VioletChaos

in the bottle: LEATHER! (oh, and a bit of something sweet that might be pumpkin ) wet on skin: more leather, with a trace of other sweeter, lighter unknowable things underneith. dry down: wow. it's blended into a gorgeous mix of leather, myrrh and pumpkin. it's seamless, no one note any stronger than any others. beautiful. in all: i've never found a blend with leather in it that has worked on me before this one. but this is really wonderful- not too strong but with a decent throw, i could see wearing this out with friends, but also on christmas day with visiting family. interesting, unique and versatile, i'm really glad i have a bottle of Pumpkin II!

in the bottle: buttery, fruity pie. wet on skin: the mango is top, with persimmon following as a close second. that's buttery pie crust lingers deliciously, though! dry down: the fruit settles in with the pumpkin and butter rising to the top. nomnomnom in all: a very light pumpkin bland, which i'm rather excited about. in the end, it becomes almost pure pumpkin with yummy undertones of fruit in passing. i have a feeling this is going to age very, very well.

Snake Oil with vetiver, black coconut, vanilla, and opoponax. in the bottle: Snake Oil and vetiver. smoky! wet on skin: more of the same- it's interesting how the vetiver and the SO are keeping each other balanced- the lovely Snake often overpowers whatever it's mixed with. dry down: vanilla and Snake Oil, with the vetiver keeping everything in balance. in all: while not what i expected from this blend, i am unbelievably thrilled with the result. and knowing how Snake Oil ages so fantastically, i think i'll likely get a back up bottle to have later, when it gets even better!

this is for the 2008 batch. in the bottle: very. moldy. dirt. wet on skin: yep- that's moldy dirt, alright! dry down: ok, the mold part has toned down a bit (whew!) and it's become more straight up rich black soil, like freshly tilled in a midnight summer garden. that's the kind of rich i'm speaking of. beautiful! in all: more of a "single note" in my mind than a blend, i personally wanted a bottle to mix with other oils that are perhaps too sweet or too simple on their own. but make no mistake- Graveyard Dirt is a treasure all on it's own.

in the bottle: yummy, sweet crispy apples wet on skin: same, but with a slight spice to it- the red leaves, perhaps? dry down: yup, crunchy leaves and sweet apple cider. this is autumn in a bottle, alright! in all: i agree precisely with what Argentwolf said: To Aumn lies right in between the autmn leafy goodness of Chant D' Autumne and the yummy apple of Fearful Pleasure. Wonderful

in the bottle: oh my LORD that's good! a mix of sweet, resinous copal, fresh roses and a hint of tobacco. LOVE! wet on skin: the rose has been replaced with the sweet agave nectar, the copal is still strong, that's mostly what i'm getting at this stage. there's a slight powder note, too. dry down: the powder has vanished (whew!) and the scent is much more blended than it was before- i can't pick out any one note now, it's become this beautiful well-mixed experience. that's the only way to describe it! in all: like walking through a market square in a dream world full of dried flowers, talking skulls and creatures from a Brian Froud story.

first of all, i just have to say how much i LOVE the picture on this bottle. it's really cute and spooky at the same time! now, on to business! in the bottle: light fruit, *very* strong floral, such as is found in room fresheners. wet on skin: the green bullrush is strong at this point. it's a bit soapy, as people have stated, but mostly it's very "green". i'm getting some of the moss, too. dry down: then, slowly after it dries, this whole other fragrance emerges. it's green, soapiness evaporates and is replaced by a light-but strong-incense that has some beautiful hints of blackberry and something vaguely earthy. in all: a total morphing scent for sure, but worth the wait for the dry down: an incense light enough for day time wear, all winter long.

in the imp: eucalyptus and dragon's blood wet on skin: dragon's blood is pulling ahead, but the herb is keeping the sweet aspect in check nicely. dry down: dragon's blood and a slight hint of...sandalwood? copal? vervain? i can't quite place it. it's like the Dragon's Blood is the "fire" and here's something under it that's the "fuel". in all: this is the third Ace i've tried and as with the others, the sentiment of the card holds true. i will try to find more and in the meantime will wear this one whenever 9 feel like i need to have a little fire lit under my butt for motivation!

in the imp: lotus and almond. wet on skin: more of the same, the both being very well balanced, neither overpowering the other. dry down: lotus is winning, but not in a super-overpowering way. in all: this is not the "watery" scent i had feared. whoever said this is more about what the card implies hit it perfectly- this is a scent that's all about the emotional aspects of the Cups suit, and the spirituality that springs forth from that place. this is something i would wear when meditating on relationship issues OR when going to practice yoga. it's beautiful and balanced in a non-aggressive way, just like it's suit.

