Silvertree

Wet, in bottle: I almost didn't try this, because just opening the imp was enough to get a flood of butter so strong that I almost gagged. It made me feel sick and slightly greasy, and is the first scent to which I've had an overwhelmingly negative reaction.

As helarctos said, it immediately brings the buttered popcorn Jelly Belly jellybeans to mind; as I'm not a fan of that particular flavor, I don't think I want to smell of that scent. But I'll try it, just to see what might happen....

Wet, on skin: That's a bit better. It's no longer so overwhelmingly buttery (I thought I had stumbled upon the previously-undiscovered Butter Single Note), and some spices are starting to pop up. Still a bit popcorny, so I don't think this is the scent for me. No apples or leaves, and no strong spices, all of which I would love.

Dry: Peach! Warm, sun-ripened peaches, perhaps baked into a pie with a little brown sugar and cinnamon. No cloves or apples or pumpkin for me, but the peaches are pleasant and much more welcome than butter. This is more of a summery scent than an autumnal blend; it smells nice, but it wasn't quite what I was hoping for.

ETA: I wrote this review quite some time ago, and am just getting around to posting it. I've since swapped away the two imps I had and now I've got Pumpkin King to compare to Jack, and... well, read the review!

I've wanted to smell Rakshasa for quite some time. I love resinous scents, and I'm getting more and more into florals thanks to BPAL. So here goes....

Wet, in bottle: I smell... orange rind? Not the fruit, but the fresh, slightly bitter oil that oozes from the rind and coats your fingers when you're zesting an orange for cooking.

Wet, on skin: There's still some orange, but the bitterness is tempered by the gorgeous roses that unfold. There's the sandalwood, too- this is like lounging in a grand pavilion out in the wilds, with yards of silk rippling in the breeze and bouquets of roses thirstily sucking up precious water in huge enameled bowls. You lean back on the cushions, which release the scent of the sandalwood chests that hold the pillows and rugs and draperies when the tent isn't set up; the notes all blend into a harmonious whole.

Drydown: A true shapeshifter, Rakshasa changes from orange to rose/sandalwood to almost pure, dry wood. I still get hints of the oranges and roses, so I hope that those will return. If not, since it's just a bit too woody, I'll pass this on to my mom, who dearly loves sandalwood.

Wait a moment. Did it hear me? Now the roses are back, and some patchouli, as well as the orange. Now I'm getting wood polished with orange oil, a little bit of rose, and just a hint of patchouli, like a fresh (not dried) potpourri in a little wooden bowl. How peculiar that it morphs in this way... I quite like it, either way it decides to morph, but it's not the head-over-heels love I feel for some scents.

Fruity and floral, La Bella Donna Mia Mente reminds me of the Medieval recipes I've made that list rose as one of the ingredients. This is a lovely, womanly scent that is more "traditionally perfumey" than many of the oils I've tried so far.

However, I don't know if I'm ready to wear it yet. Perhaps when I have a grown-up occasion, and I'm all dressed up to go out. Somehow it seems disrespectful to invoke this lovely lady when I'm running around in jeans and a t-shirt or going to the office.

Mmm. I first tried Fae a while ago, and wasn't too fond of it. I don't know if it's a weather thing, a skin chemistry phenomenon, or what, but now I quite like it.

Peach, tea (the bergamot), musk... this is Dorian and Aglaea having a romp outdoors in a remote corner of the gardens on a warm spring day. I don't know if I'll get a bottle, but I will enjoy my imp!

Out of the bottle, before I can even identify the scents I'm smelling, something comes rushing out and hits me in the brain. It's sharp and biting and my head actually hurts.

Then, astonishingly, my sinuses clear. Better than Claritin or Benadryl (and I didn't even realize that I had a stuffed head). I can now smell Phantasm's lovely lemon herbiness, which is sharp and refreshing. It's lemon balm, not the lemon citrus fruit, and is clean and pure and busily clearing away all the cobwebs in my head.

Even if I didn't like this for the fragrance, I would definitely appreciate it for the effect it's having on me! I feel more awake and aware of my surroundings. Good morning!

