VioletChaos

In The Bottle: Mostly that glorious, smoky vetiver, but there's a sweet underlying note, which I'm betting is the licorice. So far, I'm enjoying it. Wet On Skin: The vetiver is still out in front, but I'm getting notes of a flower, something similar to fresh-blooming lilac, which I think is likely the immortelle. The two are playing off each other quite nicely. It's a surprising twist, but I'm curious to see where it goes... Dry Down: The immortelle has definitely taken a front seat in this mix, and there's a hint of the sandalwood there, too. At this stage, I get no plum or licorice, which I'm a bit sad about, but what's come up is actually like a more robust version of B340. I really love that scent for the hottest of hot summer evenings, but I find it's too light and floral for me the rest of the year. Noctule Bat strikes the balance of the sweet-but-not-cloying floral, but with the vetiver to ground it. I'm enjoying the interplay so much that I might experiment with adding some Haitian Vetiver SN to my wrists when wearing Noctule just to see what happens! In All: Low to medium throw, a good, light floral for those who like them, with a bit of heft to make it a viable option into the Fall.

Out of all the latest crop of Pickman scents, this was the one I was simultaneously most interested in trying and least sure would work. Normally, sugar as a note amps on me like nobody's business, which was my main hesitation about this scent, but fortunately, I had nothing to fear. Lemon Scented Sticky Bat is a scent that I am fond of- but only when I can bear the sheer amping of the sugar note in it. I do NOT get LSSB from Happy Baby. Where as Sticky Bat is somewhere between Lemonheads candy and Lemon Gumdrops on me, the sugared lemon in Happy Baby does something heretofore unheard of on me- it's a sweet, yet tart lemon that does NOT seem to have sugar, but instead reads as almost a lemon verbena: sweet without being sugary. And the lavender is not a force that's overly strong or acrid, yet also not the variety as in TKO that literally I can only stand at bedtime because it invokes instant snoozy- no. This lavender is the wild, sweet and gentle variety. The sort that would grow in my friend's mom's garden in high summer. Because of my personal skin chemistry, the scents that I tend to be most drawn to, and that work best on me, lean toward the heavy/rich side of the spectrum. Think: Snake Charmer, Mme Moriarty, Dragon's Blood, VooDoo Queen, etc. Even the few florals I get away with fall more into the Faith / Hope / Rose Red variety. But the thing that's miraculous, is that Happy Baby In A Long Dress is fresh and sweet, with an almost green tea note present- and even with my spicy-musky chemistry, stays true, for hours. In All: Medium throw with surprising depth given only 2 notes are listed, this scent is everything I've longed for in a warm-weather perfume and has previously found unobtainable. Happy Baby is beautiful, fresh, inviting and likely to be my go-to fragrance for many of the hottest days over the next 4 months or so- and more than a few sultry nights. Hoard-worthy!

I personally get no aquatic element from this single note whatsoever. What I DO get is that this is absolutely the dominant note in last year's Silver Bat, which is a blessing for me, because that was definitely, without a doubt, my most favorite scent to come outta Bat's Day last year, and indeed, one of my top 20 favorite BPALs, period. Warm and sweet, without being at all foody, this scent also reminds me a little of the warmth in Tombstone. This is one of the more highly wearable Single Notes and I'll definitely be stocking up on several bottles as I can tell I'll want to layer it with some of my other scents that have Ambergris so as to amp up that aspect a little bit more. Totally precious, bottle-hoard-worthy! :wub2:

This is soooo weird and amazing. When I smell this in the bottle, I get straight-up old-school typewriter scent. It's ink, alright. but it's ink ribbon and it's also a bit of grease in old gears and it's metal. It's all those things, and yes, it's one of those "How did the Lab DO this?!" kind of scents. On the skin, it stayed true to that for about an hour, which is pretty much par for the course when it comes to single notes, I've noticed. But now that it's settled down and even fading a little, now I'm getting something slightly smoky/spicy in there. And that is both intriguing and also means it's going to be fun and interesting to layer. This, to me, is the beauty of a single note- a pure, simplified version of some specific thing we encounter in this world, precious in it's singularity, but also something that has the potential to Play Well With Others. Love it!