in the imp: that's earthy alright! reminds me of Graveyard Dirt, in all the best ways. wet on skin: the oakmoss is coming to the fore and it is LOVELY. it reads a little green and a little vanilla, sort of like Tonka Bean. i LOVE it. dry down: warm, very earthy. like finding a dry spot in a cave in the middle of a snow storm. in all: perfect sense for the most important of the Pentacle cards. my suit is pentacles, and this is just brilliant for all that suit entails: material and earthly riches, prosperity, and being grounded. total winner!

in the imp: deeply resinous, and yes, reminds me of a particular incense i get from a witchy shop in the city right before Yule wet on skin: same, but with a little more sweetness. not foodie in the least, just resin-y and deep. and GOOD. dry down: oh YEAH. i have a thing for incense blends and this one, my friends, does NOT disappoint! in all: a fabulous scent, lives up to the weightiness of the Judgement card. this scent can indeed say "awaken, sleeper!" but not in a springtime way. this more reminds me of the kind of new life, starting over feelings i get following the new year, when i have months of cold, bracing winter ahead and plenty of time to hide out in my cave and work on myself. LOVE!

in the imp: smoky vetiver. wet on skin: smoky vetiver with some odd soapy flower in the background. :raises an eyebrow: dry down: vetiver, anise and a mild flower soap coming in and out. in all: i guess i had higher expectations of the Tower. as a card i fear immensely, i also have great respect for what it can teach. this scent captured the Brimstone and Fire aspects, but not so much clearing the path for continued growth.

in the imp: apple potpourri in that glade-room-spray kind way. hmmm wet on skin: picture the apple from SGA but with berries instead of snow backing it up. dry down: it's a strange fruit/floral combination that i can't quite wrap my mind around. i wish i could be more succinct, and normally i am, but this oil is a total indescribable experience for me. in all: fading away quickly and just leaving traces behind, this shares that trait with many of the Tarot oils, which makes sense to me because having a reading should give you the information you need and then just work itself into your psyche to digest as you need it. the Hanged Man also gives the feeling of limbo, and a need to stay where one is, not make any sudden moves. in that way, it is *perfect* for it's name sake.

in the imp: yep. whoever said grape-y was onto something. but not foodie at ALL, if you can puzzle that one out. wet on skin: the grape remains and some floral enters the picture, whoever said Gardenia has my vote. dry down: it reminds me specifically of being in my backyard in the late spring when i was little and the next door neighbor's pink magnolia tree would be in full bloom, with the fragrant petals fluttering by on a soft warm breeze. that's what this smells like. in all: a gorgeous floral, speaking as someone who doesn't care for too many florals! i have to thnk about how this relates to the Hermit, a card that speaks to me of something more austere and cold than this scent- but that won't stop me from wanting a bottle of this anyway!

in the imp: candle wax and some sort of spice-potpouri scent. very church-y as others have said. wet on skin: same. dry down: a light spice mix, subtle enough for daytime use. certainly suit the namesake card. in all: less complex and morph-y than other Tarots i've tried, i like this one, the spice in it has a very "mystical" feel to it, in that old-school church way, like going into a cathedral the day after christmas and getting just the left over remnants and what transpired the day before.

in the imp: very floral, with some herb note i can't yet place. i don't get the Dragon's Blood some have mentioned, but i hope that will change. wet on skin: yup, that's soapy, alright. and it has a hint of whatever the note in Pruno is that made it smell like Pine Sol and gave me a MASSIVE headache. here, however, it seems to be held in check so it's actually pleasant and not vomit-inducing. dry down:soapy heliotrope coupled with a very light version of the musk in Smut. in all: *extremely* odd scent, i find that when i think about it i feel repelled but then i want to sniff where i put the oil on anyway. there's a total contradiction with this oil, and i feel confused about that since the Emperor is all about stability. but despite all the weirdness, i do actually like it. for now, i will be satisfied with my imp and make a decision about a big bottle later... ETA: after a little more time has passed, this scent has lost all it's poor qualities and has become close kin to Smut. it's strange- it's smells like smut without being all sexy and dirty, like a daytime polite Smut equivalent. noting this change, i'm *definitely* seeking out a bottle!

in the imp: yup. almond alright, just as others said. it reminds me a LOT of the almond hand cream by Burt's Bees- a very sweet, very *strong* almond. wet on skin: same. i can see why some people might perceive there to be cherry in this blend. i don't think it's cherry, thouh- i think it's just the almond being sweet and marzipan-like. dry down: interesting. the almond fades away to just a background scent and what's left is a breath of that, plus a touch of spearmint, and a bare hint of orange essence. in all: complex and mysterious as the other Tarots, the High Priestess has a fitting scent- she comes on strong, states her business and leaves after her work is done, with only the slightest hint she was there at all. i LOVE it- i only hope i can secure a bottle!

