VioletChaos

I. Am. SMITTEN. I kept my D-Con order much more limited this year due to an immanent relocation, but even though I've never encountered a Red Bean Paste note personally before, I figured this would be one of my three splurged items since the note sounded intriguing and since I've had very good luck with Peach HG's in previous years. This? Blows them ALL out of the water. In the bottle, the bean paste note is SO deep and rich, it almost comes across like cacao, if cacao somehow wasn't chocolatey. That might hurt your brain, but I assure you, when you smell this? You will understand. It's the rich-paste thing. There's nothing "creamy" about it, but it had that level of richness. I sprayed a little on my hand (which is what I do with the Hair Glosses: I spray them into my hand, lightly rub my hands together, then run my hands though my hair, focusing on the bottom two thirds of length). Once warmed up, the richness mellows, but only a bit. This allows the tendrils of peach to find their way in. Side note about the peach: I got three Pit items this year and all three share the experience of a greatly understated Peach note as compared to previous years. But take my advice- do NOT let that be a deterrent! Whereas previous Peach Pit iterations have caused me to rave about the "juiciness" and the "fresh", "ripe" qualities, this year's Peach is a study in what a "quiet" peach can be. It's not food or gourmand- it's a dry, delicate scent that removes the edible aspects, so that it comes across like a skin musk that happens to be extracted from a peach- or the pith near the stone at the center. What it loses in the kind of brash immediacy of previous years, it gains in being subtle, adult, and frankly gorgeous. And in a 3-out-of-3 tries, it elevates the scent and the experience each time. After settling in, this scent, in this hair gloss, is something that I didn't even know I was missing from my (frankly? VAST) collection of BPALs. I could not be happier that after almost two solid decades of rabidly following this company that the always-masterful Beth can still surprise me and leave me in awe. ❤️ Final thoughts: low throw, brilliant on its own, but if you felt like layering or pairing, I'd recommend any of the bone-dry sandalwood or cacao-forward scents to add even more depth.

This is a shockingly light fragrance given the note list. In the bottle, all the above is present, and in a big, loud way. Once applied to the skin, it starts to shift pretty much immediately. Even elements that typically amp on me, like red musk, wind up being kinda...fleeting. 🤷‍♀️ Which isn't to say that this scent isn't lovely- it is! But rather than be bold, the scent is quiet. The musks are verrrrry close to the skin as are the other traditionally bossy notes like the patch and the fig. By all means, test sparingly when you initially try it, but don't be surprised if subsequent wearings find you slathering. After about an hour of wear, the scent is a gentle whisper of dark musks and vanillas and the peach is present but only on the take-away. The peach was similar in the other Peach Pit scent I got from this year's crop, so I wonder if there's something fundamentally different from last year's Pit? Just a bit of musing. Either way, I like this scent very much and the irony is, with the delicacy of the Pit scents overall, I'm apt to wear them more frequently, not just when I'm in the mood for an overtly juicy, fruity vibe!

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating thai mango sticky rice? This is essentially what it smells like. The coconut milk is NOT the coconut of, say, Obatala and it's also not a "suntan lotion" coconut either. It really is the true experience of what coconut sticky rice smells like- the coconut milk is *delicate* yet distinct, and the same is true of the sticky rice. They mix seamlessly here to become their destiny. And into that dynamic duo comes the peach. In the bottle and when first applied, it comes on strong. And if I'm being honest, a bit TOO strong, in that it overpowers the delicacy of the other notes. But once it dries down completely, it mixes more evenly and really embodies what's on the label. I'm delighted to add this to my roster of Con scents! ❤️ 🍑

I adore both the Lab's Carnation note and also their Hay note. It would never have occurred to me to put them together, so that alone made me want to try Mouse. In the bottle, I mostly get the carnation plus little bits of vanilla and cream to soften the spicy edges. Once on the skin, the scent blooms with the full chorus of all listed notes playing a part! (this is a rare thing for me- like many folks, my personal chemistry usually pulls some notes forward and others linger in the background. More often than not a note or two won't show up for me at all! So this really was an interesting turn of events.) In the dry down and for several hours after, everything but the hazelnuts stick around, creating a warm, cuddly scent that's a perfect transition from later summer and into early fall. Given the richness of the notes, it's a surprisingly low throw scent and sticks close to the skin. Test sparingly at first, of course, but don't be surprised if you need to top up beyond your usual amount. In all, the scent is a fine addition to my "summer hay" scents and glad I snagged a bottle!

