I can't make my mind up about this.

 

At first I loved it but the next day I tried it there was something about it that made me feel a bit sick. I like the sweetness so that's not the problem, I can't quite figure out what is. Maybe it's because it really reminds me of blood as someone says in a review above.

(I'm still confused about the name and why it's spelt wrong on the Lab labels?)

 

I got this as a frimp from a forumite. And it's love.

Yummy amber goodness - to me this is a very sensual scent, I keep wanting to sniff my arm. It doesn't smell very fruity to me but perhaps that's because it's so well blended that I can't pick out the invidual notes.

 

My skin usually eats perfume in a few hours but this seems to be lasting quite well!

This is the kind of scent that makes me think "ah, this is how I want to smell like!" and I think I will need a full bottle of this.

The note description sounds nice but unfortunately, for some reason my skin does bad things with this. I get a really strong smoky, burning woods type note in this - I don't understand where that comes from but it's definitely there. It's off to the swap box...

Can anyone think of a GC that is similar to Angeronalia?

I have a back up bottle on the way from a forumite but I'm still worrying I'll run out of my most favourite scent so would love to find something similar. It's the warmth, sweetness and brightness that I love so much in Angeronalia.

I got a decant of this as a frimp in a swap and I'm glad I did because based on the notes, I might not have chosen this for myself. This is one of those oils that reminds me why I love BPAL so much - there is such complexity in this scent, something I never experience with 'big name' perfumes.

 

I'm usually not a big fan of herbal scents so I wasn't sure about this when I first tried it. The herbs are really strong when wet and on drydown. However, after a while on my skin the florals and light sweetness come out more and the herbs are not as strong and bitter anymore. It has a late summer/early autumn night feel to it.

 

I tend to think of several of the lunacies as night time scents and similarly with this one I think it will become something to wear to bed every now and then. I will definitely keep my decant.

 

ETA: A month or so later I came across a bottle for sale and had to have it. This is so different from my usual favourites but I love this!

I ordered this as an imp planning to wear it to bed because of the lovely description. And a lovely bedtime scent this is, too!

 

Nuit is very light, soft floral. I think the jasmine is the strongest note in this and maybe moonflower although I admit I'm not sure what that smells like, I certainly can't smell the musk or the incense.

 

This isn't something I would wear during the day, and it's not one of my favourites but it is certainly a pleasant scent and I will enjoy the imp wearing it as a bedtime scent when I want something brighter and non-lavender based than my other bedtime favourites Oneiroi and Yvaine.