in the imp: lavender, and strangely, a little chocolate. interesting! wet on skin: the lavender is a bit lighter now, retaining it's sweetness but losing the sharp quality that the herb frequently has. there's a nice "green" vibe to this. i don't get any aqua from this at all at this point. dry down: i'm getting a touch of the anise many folks have mentioned. to me it reads more like fennel- the basic component is the same, but this is more subtle, softer, better intergrated. normally i don't like anything in the anise-black licorice family, but this is really lovely. in all: as complex and hard to pin down as all the Tarots, The Magician is warm and green and herb-y all at the same time. i'll have to try it a few more times before determining if i need to track down a big bottle, but for magickal purposes as well as focusing on the spiritual aspects of this Major Arcana card, i'm glad i at least have a full imp to play around with.

i wore Smut on Halloween because i was sort of a sexy faery and we were at a big punky show, so it seemed pretty perfect. i tone it down for the family oriented holidays: i'll prolly wear something pretty and unusual but not over the top for Thanksgiving, like Tarot:Star or one of the Pumpkins from the Patch this year. for x-mas i'll wear one of the sugar cookies! for my birthday (five days after x-mas. sigh.) i'll go whole hog cause it's MY DAY, dammit! so i'll wear one of my favorites- Snake Oil, Crumpet Rebellion or Dragon's Milk, depending on my exact mood. and for new years? i'm thinking Red Lantern or Sugar Moon

Strength is definitely one of my personally favorite cards, so I've been very anxious to get to try it. That said, here we go: in the bottle: I'm certainly getting that "green" note some other folks mentioned. It's not mint to me, or even grass. It's more like...moss. Moss in a sun-dappled forest. In Autumn, after the air is cooled from a hot summer. wet on skin: that wonderful green remains. there's a slight tang present now, as if i'm eating a very tart green apple while sitting on some moss in that forest. but it's not foodie, just very "green". dry down: as with all the Tarot oils i've tried, this one morphs pretty dramatically once dry down is complete. the green is replaced with a sweet, but subtle resin. sort of like amber, but not like the BPAL amber i've smelled before, more like a natural from-the-tree sort of amber. definitely a "skin" scent- little throw, but very "warm" without being musky at all. in all: all the various aspects of sunshine in a bottle form, this isn't the intense "orange" i got from the Tarot:Sun oil. it really does read like the Strength a person gets from being in touch with our brightest star, and all the strength that implies. totally unusual, and a total keeper.

in the imp: thick orange marmalade and myrrh resin. wet on skin: same, but the orange is a bit more candy like now. dry down: the orange settles down a LOT. the myrrh becomes a bit more subtle and something that smells *vaguely* of frankincense comes out. this isn't strong, though, it's just adding some depth to the scent. in all: very 'incense-y' for sure, but not like many other BPAL incense combinations that seem to have more sweet resins in them, like copal and myrrh. this is lighter for a resin, if that makes sense. which means that if you fancy the incense notes but find them more for evening use, this might be a great "daytime" version for you.

having lived for some years in the deep deep South, i can say that CatHouse gets is right. the notes of bourbon vanilla, honeymusk and magnolia are strongest in this blend, and while those same notes in a fragrance might be on the heavy side, there's actually something rather light and fresh-smelling about this blend in the air- and on my linen! i got a Goblin Squirt as a gift from another Forumite and i feel really lucky for the chance to check this out. the only experience with the Post's atmosphere sprays was during the Summer Inquisition, and all those were on a bit too on the heavy end for me. CatHouse is much more what i want the air around me to smell like. in all: i think i'll use up this Goblin tester and see how sad i am when it's finished if i'm really as bummed as i suspect i'll be, then i reckon i'll get me a Big Un!

in the bottle: jasmine, gardenia, honeysuckle. wet on skin: the jasmine is becoming more of the dark Indian variety, and the Gardenia is just fabulous, as it usually is in BPAL blends! dry down: gardenia mixed with a touch of white coconut and tempered by a drop of Indian jasmine. in all: totally gorgeous, absolutely perfect for a scent based on this particularly mysterious Tarot card.

in the vial: sweet, resiny. i can't pick out any notes at this point. wet on skin: like eating a piece of citrus fruit while standing next to a summer bonfire, under a big warm evergreen, getting dry after playing in the rain. dry down:this smells magickal. more accurately, like something i might anoint myself with before performing magick. sweet, resinous, and totally yummy without being food-y, this is a total, total keeper. in all: i'll be getting a big bottle, alright- probably several!

in the vial: plums and...rain? wet on skin: yup- plum incense and ozone alright! dry down: plum perfume and ozone. in all: a bit more "perfume-y" than i like my scents, this one might be good for enabling your conventional perfume-loving friends. for me, though, i think i'll pass...