Aldercy

I was hoping for this to be dominant on all the notes except the berries, actually. I adore musk, fig, and honey, and wouldn't have minded a little blueberry. Berries are hit or miss on me, and I was very nervous when this looked like it was going to be heavy on the berries at first sniff. Artificial, "Barbie doll plastic" raspberry came out as the top note at first. Very upsetting, but that gets largely swallowed up in the drydown and everything else really blooms. Berry Moon is mostly thick, dark woodland honey (pointedly not foody) with a hint of dry, chewy, purple fig to provide a nice grounding. The musk blends pretty seamlessly with the honey, but it kind of reminds me of a richer, more heady version of skin musk. The threat of plastic is almost nonexistent now and I thank my chemistry for not focusing on it. The other elements of this blend are hearty enough to make up for it.

I think my favorite thing about Belladonna is that the oil is actually green-- transparent apple green. Never seen that exact color before! As for the scent, this starts out smelling just like lemon-lime soda. Then it turns to menthol and dusty, leathery acid. Venomous and harsh, this one.

Dragon's Blood is dragon's blood, alright. DBR is such a dominant note that it usually floats to the top of any blend that includes it-- so Blood Amber, Dragon's Milk, Ladon, etc. are all pretty much single note perfumes on me with just slight variations to distinguish them. Yet I am somehow not bored by this actual single note perfume, despite already having similar scents. It's not as sweet as Blood Amber, not as creamy as Dragon's Milk, not as floral as Ladon. I get nothing remotely resembling lilac, lotus, soap, rose, spice, incense or anything else others mention. Dragon's blood is what it is. If anything, it smells like cheerful magic fruit to me. lol. Very buoyant and red.

*WAILS and RENDS GARMENTS* Cedar. Cedar, you bastard. Get away from my frankincense and myrrh, hateful beast! ... okay, I think the sheer force of my cedar exorcism actually helped. This is a big blast of cedar when wet. Which almost made me cry. But it is getting better on the drydown. Definitely more smoky, peppery resins now, and the cedar slinks into the background to morph into something more mild and evergreeny. The base of the scent is now more of a dark brown frankincense with a tiny drop of rose. The rose is somehow not floral, it's just a speck of rose-infused incense which is barely noticeable beyond the other notes of myrrh smoke, rough bark and maybe a hint of beeswax. This is definitely a very serious... very dim, flickering, smoldering kind of scent. I've been suffocated with quite a lot of Roman Catholic incense in my day and this is definitely the basic premise of it, but more suitable for human wear. I think I am somewhat disappointed just because I wanted something really similar to Valentine of Rome, and this just isn't quite it. If I hadn't been expecting the greatness of VoR, I would have been much more impressed. Also, I should know better than to try this when it's fresh out of the mail. I will let it settle and cool from its journey and see if that makes any improvement. Also, I love the label art.

This was so faint to me, I wasn't even sure it was there. But, then, silly me, I actually tried it in the bath. Never crossed my mind to use it straight, as perfume, like everyone is saying. Still, it did have a delicate, translucent sweetness. I think I need to seek out more things with a rice flower note....

I had wild dreams of a pleasantly strange mushroom and myrrh scent, but those are exactly the two scents I do not get from Motley. *shakes fist at blackcurrant* You thrice-damned fruit of death, you. Quit ruining my perfume. It was perfectly fine in Medea and Red Lantern, but has turned into mothball-and-plastic-flavored lollipop in this (and Eat Me and Dragon's Heart). So, yes. Mothball-and-plastic-flavored lollipop. And a little smoke. Gah.

No strong leather (only the faintest tinge, and I picture it like more of a pale buckskin rather than oiled black leather). This is extremely feminine and wistful. The "pink musk" seems to be in the family of skin musk and/or Chinese musk, as far as I can tell, because it reminds me both of Giant Vulva and Wood Phoenix. The overall effect is actually a bit similar to Giant Vulva with the addition of a cool tea note. It's a distant, translucent floral soaked in musk (that happens to resemble two of my most favorite varieties). The tea feels a little more green than black to me. It's very dreamy, and not particularly warlike. Mmm. I'm so glad I like this. I love the story of Mulan.

Phantom cow milk and oregano! And when I say "phantom cow milk," that's exactly what I mean. It's a distant, cold, aquatic milk. Extremely clever. The herbal qualities are quite sharp and dominate on the dry-down. There's definitely oregano in there (which I love), but also a dusty mint (which is very ominous). I'm not sure about the overall effect. The interaction between the watery milk and harsh greens is turning the scent a little... rubbery... on me. Oh, heartbreak! This was so exciting wet, but now it's smelling like rubber gloves. I'll test it again in a couple days, but it's looking like Nonae Caprotina is still the milk blend for me.