ETA: having tried this, I can't wait to compare it to other lemon blends so that I can flesh out my reviews a bit. Yay!

Alice is the shy little girl hiding behind the teapot and floral arrangements at a tea party. On my skin, the scent is sweet and soft and all but invisible. I smell a little whiff of something milky- the smell of a clean, happy newborn who just fed. It is comforting and pleasant, but I practically need to stuff my wrist straight up my nose to smell anything at all.

Another Convergence bottle, by way of the fiendishly enabling (and oh-so-generous) chopchica!

Miskatonic University arrives in a pretty amber bottle, but I really think it would be more appropriate decanted into a hip flask. Especially since I want to carry this around with me and have it available at all times. Much as St. Bernards traditionally carried barrels of brandy to fortify and revive lost skiers and hikers, this scent could perk up all but the completely comatose. Student zombies, take note!

I love the aroma of coffee even better than the taste, but the caffeine rush is the best thing about these tiny brown beans. After my first sniff of the bottle I wonder if Beth has managed to include caffeine molecules along with the coffee notes, as I feel much more energized and awake. The creaminess and whiskey waft out, like an utterly decadent oversized mug of Irish Coffee.

On my skin, the oil stays pretty true to its bottle scent. I don't get too much of the dusty books or wood notes. It's like sitting in Caffe Reggio in the West Village drinking a huge mug of coffee, where the wood paneling just gives off the slightest tinge of something. It's the smell of the librarian's office, where the book wranglers need all the help they can get to stay awake (because you don't want to fall asleep around some of these tomes).... It's more of an atmosphere than a wood smell, if that makes any sense.

As it dries, however, the different notes blend into a beautiful and exciting combination. Miskatonic University is the Dorian of the coffee scents! I'm not sure how this scent made the progression from waking me up to turning me on, but I can easily see how that all-nighter in the rare books wing could become a caffeine-fueled encounter in a remote corner of the stacks. Mmmmm.

In the bottle: The Ides of March is very fresh and crisp- clean and green and a bit medicinal in the sense that these aren't cooking herbs, but healing plants.

Wet, on skin: The lemon rind makes an appearance, but it's still herbal and fresh. I get more lemon balm than the citrusy lemon fruit. My skin starts to bring out the amber and cardamom, so a warm spiciness mingles in with the fresh green herbs. I'm getting a little bit of the rosemary, and maybe just the slightest hint of the florals.

Dry, on skin: Fresh and very spring-like, The Ides of March is a lovely youth standing in an herb garden with a crown of greenery and amber jewelry. I spilled a bit of the bottle on the table right before reviewing this, so I ended up slathering on more than I would normally apply. However, it's not overwhelming, so I suspect that if I used a smaller amount, it would be fainter.

The Ides of March is one of my favorite days- my friends and I love saying, "Beware the Ides of March!" I'm so glad I ordered this- coolness quotient aside, it's a beautiful and refreshing scent that's perfect for spring and summer. I will cherish my bottle!

I had fun playing photographer last night... enjoy!

Source: The lovely chopchica sent this to me fresh from Convergence! Shub-Niggurath arrived in an amber bottle, with a light brown label decorated with the five-pointed star from this image. (See pictures in the LE labels thread.)

Preconceived notions: As soon as I read that this was supposed to smell of "evil gingersnaps," I was desperate to try it. I love spicy blends, and ginger is a particular weakness of mine. So I'm expecting this to smell quite a bit like the Gingerbread Man's evil twin.

In the bottle: Immediately I smell pure, fresh ginger- the scent that rises from the cutting board as you peel back the skin from a hunk of the root. It's fresh and juicy, and tingles in my nose a bit. There's also something herbal going on in the background- again, very juicy and fresh, as if there are fresh leaves stuffed into the bottle that are just oozing green. Not tree leaves, but spicy herbs that definitely smell powerful... that must be the ritual herbs.

