misfitroxy

After opening the bottle, all I can smell is exceptionally sweet Irish coffee. At first, it reminded me a little too much of the Kraft "International Coffees" powders that I used to drink many moons ago. But after giving it several whiffs, I can recognize a depth and creaminess to it that they could never hope to attain. A wood note steps boldly forward once it hits my skin. It is very dry, though not particularly dusty on me. It reminds me more of the smell of sun-heated driftwood of all things. The cream has settled into more of a nutty background "flavor". Unfortunately, the coffee and the library-evoking scents don’t want to play nice together on my skin. They keep battling it out for supremacy instead of blending together as one. I’m left with a kind of rotted or desiccated bean note like coffee that has gone crazy stale. I was hoping this would prove to be a fun scent to wear as I re-enter the grad field this Fall. But my body chemistry has other ideas. Oh how I weep!

London is fresh and sweet in the imp. Lightly rose-y, but very clear like its color. On the skin, it’s bright and fresh. I can see English roses in a little vase sitting on a side table in someone’s frou-frou parlor. It strengthens a bit as it warms against my wrist, but stays rather true to its rose notes. I don’t really sense the “wickedness” referenced in the scent’s description. It does seem more bold the longer I wear it (though that doesn’t necessarily reference its throw, more its depth), so that’s an interesting juxtaposition with the delicacy of these particular rose components. I’m uncertain as to if I’d wear this or not. I think it would be ideal for layering. But it’s a tad too straight-forward rose for me on its own. It’s very enjoyable, though, and I appreciate it as a classic scent for more simplistic days.

Straight from the bottle, Ace of Hearts is sharp, potent white florals. The lotus and orchid stand out most predominantly. The blend explodes with a range of fresh blossom-y scents after I’ve added it to my skin. The rose notes are rather vague, unfortunately, lost behind the rather loud components fighting for the foreground. True to its description, this is an overtly feminine, fertile, beautiful scent. It’s a summer hothouse or wild, exotic garden. Additionally, there is a wetness to Ace of Hearts, like petals covered in morning dew yet still fragrant and heady. I'm pleased to say that none of them are turning soapy on me, though. This might be a scent to try on a friend or loved-one who’s more traditionally inclined when it comes to perfume blends. And it’s definitely a must-smell for anyone who’s a fan of rich florals. Sadly, I don’t fall into that category and this isn’t wearable for me. It’s lovely, though. And I can sniff it for ages without having my allergies (which are very flower-sensitive) make even the slightest twinge of discomfort. I’m thrilled I had a chance to try it, but will be sending it on to a new home.

Ra starts out as herbal, spicy and warm. It’s sweet as well, perhaps from the orange. There is a floral note present that’s familiar (maybe carnation), but it’s fresh as opposed to bouquet-like. Something like nutmeg joins the existing fragrances which turns the blend almost food-y for me. It’s definitely baking spices and maybe a hint of frankincense as others have noted. A lot of the warmth seems to stem from ancient resins, as there’s something antiquated about Ra. That being said, it’s not heavy or overpowering in the least. As far as wearing it goes, I like it but don’t see it on me. I don’t have a ritual use for it at this point in time, so it will have to find a new home. I’m certain that someone out there will enjoy it greatly, so there’s no worries there.

The candied almond/marzipan scent is what emerges most strongly while Seraglio’s wet. There’s something warm and floral lingering behind it but it’s extremely faint at this stage. A deep citrus scent comes forward after I’ve swiped it on my wrist. It’s not incredibly bright or sharp, but it is clean and blends nicely with the other elements in the oil. I can catch a hint of the neroli along with the rose but both are fairly light. My skin is absorbing this oil extremely quickly. I catch whiffs of the spicy elements from time to time, but I really have to stick my nose up to my skin in order to sense even that much. I enjoy this fragrance and my absolute first impression was that it would make a terrific belly dance performance scent. However, I’d have to practically bathe myself in it to achieve much of a lasting effect, I think. Maybe it’s meant to be more subtle than I’m expecting. Or perhaps the back of my wrist is slightly too absorbent. Either way, it’s pleasant, sultry without being heavy, and unlike any mainstream Western perfumes I’ve encountered. On a last note, after I sit with it for a while, it starts making me crave a tray of Southern Indian sweets. Hmm…

Lilith smells very golden in the imp (matching my oil’s color in full), almost like honeyed bread. It’s incredibly sweet, but with something behind it. I want to say ginger, but guess that must just be the myrrh or musk in its wet stage. It darkens considerably after I’ve applied it. The musk and myrrh are prominent and waft-y, almost as though I have a religious incense philter circling my body. The red wine and rose are subtle at best. It’s really all deep, smoky blends for me. I’m reminded of Bastet without the almond and amber. It’s very lovely, but very heavy and even heady. I feel like I’ve soaked myself in ritual incense for an intense cleansing. I wish Lilith was wearable on me, but it’s far too dark and somber for my tastes.

