Diedra

From the vial: the scent is so light! Almond is my favourite note, so I detect it easily. Very promising! Applied: sweet, but light. Almonds are there, I can smell some lightest vanilla and milky/creamy base. I think that what some people describe as "powdery note" might be fresh, still green grains, which have that slightly floury taste and smell. After a while: the scent becomes "clearer". Powdery notes are gone, what I smell right now is pure vanilla/almond blend with a drop of golden honey added... Summary: Dana O'Shee is unbelievably yummy! I only wish it wasn't that light. On my skin it needs double application to be as detectable as other BPAL scents. I will surely buy a bottle of it, I just need to consider if 5 ml would be enough. It's light enough to be a daytime scent, very girly and sweet. Great recommendation for every BPAL newbie.

I second that. Black Phoenix on my skin is all almonds, cherries and roses. Somebody mentioned Hecate - I would not advice using this one if you don't like incense-y blends. Hecate from the vial is almost pure almonds, but applied looses that note and becomes very oriental blend, with lots of myrrh and musk. There is no cherry in there at all! edit: Aargh... I couldn't make more typos in one post, could I?

From the vial: spiced apricots! Applied: it smells exactly like Polish traditional "compote" drink, which is made of apples heavily spiced with clove - sweet, juicy, spicy and yummy. After a while: now the scent is mostly clove-y, but a juicy note in the background is still strong. Very long-lasting! Summary: March Hare immediately goes to the top 5 of my favourite BPAL blends. It's perfect for any season and for any time of the day. It smells so delicious that I can't stop sniffing my wrists! Highly recommended.

From the vial: sharp, sandalwoody/floral scent. Applied: sandalwood note is still strong. But now I can smell rose petals and a hint of plum. Interesting blend. After a while: the scent is getting a bit softer, more nose-friendly. It's mostly floral now, but sandalwood hue is still present. Summary: I like sandalwood notes, but not necessarily mixed with flowers. Old Venice is a very classy scent though, it makes me think of little black dresses and high heels. Not the best choice for wearing to work, but perfect for a dinner in an elegant restaurant.

From the vial: woody/green blend, very refreshing. Applied: floral and woody, with strong pine note. There's also something what reminds me of Ocean Breeze air refreshener. After a while: the scent is softer now. I can notice flowers and fruits. Pine is still there, but much softer, perfectly blended with other notes. Summary: what a fantastic scent for summer heats! Great alternative for citrus blends - refreshing, but more original. It would be great to apply before going to work: Machu Picchu is not as disturbing as flowery, fruity or foody scents, so it will be appreciated in any place where many people have to work together.

In the vial: sweet, fruity and juicy. This scent was a surprise for me, I assumed it would be darker and heavier. Applied: still fresh, but getting sweeter. After a while: now I can smell some darker undertones. The scent becomes very sweet, almost candy-like. I can't smell black currant anymore, now it's mostly a plum/amaretto blend, but I could swear there's also a hint of incense in there! Summary: Bordello won't be very high on my BPAL ranking, but still it is a great scent for anyone who likes sweet but non-floral blends. Recommended!

There is one thing that makes me confused... Many descriptions of BPAL scents say that there's white musk in them (Black Pearl, Fae, Grandmother of Ghosts, Whitechapel, Zephyr, Embalming Fluid, Endymion, Psyche, Vicomte de Valmont, Bluebeard, Kitsune-Tsuki, Kuang Shi, Juliet, Katharina, Oberon, Oisin and probably some more) Being an aromatherapist myself, I've been always tought that white musk is a synthetic musk, created as a result of complicated chemical reaction, with a similar smell as a natural "brown" musk, but a way cheaper... Nowadays, you can buy natural musk products in Japan, France and few other countries only. In most parts of the world selling the real musk is forbidden. So, are BPAL oils 100% natural or not? I really think it's time for Beth to explain it herself