Wet on skin: The oil is a pale gold, and not too thick. I close my eyes, and I am wandering through the forest with a woven basket and a knife to harvest the components I'm searching for. They're rare and won't grow in a garden- you must go into the woods and search them out if you need them. Only then will you be able to include them in your endeavors- that is, if they want to be found. The ginger and herbs balance out, and I'm chopping the herbs finely and mixing them in a big wooden bowl with the ginger. I'm not sure what the aphrodisical spices might be, but I think I smell cinnamon and- cardamom? Not certain, but it is a very exciting and invigorating scent.

Dry on skin: Dry, Shub-Niggurath is mostly ginger again, but the green herbal juiciness is still present. I'm wracking my brains trying to come up with which herbs might be part of this blend, as there's a nice freshness but also a little bit of something peppery. Chicory? Cress? I don't know what it is, but I know that I love it. This scent is very warm on my skin, but it's a gentle heat. Also, a bit of incense unfolds- warm and spicy, not smokey.

Final impressions: This is such a lovely scent! I'm sad to admit it, but I'm not terribly familiar with Lovecraft's work. However, the Springtime in Arkham line has inspired me to start reading his stories. I'm not too familiar with the mythology surrounding Shub-Niggurath, so I'm sad to say that the scent doesn't mean as much to me as it might to someone who has read Lovecraft more extensively. Having said that, this scent does not invoke corruption or anything dark- it's warm and spicy and fresh (all my favorites!) and I find it both energizing and comforting. I can't attest to its effectiveness as a lust incense, but I'll endeavor to do some research.

Those who love Three Witches and Gingerbread Poppet should definitely give this a sniff. There is none of the floury/cakey essence of Gingerbread Poppet, but I'm glad this scent is distinctive. I certainly plan to stock up!

Graveyard Dirt's label has a gray border and "RIP" in an unusual font. It's cute in a Nightmare Before Christmas kinda way.

and i, um, put a lemon on my seder plate this year. i didn't have an orange   

We also didn't have an orange so we substitued a mango

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I love it! As my (gay) friend Kev would say, "it's all fruit!"

I *really* want a Miriam scent now.

Voodoobaby, that would be great! I'll post those recipes tomorrow morning for you.

I think we do that.  We have a lovely blue glass bowl half-filled with water.  Of course, it also has whimsical little frogs that my mom hung around the edges.  Mom's sense of humor is.... special.  Let's just call it special.

 

Funny, they forgot the orange this year.  Especially amusing in light of the link you posted -- we have 2 extremely Out members of the family.  But I've always heard the more common story about it.

 

And now that I'm completely off topic... let's make a vague attempt to reel it in.  As to the charoses scent that someone suggested -- apples, red wine, cinnamon & a hint of herbs -- that sounds a bit like the description of Tintagel.    A bit.

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Oh, our table is covered with frogs! In fact, the table isn't considred set until we make sure that the Plagues are well represented! I like your mom's sense of humor- it sounds very familiar.

I put the orange on the plate half-way through dinner, as we had forgotten it. When we went to the 2nd night Seder, at my parents' friends' house, there was a lot of discussion about its meaning, but I didn't want to blurt out the story in front of 20 or so older people. You never know how they'd take it...

I'll have to swipe Tintagel back from the boy. I wore Ides of March on Saturday, though. Mmm!

How does one go about pronouncing "Tzadikim Nistarim"? That "tza" sound is probably going to kill my poor tongue.

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The emphasis would go: Tsa DEE keem Nees TA reem. The "tza" sound has a soft "s" rather than a hard "z"; it's like the "ts" in "tse-tse".

I'm finding this thread even more fascinating than I originally imagined it could be!

I like reading about the ties between religions- even though I identify mainly as a Reform Jew, I love reading about other faiths. I'm especially intrigued by symbols that are important to people across the lines of religion, like the Tree of Life (looks at forum name).

Voodoobaby, I'm curious as to what your thoughts might be on Jews for Jesus. Are their beliefs similar to those who follow the Messianic tradition? If you want to take this to e-mail or PM, please let me know!

