VioletChaos

Of all the bats this year, this is the one that I was coveting the most, and also dreading the most, based on the mix of notes. So...I don't really know what's going to happen here, but I know that so far not a single Bat has been what I thought it was going to be. Therefore, there is only one thing to do with this Wild Card- play it! In The Bottle: the cacao is definitely front and center. This reminds me of one of the more recent incarnations of 13, actually. From May of 2011, perhaps? My Wooden Box O' Doom is in another room, so I can't check at present, but...trust me- it's got that bittersweet chocolate edge to it that's foodie without being at all kid-like. Wet On Skin: Ah, hello, patchouli! How ARE you? It's been a minute! I'm getting a fabulous mix of a very dirty patchouli indeed, with the cacao holding it's own in the near background. This is the patchouli from Mme Moriarty. I'm sure of it. It's dirty, but it's also sweet, with a LOT of depth. I'm really liking what it's doing paired with the chocolate. Dry Down: Brown musks most frequently wind up smelling *exactly* like a huge bundle of wet cardboard. That is to say, not terribly pleasant. I am pleased to note that the brown musks have done no such thing in this blend- huzzah! Also pleased, actually, that I get NO trace of the sarsaparilla, and I'm so sorry to those who love it, but...I'm glad. Because that is a note that invariably turns to flat, sour root bear on me and that is a thing no one wants to smell like. And by no one, I mean me. In All: Low to medium throw. This scent has shaped up to be a fabulous alternative to Mme Moriarty. I'be often wanted another scent with that same patchouli note in it, and this is a great one. I have a feel, based on the notes, that, like Mme Moriarty and others that seems to fall in that same family (Snake Charmer, Snake Oil) that this is only going to get better with age. LOVE!

In The Bottle: I can see the "musky cotton candy" analogy. There's definitely a creaminess from the get go that is sort of front and center, with some underlying dirtiness that makes it less-than-innocent. Which, if you think about it, isn't too far off from what a bunch of Goths invading The Happiest Place On Earth is kinda like... Wet On Skin: the ambergris in this is GORGEOUS. Creamy and soft, without turning into a musk- this is shaping up to be rather fantastic. Dry Down: The copobiba and benzion are in collaboration with the ambergris making this so rich and yummy and sensual without being overtly sexual and without being inappropriate in any given environment. In All: A low throw, this scent clings to the skin like a silk camisole, hugging the body in all the right places and offering a surprising amount of comfort. This might be my favorite Bat this year! ETA: This is the second day I'm wearing this gorgeous scent. I realize that it seemed familiar somehow and now I know what it is: This fragrance smells very close to Tears of the Seraphim Bath Potion! Which is handy for me, because I'd been rather sad that I could only smell that deliciousness in a bath form. Not anymore! Bwah Ha Haaaa! :wub2:

Based entirely on notes alone, I had resolved to (moderately) hoard this one. But when I gave it an initial sniff at the Black Market, I was so overwhelmed by smellies that I actually couldn't pick out anything. not that that stopped me from obtaining two bottles Now, we shall see if one of these needs to be adopted into another family or if my foolhardy snap decision proved to be all the wiser... In The Bottle: Interestingly, I'm getting orange creamsicle. I can only assume it's the vanilla cream and the saffron doing a little dance. I've not objections, mind you- but it's not what I expected. Wet On Skin: Same! There's also a little Fruit Loop thing going on- I'd bet dollars to donuts that's the lime showing itself. I don't know if it's just me but if lime is added to most things, it makes that thing smells vaguely of Fruit Loops. Again, not a horrid discovery, just...unexpected. Dry Down: Holding steady as a vanilla-lime ricky of sorts. In the same way that Kingdom of Sweets is crystalline sugary orange- all bright sparkles and hard edges with a nice dollop of citrus- so too is Vespertillio a sparkling-sweet lime concoction. Ginger scents almost always amp the ginger on me, almost to frightening levels. but here it stays well put. Throughout this has remained rather solidly Vanilla-cream, Lime and Saffron. In All: Low throw, a sweet unassuming daytime scent. Fun and playful without being childish, I rather like it. I'm curious to see how it ages, but if it stays true, then I will probably keep my opened bottle and pass the backup off to someone who might really, really need it.