The oil starts out both rose-y and clean smelling, almost just the slightest bit aquatic and even soapy. Definitely light and somehow ethereal, which suits the name in full. After settling on my skin, the rose really springs forward. It’s more of a bouquet smell to me, like the rush of fragrance emitted after taking the plastic off from around an arrangement. It’s a very different rose than I’m accustomed to in BPAL’s blends. I guess this is mostly due to the sharpness of the note(s) as opposed to the softer, more easily blend-able roses I’ve enjoyed in the past. It deepens with time, perhaps as the hazel and rosewood set in. This has a sweetening effect on the fragrance and brings to mind elegant rose dusting powders or something equally heady that you wouldn’t want to go overboard with for fear of causing a sensory deluge. There’s something classic about Séance. It’s a jumble of time periods for me, spanning back to Victoriana and on through to the 1940s and 50s. While it wouldn’t be the first fragrance I’d pick out for myself, I love rose too much to let this one go. It’s nice for those times when more quirky or complex fragrances won’t do the trick and you simply want to smell good. I'd say this has a decent amount of throw to it. It's really wafting out from my wrist. I think it would be nice to add to one's hair or clothing to leave a scent impression in your wake (so long as you're not surrounded by allergy sufferers that is!). Overall, it's very clean and pleasant. Color me all shades of pleased.

Bewitched starts out as very herbal/sage-filled and sharp. The added sugar scent from the berries makes me think of a very rich, dark chocolate (thinking baking chocolate instead of Hersheys or Cadburys), strangely enough. The “chocolate” scent lingers after it’s applied to my wrist. I can’t really seem to get beyond it in fact. It turns slightly more sweet as it warms, but nothing like the bright berry I was expecting. It’s not unpleasant, just not the way I thought my chemistry would handle this blend. The more I sniff at it, the more I’m starting to detect a bit of a dark grape, fresh-on-the-vine kind of note. But this is also slightly plastic on me. In addition to the above, the musk is completely absent as is the green tea. I tried at least! Just not one for my skin, I guess.

A blossom-like floral scent leaps out of the imp as soon as I remove the cap. Combined with this fresh-flower sweetness, there’s a cherry kind of tinge in the background. It’s ultra fresh flirty already, so I’m anxious to try it on. The sharpness of the black tea is the first thing that I sense when it’s on my wrist. This is quickly overpowered by a citrus scent, which I’m guessing is the yuzu or the mikan. It reminds me of red grapefruit pith backed by florals. The blend fades pretty quickly, but as it does, it warms into an almost vanilla sort of warm scent base. As a final verdict, I think Aizen-Myoo is extremely pleasant, but not a skin scent for me. Instead, it’s going to find its place in my home in a rather unique way: I study sex work and keep a Brazilian statue in tribute to the individuals following such a path on my desk. So I think she’ll find herself duly anointed in the near future.

Alecto is wet, spicy cedar woods in the imp. It’s bright and green and woodsy. Not unlike the base in many men’s colognes, but it’s definitely no where near as heavy or "masculine". I can pick out the vetiver now that it’s on my wrist. I really love that note, though, so its presence is welcome. It stays pretty true to its original impressions from what I can gather, though it’s darkened slightly. Ack. Ok, so I lie. It’s actually turning into something so musky that it reminds me of offensive body odor. Sad!!! I’ve never had an oil take such a 180 degree turn on my skin before. Now it's smelling like this strange combination of biting, "personal" musk and sharp, fresh – perhaps herbal - leaves (with the cedar turning to pencil shavings. Oh how I cry!). Definitely NOT intended for my skin at all. Though it’s so unique that I may have to give burning a go. I could see my house smelling of this. But apparently, I’m not meant to smell of it.