This scent is *lovely*. For me, part of what makes it so is that there's something about this blend and the unusual nature / juxtaposition of the notes that gives this scent a real vintage BPAL vibe. It's what I'd been hoping for when I read the description and my gamble paid off! In the bottle, I get a deliciously odd melange of the lemon rind, tonka and patchouli. On the one hand, these elements seemingly shouldn't work together, and yet they somehow doo- the patch slips under, providing a rumbling base, the lemon is indeed pithy, not icy, so while it's got that citrus aspect one would hope for, the rind gives it a slight bitter edge, which is balanced by the sweet resin of the tonka. I was hooked! Wet on skin, the other notes all start to come into play, but the way it warms up, different aspects come in and out at different times- and stick around at different rates. So there was about 30-45 minutes where the scent was intriguingly all over the place, sweet, sappy amber and bergamot and lemon one moment, the bergamot slipping away and the tonka and patch becoming more present, tonka fading and vanilla coming into dance just as lemon heads out the door, cacao showing up and bergamot re-emerging at the same moment...and on and on. I huffed my wrist repeatedly whilst walking around my neighborhood, marveling at every twist and turn, each one a slightly different but equally compelling mix. Upon full dry down and for several hours after, the scent eventually settles down into a sultry mix of all the base notes- patch, cacao, vanilla, tonka and a bit of the amber. Unsurprisingly, the citrus notes by this point have all left the building for good, alas. Citrus typically doesn't hang around for the long haul (on me, at least) unless it's basically the totality of the scent (like lemon in Happy Baby In A Long Dress or orange in Kingdom of Sweets, for instance) so I was prepared for this to be the case. But that assortment of deeper notes is really gorgeous just the same, so I'm not even mad. Interestingly, I had to REALLY slather this scent to get it to stay put. I mean, like, re-application three times in the space of ten minutes, because the first two times were just eaten by my skin in their entirety. But the third time really was the charm for staying power. So, take that as you will- maybe you'll only have to apply the usual one time, but don't be surprised if more is required to be merrier. That said, the scent remained quite close to the skin and had a surprisingly low throw given some of the usually-heavy hitters in the mix. I end this review as I started it. In all, this scent is *lovely*. It's completely its own thing, but also makes me delight in some of my oldest BPAL treasures all over again. ❤️

Of the July 2024 releases, I admit, this was the one I was MOST excited for! In The Bottle: All coconut aspects accounted for! I definitely can individually pull out the husk from the meat from the milk, even at this early stage, and it is SO good! Wet On Skin: Milk and Meat are coming out to the fore. I hope this is transitional, cause that husk smelled *really* good in the bottle. Dry Down: The husk *does* come back! Hooray! If the frond is meant to be a bit of a "green" note, I don't get it here. But I'm not at all mad about it, because this is so beautiful as is with the coconut milk, meat and husk. It's got a bit of that "cool" coconut note I remember from Obatala, but this is definitely its own thing. It's NOT suntan lotion and it's *also* NOT candy coconut. This is the scent of sitting under a coconut tree surrounded by fallen, dry fronds, basking in the gentle warmth, protected from the direct sunlight by the tree's shadow. It's ridiculously beautiful and may, in fact, require at least one backup bottle.

In The Bottle: There is something surprisingly...watery...about this combination. 😳 I'm really surprised, because neither of these notes has EVER given me even a hint of such a thing! I think there's something about these two together that lends itself toward a whisper of petrichor somehow, and I definitely don't mind. Wet On Skin: As with this month's Deer Moon itself, it starts to shift fairly dramatically shortly after it begins to warm up. The notes are separating themselves out into the very recognizable beeswax note I've known and loved in other BPAL blends and a less-prominent tobacco that smells more like the soil note in Penny Dreadful than any tobacco notes I've encountered from The Lab previously. For me, it works, cause I usually love earth and dirt notes. Dry Down: It stays largely the same from first touch to dry down, so not much morphing. It's a warm "skin" scent, definitely stays close, not alot of throw. Always test carefully, but don't be surprised if you have to slather a little Layered with Deer Moon, as intended: I get it. If Deer Moon didn't have such forward Blackberry, adding in this Duet might be overkill. But these two notes add some warmth with the sweetness making the layering a really beautiful cuddly scent. In All: F or the remainder of this hot, hot summer, I'll likely keep this Duet for separate use from the Deer it's paired with. The *moment* we get a cool, autumnal day, though, the layering will be ON

