VioletChaos

In the Bottle: Lots of wine, and a follow-up of sugar. Wet On Skin: the wine has become sweeter now, a bit more grape-juice-driven, and I'm absolutely getting the frosting part too. so far this is like the adult, parental version of Sprinklecake, which seems very fitting indeed Dry Down: This has become the bastard child of Tzenton Totochin and Sprinklecake. Or, Sprinklecake with booze and wine. Anyway you put it, I think I like it! In All: low to medium throw, a sweet, food-related scent without being overtly "foodie". A good daytime scent and seriously, a good alternate if you favor Sprinklecake (which I certainly do!) Glad I picked up a bottle!

In The Bottle: Yes, the leather is there, but it's not the HAI LEATHER! that I thought it was going to be. And even in the bottle, it still is being tempered by some of the other notes. I'm especially detecting the cedar and possibly the narcissus right now. Wet On Skin: the leather is not playing with the oudh and the narcissus still, and there's another floral I'm getting just a hint of. It's not the rose, so I'm assuming it must be the star anise, but less spicy than I'm used to... Dry Down: Well, it's leather accord, alright. Sadly, though, I'm not getting much of the other notes- and there are a LOt of good ones in here. As with many of BPAL's headier creations, time might be all that's required to really make this oil shine. So I'll put it aside for now and revisit come high summer- 6 months should be enough to make this *really* special.

In the Bottle: Yup, that's some fruit brandy, alright! Wet On Skin: The cherry has a marachino vibe to it for sure- usually BPAL cherry notes turn all cough syrup on me, but I'm digging this one- it's not medicinal, it's like yummy jam! Dry Down: the fruit are now grounded by the musk and the whole thing is decidedly more spicy and grownup than the previous version of Berry Moon. In All: low to medium throw, this is a sweet daytime scent that has just a little kick of sexiness. Perfect for a date down on the Boardwalk, for instance!

In The Bottle: I'm getting quite a bit of the linden blossom, followed by some honey. the 2 by themselves shouldn't work well together, because linden has a 'greeness' to it and honey is all softly sweet and powdery. But it's actually a pretty compelling juxtaposition... Wet On Skin: the linden and the orange are doing this dance that makes them come across together as Neroli (or Orange Blossom). at this point I'm getting a little of the honey coming through in the back ground, but the vanilla so far is no where to be found. Dry Down: A soft, gentle honey-floral, when I tried this scent at Will Call last month there was something about it that compelled me to get it. And there's something still, though I don't know what it is. It's sweet and gentle and not like any other scent I wear. It feels fragile, like I need to shelter it. I think I'll want to wear this a lot when it gets warmer outside again. In All: low throw- definitely a 'skin' scent, I think A Wonderful Light might be the unsung hero of the Yules this year. I have a strong feeling that because of the unassuming quality of this scet it's going to be overlooked now- only to be in high demand later.

In the bottle: I'm getting the apricot brandy thing others mentioned. The fruity/incensey vibe of this in the bottle reminds me strongly of the "head shops" my mom brought me into in the 70's. It's not a bad association Wet On Skin: there's what appears to be a black musk note showing itself. Right now it's behaving, but black musk is often a deal-breaker for me, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed... Dry Down: Boy oh boy, this is *heady*. I'm getting the tobacco and definitely the plum. I can see the comparisons to Mme Moriarty and to Snake Charmer (two of my winter time favorites!) but it's completely it's own thing, too- not a replacement for those others. In All: A lighter throw than MM or SC, and a little heavier on the black musk, i think a bit more aging might improve this oil. I'll hold onto it for now, but if it doesn't come together by summer, it might have to go to the swap pile...

