dreamingjune

Oh I love this so much! Gah! In bottle: Oh hai Black Musk. And some lovely creamy, woody, almost spicy note. Wet: Yup, there is some Black Musk in this. You might want to not get near this if you don't like Black Musk. I was expecting some red hot type cinnamon action here but there is nothing but a touch of a creamy and wood like note peeking out from behind a thick wall of Black Musk. Dry: The freshness of the Black Musk calms down a bit and this settles into a lovely and simple blend. I still can't quite identify the cinnamon, but I can tell something is there keeping this interesting. Overall: So much Black Musk awesomeness, and some soft cinnamon that is unlike any cinnamon I am accustomed to from bpal. My favorite so far!

In bottle: Nuts, honey, and something green which I imagine is pine, along with a subtle musk base. The berries are somewhat in the background too. Wet: The freshness of subtle pine and berries with a soft honeyed hut base. The musk in this is similar to something like Ivanushka, however these two scents are nothing alike. Dry: I am being reminded of Brood XIX, only stronger with a fur musk base and berries for freshness. The honey is not super obvious, it just sweetens up the already sweet nutty notes a bit. The pine is also by no means obvious and I am getting none of that usual pine-sol business. Overall: I really think you have to like nutty notes in a blend to dig Blackbear Moon. All of the other notes in this are quite nice and supporting the nuts quite well. The subtle furry musk background to this is really quite fabulous and comforting. I am not sure it is for me, but I am certain this will be a big hit.

*This is the 2011 version* In bottle: Ooh, reminds me a bit of the cocoa in Velvet, only with a bit of amber. A bit dryer and more cocoa that the previous years I have tried. Wet: Really fabulous cocoa with a fresh, light amber to keep it from getting too foody. This really isn't overwhelmingly sweet, which is nice. Dry: I am soooo relieved that this does not turn into the powdery ick that the 2008 Gelt did, and it doesn't get the funky dirty cat butt scent that the 2010 had. Instead I get a fabulous ambery, less resinous version of my beloved Velvet that dries down to a soft balsamy amber. There is something about this after about an hour that reminds me of the drydown of Succor. Overall: For me this is a major hit among the 2011 Yules. This has a tiny bit of throw, but is certainly not overpowering. It fades to a very comforting antiquey balsam amber sort of thing and it quite comforting. If you like the softer cocoa blends like Velvet, this should be a winner.

Silly late night forum, double post... Sorry!

In bottle: Subtle dry rose and wood. Wet: Hello frankincense and oudh. Reminds me somewhat of Cathedral in this stage. Some rose, but nothing crazy or soapy happening. Dry: The rose is more of a rosewood to my nose, which is fabulous. The oudh and the frankincense and balancing each other and creating a light woody incense feel. I don't pick up on the hyssop, but then again I have no idea what that note smells like on its own. The longer I wear this the more I think the oudh is coming out, and that is a lovely thing. There is an antique rosewood and dry wood quality to this that I have not gotten from other blends. Overall: Seriously awesome, unexpected hit. This has more layers than something like Cathedral but is definitely in that family of scents. This is a nice fresh woody incense blend with a definite old feel to it. It does not have a ton of throw, but it does not fade off too quickly either. Fabulous!

I would guess that Sudha Segara: "Sweet milk and warm, healing ginger with a touch of golden honey and our blend of Ambrosia" is probably pretty similar. Also, Cockaigne might even be closer: "milk and honey, sweet cakes and wine". I sniffed that one recently and it does remind me a bit of my bottle of Madame Lapin. Hope that helps!

None of these are truly bizarre, but I certainly find them uncommon-- Saturnalia: Violet deepened with vetiver. No. 93 Engine: Balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm, and white sage. The Dodo: Red musk, lemon peel, sugar cane, cassia, white sandalwood, mango, and agarwood. Milk Chocolate, Cassia, and Bacon.

When I tested out The Caterpillar for a bit I was told that it has an old lady perfume about it-- Heavy incense notes waft lazily through a mix of carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver. I would guess that it was the floral notes mixing with the incense to create a powdery old fashioned scent.

In bottle: Cassia and light, dry woods. Wet: Definitely cassia, but it is not harsh. Also, the other spices are there but there is no red hot candy action happening here. Seems that the clove is behaving too. Underneath all of that I am picking up on dry, aged woods. Maybe a little bit of dry tea too, but there is nothing soapy about any of it. Nice! Dry: The clove is starting to come up more, but it is not overpowering. The cassia is still hanging out with the dry woods. Overall: A nice, light, dry spice blend. It makes me think of old dried out wooden chests filled with spiced and aged tea. There is not much throw happening here, but it is a pleasant blend. Though, I have to say that Milk Chocolate, Cassia, and Bacon will remain my cassia go-to blend.