In The Bottle: A surprisingly light combination of the cacao and musk, with a little blackberry and oak bark bitten off at the end. Wet On Skin: It warms up and starts to shift quickly, becoming more rich and strong- basically more in line what I'd expect from the scent profile for this. The musk is warm but not super dark, like a brown or black musk. I'm frankly relieved as those both tend to go wet cardboard with my chemistry suuuuuper fast. The blackberry continues its upward climb, becoming a near-predominant note. It's fascinating because I've generally experienced it in blends that are foodie-forward and really support a fruit as the star of the show. But this is an instant where the note plays against type and it's really working at this stage. Dry Down:The blackberry, oak bark musk and a hint of the cacao all come together in the blend at this point where it's a bit harder to pull out the individual notes. (given the density for most of them, I anticipate this will only get stronger with age). That said, I want to make clear that in spite of a few prominent notes, I would *not* call this a foodie or gourmand scent. If anything the combination, once settled and released by the skin, becomes a little reminiscent of a high-end masculine cologne. Alas, I get no blood or sandalwood at any point in the process, but it's a really interesting scent that I think will come into its own with a little bit of aging.

If I had to compare this scent with another, for me what comes closest is Australian Copperhead from Carnival Diabolique's Snake Pit. It's the combination of Snake Oil and the Acai Berry in that one that I recall as I sniff the strawberry / Snake Oil mix in this one. Full disclosure, I am one of those for whom fresh SO doesn't really work. For me, fireworks don't really kick off for, at the *very* least, a month. Six months is better, a year is far better and a decade or more is best. (Not kidding: slowly working my way currently through a 10mL bottle of Snake Oil from 2006 or so and it's just about the love of my life!). I mention this because there's a way that Snake Oil needs time and patience to settle into itself. Fortunately, this strawberry is NOT going plastic on me! It's retaining its sweet, fruity self in much the same way the fruit is forward and sweet-tart in Copperhead. And because of that, I have every reason to believe that this latest iteration of Snek is going to be a fine addition to my collection. In all: if you love all the Snakes OR you like your SO blends with a bit of fruit, you will likely want to snag Serpent in the Berries sooner rather than later!

I've been on a bit of a musk kick recently, and was both intrigued by what "silvered" might mean and also by how it might in fact layer with Strawberry Moon 2024, which I already knew I was going to purchase. As with some of the duets, the perfume on its own is fairly simple and straight forward, which is totally the point. The currant is one I've encountered in other Lab blends, and is slightly tart and gently sweet and fruity. The musk took me by a bit of surprise. For some reason I'd anticipated that it would be similar to a white musk, and it's not at all. That said, it's not a rich musk either. The closest thing I can point to is that this is sort of a water-musk. As in, the note I'm getting from it reminds me of other water / rain / ocean notes I've encountered (no salt, though, so don't expect any!). Metallics can go weird on me, as can water notes, so I was leery of what would happen next. What happened next, is that I tested it all by itself and it scarcely stayed on my skin, other than as a ghost of a scent. BUT, what was *actually* surprising, and delightful, is when I layered it with Strawberry Moon as it was designed for- and THAT was a lovely surprise! Perhaps because in the composition of this year's SM there's richer, grounded notes like Laudanum and incense, it seems to have given these delicate notes something to hold onto, so it definitely increased the staying power for sure. AND it shifted the Moon out of its thoroughly dark aspect and into something more far-reaching and expansive. This is my first official foray into the Duets that are meant to be layered with specific Moons but it won't be the last based on the success of this one!

This is a perfect counter-weight to the Strawberry Moons of the past. What I mean by that is that the previous SM's that I've personally adored have been bright, tart affairs, they dazzled because they were that magic thing of smelling unbelievably Real. I still hoard my beloved SM '09, with its juicy berry and tart, green sap notes. It's beautiful as a mild, very sunny summer day. This Strawberry Moon? Is most decidedly NOT any of that. I was excited to try this new iteration because of the pairing of potentially lighter elements (berry, tea) with emphatically darker ones (notably my always-favorite indigo musk plus plum incense and laudanum). And it's a HUGE win. This, to me, is primarily an incense-heavy scent. And one might see "strawberry+incense must therefore = headshop", but fear not, gentle folk, it's not that! The incense quality gives it that 'dark' quality from the Lab description of the scent, though I concur with the above poster that this doesn't come across as ominous. It's definitely a summer scent, but again, the opposite of the "bright/sunny/mild" aspects- this is both for those oppressively hot days when the air is so thick it feels like we should swim through it rather than walk. And it's definitely for gloomy, rainy, overcast days as well. The strawberry isn't quite real, or if it is, it's less to me reading as over-ripe and more like dried berries, in the same way that fresh roses, when dried, go from being envisioned in a vase or on the stem to being in a crypt or a Victorian parlor. And in spite of all elements, the scent has surprisingly low throw, so start gently, but don't be surprised if you feel the need to slather, at least a little. In All, likely going to pick up a second bottle, after it's confirmed that this ages as well as I suspect it will! (PS, I *did* layer with one of its intended Duets, Silvered Musk and Red Currant, and yes, it is a worthwhile activity as it shifts the scent quite a bit!)