I picked this up on a lark at the last Seattle Will Call, but today was the first day that I really tested it out. In the bottle I get honey and a little patchouli mostly, with a slight bitterness as almost an afterthought. Wet, and on initial drydown, it becomes sweet, light and very smooth. I was reminded most strongly of the non-foody sweetness of Hod, actually. at that point, there was a nice medium throw, and as I walked down the street, I'd get little wiffs of it again and again. Really quite nice. It's now several hours later and what I'm left with is a wine note, like a daytime cousin of Gluhwein, even though there are NO notes to indicate such a thing! In All: the throw died down as the scent settled. Because of how it morphed and because of the Snake Oil inclusion, I am theorizing that this is a scent that is going to do well to age significantly. I'm going to hold on to my bottle either way, but I'm willing to bet that by summer time, this is going to be a very sexy beast indeed

This bottle was my big Yule gamble this year, the one I felt least sure about, but the notes just sounded so beautiful that I threw caution to the wind. Let's see if that's paid off! In the Bottle: fresh rose and gardenia, with a hint of the pear. at first sniff, it smells like an English Garden. This is promising! Wet On Skin: The rose and the pear are really popping now. so far, I'm not getting any honey or currant or vanilla. I hope that changes, though, because I could see those notes really changing this. Dry Down: It's the pear note from Perilous Parlor and a strong, green-tinged rose. Very fresh, bright floral. In All: Medium to heavy throw- a little bit goes a long way. The rose/pear combination is not a bad one, I'm just not certain it's for me. I'm willing to wait a month or two to see how it ages, if that brings the vanilla and honey out, which would change this scent considerably. If it stays as is, though, I'll likely swap it as I like my roses with more cream and sugar.

I, too, was very excited about trying this scent. I took a sniff of the tester at Will Call, but didn't try it then, though I'd ordered my bottle already by that point In the Bottle: I get the spicy-fruity combo I associate with rooibos tea plus the ginger and cardamom in supporting roles. Wet On Skin: The spices start to calm down, but the rooibos itself is going strong, while the coconut is now making an appearance. This coconut note is the one I recall from Eden, though that was quite a while back the last time I encountered that. It also reminds me of the coconut in Tarot: The Star. Dry Down: The rooibos is the consistent thing throughout. The coconut has mellowed a bit and the spice notes have reemerged as a distant support. This is NOT the usual ginger-heavy Yule scent- the rooibos is definitely the star. In All: Medium throw, a light winter spice mix reminiscent of 2007's Diwale but with rooibos as a main attraction. I anticipate wearing this warm daytime-friendly scent quite a bit and may also need to get a backup bottle by January ETA: I get no pumpkin from this. Not at any point.

In the Bottle: It's kinda of amazing- the lemon and yuzu have combined with a tiny, tiny hint of mint to create something that, in the bottle at least, smells like a wintery pine forest without the pine. I don't know HOw that's possible, but that's my very first impression. the second bottle impression is that this is a citrus scent that somehow manages to be incense-y, and that also makes no sense AT ALL to me. Still, I'm excited to see what happens next... Wet On Skin: Okay, the grapefruit and the vanilla cream are starting to poke out a little now. But even with all the food action going on, this does not read like a foodie scent in the least. Dry Down: All citrus besides the yuzu has vanished. Now it's yuzu and vanilla cream. No mint, nothing else. In All: Medium throw and a lasting presence, i like this scent quite a bit, though previous comparisons to Pink Snowballs have me baffled as I personally get none of the snowy presence *or* delicacy that scent has. This is certainly wintery but I find it to be in a totally other kind of way. I'm definitely going to keep my bottle, but if I want a delicate winter scent, it's Pink- not Yellow- Snowballs I'll be turning to.

This is the 2011 version. In The Bottle: Snow White with a light rose tossed in: sweet, delicate, musky and wintery without turning baby powdery. So far, so good! Wet On Skin: A slight morph, this is now smelling to my nose like a combination of the sugary rose that is Hope and the creamy rose of Victorian Rose Milk v.1. and since those two are my favorite rose blends? This is turning out to be *just* what I was hoping for. Dry Down: A light, beautiful and bright creamy and sugary delicate rose. In All: Light to medium throw, this is the Rose scent to complete my trifecta of yummy rose scents! An in-between of the afore-mentioned Hope and VRM v1, this is a rose scent to wear on those impossibly blind-bright sunny winter days when the light seems as if it will reflect off each and every snowflake in each and every drift passed, dazzling the eye more than should be possible. But since I live in Seattle where it's cloudy most of the winter, I shall instead wear this scent to remind me that the sun will eventually return.