This may be a strange pairing, that has sprouted in my mind, but here it is: What Red Lantern Atmo Spray is for Winter? THAT is what Pyriphlegethonian Pomegranite Atmo Spray is for summer. Now, don't get me wrong- these two smell almost nothing at all alike. But! In the same way that spraying a bit of Red Lantern causes a distinct feeling of the actual atmosphere, the mood, the vibe of a place, changing utterly, so too does Pyriphlegethonian do that as we get into warmer climbs. Having not had the good fortune to yet get my hot little hands on some Crypt King, I cannot speak to the comparison made by the previous poster. But I absolutely agree that the fruit is balanced nicely by the addition of the tobacco. Further, in the past I've not had very good luck in finding a pomegranate scent that really worked for me, though I really, really wanted them to. but I think now that the solution to my problem is to have it be a room and linen spray instead, because this is so very lovely. Rich and decadent without being *too* heavy for the warm months, and packing quite a bit of punch, so you needn't spray more than a squirt or two in a room, this gem, which it's fantastic note list, promises to only get better with age.

At the Bat's Day gathering, this was the first event item I needed to sniff. It did NOT disappoint. In the bottle, the cream is rather heavy and rich, but without reading as foody. I've tested a small amount on the back of my hand, now, and the rose is much more of a prominent feature than in the bottle. This scent reminds me *very* strongly of the Victorian Rose Milk proto, which is the rose scent- apart from Hope- that is nearest to my heart. If you missed out on that, you might be lucky enough to find someone that is willing to supply you with a sample of this lovely concoction. Now, for those who've not read my other bath oil reviews, in the interest of full disclosure, I'll say that I do not frequently use BPTP bath oils actually *in* the bath. (I'll do it once in a while, but not with any regularity). Mostly how I use these oils is in my hair, as a sort of "leave in conditioner"- especially on the ends, which are all fried from bleaching and dying- and I will sometimes just rubs some into my arms and legs, as you would do with a light to medium body moisturizer. both suit my purposes just fine and obviously that will help make the precious last a little bit longer besides. I mention all this because I know for many folks this is not the time of year one associates with baths. But do NOT let that deter you! If you have the opportunity to check this lovely substance out, by all means do so- use one of my above methods or think up a brand new one. but if you are a lover of sweet roses and Victorian-era perfumes and creams, trust me- this will in no way leave you wanting.

Because the note list was so similar to SM 2009 (apart from the addition of honey in this version), I wore that one a few days ago in preparation for doing a comparison with this one. Let's see how they match up! In the Bottle: There's definitely the same juicy-tartness of the strawberry from '09, but there's powdered sugar sweetness that's toning down the tart a bit. I'm also getting the first hints of honey too. Wet On Skin: I am *really* liking this. At this point, wet but warmed, it's like a cross between SM '09 and Pink Moon '12. It *smells* Pink. It's sweet and luscious and makes me wanna wear about 6 pounds of berry-red lipgloss and flippy skirts. Dry Down: The honey has transformed the strawberry and the whole scent has become soft and round and almost musky. A pale musk. No sharp edges here. Yes, a sweet, berry-tinged pink musk. In All: Low throw- this scent stays close to the skin for sure. This would be fine to wear to a summer picnic or work, but I would also wear it on a Summer evening when I know a date is going to end in something passionate. This is a grownup scent to be sure. Sweet but rather sophisticated. I am SO glad I picked up 2 bottles- I think I'll be wearing this a LOT in the coming months. :wub:

Based on the notes, I knew I had to take a chance and get a bottle asap, figuring that even if it's not my favorite, I'll love it enough to warrant a whole bottle- and if it's as good as I anticipate, I'll have enough time to get a backup or two! That said, let's see how it all came out: In the Bottle: the first thing I pick out is the ebony, the same variety from both Antikethyra Mechanism as well as Glowing Vulva. Immediately following that resinous wood, I get the cacao and the orange in equal measure. This is heady from word go. Wet On Skin: the sweetness of the ebony is still most prevalent, but now the coffee and the tobacco are having their say. the orange is there in the background, adding a roundness to the feel. Interesting, in spite of all the food notes, this isn't reading as foodie at ALL. Very grown up. Very serious so far. Dry Down: The orange has become more dominant- and far more bitter. I don't have any prior experience with osage orange and how that might differ from standard varietals, but if I had to take a stab, I bet it's a kind that's far more bitter than what we generally get from the grocery store. The ebony and cacao (also a dark/bitter type- NOT the yummy-sweet Bliss kinda chocolate to be sure) are still here, and the coffee/tobacco has become the combo that they were in Pinched With Four Aces! In All: low to medium throw- far less than I had anticipated based on the note list. the way the various notes weave in and out in this intricate dance, this scent goes beyond being a morpher- and I think will absolutely improve with aging. Ruddy Daggerwing winds up being a walk down BPAL memory lane, a chance to visit all my favorite scents from yesteryear, and yet be it's own thing as well. A keeper, but I think I'll wait a month or two before I decide to stock up on more.

So is it just me or has anyone else had the great fortune of having Morocco smell nearly identical to Antique Lace on their skin??? I sniffed it at a Will Call a few months back and did a test and ZOMG, it's really, really close! I'm relieved because I adore Antique Lace so very much and don't have nearly as much on hand as I'd like, so I'm just thrilled that Morocco is an almost dead ringer for it!

Oh thanks for the tip. I will be on the lookout for both. When I do I will let you know how I made out with them. I need some absolute favorites. Luck and Laughter,Tricia I have Hollywood Babylon. I really like it a lot. It was one of my first purchases. Thanks,Tricia I too am a red musk junkie, so don't forget about Lust, in the Sin & Salvation section. Love it a lot! I also am a fan of the red musk. While it's another LE, getting any year of Smut should be relatively easy to find- BPAL is good about re-releasing it nearly every Lupercalia, so folks are usually willing to trade them. For a red musk fan, it's worth hoarding. At the latest, you should be able to stock up next January when the next set of Lupers go live

I agree that this incarnation of Pink Moon is quite different from other versions but retains a "pinkness" to it. In the bottle, all I get is the white chocolate, maybe, *maybe* a hint of carnation in the background, but it's really about the cocoa butter for sure at this point. Wet on the skin as well as dry, the chocolate remains the dominant note, but the familiar spicy florals have a definite presence too. In the end, it came across on my skin as Pink Moon '07, with white chocolate. Which isn't bad, but I *had* been hoping that the honey and bourbon vanilla would have more of a presence, but for me they seemed to be absent. Medium throw, and with a surprisingly long duration, it's possible that Pink Moon 2012 just needs some age time for those others notes to come into their own in the mix. And since I was going to say that because of it's relative lightness, to save this scent for late Spring, that just might give it the time it needs to go from a sweet week-day scent to something truly monumental. Glad I got it, but I might swap the backup away, depending on what happens between now and June.

In The Bottle: Strawberries and cream! Nomnomnom Wet On Skin: It's still got those two notes in the forefront, but there's definitely the incense-y undernote of champaca in the mix now. It's subtle, though- at least at this point. Dry Down: Okay, I'm getting the tobacco and a tiny hint of the cognac now. They toned down and softened the sugary sweetness of the star berries and cream. This scent has become like Antique Lace's sweet and wistful little sister. Whereas AL gives a feeling of heartbreaking nostalgia, Pink Lace has a gentleness, an innocence that is just gorgeous. In All: Low throw, this is definitely a "skin" scent. There's a possibility for seduction with this scent, but it's not bawdy or raunchy in the least. I can't yet tell if this is something I'd wear for Valentine's or Lupercalia, but it's something I'm *definitely* going to slather once the weather turns warm. Thrilled I got 3 bottles!

In The Bottle: Mostly cloves and vanilla, but there's an under note that makes me think "Christmas!" instantly- I'm bet tin it's the frankincense and myrrh. Wet On Skin: There's a softness to this clove that I didn't get from, say, The Smiling Spider, but I find that I'm liking it, it's a nice counterpoint to the sharper clove from that scent that I'm used to. Dry Down: I feel like this reminds me of one of BPAL's baked confection or cookie scents, but with added clove to make it less foodie, more refined. I like it! In All: Low throw, this scent stays close to the body. It's a good scent for those that find the pastry scents to be too overpowering in their foodiness. It's definitely lighter than I had anticipated it being, given the list of notes. I shall wear this in later spring, through summer, on evenings when I want both elegance and femininity. Glad I got it!