In the bottle, this is an interesting blend of dirt and berry fruits. The two notes are very distinct when wet and don’t seem particularly keen to mesh with one another. On the skin, the berry jumps out immediately, packing a punch in throw quality. It tones down fairly quickly, though, and settles with the dirt note rather surprisingly (given my first impressions). Then QoC starts to become slightly spicy (in a warm way, like fresh cinnamon bark being burned or mulled). It really does remind me of holiday spices simmering on the stove with just a bit of the berry lingering and rounding it out. I can detect the vanilla if I search for it, but it’s not prominent on me. The spice (I guess that’s the incense) is still the strongest element, which is making me deliriously happy as it’s unlike anything I’ve ever owned (though there’s something that presents itself as the oil mellows that reminds me a bit of the spice kick behind Hexennacht. That’s the only familiarity that I’m picking up on, though). Overall, the blend strikes me as a perfect winter fragrance. It’s comforting and warm, yet spicy and potent (in the authoritative sense, though the throw remains fairly strong too). I love it, and can’t think of much more to say. As others have done, I want to compliment the Lab and send my thanks to Beth for gifting us with this wonderful fragrance. On a sappier note, since I'm moving out West next month and will thus be leaving my much-cherished snowy winters behind for a few years, I'm extra glad that I'll have QoC to carry with me to remind me of one of my favorite seasons. She might even inspired me to fake a snow day by cranking my A/C and snuggling under a blanket come December.

Wet, this is blood to the extreme – super strong fruit/berry syrup, very sweet and sticky, not to mention juicy! The amber leaps out after the initial wrist swipe, causing the blend to become more floral and heady. It strikes me as a mature blend, though bright and bubbly at the same time. I’m not receiving much of a musk impression from it at all, interestingly enough. And it doesn’t seem to be changing all that much as I sit with it. It lightens just a tad, but is just as sweet as ever. Not a wearable fragrance on me in the least, I’m sad to say. Though, it’s pretty and feminine, and will certainly find a welcoming home!

Siren emits a deep, spicy honey kind of scent in the imp. Dark golden brown and incredibly warm. It becomes incredibly sweet on my wrist, almost to the point of a vanilla candy kind of sugar overload. There’s something reminding me of sweetened coconut lingering in the background as well. In fact, it’s making me crave a rich, buttery pound cake, as that’s almost exactly what it smells like to me during this phase. I’m aware of the ginger, but it’s not exceptionally potent. And as it settles, I’m becoming more aware of the apricot. It’s strange to encounter in a fragrance, but lovely nonetheless. Once fully dry, it turns almost nutty, in a buttery sort of sense. I’m glad others are getting the “baked goods” connotation with this blend; otherwise, I’d think I was crazy since none of the individual elements really scream "cake!" to me. I absolutely do not see myself wearing it, as it’s far too sweet for my tastes. But it would be a gorgeous kitchen scent. Or something to fill clothes sachets with (or add to unscented dryer sheets). I haven’t encountered such a powerful “can’t-stop-smelling-my-wrist” blend in quite some time. A definite love, even if it won’t make my more traditional perfume rounds.

I’ve had my bottle of DdlM for months now, but haven’t gotten around to giving it a proper review. I figure now’s as good a time as any to remedy that. Once removing the cap from the bottle, I detect a strong, almost alcoholic caramel/sugar smell. It’s very foody, but not in a warm way. More in an herb cabinet sort of way, if that makes sense. It turns straight to sweet florals on my skin. Their scent is very light, like a field of wild flowers caught in a breeze, but it’s obvious that they’re dark blooms. If this was stronger, it would be incredibly cloying. I guess I’m catching a bit of the candy smell now, as it’s turning into a fresh baked, sugar-coated bread from what my nose can tell. The incense is staying well away, though, which is strange as I can usually pull out smoke scents first with my chemistry. All I can really say beyond the above is that this is yet another incredibly unique blend. It’s neither feminine nor masculine, bright or dark, loud or soft. Rather, it sits in between – embodying a comforting communal or familial celebration, if you will. I can’t decide if I could personally wear this or not. I’d love to burn it, though. And if I could turn it into a drawer scent (with little skull-shaped sachets, perhaps?), then that would be divine.