Tiki King, hands down. The notes indicate it's "Ironwood", not necessarily sandalwood, but to everyone I've ever had smell it, it reads like a lovely sandalwood blend. It was only around for a little while several years ago, but I don't think it'll be *too* difficult to find- someone will swap it, I bet Good luck!

Golden pear, amber, fig leaf, oakmoss, bronze musk, mahogany, patchouli, and a smattering of glittering pyrite. of the three Le Mat scents, this is the one i've been least sure about. still, my curiosity is peaked. let's get on with it then, shall we??? in the bottle: fig, pear and a metallic finish of what must be the pyrite. wet on skin: uh oh. it's threatening to become shampoo on me. there's still hope, of course, but oakmoss, i'm looking at you. dry down: well, the oakmoss has left town and fortunately taken the shampoo aspect with it. *whew*! what's left is something puzzling. bronze musk? amber? pyrite? not sure. in all: this is one that i think will require aging before a final verdict can be made. but i'm hopeful! ETA: it's a while later and Marotte has turned into this scent that i envision Grande Dames of the 1940's would wear. i'm not normally interested in the scents that smell like "perfume", but this is certainly an exception. not a scent for every day, but one to wear when getting dressed up in total finery and going out for a night on the town. the sort of scent that forced men to hold doors open for you. THAT'S Marotte.

I just got this from the mailbox but I can NOT wait to test it- I'll edit later if necessary... In The Bottle: A combination of Black Lace, Antique Lace and the leaf note from Death In Autumn (which is my personal *favorite* leaf note.) We are off to a good start! Wet On Skin: Same as above but with the addition of the Laudanum adding a dark perfume-y aspect. Dry Down: Wow. This is just...wow. The laudanum has settled down and what remains is a warm, deep beautifully sexy version of the above: The sweet, dreamy elements of Antique Lace, the dark cognac and stained linen of Black Lace, the rich, mulchy leaf note of Death In Autumn and the addition of the spice and resin incense that perhaps was in Mlle Moriarty and Snake Charmer, with the laudanum adding depth and grounding to the whole thing. Just amazing. In All: Medium to Heavy throw- a little seems to be going quite a long way, so tread lightly at first- this scent is sensual and drop-dead gorgeous and I have a distinct feeling that it will only get better with age- if that's even possible. I bought two bottles cold, just based on the description, but honestly, I *might* need to get a third, just in case. :wub:

In The Bottle: Green, smoky, resinous. A vetiver's Vetiver. Wet On Skin: The smoky aspect is coming out a bit more now. I'm loving this. Dry Down: True to form of the other single notes, this Vetiver seems to be staying the same, from bottle to dry down. In All: Medium throw. Rich, smoky, and as with the Siberian Musk, a little goes a deliciously long way. I personally love vetiver, I find it a great earthy note that can be used when patchouli feels too obvious or overdone, and this one is a great addition to any collection. I can easily see adding this to a sweet foodie blend for instance to ground it, or to a floral to add depth. And I would bet dollars to donuts this is going to age fantastically. Well done- glad I have a full bottle, might even try to get a back up!

In the Bottle: Sweet, buttery pumpkin. Lots of butter, lots of pumpkin. (Can I eat this now?! ) Wet On Skin: More of the pumpkin, less of the butter. I think the French Vanilla is peeking out a little at this point, too. Dry Down: Echoin what others have said, I ind I'm surprised by the amount of spice that's showing up. It's almost a softer version of Candied Pumpkin on me, which suits fine because I *adore* that scent, though I'm hoping that with some aging this might become a little more creamy. In All: O lovely addition to the Patch, and it might be a good "starter pumpkin" for some, as it's mostly about the pumpkin and less about other notes Glad I have a bottle!

In The Bottle: Buttery Apply Pie and Cheesecake. Wet On Skin: More of the same, with more butter! Dry Down: I, too am getting the Lambswool/Apple mash thing going on here, but there's definitely buttery pie crust and there's *absolutely* cheesecake involved. The last few years the Beaver Moons weren't enough cheesecake for my skin, but this here is a return to form. On me, this is "Beaver Moon 2005- Now with Apple Pie!" In All: Medium throw and just delicious. Hoard-worthy!

