quikslvr

I took a bath with Celeste tonight, some two years after receiving her. I'm still inhaling saffron vanilla wafting off all parts of my skin an hour later.

I used a good bit of the bag of Celeste, plus spiked it with pink Himalayan salt of my own, which turned into an amazing combination to do some fantastic exfoliating in. Perfect amount of moisture restored thereafter—softness everywhere.

Amazing. I'm really glad I hung onto these.

I'm enjoying Jai Mahal and Glowing Vulva at Ryogoku Bridge right now. Didn't think it would work, quite, but it does on me.

I'm trying to figure out what I'll be able to pair with Jai Mahal. Hmmmmm.

Jai Mahal and Morocco = love.

At least for me.

But a question: how are the East Coast Will Calls different? Or are they?

They're not terribly different. Here are the main points:

1. No Labbies. The salon staff of Nail Polish Etc. is just as amazingly helpful, but nobody directly in the employ of the Lab is there.

2. No pre-ordering and no imps available. You can buy what's in stock, and it's first-come, first-serve. That said, it's rare for something to run out before the night's over. There are also often older LEs available for purchase--basically, the ones left over from previous Will Calls. There are little pads of paper for you to write down what you want, and little baskets for you to carry your purchases in before you check out. Just give a slip of that paper with your list to a staff member, and they'll find you your bottles. BPTP stuff (as well as Villainess and various other pampering materials like nail polishes, of course) is available too.

3. Nail Polish Etc. takes credit cards, cash or Paypal, so you can use any one of those types of payment, at least.

4. Different venue. Since this is the month the new version will host, I can't comment a whole lot on the setup/how crowded it gets, but the old version did get quite crowded near both the Prototype table and near the general catalog shelves. I can, however, say that the paint job is awesome, since I helped out with a teeny bit of it. Very funky/bright.

Other than that, very much in common. No food, no swapping inside (generally), but lots and lots of testing, and talking, and making and comparing of notes.

This month I'll probably be in the green and white plaid jammies. And pretty much every month you'll find me there in my pseudo-cat's-eye glasses, lugging a great big camera.

Edit: salixnoir beat me to it.

No prob! Happened to take the shot at the last ECWC, so happy to link 'er up for you.

Bumping this for new developments!

The first whiff I got of the prototype of Plunder was awfully cassia/cinnamon-y. I didn't get a chance to see how it developed, though. Are there others we're missing here? I thought Bengal was missing, but I see now that it has been mentioned at least once. That one totally has my vote for closest to chai.

I have to say, though, that I totally prefer the spice in chai to the tea in chai. Anyone agree/disagree?

Ohhh, perfect! I was so hoping that one of these soaps might be the scrubby type. And Perversion delivers, with just the right balance, I'd say. Even folk who aren't huge exfoliator-types might like this one for the occasional scrub-down.

Scent's definitely strong, and on me, it did linger, even through another lotion (Villainess Dulces en Fuego Whipped, for those curious: they work together quite well!).

It left me squeaky-clean: a bit too squeaky for my tastes, but that's the tiniest gripe ever. I didn't notice it leaving my skin either moisturized or dry, but I've only used it two days in a row. Will report back if I notice a difference after awhile of using it.

Overall, thumbs way up! Love the scrubbiness!

We did a root series last night at yoga, which was more than enough reason to break this out.

It is STRONG. Vetiver and dark patchouli. Very deep, very base.

I don't know if it's the power of suggestion, but I really do get a tugging, gentle pull from where that chakra is. Also the feel of a pattern, like a heartbeat, and a gradual uncoiling. I think I'd be cautious about using this for meditation: it's powerful, and I frankly am not quite sure I want to evoke the Coiled Snake.

Yes, peppery, yes musky. I don't find it so much wet as others do, though. I characterize its color much more like earth than like red, though, as others have. Definitely warming, even a bit of a sting for me where applied (which even turns into a bit of a burn later: but not an allergic burn, I must note: no redness at the application spot). Also reminds me of Brimstone in its depth and smoke, as LiberAmoris mentioned.

Very calming, and yes, it does make me quite grounded. And focused, even, which is awesome.

My yoga teacher last night mentioned that the root also deals with the things you need for survival, including your job--how you make the money you need for food and such. And this is absolutely putting me in a headspace to do work. So I think I will.

Added later: it does soften later on, thankfully, fading into the background--into a low, warm, gentle, grounding hum as it's worn.

Agreed! There are some that I'd look for too, like Arabian Nights, Charisma, Amor, and Block Buster.