Keeping this on topic, I may go with the Apothecary. It's nice and herbal. Or maybe an apply scent, although apples belong to Rosh Hashanah.

I would love to have a scent for Miriam! Strong and a bit mysterious, but warm and caring and joyous. Maybe a little aquatic (for Miriam's well, and her involvement in putting Moses into the river), or citrusy (for the orange on the Seder plate). Actually, I would love a spicy citrus scent (does anybody know of any others?). I'm imagining clove and star anise and orange, like the orange pomanders you make by sticking cloves into an orange and letting it dry. Yum! It could also have some pomegranate, because those taste like Israel to me.

Also, I wants me some Pomelo. Citrus from the Holy Land, anyone?

ETA: For those not familiar with the orange on the Seder plate, I had heard a story from my congregation's Rabbit that apparently during a talk given by Susanna Heschel, there was some guy who griped about female Rabbis. He said that having a woman on the Bimah was like having bread on the Seder plate. In answer to his comment, she supposedly answered, "No, a female Rabbi is like an *orange* on the Seder plate. It doesn't traditionally belong there, but it is not forbidden. So now some put oranges on the Seder plate to show that they're in favor of having women be Rabbis.

Incidentally, my Rabbi is female.

Oh, and further ETA: I found this link explaining the orange story... which is vastly different from the one I heard. Further explanation is here.

I also like having Miriam's Well represented on the table, but I can't remember if we do that at my house or not.

Wow- thank you, guys, for the great suggestions! It's definitely nice to see other MoT (Members of the Tribe ) here, although I hope nobody thought I was asking for responses from Jews only. I hope people didn't feel excluded...

I love the Ten Plagues idea. FROGS! My mom loves frogs, and we always put out her (fake) frog collection on the Seder table. It's almost as entertaining as my cousin and me slumping or falling off of our chairs to represent the Tenth Plague. Hey, we were 10 and 8, respectively. We thought we were funny. Speaking of the Tenth Plague, I don't think I have it in my collection, but Wings of Azrael would probably be appropriate.

Hmm, special Passover scents- Hillel Sandwich? Apples, sweet red wine, cinnamon, and bitter herbs, grounded by the weight of unleavened bread.

I'm definitely going to miss carbs.

Voodoobaby, the annointing oil sounds fantastic! Could the "cane" you mentioned

be cane sugar? I love myrrh and cinnamon. In terms of Passover birthdays, (Happy Birthday, by the way!) my family has some great Kosher-for-Passover dessert recipes; my mom will be making Mississippi Praline Meringues (brown sugar & pecans. I eat these things by the bucketful), and I'm tackling a Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte (four ingredients: chocolate, butter, eggs, and sugar. GUH.) with a fresh raspberry sauce. My sister's Bat Mitzvah was during Passover, so we came up with a bunch of great dishes and desserts to have at the reception. The only thing we missed was my mom's amazing challah!

I'll post the recipes in Eat, Drink, and Be Merry sometime in the next couple of days.

Chag Sameach, everyone!

(p.s. I find myself wishing that we could have a BPAL Seder! How much fun would that be?!?!)

Hmm....try something herbal but with a bite. I'm having first night at my place, and I'll probably end up in either Sol or Wolfsbane. Don't forget that part of the night is about 'eating reclined, as if we were people of lesiure'--sounds like a soft and comfy scent time for me 

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Hmm, I don't have either of the two you mentioned, but I definitely have some herbal scents. Don't want any bitter Maror, although I'll probably smell like the Charoset I'm making!

I like the "soft and comfy" idea, too! Hmm. Chaste Moon is incredibly comforting to me, like mint buttercream frosting. So many beautiful choices! Thanks for your input!

I'd go with Geburah, or Sea of Glass, or Chokhmah..... Chag Sameach btw.... You done cleaning?

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I'll resmell those tonight. Cleaning is not even close to being done! My parents are staying home from work on Friday to give the house a thorough going-over, I'm in charge of a couple of the rooms, and then we'll do the traditional chametz sweep that night.

Chag Sameach, ladies! Next year in Jerusalem!