Mm, coconut, molasses, and tobacco with spiced incense. Actually, I distinctly disliked this wet (stale buttery ooze), but I'm seriously warming up to it. The coconut is milky and warm, and somehow does not feel tropical or lighthearted at all. The other notes are so dark and smokey and sophisticated that any associations with suntan lotion are completely out of the question. I'm loving the woodsy brown heat of the tobacco, and while molasses is not listed, I distinctly smell it. It's very like the rough musky molasses note in Gunpowder. Lovely debauchery. Definitely a shamelessly sensual blend, and I love it. It doesn't seem to last really long though.

Weirdly, my first thought on trying Wezwanie/Hold was "If Jack and Huesos de Santo could breed, this would be the result." Which is kind of odd since there are no notes in common at all. Of course, Jack smells like straight-up roasted nuts on my skin, so I suppose it's the hazelnut speaking to me. The hazelnut is very prominent, and very rich. There's also an "incensey cake" note that recalls Huesos. Very much a lovechild of the two, plus a heady vanilla. A little more red sandalwood and honey probably would have made this hoard-worthy, but it's still really nice. Heavy, warm and decadent, as you would probably guess, but not overwhelming or sugary. I can't decide whether to place it in the "food" category or the "omgsex" category. It's both.

Not too bad for something with a significant fresh water note. It's not soapy, just unexciting. The white rose and frankincense that I love in White Rose are just as gorgeous in Eanach Dhuin, but overall the blend is a bit duller. So, resin and rose with clean water and a touch of spice. The clove (very "chai tea," this clove) and aquatic notes interact interestingly-- it's an unexpected combination, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's fairly gender neutral to me.

Nope, in my experience (which isn't a huge amount) the snow note is not minty. It's, well... snow. Not like ozone or Irish Spring or anything else, just cold. It's really masterful, and I have no idea how Beth does it. And here I was just coming to say that I'm pretty sure the "snow" note is a combination of some type of mint and eucalyptus. At least, that's what it always smells like to me. Weird! Okay, well, I'll chalk that up to skin chemistry differences. It doesn't seem minty on me at all, though I can see the eucalyptus. So, Mousesong, believe whatever you want! There are no easy answers in the world of BPAL.

Nope, in my experience (which isn't a huge amount) the snow note is not minty. It's, well... snow. Not like ozone or Irish Spring or anything else, just cold. It's really masterful, and I have no idea how Beth does it. But most aquatics don't work on me, while snow does. Y'ha-nthlei is really the only aquatic that's great on my skin and I think that's because it's not a "clean" aquatic-- it's muddied up with ambergris and stuff. If you would like to try to make aquatics work, you might try looking for something with some other, harsher notes to balance it out (though the blood of The Sea Foams Blood is pretty visceral and that didn't help, so I don't know). Anyway, my point was, aquatics don't really like me, but snow does. And I'm sure there are others who have had the same experience. So I'd definitely give it a try if you can.

Wet: this smells like spiced holiday Coca-Cola! I love that stuff. But it morphs and overall is quite different. None of the Chinese musk that I found in Earth Phoenix and Wood Phoenix (), but I definitely get the red musk. Mmm. Indeed, it is a burning red-orange scent, but I think the tobacco brings in a dark "woodland" feel, making it seem alive and old and fertile. Pink pepper (which I'm finding I love way too much) and some unassuming fruit notes play around and keep it from getting too serious and angry. And there's a faint tinge of anise which I might be imagining. This is unlike any "fiery" blend I've tried and is not particularly spicy other than that first blast of cinnamon-nutmeg-Coke. I'm particularly pleased with the tobacco, which did not strike me as too masculine this time. Very nice.

Apple? No, that must be the pear-- it's a little softer than apple, but on the same order. Pear and amber for sure... with some dry leaves? and warm, brassy metal? Marotte is a very thick scent, but it has almost no throw. I don't think anyone would notice it unless they were hugging you, but then it would be very striking. It's definitely an autumnal blend to me-- golden-brown, earthy, tired. It makes me think of trees hunkering down for winter. The metallic note (not very strong, but definitely there) is one of the most "true" metallic scents I've yet encountered in BPAL-- it's a little rusty, but mostly reminds me of old coins warmed to life in the palm of your hand. And whatever this "bronze musk" is, I like it. It's slightly masculine, but nice. This is the only blend I've tried that had patchouli in it anywhere and yet worked. Woo! There may be hope yet for some of the hundreds of blends I've been avoiding on account of patchouli....

I think this is almost exactly what I thought it would be. Well, I had ridiculous high expectations, so maybe not exactly what I thought it would be. It's not The-Greatest-Thing-I-Have-Ever-Smelled. But the combination of notes does result in precisely the kind of mood I was expecting. Light, secretive and extremely sensual. Oh, skin musk, how I love thee. This is definitely a "second skin" perfume-- very close, very mellow. Clear, warm, gentle resins and slightly citrusy beeswax under a pale wash of honey and silky, liquid musk. Very sophisticated. A bit like O, only... thinner. This is gorgeous sprinkled with more gorgeous, yet somehow it's not uniquely "BPAL" to me. It smells pretty mainstream and, well, commercial... just better and more natural. I'm so used to wearing unconventionally beautiful perfume that this seems shockingly normal. Do I need a bottle? I'll test it again just to make sure it doesn't turn into feet or rotten cabbage or who knows what, but I think I need a bottle.