In bottle: The usual cherry/cola note that indicates almond is in a blend, along with subtle spice. Wet: The cherry note screams for a bit and then settles down into a lovely almond with a background of vanilla and cinnamon. Dry: Have I finally found an almond blend where the other notes do not ruin it or the almond fades away in 2 minutes? This is really quite nice. The almond and vanilla stand out the most, with something almost light or fresh mixing with the spice. Is suspect this is the heliotrope and frankincense. The longer this wears the more the heliotrope comes out, yet the blend remains a light vanilla and spice blend. Overall: This may not fulfill all of my hopes and dreams for an almond blend, but it is still pretty fabulous. Also, I could see this as a much lighter, more almond version of something like Pickled Imp. Definitely a comforting sort of blend with some sensuality to it as well.

In bottle: I can't help but think of these lovely spiced, dried and very bitter orange slices that I got from an Asian market when I sniff this. Hmmm.. On skin: This is very well blended. No one note is popping out, but I am getting a fresh, sweet, and green incense feel from it. I suspect this is the balsam and dragon's blood combo working some sort of magic here. Dry: The sweet, green incense feel is still there but it is becoming for clean and citrusy on my which makes me think the olibanum/frankincense is coming out. This almost wants to go soapy but the balsam seems to be keeping it in check. Overall: I like it, but it is just a bit too fresh for me. There are some really interesting notes that peek out here and there in this that make it stand out from other incense blends I have tried. Though, I feel like I would love it more if there were just a bit more dark, smokey notes along with a bit more sweetness.

In bottle: Light incense and floral notes. Wet: Something almost like black mixed with a red musk note is giving this a bit of a softness. There is a bit of a rose note popping out, but it is very incensey. Dry: Now I am picking up on the myrrh and I am enjoying this more. Overall: This blend makes me feel like I am in a new age store, which is odd because I almost always wear incensey blends and I rarely feel that way. It's not a bad thing, however. To my nose this turns out to be a perfect unity of incensey myrrh, frankincense, and rose. If you are into that sort of thing. I like it, but I feel like I will go for something like Ysabel or Rose Red if I want rose, and something more incensey and dark if I want that sort of thing. Truly not bad, though.

In bottle: perfumey wispyness. On skin: Not really any different. This is super feminine and I am not getting any richness that I might expect from honey or cheesecake, and I am certainly not getting any lavender. Huh. Overall: Not for me.

You might want to try Dragon's Milk- Dragon's blood resin and honeyed vanilla. For more of a sexy beeswax sort of blend there is Luperci- raw, down and dirty patchouli, Gurjam balsam, and essence of Sampson Root sweetened with the heightened sexuality of beeswax, virile juniper, oakmoss, ambrette seed over honey and East African musk. If you can, get the 2006 version as it is way more sexy earthy beeswax and less of a juniper vibe. Also, though Tombeur is not a honey blend there is something about it that reads as sexy womanly dark honey to me.

#231 Amazing vanilla richness, lightly spiced, lightly musky. Like the best possible combo of how Morocco used to smell and how it currently smells. There is definitely a Celeste style vanilla in there too.

In bottle: Slightly citrus infused tea. Not what I was expecting. Wet: This is really very green. All I am getting is the bpal tea note, which never agrees with me. Dry: Still slighty citrus greenish tea. I guess there is a hint of vanilla trying to peek out but it never really manages to. It is reminding me of White Rose a bit, though. Overall: I was hoping for subtle vanilla coconut goodness but got none of that. Instead I got wispy citrus tea. Meh. Also, I tried this on the roommate and he got nothing but green florals. Weird! I will say that if you liked White Rose you might love this.

In bottle: Like some combination of Arabian Dance and Antikythera Mechanism. I am not a fan of either but somehow I am enjoying this combo. Wet: There is something soft and creamy happening here that I am assuming is the mallow. I think the oak bark is poking out too. The coffee is kinda-sorta there but not ruining things for me like it usually does. Dry: I expected more wood notes to come out but this is subtle and creamy. The coffee has died out completely but there is still a hint of oak. The khus in this is so far in the background and a lot less smokey but more green than usual. I am also getting a wisp of smokey vanilla candy in the background. Overall: If my skin did not eat this up within 15 minutes I might be all about it. Like most of the Metamorphosis collection, there is something very insubstantial about this. I guess that is quite appropriate but really not my thing. However, fans of Antikythera Mechanism and Arabian Dance still need to try this, especially if they want a lighter version. edit: Even though my skin eats this up the scent leftover is really quite lovely. It is like a comforting vanilla, oak softness. Ok fine, maybe a bottle after all..