Hexennacht starts out smelling strongly of pine resin. It’s not an overwhelming or sharp resin, though. Rather, it’s sweet and rounded out by something earthy and dry. As it settles, the smoke emerges. Again, this is a sweet, woody smoke, though. It carries something lightly spicy behind it, almost like a wet ginger or cinnamon. I guess those could be the “forest herbs”. I can understand the comparisons to Hunter Moon a bit, but I do feel they have entirely different scent bases. Hexennacht is very green and almost moist while Hunter Moon is the color of an Autumn twilight and full of desiccated, crackling leaves. I have never tried Samhain (gasp!), so I can’t make that comparison, sadly enough. I will say that Hexennacht it overwhelmingly beautiful. This is a midnight revelry at its best – smoke and fire hidden by a circle of trees, arms raised to dance, to intertwine, then disappear before the memory becomes solidified in any mind's eye. I’d love to track down another bottle of this at some point, as it’s one of the Lab’s most unique blends as far as I’m concerned. Breathtakingly sensual. Cheers, Beth!

Pink Moon is VERY bright when wet. It’s a powdery strawberry candy kind of scent to me. Pinker than pink for certain, in a fluffy, girlie way. There’s something sharp behind it as well, though. Perhaps that’s the lunar oil(s) peeking through? It reminds me of a light floral bouquet (I’m sure that’s the carnation and phlox) amplified by the scent of fresh leaves. I can understand the comparison to 80s toy smells as well. I had a prom Maxie doll that came with a scented heart necklace which closely resembles the smell of Pink Moon on drydown. In that way, it’s a very nostalgic blend for me that makes me enjoy it all the more. As far as wearing it, I’m still unsure on the when or where. It’s a tad stronger than I had anticipated, or perhaps that’s just my chemistry causing the florals to override everything else. I’d have to be in a very specific mood to pull it out. That’s not to say that I want to part with it, though. I might just have to experiment with wearing it from time to time and seeing how it settles on me.

It’s very difficult to describe what this smells like when wet. There’s florals in there, of course. Something sweet and something spicy too. It’s pleasant and even tasty. After dabbing a bit on my wrist, I’m getting an almost citrus-like juicy flower smell from this. It’s very different and again has me pretty stumped. I might be getting a bit of a grass smell, as there’s something overtly “clean” in there centering the various blooms. While I’m not crazy about its first stage (just a bit too floral sweet for me), once it mellows some and the spice/musk emerges, the oil becomes a lot more wearable on me. It’s soft yet delicately fragrant like a field of colorful wildflowers, absolutely capturing the onset of Spring in a bottle. While I’m much more of a smoke and wine (notes only!) girl, I can see myself wearing this from time to time and most certainly using it on and around the sabbat. My thanks to the Lab!

A light, invigorating floral and citrus blend. Tuberose, lotus and jasmine with a hint of lime. Muse is very floral sweet when wet. The candy scent that many people associate with lotus is there along with a very tart lime making it smell of Sweet Tarts to me. As soon as I swipe it on my wrist, I get a sort of plastic toy scent that jumps out. It’s more than likely the jasmine in there, as jasmine and my skin aren’t really friends. All the various elements blend together quickly and turn into a fresh fruity blend that’s almost melon-like to me. It reminds me of very ripe cantaloupe. Of course, cantaloupe is my least favorite fruit ever, so this isn’t exactly positive for me. But it might entice someone else. It’s very multi-dimensional and a must-try for people who like fruity oils but want something a shade more complex. A perfect daytime summer scent for the light-hearted among us.

From the imp, I'm detecting a milky almond-like smell combined with a hint of spice (maybe nutmeg). It’s light and food-y. A cozy kitchen scent for sure. Once on my wrist, the ginger leaps out and says “Notice me too!”. It’s more of a gingersnap cookie scent to me, though, sticking to the original warmth I detected. The oil is very light and my skin is definitely eating it up very fast. Some of the milkiness remains and my throat is tingling from all this sniffing! It reminds me a bit of the spice in Hamadryad, interestingly (one that emerges in one of the blend’s final stages) just with a more rounded quality to it. It’s truly divine, just not for me. I know the perfect friend to pass it on to, though, so I’m sure it will find a loving home.

Wet, Midnight is a combination of very pale, sweet florals. It’s almost powdery and yet it has that almost alcoholic tinge of a department store perfume. It goes on ultra strong when first applied but instantly settles down into a soft, comforting blend. This is one of the most feminine fragrances I’ve tested from the Lab thus far. It makes me think of summer dresses and white blooms. But it’s not heady or overpowering like some white flowers tend to be. As far as throw goes, this one doesn’t strike me as very strong. I have to put my wrist to my face and inhale deeply to really get its full effect. But I think it would be cloying if it was too powerful, so this seems suitable to both the oil and its concept. Personally, I wouldn’t wear it as it’s exceedingly floral girlie (not that I have anything against girlie, but I prefer candy girlie instead of floral girlie more often than not). My Mom might enjoy it, though, so I’ll pass it along to her and maybe finally lure her into the BPAL cult.