In The Bottle: I think the honeysuckle is combining with the patchouli to create some off version of a Victorian Gentlemen's cologne It's odd. Not unpleasant, but not really my thing either. I hope it shifts... Wet On Skin: There's something very "green" smelling in here. Like lavender and green twisting vines, or ferns. I'm am truly puzzled. None of the notes mentioned have ever turned into something like THIS before on me. Dry Down: Ah. *There* we go. Whew! I thought it was going to be that way forever! Now I'm getting sarsaparilla, honey and some vanilla. And yet, this doesn't read as a 'foodie' scent at all! The patchouli is really, really subtle. Far more than I anticipated. In All: Because of the rich, resinous makeup, I think I'm only getting half the story. I have a feeling I won't really know the final verdict for about 6 months to a year. BUT, from what I'm getting now, I think it's going to be worth the wait.

First a big ole thank you to my CC Fairy! In The Bottle: Honey and rose in equal measure. the honey at this stage is soft, much softer than it is in, say, O. And the rose is rather delicate. Wet On Skin: the fig is making it's appearance. So far it's not going powdery on me, which I'm glad about, as fig can turn on me. Here's hoping it stays true! Dry Down: Sadly, I get no trace of the bourbon vanilla in this, and that note was a big selling point for me However, this has a lovely, gentle vibe to it, and reminds me of Fairy Wine. If you are fond of that scent, you'll probably be in love with this one, too. In All: Low throw, a fine daytime scent, lighter than I expected. I don't think I'll wear this much in the cold months, but I'll be interested to see how it's come together next late Spring when I pull it out again...

I'm also getting the "green" vibe from this scent. I tried this and Evening Stock on at the same time (one on each wrist) and for a brief period, they seemed almost sister scents. But now that full dry-down has happened, they are very very different. There is a sharp, almost acrid quality to this scent. It reminds me of the kinds of traditional perfumes my great aunties wore when I was a kid. It's a note that is very "perfume-y". I don't know that I would have cause to wear this on it's own, but I can tell that this is in some blends I am fond of, like B340 and possibly Lune Noir. I'll keep my bottle, but I don't feel a need to get a back-up at all.

Of the new batch, this is my hands-down favorite. Buying-a-backup-bottle kind of favorite. Although I agree with the assessment that this is a "watery" floral, do NOT make the mistake of thinking there is any touch of an aqua note. This scent is sweet and soft and round, a perfect combination of all those high-summer flowers that are so fragile and ethereal that they seem to very nearly vanish once you've leaned in to sniff them. I am not a big fan of florals as a rule, save the occasional true Rose or watery Violet. But this, this is something rather special, easily worn alone or layered with something else, perhaps a dirt or root note. I could see this doing well with patchouli or vetiver especially. Don't miss this.

Like girbot, I got a "this is *almost* aquatic" sense of this single note. And it's the 'almost' part that saves it, because me and aqua notes do NOT get along. I also agree with the assessment by Lycanthrope that this is not purely pleasant. Some of the other SNs, I feel strongly, can be worn all on their own. But this one is something that I would add to another scent if it needed some earthiness or some grounding. I could see putting this in a very sweet foodie scent, for instance, to give a bit of depth. Or even adding to a clean rose like Peacock Queen, to give it more depth. But it's unlikely I will wear this on it's own unless I'm feeling like I need to do some very serious magick.

In The Bottle: I get a mix of Butterscotch, Cedar and Vetiver. The butterscotch and cedar remind me strongly of Hearth 2005. (I know I didn't see any cedar listed in the notes. Maybe it's the Anise??? ) I was expecting a strong butterscotch, based on a CT I have that's of the WHOA BUTTERSCOTCH! variety, but this is pretty mellow, even in the bottle. Wet On Skin: The scent morphs quickly into just that Cedar (Anise?) note and the Vetiver (which might be the myrrh doing something weird on my skin.) Dry Down: This is now a woodsy, slightly resinous scent. Completely changed from what was in the bottle. In All: Surprisingly low throw considering the intensity of the notes. I read this as a good "early autumn" scent, so I'm glad I chose today, a somewhat crispy early autumn day to try it. The note that smells like cedar on me is well behaved, not becoming the "hamster cage shavings" that real cedar does, so that's nice. but other than that, I feel unable to tell if this is something that is ultimately for me. Because of the depth of the notes, I have a suspicion that this might do very well for some aging, but if, in 6 month, I'm not seeing a shift then it will likely go to a new, more appreciative home.

