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BPAL Madness!

tinyvulture

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Everything posted by tinyvulture

  1. tinyvulture

    The House

    this reminds me a lot of the GC scents Penny Dreadful and Zombi - rich, loamy earth mingled with florals. there’s a sweet incense note that’s really gorgeous. the incense and dirt seem to be competing to be the most dominant note. when the incense is on top, i love it. it’s a dark, mysterious, masculine scent. but then the dirt takes over, and i don’t love it so much. i wish the incense didn’t disappear so quickly, and i wish the scent was stronger overall.
  2. tinyvulture

    Prospero

    in the bottle this smells like rich, sweet wine. it’s absolutely bursting with grape and plum, strong and bold. it quickly loses strength, though, as the musk and amber come forward and turn the fruits soft, warm and powdery. light florals linger in the background. i adore plum, so i should love this scent, but it fades so quickly on me. if only it stayed strong, i think it would be an all-time favorite.
  3. tinyvulture

    Paris

    Sensual, decadent, and enigmatic. Lavender, softly underscored by lotus and spice. lotus is a note that’s grown on me. sometimes it’s cloying and bubblegummy, but at other times it can be sparkling and beautiful. because it’s so sweet and fruity, i never would have thought it would make a good combination with soothing lavender. but it does. when freshly applied, this smells sort of medicinal, which i don’t like so much. but after it dries, the lavender and lotus balance each other perfectly and the astringent note fades out. it’s a little soapy, but not in a bad way. it reminds me of a high-end, fancy french soap. a worldly, sophisticated scent.
  4. tinyvulture

    Mama-Ji

    i fell in love with this immediately. spicy florals – i’m not sure what the flowers are, exactly, but it reminds me a lot of the florals in dia de los muertos -- sweet and smoky. the nutmeg is really noticeable and it’s a perfect complement to the beautiful florals. after awhile it turns all powdery and warm, and the sweetness intensifies. gorgeous.
  5. tinyvulture

    Shango

    on me, this is like a pina colada – strong pineapple and coconut notes. apple and banana too. is there melon in this? something in it reminds me of ogun. unlike ogun, though, i don’t detect any chili pepper in this. there’s no spice, just a ton of tropical fruits. it’s a fun, summery scent.
  6. tinyvulture

    Kill-Devil

    a foody blend of molasses and honey. what a perfect combination these sweet syrups make. there’s a burnt sugar note in this that's sharp and almost tart -- in fact, i mistook it for lemon at first. but it fades over time and blends in with everything else. the oak adds a lovely woody base. decadent and addictive.
  7. tinyvulture

    Ile de la Tortue

    a breezy, tropical scent. i love a good orchid scent and this one is happy and summery. i thought it would be a bit more earthy from the nicotiana and vetiver, as well as the mysterious “damp stone,” but i’m not picking up those notes at all. it’s a whirl of various tropical flowers and woods, with a slight sourness from the palm wine that makes it more intriguing.
  8. tinyvulture

    Urania

    this is pretty, but not really “me.” it’s a super powdery floral. i don’t think i really care for moonflower, since i always seem “meh” about scents containing it. but i admit, i’m not really sure what it smells like, on its own. here, i mostly smell the jasmine, which is extremely powdery (i think i said that already) and soft. the white musk and benzoin add some sweetness and warmth, but this scent still feels very “distant” to me, white and quiet, like a far away star. maybe that’s due to the ozone. i’d like it if my clothes smelled like this after i washed them, but it’s not something i’d wear as a perfume. off to swaps.
  9. tinyvulture

    Goblin

    oh Goblin, i love you! strong, pure patchouli combines perfectly with tropical coconut, and the benzoin adds just the right amount of sweetness. the coconut note really reminds me of Lush’s Skinny Dip. a delightful scent. the coconut is sweet and fun, but the patchouli grounds it and gives it a darker, earthy side. it’s kind of similar to Brown Jenkins, but i prefer this scent because of all the patchouli! i think this is great to wear year-round.
  10. tinyvulture

    Mary Read

    at first this is a sharp, biting aquatic. you can really smell the salty sea air. as it dries, an odd combination of mint and smoke comes forward and mixes with the sea air. and now it’s turning sickly sweet, as most aquatics do on me. *sigh*. i hoped this one would work for me. a bit later, the sarsaparilla and leather finally make their appearance. they sure smell nice. but it was hard to resist washing it off during the cloying phase. off to swaps.
  11. tinyvulture

    The Snow Storm

    This bears a resemblance to its Yule companion, November, in that they both contain a sweet, wintry, slushy note. But there are no dried leaves in this. Instead, it's an evergreen forest, with clear, crisp pine notes accented by sharp mint. It's more subdued than 2005's Talvikuu, but they are extremely similar. It calls to mind a quiet, peaceful woodsy landscape, covered in whiteness. The snow shows no signs of letting up, and the wind is the only sound. Another gorgeous, nostalgic winter scent.
  12. tinyvulture

    The Peacock Queen

    if Rose Red is a young, fresh new rose among greenery, Peacock Queen is a more mature rose at the peak of its bloom, resting in a bed of dried rose petals. it has more depth and complexity, but less strength and throw. the Queen is older and more experienced, richly sophisticated… her beauty is rare and breathtaking, but she’s starting to fade a little around the edges.
  13. tinyvulture