Also, it you can find a bottle- from another forumite - then you'd probably love Lilith's Tea Party! That's ALL tea and cream, all the time!

Black currant, rhubarb, mushroom, champaca, and myrrh. in the bottle: strong sweet/tart rhubarb, champa and a hint of myrrh. doesn't sound like they would necessarily work together, but at this stage, they DO. wet on skin: same, with the champa becoming more incense-y by the second. which i LOVE. dry down: champaca is absolutely the dominant note, but that doesn't mean it's overpowering. it's not. the rhubarb actually keeps it in place rather well, balancing it, making sure it doesn't become too much to bear. in all: i *know* this is going to age brilliantly. but even fresh, this oil is beautiful- tart, incensey and totally compelling with a surprisingly low throw, this oil is perfect for right now, when the trees are just starting to come to life and the air hoveres between cool and warm. total. love.

I got gifted some Bacon! proto room spray yesterday and would love to review it, but can't find it ANYwhere- not under the Trading Post, OR Retail OR Event Exclusives- can someone show me where to go???

This is hands-down the RPG I've liked the most thus far. I also get the candy-fruit vibe from this. It's no morpher and stays true from application to dry down. Honestly, the thing it smells like most to me is the old formula for Betsy Johnson's signature scent. The one that came in the pretty round bottle 15 years ago. This is nearly a dead ringer for that, and considering that scent was one of, like, 3 that I ever enjoyed from a traditional perfume standpoint, high praise indeed. Because this doesn't morph, I'm guess it'll make for excellent layering with all sorts of other goodies. I can't decide personally if I need a bottle or not, but I'm glad it's a GC and I don't have to decide about that right away.

I checked this out at Will Call with the other RPG atmosphere scents. This was my favorite of the three and the only one I'm considering purchasing. As GypsyRoseRed said, it's warm and spicy. At first, it came across as kinda Holiday-Christmas-y, reminded me of the Chirstmas Prsent spray from a few years ago. But upon a deeper sniff, I realized that this was a scent for year round, so long as the mood was right. warm, sweet and lots of resin notes, I found this scent to be very appealing but definitely bold- this is not something to spray casually (unless you go to bed wearing Snake Oil or VooDoo Queen, in which case you'll likely want to *soak* your bedspread in this ) In All- a great find. We're lucky to have this as a GC, I think it's going to be quite popular!

Now, I just got this in the mail, and have been warming it in my hands whilst reading the other reviews, so it's totally possible I'll be back to edit later, but I just couldn't wait to try this out now! In The Bottle: I get the green of the woodmoss and a sharp tang of the frankincense in the background, but that's all. Wet On Skin: Oh, HAI Cognac! Glad to to see you join the party! The woodmoss has left and I am getting hints of the coconut bark. As others mentioned, it's not a foody coconut at ALL. It lends a sweetness to the mix, but this is soft and powdery (though not like baby powder, no worries.) Dry Down: Ah, *there's* the vanilla! The vanilla also isn't foody, and I actually understand the parchment comparison. This scent is light and delicate, like a piece of brittle paper. It's sweet, but not at all assuming or food-like. I don't get any of the opium tar or tea, for the record. In All: Light throw- I put quite a bit on my wrists and still need to be pretty close to sniff it, so I'd say this might require slathering. There's a sugar-y note that's coming out- I amp sugar like crazy, so if you do too, be forwarned I understand why this is in the same class as the other Lace scents. There is an evocation that comes with this scent that reminds me of the others, though it's nothing like them, despite sharing some of the same notes. As a major fan of Antique Lace, however, I can see this being a good hot-summer substitute as a way of conserving the Precious while still keeping with a similar mood. I'm going to test this again in a week, as I have a feeling that aging will do this oil some good.