In The Bottle: Carnation honey. All carnation honey, all the time. Wet On Skin: WOW- the carnation is REALLY strong. This smells like fresh cut actual carnations, not like a spicy perfume note as I experienced in Pink Moon, for instance. I sure hope it stays! *Fingers crossed* Dry Down: The carnation in this is AWESOME. I have been waiting literally for YEARS to find a real carnation, as they are my favorite flower. and this is IT. Yes, there's some honey in the mix, and maybe a touch of the myrrh. I get NO red musk, strangely, as I usually amp that. But I'm okay with it, because the carnation is just so so so good. In All: Medium throw, rich, husky and sensual, this is a great floral for those that don't like florals. I am positive it's only going to get better with age. Woo Hoo!

In The Bottle: Sweet yummy pink strawberry sugar! Nomnomnom Wet On Skin: Yup. That's strawberry candy alright! Dry Down: Yeah, I see how the vanilla is hiding there. This is like strawberry pixie stix if you ever had those. I'm not usually much for "candy" scents (I like my foodie oils a bit more grown up) but this one is really, really good. In All: Low throw, a sweet daytime scent for you and also a perfect scent for children that want to feel special by wearing "grown up perfume". Glad I got a bottle!

In The Bottle: Vanilla, chocolate, pomegranite, all very strong. Like chocolate covered fruit. Wet On Skin: What?! where'd all those notes go??? NOW I'm getting all the roses and maybe some of the champaca- nothing else. All those sweet foodie notes have vanished! Dry Down: Ahhhh, NOW it's coming together. I get vanilla, rose (both kinds), benzoin and myrrh. So, lost some and regained a few. In All: This scent is a real morpher, and whenever I encounter a scent with so many notes, I always think that it's better to let it sit a while and age, give all those notes a chance to better get to know each other. So that's what I'm going to do, then I'll check back in with this bottle in a few months. Jury Is OUT!

In The Bottle: The clove, a tiny bit of the myrrh and a dollop of the Daemonorops combine right away to give the impression of a dark, sweet cherry scent. Normally I find anything resembling a cherry note to be too much for me, but I'm liking this...so far. Wet On Skin: The peppers are starting to come out, warming up the aforementioned notes. At this point, I detect no chocolate or labdanum. Dry Down: I can see where the prior reviewer got the "bubblegum" equation from. It doesn't read that way to me, but I can see why it would come across that way. The clove and myrrh mix in this way that makes it seem sweeter and more "fruity" than either separately. But there's a deep quality to this- this is not a teenybopper scent in the least, and my instincts say that this is one of those that has the potential to be unbeatable, after it's had about 6 month to age. In All: Low throw with lots of spicy resin undertones, this will be favored by some as a seduction scent. for me, I can relate to the madness aspect of this perfume's message, and so may wear it on days when I feel more inclined to embrace my "Girl, Interrupted" moments- perhaps even revel in them.

I've been meaning to purchase this for ages and decided to chuck a bottle onto my latest order out of few that it would be discontinued if I waited- I've had that happen too many times lately! In The Bottle: Mostly I'm getting lavender and a touch of honey. Wet On Skin: A bit of the vanilla is peeping out and mixing with the honey in a really lovely way. I am enjoying the journey this scent is taking me on thus far! Dry Down: Honey and Vanilla in equal measure, with a touch of lavender in the background. This is actually more what I thought Beaver Moon 2011 was going to be like, actually, so I'm glad I get to have it here instead! In All: This scent is a *very* far scent, indeed. Medium throw, but not at all cloying or presumptuous, this scent is so beautiful, so evocative of so many wistful moments from my own life and from favorite love poems and literature. I am so, so, so glad I didn't wait any longer to get this scent- I might even get a backup soon, just to be on the safe side!