    Rose Red

    the lushest, most intoxicating rose scent i’ve ever smelled. it’s so heady – like burying your nose in a few dozen fresh-cut red beauties. it’s all here – the strong powdery perfume of the velvety red petals and the fresh greenery of the leaves. a perfect showcase for a lovely, romantic flower, with no other notes diluting its pure essence. need a bottle.
  14. tinyvulture

    Havana

    on me, this smells mainly of tobacco and rich leather. also, i’m not sure what snakeroot and date palm smell like, but i smell something really dark and earthy, and some kind of woods/resins. a polished, masculine scent, powerful and sexy. i love the tobacco note in this; it’s so strong and spicy.
  15. tinyvulture

    Allison Gross

    a sharp herbal blend with florals. i’m not familiar with most of these floral notes, so i can’t really pick out individual notes. the combination, however, feels warm and summery. the dragon’s blood musk is lovely and spicy, although not extremely strong. i like the surprising bitterness of the various herbs – it makes this scent more interesting than your typical floral blend.
  16. tinyvulture

    Mistletoe

    on me, this smells quite a bit like a freshly cut Christmas tree, only slightly sharper and more herbal. there’s a hint of slushy snow. i love how clean and green and crisp this is. it really clears your sinuses and evokes holiday nostalgia at the same time. want a bottle.
  17. tinyvulture

    Plunder

    loose chai tea with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, stored in a carved wooden box. all that’s missing is the milk and sugar. as far as chai blends go, i think the rich warmth of Bengal is a little nicer and more complex than this… but this is much stronger while Bengal fades away so quickly. so now I’m torn. which chai is better? well that depends on what you’re looking for, i guess. the mixture of spices is so nostalgic and comforting, and i love how the sharpness of the cinnamon is tempered by the dusty sandalwood and smooth tobacco. a keeper.
  18. tinyvulture

    Midnight Kiss

    this reminds me somewhat of the chocolate/fruit GC scents blood kiss and intrigue, only richer. chocolate covered cherry is what i smell at first. then the other notes come out and it becomes very deep and complex. lots of warm vibrant red musk and dirty patchouli make it incredibly sexy. and of course i always love amber and sandalwood. there’s just a hint of tobacco. i adore this; i just wish it was stronger. it comes on strong, but fades quickly.
  19. tinyvulture

    Lysander

    at first, something about this smells very masculine, like a floral men’s cologne. i can’t pick out the individual floral notes except for the violet. i also smell tart lime, sweet tonka, and…is there sandalwood in this? i smell something woodsy and slightly dusty. there’s also something green and herbal that comes out later – the blackberry leaf, maybe? i wasn’t sure about keeping this one because my husband doesn’t like to wear floral blends. but actually, after it dries, the cologne aspect seems to fade and now i’m thinking i'll be the one who ends up wearing it, because i really like this sweet floral/woods combo.
  20. tinyvulture

    Dragon's Musk

    sweet, spicy, rich dragon’s blood, the same as in my beloved dragon’s milk and blood moon, warmed here by heady musk. i think love dragon’s milk only slightly more, but it’s a tough call. this is so warm and glowing. it just seems to love my skin – it’s one of those amazing BPAL musk blends that feels like a “second skin” because it blends so well with my chemistry. beautiful.
  21. tinyvulture

    Philosopher in Meditation

    Smoldering woodfire embers, Galen's Kyphi, and Abramelin incense. yet another dark, rich, woodsy, smoky, PERFECT incense blend. there are hints of the sacred church incense of Midnight Mass in this, combined with the deep, black woods of Sri Lanka, the honeyed resins of Athens, and the luscious fruity wine notes of Urd or Haloa. i’m naming some of my all-time favorite BPALs here, so suffice to say that a combination of these notes is absolute heaven for me. if you like incense and spices, honey and wine, this blend is for you. it’s quiet and dignified, but also quietly celebratory and joyful.
  22. tinyvulture

    Chanukkiyah

    this scent immediately reminded me of something, and i wracked my brain trying to figure out what. then i realized – Fig Newtons! yes, that's exactly what it smells like! on me, Chanukkiyah is a blend of strong fig and crumbly, buttery cake (i’m guessing that’s the sufganiyot donut and the brown sugar). an extremely foody scent – i’m not picking up the beeswax or olive oil notes at all. i don’t notice the pomegranate either, but the amber does come out after awhile to add its usual lovely warmth.
  23. tinyvulture

    Angeronalia

    this citrus-floral blend is not very strong. but it’s lovely in its own delicate, subtle way – quietly joyful. i can pick out the nectarine and orange notes, and a slight bitterness that must be the olive blossom. honey and gardenia float in the background. i don’t smell the patchouli at all.
  24. tinyvulture

    Diwali

    on me, this is a creamy fruity-floral blend. i can definitely smell the lotus. i sometimes find lotus too cloying, but it’s pleasantly sweet and cheerful here. i also get hints of jasmine, fruit, and perhaps tobacco? really, the notes are combined so seamlessly that it’s difficult to pick out individual notes. the overall effect, though, is light, exotic and warm.
  25. tinyvulture

    Crowley

    bright red in the imp, this blend is strong and warm and sexy when i apply it to my skin. i smell a mixture of heady red musk, patchouli, and leather. not picking up the vanilla or lemon, which is odd since my chemistry usually amps them. there’s a touch of cologne but i wouldn’t describe this as a “men’s cologne” scent. it’s nice on either sex, actually. i get hints of oakmoss and mahogany but they never really come out to play. sexy, fun, and evil all at the same time
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