In The Bottle: I'm getting mostly the bright, sharp smell of tobacco flower. Also a tiny hint of the patchouli, but really, the tobacco is the star of the show, at least at this early juncture. Wet On Skin: I get what folks are saying about it being "heady". That comes through right away. At this point it's coming across as very masculine to me, like a gentlemen's cologne. It's also got a sweetness that is starting to come through that might be the vanilla absolute. I hope so! *fingers crossed* Dry Down: Wow. Just...wow. It morphed, and now it's all vanilla, teak and patchouli on me. I get the Opium comparison, though on me the sandalwood and other rich notes are combining in a way that makes it more sexy (if you can believe it) and less perfume-y. In All: Low to medium throw, a deep rich scent that will find itself at home both in the boudoir and also, for the right person, in the boardroom. Basically anyplace you wanna close a deal Glad I got this before it disappeared!

In The Bottle: I'm getting what I think others have described as magnolia- a soft, very gentle floral- but to me it smells like ylang ylang. Very soft and lovely. I also get a touch of lavender and a light touch of that herbal greenery. Overall initial impressions are very soft, gentle and sweet. Wet On Skin: Yes, the lemon is coming out. This reminds me of a cakey lemon, like the strawberry Shortcake Lemon Merangue dolls. It's sweet and lemony, but again, very gentle. It's also reminicient of Mustella Baby Perfume, which I used to spray myself with during hot NYC summers. Very light and not over bearing Dry Down: Lemon-Baby's Breath-Musk. In All: Medium throw, not overpowering in the least. This gives me the same comforting feeling I get from wearing TAL's White Light and also a similar "comfort" vibe that I get from Dragon's Milk. I've only had it on a short while, so I don't know yet about long-term talismanic benefit, but it's off to a beautiful start! Glad I have a bottle of this special blend!

In The Bottle: the cacao is strong with this one (said in Yoda voice). I'm also getting a hint of something spicy which i think is mostly the ginseng and a hint of the saffron bringing up the rear. Not a bad start! Wet On Skin: Wow! That morphed completely! Now I'm getting all spice and some incense quality to it. I'd say it's the ginseng/yohimbe combo and something vaguely lemony, which I think might be the grains of paradise. Dry Down: This is reminding me of the lemon-ironwood combo from one of the original Tiki blends, with a touch of the smokiness of leather and waaay in the background the cacao/vanilla absolute combination gives a hint- just a hint of sweetness. but make no mistake, this is NOT a foodie blend in any way. In All: Low to medium throw, definitely an "incense" kind of blend. This has a more "serious" feel than usually comes with a 13 scent, and I welcome the change, as I almost always wind up trading my 13 blends after I'be worn them a few times. this one, though, is a keeper. Hold onto it- I have a feeling this is going to be very sought after.

In The Imp: Oh YEAH, this sure is tomato leaf1 I grew up with tomatoes growing in the back yard every summer, and this is the smell, alright. Wet On Skin: Wow. Just...wow. The green of the leaf, the slight sweetness of a sunwarmed tomato, it's all here. Dry Down: This is the tomato I wanted Ushi to be and just wasn't on me. Warm and green and just like being in a veggie garden in mid summer. In All: Just lovely.

In the Imp: Wisteria and a hint of wine. Yum! Wet On Skin: I'm getting the cognac, which is a note I ADORE, plus wisteria and maybe the tiniest hint of lilac. Dry Down: A grape-y wine, cognac and wisteria making a rich heady incense-y mix. Just lovely! In All: I get why so many folks say this smells "purple". It really does somehow Low to medium throw, a darker floral that would work all year round, depending on occasion. I hope I can find a bottle!

I have been waiting YEARS to try this. Thanks to an awesome swap with *butterflybynight* I now have a BOTTLE. Here's hoping it's everything I hoped it would be! *fingers crossed* In The Bottle: All buttery caramel, all the time. This reminds me very much of Hearth, one of the first BPALs I ever had. I wanted to love it, but the pesky pine note kept getting in the way of all the yummy sugar butter. So maybe my dreams shall be realized! Wet On Skin: the butter is fading back a bit at this stage and the sugar is amping, which is typical with my skin- I always amp the sugar notes. Dry Down: Brown Sugar, up down and sideways. In All: Low throw, a close-to-the-skin scent. This is the same sugar note to be found in Sugar Skull and on me, smells nearly the same. I was hoping for more butter, like in Shill, or more cream, like Glowing Vulva or Love's Philosophy. I may in fact mix this with LP and Shill and see what happens Overall a nice sugar scent, but a little less than I'd hoped for. Sigh...