In the bottle, that sweet oakmoss is right at the front. I have to sniff a few times before I pick up anything else, but eventually I notice an edge of the orchid in there. Wet on skin, the scent immediately starts to shift, with the benison coming out to play almost immediately. As the fragrance continues to warm, further layers start to unfurl, blossoming outward- the ambers sweetening the scent, and the balsamic in particular is adding an interesting twist, in the same way that balsamic vinegar adds sweetness without being at all sugary (this is precisely what I was hoping it would do, so I'm delighted that it has come to pass!). Eventually the narcissus peeks out adding an interesting acrid undertone that keeps the scent from veering into cloying territory. Strangely, in spite of the name and ingredient list, I get no hyacinth on me. I've used pure essential hyacinth oil, so I'm familiar with that version of the scent- if it's in here it's either buried by the other notes or else my skin ate it. Anything is possible! However, even without the Princess Herself showing up for me, this scent is really, really lovely, one of those perfumes that's so well-blended that the individual notes blur entirely, creating a melange that's just its own beautiful, singular entity. And just in time for spring! This scent is low throw, but dense, so I'd still go easy on application until you see how it plays with your personal chemistry. Pure resin-filled love! ❤️

I'm a fan of violet, (if you couldn't tell from my screen name) and that alone grabbed my attention here. The addition of vanilla and bergamot plus the intrigue of..."what exactly does porcelain smell like?!" and I knew I had to snag a bottle. the scent in the bottle is deceptively floral, with that iris singing lous and clear- don't be fooled, she runs off upon contact. That's when the changes begin. First, the trickle of red musk here seems to be the same variety that stole my heart in Random Brothel, and I'm definitely not mad about it. Second, that violet leaf is more violet flower from what I can tell (the leaf tends to be quite 'green' smelling, whereas I'm definitely getting violets in this mix. The bourbon vanilla bites back the acrid note of the musk before it can get too intense or stuffy. And the porcelain? Well, several minutes after application, I kid you not, there was a moment where the scent smelled mostly of...wet clay. Yep. Straight up, 'throwing on the wheel' clay situation. It was strange and, as an artist that has played with ceramics, strangely comforting. And then it was gone, to be replaced with the violet / musk combination. Chalk it up to one of Beth's genius "how does she DO that?!" moments, and marvel for a moment. Then enjoy the rest of what the scent has to offer

The mango comes on strong in the bottle but starts to fade upon contact with the skin. The scent changes rapidly, passing over the orange blossom completely, alas, and ending up a lightly spicy, vaguely incense-y pink musk, reminding me very much of the phlox-heavy Pink Moon. I'm in love with the Lab's mango note, but unfortunately for me, apart from in the bottle, it's nowhere to be found 😢

I splurged on two from the Roses and Pearls line, and this is one of them (the other being Rubies). Neither had disappointed, but Roses, Pearls, and Sapphires may prove to be my favorite, not just of this mini series, but Lupercalia 2024 as a whole (apart from the triumphant return of Glowing Vulva, but c'mon. That's a whole other realm.) In the bottle, the lavender rose (the 'rose' is a formality- this reads as lavender to my nose) and blueberry play elegantly together in a surprisingly delicate dance. Not that either note is known for being so aggressive, but I've certainly encountered scents where one of these two could be quite loud given the chance. Wet, then warming, on the skin both notes blossom and unfurl some, with lavender gently edging blueberry out for top spot, for a spell, until the coconut husk comes to reign lavender back in. "Husk" is important here: this is NOT coconut-coconut. Not the candied coconut or suntan lotion coconut you might be anticipating, so you must do away with such notions immediately. This is the scratchy, earthy bit outside of all that and here it has the not-insubstantial task of grounding this scent, to keep it from all floating away, too high, into the stratosphere. Only after husk and fully done that task does the cerulean musk stroll in, and not a moment too soon. I've been on a big ol' blue musk deep dive for about the past year, and it was THE note that made me snatch up a bottle of this here elixir and it does NOT disappoint. Every blend I try a blue musk variant in is wildly different than the last, so there's no direct comparisons here, except to say that I continue to feel vindicated by each new exploration into this lesser-known entry into the musk family. It's not a mistake that nearly all the notes in a scent with "Sapphires" in the name would have a blue allusion, but here its especially overt, a sparkling blue gem of a scent, it has a shine and hardness that align it with the crystalline icicles of late winter, but there's also a warmth here that slinks in once the scent has settled in completely, something to snuggle into when the ice outside all seems a bit too much.