Thanks again so much to Glambie, my Con fairy for getting this for me! In the Bottle: A clean, fresh tea rose, with some green stem. the green stem reminds me of the "Dandelion sap" note from Strawberry Moon '09. Wet On Skin: The green is hanging back and the rose is becoming a bit more spicy. At this stage it's reminding me of a perfume my grandmother wore when I was a kid. So far, this doesn't have the strong almost-chemical under note that Peacock Queen had on me. Here's hoping it stays that way... Dry Down: I can see how someone might get citrus from this. I'm not, but there is a...tangy?...quality to this scent. At the same time, this certainly reads as a Single Note on me. Just as a fresh rose in a garden has depth and layers, so too does Cherokee Rose- but it's still just one thing, not a compilation of several. In All: Medium throw, this is a clean fresh "Rose's rose". I could certainly see mixing this with other rose scents, such as Victorian Rose Milk, when I want to amp the rose note for the day. I'm really glad that I have my one bottle and at the same time, I don't personally feel like I would ever need more than the one. However, if you're a really big Rose fan, this might be one you'll want to hoard.

I'm really seasonal in my BPAL-wearing anyway. I find Coxcomb, for instance, to be the most perfect Summer Blackberry scent ever and wore it liberally the last 3 months or so. I do tend to favor 'Weenie scents for Fall and around Hallowmas, especially stuff like Pumpkin Latte and Autumn Cider and the like. I wish Jack didn't have peach in it as that's a death note for me. If the Labbies hear my plea and resurrect Pumpkin King for their anniversary this year I SWEAR I will wear it to ALL Autumnal and Winter celebrations!

Spanish Carnation Single Note smells like a florist shop to me- that uber-fresh delicious floral that only comes out of a shop FILLED with flowers

As with the other Single Notes I've tried, the first thing I notice about Eight-Petaled Lotus is that it stay true from bottle to application through dry-down. In the BPAL universe it's one of the rare instances of "what you smell is what you get" from start to finish. I like that about the SNs. There's a security in that. I am in agreement with Mellifluous- there's something that reads as a 'lotion' smell to me in this. It's light and floral...I guess. I mean, I'm actually finding it hard to ascertain *where* this scent belongs, which is funny because it's a single note, so it *should* be really obvious! There's a softness to this scent. It's got a light to medium throw, but don't let that fool you- this Lotus holds it's own. You can slather it all you want, it's not going to become over-bearing. It's just not that kind of floral. That's why I hesitated to even call it as such. for me, I like the occasional floral, but there's nearly always a point where it'll become too cloying, too overwhelming. I don't see that happening with this. Unlike Siberian Musk and Spanish Red Carnation, I don't know that I can see myself wearing this one alone- unless I was in a really vulnerable head space, then it might be the only thing to console me. But no, mostly I can see layering this with another sweet or feminine scent to give me a softness (like mixing it with Smut, maybe!) or else adding a depth (Like with Mid Winter's Eve, perhaps.). In all, glad it's around, and really, really glad to be experimenting with all the new Single Notes!

I think I am falling more and more in love with Siberian Musk. In the bottle, it smelled very strongly of black or brown musk, the kind that usually turns to wet cardboard on me in a matter of moments. But shortly after I put a drop on my skin, I *got* it. Siberian Musk and I began to develop our understanding of one another. I can see what's being said about Snake Oil, but honestly, what I'm getting from SM much more is Snake Charmer. That heady, sweet dirty vibe, and the thing - I believe - that is aging so amazingly in Snake Charmer (and likely also what makes Snake Oil so much more fabulous when it's had a chance to sit around stewing in it's own juices for a year or so! ) So what started out as "Yeah, maybe, but..." Has now become "Um, I NEED this. NAO." in a matter of an hour. For every day? For me, probably not. But when I need something over-the-top rich in the middle of a dark, cold winter's day? You better believe I'll be reaching for this one. Like, a LOT.