Porridge, kukui nuts, and pastry crumbs. In The Bottle: Flaky, buttery pastry. Wet On Skin: Wow. Okay, right now? This is almost a dead ringer for Crumpet Rebellion. Like if CR had a little fruity jam tossed in there? THAT'S this scent. I wonder if it'll last? Dry Down: Yeah, this is very nearly identical to Crumpet Rebellion- buttery, rich yummy pastries. Which is GREAT, because I will not even say what princely sum I paid for my bottle In All: Light to medium throw and yummy, yummy, yummy. Seriously, if you're one of the hoards that has lusted after CR, here ya go. and for those of us that are lucky enough to have some of that precious gold dust, Halfling will allow us to save Crumpet Rebellion for the *really* special occasions

This is the 2012 version. In The Bottle: HONEY! And lots of it! I get a trace of the Snake Oil in the background there, but really, the honeys are the stars in the bottle. Wet On Skin: Yup, there's all that honey, and the astringent quality that I know to be fresh Snake Oil. I am one of the people that must age their Snake Oil at LEAST a year before wearing, so if the note sounds a little harsh, that's where my perspective is coming from. Dry Down: I can see what others have said, that you can tell there's more than one kind of honey in this mix. It lends a really beautiful depth, the likes of which I have only experienced once before, with a bottle of Honey-laden Chaos Theory, "O" Series. If Doom of Beauty is for the earliest awakenings of spring, then Womb Fury is for the later part, when everything is in full bloom, heavy and ripe and full of sexual energy. In All: Light to medium throw, and just a lovely honey scent. I can't WAIT to see where this goes when the Snake Oil has had some proper time to age!

This is the Luper I was most anxious to try this year, so I feel like I've got a lot riding on it- I hope it's as good as I anticipated! In The Bottle: Juicy pear, honey and vanilla cream, alright! Wet On Skin: The honey has moved a bit more to the fore, but all three major elements are still front and center. Dry Down: The vanilla and honey are now most prominent, but the pear lends a certain depth, and keeps this scent from becoming just a delicious bottle of frosting. I'm always a fan of the BPAL Honey note, and if you are too, this scent will NOT disappoint! In All: Low throw, this is definitely a "skin" scent. Subdued enough for daytime, this scent, after some aging, has the possibility for use in seduction- stay tuned for that. Definitely worth a bottle, and I might even need a backup!

In The Bottle: Yes, very green and herby. There *is* a cologne-y aspect, but it's not overbearing or cloying. Wet On Skin: This is much lighter and fresh-smelling than I anticipated. So far it actually seem like it would suit well for the very, very beginnings of springtime, when the ground is still hard and the wet damp chill is still very much present but the sun shines brightly and the first crocuses are pushing through the ground. It's shaping up to be *that* kind of scent. Dry Down: Huh. THIS is interesting. A citrus note has emerged, which actually adds a really nice balance with all the fresh herbs. Odd, but appealing! In All: Light throw, I stand by my original assessment that this is a scent best used in the very beginning of Spring. I think it's a rather good genderless fragrance, and I can easily see both dapper gents and elegant ladies wearing this for a brisk Sunday outing or taking tea with some fascinating acquaintances. Personally, I don't think I'll wear it often, but it fills a particular gap and when I want it, I think I shall be very glad indeed to have it on hand. ETA: A half hour later and this scent has both sweetened a bit and softened. All the things I said before remain true, but there's an interesting sub text to this scent that has now showed itself- it reminds me, strangely and distinctly, of this deodorant my boyfriend wore in 9th grade, called Tussy. I don't even know if it exists anymore, but it too had this soft, sweet unisex vibe to it, and I loved it then, and I like DOB in the same way. Just needed to add that...

Rose is one of the few floral notes I usually favor, so I was very interested in getting to try this out. Let's see how it's done, shall we? In The Bottle: I'm getting the dried rose scent that came up so strongly for me in Crypt Queen, but without the black under note of musk that ruined that scent for me. so already, I'm liking this. Wet On Skin: I can see what was meant by this scent having the remarkable ability to smell like fresh and dried roses at the same time. It's seems to be traipsing back and forth between the two states of being every few second- I'm curious to see which side it lands on! Dry Down: A deep, fresh red rose is the winner! In All: Solid medium throw, this rose has the freshness of a Real Live Plant but with a depth to it. I can easily picture being in a stuff drawing room in the late 1890's, one where the lace curtains are never pulled back, let alone windows being opened- and the only thing to freshen the air is an enormous bouquet of freshly cut very deeply red roses. That's this scent. Glad to have a bottle.