Oh my... creamy smoked vanilla with big ol' sexy flowers. The floral notes are pretty much fused together, as far as I can tell, but it does have a jasmine sort of attitude about it. And spiced pineapple candle? Yep, spiced pineapple candle. Bizarre, but not unpleasant. The spice is kind of cinnamon, but also kind of chili pepper, and it's barely there, but still faintly noticeable. The overall effect of this combination is kind of that of drinking a slushy, vanilla-drenched pina colada at a fiery, passionate luau. Also, warning: bees will fall in love with you. They will mistake you for their soul mate and try to woo you all afternoon while you're just trying to read your book on the freaking porch, thank-you-very-much.

Very odd, this one. There's something frothy and bubble-bathy about it. Kind of a wet, soapy, childlike floral with some sneaky, less-generic elements in the background-- perhaps the ambergris and carrot? And a slight sweet white wine note. I love both ambergris and carrot independently, but combined with the "bathwater" tone of this scent overall-- I just don't know what to think. It's not bad, just strange. Hmm.

Woah! Water? I'm not usually into aquatics, but this is throwing me for a loop both conceptually (since this is Death Valley we're talking about) and scent-wise (I quite like it!). The only other aquatic I've liked was Y'ha-nthlei and that's because it's not the classic "clean" aquatic. This is clean, yet enchanting and subversive. There are things going on I can't identify, and they're teasing me. I would say this is what water probably smells like when you're dying of thirst. In fact, it is making me thirsty. The Sailing Stones drips with succulence and brings to mind the fresh, fertile juices in cacti or aloe. Trickles of sweet, sand-filtered water over smooth dark stones. Essence of oasis. And there is a tiny flash of something that reminds me of Wood Phoenix, but I can't say which note is present in here, if any.

I think plenty of veterans (people way more experienced than me) put the bottle on their skin and turn it upside down. I'm just afraid to do it! The small hairs of one's arm amplifying the scent? Hm. I haven't thought of that. I've never been particularly pleased with the way my BPAL smells on the inside, smooth part of my arm (so most of it goes on my neck), but I may have to give that a try!

It seems like many of the chocolate blends need lots of gentle mixing. Cocoa must be heavy. Gula bath oil separates too.

Holy crap, I do not have the balls to try that. Or putting the mouth of the bottle against my arm and just upending it. You guys are brave, and I am impressed. I roll the bottle and dab generously from the lid, and I usually have to do it two or three times to get enough, but that's really the only way I feel comfortable doing it so far. Wandcaps are kind of sounding like the way to go, though... I'll definitely have to add a couple to my next order. (Though, does anyone else notice that some wands in the imps are really rough and others aren't? I have a few imps that I almost dislike using because the plastic wand has some slight protrusions that like to poke and scrape me). I did use Q-tips for a very short time (they steal too much of my oil for themselves, the fluffy bastards).

Sigh. I am completely enchanted with the artwork, but the scent is pretty much dry floral powder. I think I must have a problem with all sandalwood except red-- that, or sandalwood in conjunction with amber equals fluffy, boring powder (amber never turns to powder by itself on me). Red musk? Myrrh? Frankincense? Honey? They all love me, and I love them, but they are completely stifled if they're there at all. WHYYY?

The Plane of Joy, eternal reward for a lifetime of valor and glory. A place of eternal youth and beauty, strength and honor, music and revelry. The warmth of amber, the puissance of white ginger and the clarity of verbena, with fresh green grass, lush sage and cleansing droplets of summer rain. Verbena is so megalomaniacal. Unless there's at least ten other notes, it always seems to take over the scent for me. Mag Mell is, however, modestly pretty. It's verbena with dewy grass, verbena, ginger and, um, verbena. Not lemon cleaning fluid as is often my sad fate. It's very bouncy, very optimistic.

My god! Almond, is that you? Can it be? Have you given up your undying hatred for me? This was a frimp, and I was so disappointed and apprehensive because every note sounded beautiful except the almond: my nemesis. Almond normally smells like Something is Totally Burning in the Oven, Isn't It? on me, but not this time! What is happening? It must be that this is "sweet almond," and not the standard "angry, bitter almond." Oh, labbies, you sent me this on purpose to help me see the light, didn't you? (I can believe that if I want to). Anyway, Hellcat is a big dose of whippy white frosting drizzled with a thin, elegant trail of almond extract. And mead! Honest, gentle, good old honeyed mead. I loved it in Litha '06 and have been tearing out my hair in pursuit of something else (more attainable than Mead Moon) with that note. No rum here, which is probably good-- even though rum itself hasn't historically been a problem, "booze" is sometimes pretty medicinal and sour. And this is actually not as sickeningly sweet as it might sound. It's very foody, but hardly a diabetic coma in a vial.