I get a big ole burst of flowers from this in the imp. I can definitely catch the lilac. It’s a lot stronger than the floral blends I’m used to. But I'm curious enough to proceed. On my wrist, it turns into a complex bouquet. I don’t smell rose distinctly, but I know it’s there. Something of the bright petals presents itself in the background. In addition, the lilac is still very distinct. Though sadly it seems to be doing the same thing that other lilac blends (Marie comes to mind, off-hand) likes to do on my skin – turning into a chemical, perming solution kind of smell. It’s sharp and unpleasant to say the least. I guess this proves it’s not a note I’m meant to wear. I’m glad to read that this worked on others (though color me all sorts of jealous!). As far as I'm concerned, though, off to the swaps it goes!

In the imp, this is very wet, floral and herbal all at the same time. Almost masculine-ly aftershave-like. Initially on my wrist, I’m catching something floral that reminds me of jasmine. It’s not quite as dark, but very “white”. As others have noted, the scent is clean. It’s not quite soapy, more like a fresh rain sort of damp cleansing scent. I’m not really catching the herbs in it, just lots and lots of field flowers. Though there is a kind of darkish element that comes out as it dries that makes me think of the subtle spices underneath the rose in Lucy’s Kiss. Since ultra dry Hamadryad reminds me of Anais Anais, I can’t really make that comparison. But this does evoke more traditional feminine perfumes as you’d find at a department store counter. Overall, the blend is pretty, somewhere between womanly and girlie, floral yet wet and summery. It’s not something I can personally wear but I’m sure will be very loved on many others.

While wet, this oil smells strongly of almond/amaretto but with something slightly spicy behind it (almost like cinnamon). It’s sweet and light and much more of a quality, rich almond type note as opposed to an artificial one. The mix of spices begins to emerge almost immediately when it's applied to my skin. They’re very warm and fire-y. My nose is actually tingling a bit, almost like when you sniff a ripe onion (though much more pleasant!). The almond scent lingers, but the spices definitely take over on my skin. It remains milky, though, almost like well-blended Chai tea made with heavy cream. While I really like this, I don’t see it as something I can wear. And the blend needs to be worn – I can’t imagine it in a burner or the like. Overall, it’s gorgeous, comforting, and regal. I’m very glad I had the chance to try it out. Hopefully someone else can make use of the imp!

To me, Cheshire Cat smells like citrus-y Dorian when wet. I get a lot of vanilla from it initially and something creamy and warm. It morphs instantly upon touching my skin. The currant steps forward with a kind of berry richness and I’m getting something herbal that’s cooling off the back of my throat as I sniff it. The grapefruit complicates this blend but I don’t detect it as a distinct note. I don’t find the musk to be heavy in the least either, despite its "dark" label. Something about this blend does turn it rather heady on me, though. Eventually, it settles down into something that’s reminiscent of the creaminess I was initially picking up on. It’s an odd mixture of kitchen herbs (must be the lavender’s influence even though I don’t keep it in my kitchen!) and cream. Very sweet but with a hint of hidden tang hanging around. Alas, now it's turning soapy very quickly. I know I can’t wear the blend, though I find it positively lovely in its many phases. However, it means some other lucky soul will be able to try it as a result, and so the Cat should find a welcoming home very soon.

This blend smells crazily familiar in the imp, but I can’t quite place it. I can smell the lemon for certain but it has a kind of creamy crispness (now there’s a juxtaposition that probably doesn’t occur too often!) to it that reminds me of black tea mixed with honey. More than likely, this is reminding me of an actual tea blend that I can’t place. It has me curious, though. On my wrist, the lemon really stands out. Something about BPAL’s citrus blends always seem to take on a dusty kind of undertone for me. This one is no exception. Only with the rose element, it takes on a powdery texture as well. I’m not picking up on any apple so far as I can tell. Overall, the fragrance is very vibrant and refreshing. It’s not something I would personally choose to wear. The lemon is just too cleanser-esque on me (it absolutely MUST be a chemistry thing, as this is another drawback I’ve often experienced with the citrus blends). Someone who enjoys bright, light scents would probably love this to bits, though. Hopefully my two imps will find good homes.