Now me and the Champagne Scents, we have a troubling history. I keep trying, and mostly they have failed me. but I keep going back, because I keep feeling like, there's one out there for me. there just has to be, right? So, since I didn't want to ask my Angel's Angel for too much, and since I was already getting two other bottles, the only Champagne I asked for was this one. Based on the name, it seemed, somehow, the most likely to work. So let's see what we got here, shall we? In The Bottle: Yup, there's that fizzy ginger ale-y note I know so well But there's also a definite fruit thing going on, too, so it comes off, in the bottle, smelling like a good spiked fruit punch. Potential! Wet On Skin: Man, this thing has some amp! and yet, it's not in a cloying overpowering kind of way. Sangria is no shy violet, but she's also not a blowhard, either. I'm finding myself intrigued. Dry Down: Huh. Well what do ya know. The fruity Sangria (which, to my nose, isn't one particular fruit or grouping of fruit, it really smells like a nice fruit punch variety to me) is providing a really nice counterpoint to the fizz of the Champagne- something that none of the past Champagne scents have been able to do for me! In All: Light, fizzy, sweet and cheery, this may very well be the scent I wear on New Year's Eve. and if not then, the lightness wouldn't actually be out of place on New Year's Day in the least!

Of all the 2011 Yuletime Will Call scents, THIS was the one I was willing to sell my soul just to try. A HUGE thank you to ALL the angels that made it possible for me to get a whole bottle! So let's see if it's all I'm hoping it'll be! In the Bottle: The Red Musk I adore in Smut is here, alright. but in the bottle, she's hanging back a bit, yet lending a good sweetness. In the fore is the Black Musk for sure. BM is usually a Death Note for me, but I was willing to bet on this because of some of the other notes, and so far, so good- the orris is providing a good balance, yet not coming across as too powdery. I'm hopeful! Wet On Skin: Wow. This is really going somewhere. I'm getting the amber and the musks all playing nice now, and the orris lending this just lovely sweet, dusty note to the proceedings. It's like everything that normally gets too overpowering is being held in check by all the *other* notes that normally get too overpowering. Dry Down: Holy. Crap. This is just...beautiful. I can totally get what Mxtine was saying about how great this is fresh from the Lab- but I can't WAIT to find out what it's going to be like in 6 months! This is really just extraordinary. In All: Solid medium throw, and a soft, sweet musky blend that's like all the best parts of all the favorite scents I ever encountered as a child- my aunt wearing White Shoulders, my mom wearing Ambush. My grandmother's kitchen, snuggling into my warm blankets at the end of a long day, sleep overs at my sister's house, pinky swears with my cousin. Not since Antique Lace have I encountered a scent so nostalgic, so evocative of so many things. I'm really just floored. This is easily now in my Top Ten of All Time. :wub:

What a lovely, special oil. In the bottle, Yule 2011 smells like Wintertime to me. specifically winter in the Northeast, but north of NYC, where I grew up. It actually remind me greatly of winter in Vermont. The quality of the snow, the sweet smell of the evergreens- it's all in here. A tiny drop on the skin (I wasn't sure if I'd have a reaction because of the essential oils, I recommend taking care, you never know!) has shown that the oil is staying true. No, this is not a perfume oil. But ritual doesn't mean that something only gets used by the light of the Full Moon in a cast circle, either. I would say, from my Pagan perspective, that this is something to use whenever you are trying to bring yourself closer into the nature of Winter, with all Her sleepy hibernation, all her soft, quiet snow and- here, in the Pacific Northwest- all Her torrential rains. But the Capricorn in me, that leans toward melancholy in the withered January daylight, sees this substance as a chance to embrace Winter, in all her aspects, and to make peace with Her and love Her for who she is. I can't help it, having that little drop on my hand is making me kinda *love* Winter, just a little. Miracles. <3