In The Bottle: Dark, syrupy cacao with some nice deep vanilla playing at the edges. Wet On Skin: The bitter green of the hiba wood is showing up a tad in the background and there's a 4th player as well, but I honestly can't quite put my finger on it. It's maybe the opoponax, as there is some spice there that's reminding me of Pink Moon '07... Dry Down: Wow. This had changed *dramatically*. The Dragon's Blood is out and about, with some honey, but not in the sweet fae feminine combo we see in Dragon's Milk, because the sharp edge of the cacao is keeping it more adult, along with the patchouli making it a little more sexy, sultry. In All: Light to medium throw, this 13 is unlike any I've tried before. My (limited) experience with Brian's blends, however, leads me to believe this is right on par with his style- dark, sinister, sexy and always a surprise. It's apparent already that this is absolutely going to get better with age- I look forward to re-testing in the fall when the crisp weather and gathering gloom will make for the romantic bedfellows this scent so richly deserves.

It's funny, it's been so many years since I've used mainstream haircare products that, for me, my first reaction was NOT shampoo or hairspray but...candy? And...lipgloss? Hmmm That said, I can see how one would jump to body products upon initial investigation of this single note. As with Red Carnation, I notice right away that there's little difference between what I smell in the bottle and what blooms on my skin. So as I said in my other SN review, it certainly seems like these are of the "What you see (smell?) is what you get" variety. Which I like. Sometimes I want something straight forward with no surprises. All that said, I think what I'm realizing about myself is that it takes a LOT of finesse for me to like an Apple scent. Last autumn's Spiced Apple Cider was pretty much the be-all, end-all for me with Apples. Maybe it's the lightness of this one (it has a decent throw but it's a rather timid apple- less crisp than some others, less foodie.) The blossom aspect as opposed to being straight up fruit, perhaps. Maybe it's the thing that others find "soapy" or "shampoo-esque". Whatever the reason, it's a perfectly fine scent, and I'm honored I got to test it, but it's not one for me.

This? Is GLORIOUS. Now, anyone that knows me more than a few weeks learns quickly that my favorite of all flowers is the unsung hero, the Carnation. Oh, I obviously love violets and I like a good green tea rose and the like. But carnations have always held my heart. they are fresh and spicy and resilient (lasting several weeks in a vase!) when all others wilt. I love carnations. Growing up in New York City, I've, over many years, gone to every place I can think of to get a good carnation perfume. Aphrodrsia, Enfleurage, Fresh...all to no avail. Until now. I am immediately understanding the allure of Single Notes- this being my first. There's a purity to them. What you get in the bottle is largely what you'll get on the skin. For those that need complexity, in terms of layers that reveal themselves as the scent is worn- Single Notes probably aren't going to be your thing. You are meeting the scent on the scent's terms. In the case of this Red Carnation, it is everything I could have hoped for and MORE- because with this I get that rare, precious thing- a perfume that stays true from bottle to application to drydown. And what's more-and ever MORE rare-a scent that actually smells like THE THING IT'S REFERENCING. Yes, this doesn't come across so much as a Carnation Perfume/Fragrance so much as, were I to close my eyes and be lead to this scent, I would be very likely to believe I was actually smelling a bouquet of carnations. Medium throw and just beautiful beautiful beautiful. I WILL be getting a backup bottle for sure. A wonderful way to kick off the new Single Notes! I cannot sing enough praises! :wub: :wub: :wub:

I was excited about getting to try this scent because I am a fan of incense and orchid scents alike, and it seems like a fairly ideal pairing, so let's see if my theory is a solid one, shall we? In The Bottle: Yup. That's orchid alright! Was there an orchid note in Lady Lillith? Because I am very strongly associating the scent of that oil with this. Much more so than the Lune Noir I was sure I was going to get, actually. Wet On Skin: Much the same, but with an added edge of the violet/water/floral that showed up prominently in B340. I'm not much for the overtly "perfume-y" kinds of scents, but the two afore-mentioned are the exceptions to be sure, so my comparisons to this are very good indeed. Dry Down: Staying true. In All: Medium to high throw- I'm finding that a little will go quite a long way. Although GVB, as with all the other Bats this year, was not what I had thought it would be- I was expecting a smoky plum-ish affair, not like one or two offerings from the Carnivale. Instead it's this clean, breezy floral that I think will do quite well when it's hottest this summer. Very womanly, rather French in terms of it's sensibility and weight, I'm pleased to have GVB, though of all the bats, I think this one will be the most misunderstood.