tinyvulture

It’s cool how these are all haunted house blends, but they are all different and have their own vibe. Rickety staircase is clean, polished wood (oak?) and soft, warm amber. It’s not screaming “old and abandoned” to me, more like well cared for but still spooky. You feel the elegance but sense something’s a little off kilter.  Others mentioned the aldehyde fizziness and maybe that’s it.  Maybe it’s cared for by ghosts.

The thing is I don’t even like black licorice, but I still wanted this. The sharp anise bite of the licorice pairs so well with sugary Smut, a perfect contrast to its sweetness. Love it.

So realistic and beautiful!  Like walking through the woods, the ground strewn with leaves and fir needles.  I also notice the honey! It adds a surreal touch to the forest scene in my mind.  I’m a forest scent lover, I’ve tried them all, and this blend is very special! I’ll have to track down a bottle.

Very soft, powdery champaca and rose.  The amber is subtle, warm, and powdery dry.  I’m not picking up any bergamot. Secret Lovers is delicate, feminine, secretive.  It stays very close to the skin and it’s very pretty.

This is from 2015 so it may have gone off.  All I’m getting is sour dead leaves note.  It has a men’s cologne vibe like October.  Wish I could have tried it sooner

Sweet slush, clay, and maybe dragon’s blood?  Sweet but nefarious. Hidden danger. Sooooo extremely fitting.

Darkly sweet, succulent blackberries. OMG how gorgeous. The berry note is juicy and true, and the opoponax and labdanum are the perfect incense backdrop. Going on my buy-bottle list  If you like sweet resins and fruit, definitely don’t pass this one up!

Wow, so gorgeous. Creamy, buttery vanilla. Not buttery in a foodie sense! Just rich and warm.  Cognac is a note that’s always very delicate and goes into hiding on my skin, but also one that I love. I’m not picking up the davana or chamomile. I just get a light hint of soft florals here and there. Not floral to the extent of Antique Lace, although the scent is similar. Mostly, it’s the most amazing creamy vanilla, and I’m going to need a bottle.

At first this is all apple. After a few minutes, I get honey and vanilla. So it’s very foody for me. There’s a touch of floral from the orange blossom but it comes and goes. A sweet, pretty, summery scent, I might not need a whole bottle but it’s darn nice.

I love me some palo santo, I will order any BPAL that lists it as a component.  And its smoky yet lemony, herbal scent is really the star in this blend. If you like “clean” citrus/herbal blends, definitely check this one out!

I love BPAL scent descriptions that cause me to  have a Very Specific Scent Memory Association and here’s one!  Going to Frontier City in OKC back in the day when they had Fright Fest going on, and standing in line forever to get into their rad haunted house, but it was OK cause the air was perfumed with funnel cakes and other deep-fried fair delicacies. So how is the actual perfume? PSIYHH is quite cinnamony, which I don’t really associate with funnel cakes but it doesn’t sound BAD does it? Sprinkle that bad boy with cinnamon sugar straight out of the fryer? Gonna give it a minute for the cinnamon to calm down...once it does (slightly), I get a bit of cedar. But it’s clear the cinnamon is really not going anywhere. And there’s a bit of maple as well? So rather than the buttery fried dough and powdered sugar I was expecting, we get pancakes with cinnamon sugar, which is cool, just different.

I love blends that really give me “haunted house” vibes and this is one of them.  Warm polished woods, tea, clove, tobacco, dust, yes, those are present. But this blend also captures stillness, emptiness, an abandoned place with a past. And THAT is a vibe I love.

Dark wine, with a medicinal sharp note that I think is the yew needles, and a slight metallic blood vibe. This scent is bold and powerful. A victorious gulp of wine after a tough battle. Here for it.

A medicinal/herbal blend with a vetiver base, and saltwater. Vetiver can be harsh on me, and others found it so here, but this is lovely on me. A unisex blend, I’d like my husband to wear it as well.

At first, sheer tobacco, which is a no-go for me. (It’s not work appropriate and also makes me sneeze.) After 20 seconds I get a whiff of amber with it’s rocky, salty undertones. Opoponax is in hiding.  After a full minute it’s more evenly balanced tobacco and amber. It’s unique, feels a bit sad, thoughtful, wistful to me? Glad I got to test it, just have to pass on the tobacco.

This is from 2017 and it’s pretty faded on me. I get hints of sandalwood, florals, and bergamot.  It’s very pretty, cheerful, but sooooo soft and close to the skin. Off to swaps, maybe it will amp more on someone else.

Instantly makes me think of Lush’s Butterball, creamy and cocoa buttery. Honey and vanilla, definitely present. It’s a lovely powdery honey note.  No oudh detectable.  I wish this was slightly stronger, but it’s lovely, a scent you could wear daily. Might look for a bottle.

Black amber, with its rocky, salty warmth, is the first thing I notice. The peppery tobacco is also present, which makes it a no-go for me. The nutmeg adds even more spice. I’m not picking up any sweet notes like vanilla or benzoin. This blend is strong, warrior-like, serious. Not a ton of throw but my decant is 5 years old.

Coconut milk and frankincense, and honeyed osmanthus -- what a killer combination.  So unique.  The osmanthus and coconut are made for each other.  The honey has an almost lemony twang.  The frankincense fades immediately. Now I’m left with a straight up tropical paradise vibe. Hedonistic and lush. Love it.

A cool, distant floral perfume.  It’s ethereal and ghostly.  You have to get close to even notice it  Orchid, mostly.  A little bit of faint rose, and creamy vanilla, but not sweet  It’s mysterious and alluring.  Wish it was a little stronger, but this decant is 5 years old.

I smell mostly green tea, chamomile, and honey.  It’s a waxy honey, not too sweet. It smoothes and subdues the tea notes.  I thought there was lavender as well, but I guess not  A lovely blend for calm relaxation or sleep, I adore it.

More spice than pumpkin, which I like! Smells like a spice cookie with white icing. Sweet, cinnamony.  It’s so real -- you can practically taste the cookie.  Really cheerful and cozy!

I was frimped a sniffie of Cake Smash.  On me it’s red velvet Snake Oil, whoa.  Cake, cake, cake -- sweetness overload. I’m not really picking up the cream cheese icing, and I’m not getting even a hint of Dorian.  Mostly red velvet cake and Snake Oil, with a verrry subtle leather undertone from Doc Constantine.  I love it, and I can see getting a lot of compliments when I wear it.

A golden-orange oil.  The scent is dry, warm amber with a men’s cologne vibe.  The oudh sweetens and amplifies the amber, bringing out its spiciness. Smells refined, expensive.  Not super strong, stays close to the skin.

Really weak on me, sadly! Very light amber and a whisper of frankincense.  And then it’s gone!