They seem to have a few similar components, though, which might help. Perhaps I should poke around the Voodoo Blends in more depth.

There are a number of generic wishlist sites you can use. I am considering doing so myself.

I personally like:

Gifttagging

ThisNext

Both are semi-/pseudo-social as well.

Doh. Links aren't working for me.

Try 'em now.

Much better. Thanks for the assistance on that one.

Doh. Links aren't working for me.

Do you have asthma? 'Cause that's exactly what that sounds like to me. And asthma attacks can be triggered by allergies.

My version of V from V for Vendetta wore Black Moon.

Not to continue the hijack, but: my SO's allergic to most scents, including BPAL.

Awww...poor SO! Wait?! Does that affect YOUR bpal wearing? *gasps in horror*

Sure does. None on at home if I'm hanging around him, none if we go out together, and if I go out without him, I can't come home with it still strong on me. Luckily, when I go out, it's usually for hours and hours at a time.

I'm not even going to talk about the reactions I get when I'm wrapping for swaps, or reorganizing my boxes, or decanting. Also luckily, we're both pretty independent, so he doesn't mind my BPAL-time without him. (which is definitely a good thing, because if I had to choose between the two, I'm not sure what I'd do.)

Not to continue the hijack, but: my SO's allergic to most scents, including BPAL.

Indifference smells like flowers?

Soft floral rosy start, on the old-fashioned side. A tad on the soapy-powdery end to me, but I'm not real appreciative of florals to begin with--it's something a gentle older woman might wear.

But I do see the interpretation here: those that are glad to be coddled in false surroundings and turn their nose away from whatever's real and demanding of action.

It settles down into a rich, soft, comfortable, self-contented and self-centered rose.

Apple-y start.

Then all the rest comes through, all at once, becoming a bit bewildering to the nose. Rice flower, tea, sage, berries/fruits, what I assume to be the hickory, and the dust from the wheat. Allatonce. The pomegranate comes through, then the green tea and sage together. This one's a morpher, it seems like.

As it dries down, the scent itself becomes more dry and complex and evocative. The apples come back then, still dusty with the wheat and grainy with the sugar, softened with the rice and sage, deepened with the woods.

They just keep getting better and better is all I have to say in the end here.

CCCX (310):

1st try: A fresh peach, virtually all the way through. (delicate application, pure peach).

2nd try: First stage, aloe and a floral I can't catch atop the peachy base.

My co-DJ here tried to eat my arm when I offered it to him to sniff, which is a good sign.

That top tinge comes back often--still can't place it but makes the blend sweet and almost (but not!) floral.

Wearing it now, I'm finding it more and more comfortable--a skin scent I can really live in, not too feminine but on the femme end, which is a rarity for me. This one won't be leaving me.

First breath is sweet, light dragon's blood. So sweet as to be on the end of Dragon's Milk.

The dragon's blood fades and leaves a smooth, polished white sandalwood that I could almost mistake for a musk. The balance there is incredible between the dragon blood's sweetness and the dryness of the woods.

The dragon's blood comes back more strongly now and then. Complete drydown is a lovely, soft, sweet and dry skin scent. This is definitely striking me as a bottle scent.

The first breath was an initial turn-off: just a strange mix hit me. I let it settle (not even for very long!) and this morphed into a simply entrancing mix of wine and honey.

The myrrh and cognac (possibly the olibanum and gurjum balsam too) peek through after that: the depth and waft of this are mystical, bewitching--like you're there, in the painting, laying back and watching events unfold.

The drydown is mostly honey and myrrh to me, and reminds me a bit of Athens. Goes quite light and ethereal. Lovely. Definitely want more of this.

Very cologne-y and woodsy first kick, with the frankincense emerging as dominant in its first phase. Rich and deep and heady, the frankincense falls away a bit next, replaced by the myrrh and cardamom and saffron. This does also remind me of Bengal.

Oh, and then it falls into the lust phase for me: the musk comes out, and oh, man, that's sexy. I was thinking 'no' on the first cologne-y phase, but this makes it all better. Bottle me!

Very, very woody frankincense at first. It slowly lightens as it dries, though, becoming almost bright, and pink/red if pictured as color.

I'm finding this really hard to describe, actually. Sophisticatedly bubblegummy? The scent of well-manicured couch leather in the home of 10,000 young girls? Hawaiian punch spilled in a beautiful redwood tobacco box?

Whatever it is, it's amazingly well-blended, and could probably suit either male or female--I think I'm just amping the sweet stuff.