In bottle: Cherry vanilla? Wet: Is that cherry or a strawberry honey-like scent I am smelling? Either way it is very subtle and sweet. I think I might be getting a bit of the plastic note that some people get from vanilla but I don't really mind. Dry: If Snake oil is my "I want your hands on me!" vanilla, this is more of an "admire me from afar" sort of vanilla. Overall: One might think with the notes listed that Dragon's Milk would be similar to Womb Furie, but I am not getting that at all. This is a soft, sweet, not too sexy vanilla that is kept interesting by the Dragon's Blood. This is also an awesome blend if you hate the vanilla in blends like Antique Lace, Banshee Beat and Celeste. It is more in line with Snake Oil and Pickled Imp but with the lightness of Mouse's Long and Sad Tale. Yup, I definitely need a bottle.

In bottle: Hello Obsession(for women), is that you? On skin: Yup, this reminds me a ton of Obsession. The opium is really the star player here. I wish the other lovely notes, especially the patchouli and vetiver were more prominent. Dry: My skin just eats this one up and all that is left is a perfumey wisp of opium. For me this is not a good thing. There might still be some tonka fighting for attention but it is extremely subtle. Overall: Way too light for me, and way too much of an old lady opium blend. If you want opium, this is definitely a blend to try.

In bottle: Hello cherries! Wet: More cherries, but there is some awesome combo of myrrh, patchouli, and almond happening here. Pretty potent, but getting richer and more resinous as it dries down. Dry: Thankfully the cherry effect is pretty much gone. I am loving this blend as it is reminding me of an amped up combo of Pickled Imp and Minotaur. I was terrified of the lime in here but overall it is pretty well behaved. Overall: One of the strongest bpals I own with great length of wear without getting too powdery. If you love sweet spices and woodsy resin blends then this one is for you. I am also pleased to say that Voodoo is my favorite almond blend that bpal has to offer. Definitely bottle worthy.

Dancing Koi was the big winner for me, along with Sleeping Nymphs and Satyrs, Wrestlers, and Milk Chocolate, Cassia, and Bacon. I would have gone nuts for Womb Furie and Smut if I didn't already have bottles.

In bottle: Crazy leather VILF action. Wet: All I can think about with this one is VILF. The leather note is extremely similar between the two scents, and stands at the forefront in both blends. On me this is a terrible thing, but I'm sure great news for others. Other than the leather I notice the brightness of frankincense along with the wood notes. The nutmeg is present but very subtle, and I detect no violet. Dry: The leather is calming down just a tad and the wood notes along with nutmeg are coming more to the front. This is quite an awesome blend, I just wish for a more subtle leather note. Overall: I would describe this as leather with bright wood notes. I could see comparisons to Cathedral or An Altar to Cold, Rigid, Dreadful Deather here. I do think it smells most like VILF, only without the sex appeal. It has more of an old library or cathedral sort of feel.

This would be so fabulous if it was not for the white gardenia and perhaps the black narcissus. The Arbor reminds me of Dancing Koi, only a more feminine version. The patchouli is subtle, and the massoia bark and champaca are doing amazing things-- just not amazing enough to compensate for the florals.

Wow, this is a surprise hit! In bottle: Dry, amazing cassia note with subtle sweetness and a touch of smoke. Wet: Almost like the cocoa note from Velvet with cassia. Definitely no bacon here, just a hint of smoke that goes surprisingly well with the cassia. For those expecting the cassia to smell like cinnamon it really does not, it is much more of a cuddly wood note as opposed to in your face, bitey, red hots. Dry: A bit more sweetness popping out but I am not sure I would sniff this and think chocolate unless I was looking at the notes listed. As time goes by the cassia is a little less woody and a bit more reminiscent of cinnamon, only real cinnamon. Not at all like a synthetic cinnamon candy flavoring. Overall: Still really blown away at how much I love this. I have wanted a nice cinnamon bpal blend for a while and I think I have found it, only with cassia instead. The best way I can describe this is: the scent of those cassia tooth pics from Whole Foods with a pinch of vanilla or cocoa. It does not have a ton of throw and seems to fade pretty quickly, but I am still in love. Very different from any other bpal I have sniffed.

In the bottle: Soft, lightly creamy with some spice. Maybe a touch of a light musk too? Wet: Very dry? Yet sweet and spicy at the same time. There is something in here that reminds me of the scent of old fabric. Dry: Usually cardamom goes through a nasty off fruit stage on me, but not here. I am not great at picking out tonka, but I think the tonka and sugar are helping here. I can't get over how dry the feel of this is. The musk is not obvious but it seems to be holding it all together. Generally I would be amping the sweetness, but somehow the spice and light musk is keeping this very wearable and sophisticated. Overall: I don't always go for something with such a light mood, but Gypsy is really unique. Very evocative of a little fuzzy, dusty moth, yet soft too. I keep on getting really lovely wafts of a light but sexy spiced vanilla. Or maybe like the dry, faded, remnants of Snake Oil left on antique silk or lace. Yeah, something like that .