I thought I'd submit this to the owners of noses more experienced than my own. This Saturday, my family is hosting the Seder for the first night of Passover. For those of you not familiar with Judaism, Seder means "order" in Hebrew, and is a combination of service and meal with many symbols and traditions. Passover is observed to remember the children of Israel's freedom from slavery and subsequent exodus from Egypt. For about a week (depending on your level of observance), Jews abstain from eating leavened bread and most grains to remember the flat bread (Matzah) our ancestors carried out of Egypt.

Additionally, Passover brings in aspects of regrowth and renewal, as Spring comes back to the world. I think I remember hearing somewhere that the Last Supper was actually a Passover seder (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), and Easter and Passover are usually very close to one another in terms of calendar dates. The only reason Passover is almost a month later this year is that the Hebrew calendar, a lunar calendar, periodically inserts an extra month to keep the dates from slipping too far out of season.

Anyway, I could babble on about this for a while, but I'll get to the point!

I have a fair amount of scents to choose from, but I'm rather at a loss as to what I should wear. I have Tzadikim Nistarim and several Sephiroth scents, to go for one connection, but I mostly want to get away from the darker, spicier scents I usually reach for. After all, one of the over-arching themes of Passover (and one of the Four Questions) is "Why is this night different from all other nights?"

There will be about 15 people at our house, and a lot of food, so another reason I don't want to wear something heavy or spicy is that it will quickly become overpowering as the room heats up.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I finally found the one that elicits an amorous response from my boyfriend... Tarot: Temperance.  Needless to say, I'm getting a bigger bottle of this stuff!  I love having a secret weapon! 

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And it's neat that it's Temperance of all things... isn't that usually related to restraint?

Anyway, to keep this on topic, my guy is very supportive/appreciative of my BPAL obsession. He'll usually sniff my wrists, ask me what I'm wearing (if he doesn't already recognize it), and apparently finds a large percentage of the scent catalog pounce-worthy! I think the last scent that really sparked his interest was Dublin. While it's one of my favorites, I wouldn't call it sexy, so it was a pleasant surprise.

I can't wait until Sin and Red Devil arrive!

I'ma guess this should go in recs, but it's really more of a "Which thread did I read that in?" kind of post.

 

I read something somewhere by someone new (I'm thinking maybe in the lj comm) asking "Hey, why don't we have any scents that smell like dusty old libraries?" Which kinda got me thinking Yeah! Why not? Because ancient books are my single most favourite smell on earth. I sometimes open up my old copies just to take a big whiff. I'd have asked this a long time ago because I tend to not think of books in terms of personal fragrance, BUT this doesn't mean I can't make absolutely everything else smell like that, right?

 

Bonus score for me then because someone posted in reply that "Well, XBPAL actually smells a lot like old books."

 

And of course I can't remember what that post was. Anyone else happen to read this?

 

Orrr, any new suggestions?

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I think that was my post on the lj community... here's the link, although the pertinent part was:

Hello, my fellow BPAL enthusiasts.

While I wait for my forum access to go through, I thought I'd ask a question here. I've hopped around the reviews section of the forum as well as the main BPAL website, and haven't found any specific references to a scent that evokes old books. I was lucky enough to get to attend a sniffing party, and we discussed how much we would all like something that has that particular association.

Does anybody get that impression- paper, leather, a little dust- from any scent or scents? I bet BPAL could do a great Hell's Librarian oil.

Thanks!

I was waiting for my forum request to be approved but couldn't contain my curiousity. Supervillainess, thanks for bringing this up here- it totally slipped my mind.

Recommendations from the lj thread included Ouija, Hellfire, The Apothecary, Arcana, Severin, The Hermit, Seance, Gaukeo, Scherezade, and Le Serpent Qui Danse.

A big thank you for all those recommendations! I can't wait to smell like a Library- any will make me happy, although I have a special fondness for Lucien's collection, The Beast's (from Robin McKinley's Beauty) and the Library of Unseen University.

No bananas, though, please.

(Ook.)