A very, very big thank you to my Angel, Gypsy Rose Red for making all my Bat's Day wishes come true this year! In the Bottle: Yes, I also get that cream-amber undernote from Glowing Vulva here. There's also something that smells like a note from Love's Philosophy, though no vanilla or cream notes are listed. Huh. Wet On Skin: Something of the spiciness of this reminds me of that spice-cream combo I get from Chimera. I think it might be the spice and amber together that are doing it. but amber usually goes to baby powder death on me, so I'm both thankful and also curious Dry Down: This is a beautiful spicy skin musk, with tiny hints of citrus and amber wafting through. I get no gardenia from this, but it's a really special, very feminine scent. I, too, see wearing this throughout the warm months. In All: Very low throw- I slathered this and I still had to put my wrist up to my nose to smell it- but that adds to the sweet and feminine qualities of this scent. A bit of spice, a touch of cream. Something ephemeral, magickal, is happening here, and I like it. A lot. Total keeper.

A very warm thank you thank you to my Angel, Gypsy Rose Red for making all my Bat's Day wishes come true this year! This was the '11 Goth scent I was most excited about, because I love the BPAL Rose notes a LOT. Here's hoping! *fingers crossed* In The Bottle: A "green" sort of rose, like one that has not fully bloomed yet but is still mostly in it's bud, so the hint of rose is there, but mostly it's the stem that is fragrant. Maybe a touch, just a slight touch of the opium. But mostly that green/rose note. Wet On Skin: The rose is starting to bloom I'm also getting a little bit more of the opium undercurrent. But it's really subtle, not the in your face stuff I'm used to with that note. Dry Down: Wow. This is a great, solid rose perfume. It's dark and rich, but definitely still rose. I get little to no leather in here, unless it's just lending it's spice to the general undertone of the blend. And the opium is still there, but still only in the background. This is a dark blend, but not sinister. and not necessarily sexy, either. Rich and warm to be sure, but still a rose at heart. In All: Low to medium throw, this is a perfect counterpoint to something like Victorian Rose Milk, which, for the record, is my favorite Rose scent ever. Vamp.goth feels like the shadow side to that scent, though. As much as i love Rose Milk, sometimes she seems too light for how I'm feeling. This one allows me to indulge my love of Rose but still go to dark depths. A great Goth Rose.

Again, a very warm thank you to my Witch and Angel, Gypsy Rose Red for making all my Bat's Day wishes come true this year! Now, this was the Goth scent this year who's description intrigued me the most, to be sure. I didn't get it because I was positive I'd want to wear it, but because I figured it would be the most *interesting*. Let's see how it goes, shall we? In The Bottle: YUM. This to my nose is a sexy, slightly smoky amber. Like, petrified tree sap kind of amber. I'm thinking that is likely the myrrh, opoponax and leather all working in combination. whatever it is, I'm digging it! Wet On Skin: the sexiness continues. Wait, did I say sexy? I meant DEAD sexy. Usually myrrh turns to dirty baby diaper with too much powder on me, but I think the other notes are somehow magically holding it in check. *fingers crossed for the dry down* Dry Down: Oh, HELL yeah! This is fantastic. Leather sometimes amps on me, but here it's just lending a hint of smokiness. I'm not getting any of the latex, which I'm a bit sad about, but this is just a really sexy, heady, spicy scent. In All: Medium throw, gender neutral and sexy. Did I mention sexy? This is one to wear out to the clubs or to a night of seduction, for sure. And I can tell this will only get better with age. Like "Voodoo Queen is still my all-time drop-dead favorite but this might be a close second" kind of better-with-age. Total. Win. :wub: