cam

My Halloweenie order arrived today! Harvest Moon, Hellhound On My Trail, Chant d'Automne, Huesos de Santo, Sugar Skull, Samhain, Brom Bones, Fearful Pleasure, Gunpowder, Ichabod Crane, The Hessian of the Hollow and The Witching Time of Night. Plus my replacement bottle of SGA for the one stolen by someone in the post office. These are so right up my alley. I love fall, and autumn scents. AND... my CD locket from BPTP came today too. It is beautiful! I love it. Not surprisingly, given the size of my order, I got a ton of frimps from the lab. 20, to be exact. Plus 6 from the post. Of the 26, only one was a scent I had tried before, and there were only two pairs (two Queen Gertrudes and two Wantons). Looks like I've got a LOT of sniffing to do. Oh! And I will soon have Halloweenie decants, once I try them all and decide which ones I'm willing to decant, and which I want to hoard.

BILQUISThe Queen of Sheba, half-demon, they said, on her father's side, witch woman, wise woman, and queen, who ruled Sheba when Sheba was the richest land there ever was, when its spices and its gems and scented woods were taken by boat and camel-back to the corners of the earth, who was worshipped even when she was alive, worshipped as a living goddess by the wisest of kings, stands on the sidewalk of Sunset Boulevard at 2:00 A.M. staring blankly out at traffic like a slutty plastic bride on a black-and-neon wedding cake. She stands as if she owns the sidewalk and the night that surrounds her. Honey, myrrh, lily of the valley, rose otto, fig leaf, almond, ambrette, red apple, and warm musk. In the bottle, this is spicy, with honey and almond. There's also a bit of green that I think may be the fig leaf, and something else. The ambrette? On wet, the myrrh comes out a bit, but not overwhelmingly so. It's still mostly a spicy/honey/almond scent. Dry, the rose comes out, but surprisingly, it's not bad. This is really nice. OCTOBERAy, thou art welcome, heaven's delicious breath! When woods begin to wear the crimson leaf, And suns grow meek, and the meek suns grow brief And the year smiles as it draws near its death. Wind of the sunny south! oh, still delay In the gay woods and in the golden air, Like to a good old age released from care, Journeying, in long serenity, away. In such a bright, late quiet, would that I Might wear out life like thee, 'mid bowers and brooks And dearer yet, the sunshine of kind looks, And music of kind voices ever nigh; And when my last sand twinkled in the glass, Pass silently from men, as thou dost pass. Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air. In the bottle, this smells like sap and smoke. On wet, it's pretty much the same. Green and a bit smoky. As it dries, the pine sap softens a bit. Dry, it's really nice. Very fall. BONFIRE NIGHTGuy Fawkes, Guy; Stick him up on high! Hang him on a lamp post And there let him die! Guy, Guy, Guy! Poke Him in the eye! Put him on the fire, And there let him die! Burn his body from his head: Then you'll say Guy Fawkes is dead! Hip, Hip, Hooray! Beer, woodsmoke, tar, and treacle. In the bottle, I get smoke, a bit of beer and treacly sweetness. Wet, it's very similar, but warmer and musky. Dry, this is really nice. The scents are very well integrated. Smoky-sweet autumn joy. I've got to get one of the room sprays from BPTP. OGUNOgun is the Master of Iron, Lord of the Knife, the Toolmaker, the Supreme Hunter, the God of War. He is primal instinct, energy and motion, strife and resolution, effort and perspiration, locomotion, force, contraction and expansion. He is the lord of all mines and mineral wealth, and his energy is expressed in the transformation of sandstone into marble and carbon into diamonds. His control over transformation transcends this into the metaphorical: Ogun helps to shape the spirit, and hone it into something finer, and He compels us to look deep inside ourselves, searching for our true potential. He is physical might, ruler of the heart, giver of courage and sustainer of war, and is the bond that men fashion with one another during battle. He is gunpowder. Ogun is responsible for teaching mankind to fashion tools and weapons from iron, and his primary implements are the anvil, hammer, machete, rake, hoe, shovel, pick and pry. His favored animal is the dog, who shares his loyalty and unflagging strength. Ogun’s ofrenda is heavy and dark cigar tobacco, gin and juniper, melon, chili pepper and a touch of honey. In the bottle, gin and juniper are the strongest notes, with maybe a hint of the melon and a bit of chili. On wet, it's pretty much the same. It's pretty and interesting. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work on me once it dries. The gin, juniper and tobacco combine in a way that smells like sweat.

LYDIAConvergence XII limited edition scent. This is pretty. In the bottle, it's mostly jasmine. On, the scent deepens and you get a very nice vanilla undertone. It's jasmine-vanilla goodness with a hint of clove smoke. TEZCATLIPOCALord of the Smoking Mirror, god of sorcery, nighttime, darkness, beauty, war, heroic men, beautiful women, and all material concerns. Tezcatlipoca is the Master Magician, a trickster god and shapeshifter, governing all worldly matters, and is also the Great Tempter, seducing men into evil acts and subsequently punishing them for their transgressions. Deep cocoa laced with patchouli, leather armor, ritual incense, and a touch of Xochiquetzal's flowers. Definitely get the deep cocoa and incense here, and maybe a hint of leather. I like this, but it seems to fade quickly on me. Need to have my hubby try it. SCHWARZER MOND (2008)The keeper of secrets: opoponax, Tunisian black amber, night musk, antique patchouli, zdravetz, terebinth, myrrh, and Pimenta racemosa. In the bottle, this smells strongly green and herbal. The amber and musk are much softer. On, however, the amber and musk come to the forefront, and there's a nice, smoky scent. This is very nice, in spite of the myrrh (for once, not making something awful). I like this one a lot. Sadly, Ben does not. He think it smells medicinal. LUNE NOIR (2008)The encroaching darkness: black orchid, jonquil, white pear, white amber, gardenia, olibanum, champaca, sweet clove, tonka, oakmoss, and blue musk. This is very pretty. In the bottle, it's very floral. I can definitely smell the orchid and pear (thankfully, the gardenia isn't too strong). On the amber and tonka begin to make an appearance, although the strongest notes are still orchid and pear (and the gardenia is a bit stronger). HYMNA paean to true holiness, spiritual purity, and sacred enlightenment. Based on an incense blend sacred to the Virgin Mary: perfect rose absolute and Palestinian Lily of the Valley with olibanum, labdanum, frankincense and myrrh. Too much myrrh and flowers. Immediately get the feeling this would give me a headache. Yuck. DRINK METhere seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes: this time she found a little bottle on it, ('which certainly was not here before,' said Alice,) and round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words 'DRINK ME' beautifully printed on it in large letters. It was all very well to say 'Drink me,' but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. 'No, I'll look first,' she said, 'and see whether it's marked "poison" or not'; for she had read several nice little histories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if you hold it too long; and that if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked 'poison,' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later. However, this bottle was not marked 'poison,' so Alice ventured to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished it off. Wow. This smells exactly like a movie theater. Like buttered popcorn and candy. It's not something I'm very likely to wear, but it's neat. Maybe in an oil burner. THE ILLUSTRATED WOMANA cluster of wooden wagons stands off to the side of the Midway, removed from the bustle of the dirt-caked makeshift street. A bonfire burns in the center of the lot, shining its light on a tattoo-covered woman. The images embedded in her skin writhe like living things, and the sigils that mark her glow faintly. She is filing her nails and smoking a cheroot while chatting idly with an impassive naked blonde who has been hoisted into the air by thick, gleaming meathooks. The blonde is pinioned; the blackened metal cables that bind her hang tightly from the branches of a massive grey oak. Her skin seems strangely translucent, and her veins and arteries are boldly visible. Two painted signs are propped, sideways, against the side of the tree: THE ILLUSTRATED WOMAN THE TORTURE QUEEN The tattoo'd woman winks at you as you pass by. "Break time, honey," she growls, as she blows a smoke ring in your direction. THE ILLUSTRATED WOMAN Skin musk, smoky vanilla, pine pitch, patchouli, Indian resins, golden honey, and tobacco. In the bottle, this is musk, vanilla, pine and a touch of patchouli. On wet, the scent is richer. The pine is softer and there's more of the vanilla richness. Dry, this is really lovely. The tobacco scent comes out, and it's rich and complex, yet light. Sexy yet delicate. Lovely. MEAD MOONThe moon was but a chin of gold A night or two ago, And now she turns her perfect face Upon the world below. Her forehead is of amplest blond; Her cheek like beryl stone; Her eye unto the summer dew The likest I have known. Her lips of amber never part; But what must be the smile Upon her friend she could bestow Were such her silver will! And what a privilege to be But the remotest star! For certainly her way might pass Beside your twinkling door. Her bonnet is the firmament, The universe her shoe, The stars the trinkets at her belt, Her dimities of blue. MEAD MOON Golden mead, fermented with gruit, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger root, sweet-briar, rosemary, and lemon. In the bottle, I get mead and lemon with a touch of cinnamon, ginger and other spices. Maybe a touch of nutmeg. On wet, it's pretty much the same. Dry, it's very complex and interesting. The notes really combine into a lovely, interesting scent. Definitely worth trying again. MAGUSAn ancient blend, swollen with arcane power: galangal, high john essence, frankincense, cedar, and sandalwood. Too woody and herby. LADONThe hundred-headed dragon that guards the garden of the Hesperides: dragon's blood resin, golden apple, apple blossom, white musk and hyacinth. In the bottle, I get CHERRIES. It's the Cherry Monster (like the Oak Monster, but for cherries), with dragon's blood and a hint of apple. On wet, it's cherries, dragon's blood and bubblegum. Dry, pretty much the same. It's just too fruity, too many cherries. HUNGEREvokes sheer, unadulterated carnal lust. An undeniably warm and sensual scent. Black narcissus, orange blossoms, and vanilla. In the bottle, I get a lot of narcissus, with just a hint of tonka and orange blossom. On wet, the scent is orangier, but still mostly flowers. Dry — wow! It suddenly becomes smoky tonka/vanilla with orange blossom and just a hint of narcissus. Very sexy and cool. HONY MONEHony mone, a term proverbially applied to such as be newly married, which will not fall out at the first, but th'one loveth the other at the beginning excedingly, the likelyhood of their exceadinge love appearing to aswage, ye which time the vulgar people call the hony mone. Three honeys blended with seven fruits, flowers, and herbs of passion, pleasure, and joy: honeysuckle, fig, carnation, apricot, jasmine, tonka, and almond. In the bottle, I get honey, honeysuckle, fig, almond and a touch of tonka. On wet, Hony Mone smells like honey, flowers, almond and tonka, with maybe a tiny bit of fig. Dry, it's mostly honey, tonka and almond, with a touch of flowers and maybe fig. I like this, but unfortunately the hubby isn't crazy about it. CHAOS THEORY III: STRANGE ATTRACTORSEach bottle of Chaos Theory is truly unique, a fragrant fractal, and exercise in the joy of chance and uncertainty! Each is a one-of-a-kind, utterly random combination of scents, the composition of which is based on whim, mood and gut instinct. Mostly jasmine, with maybe a hint of vanilla. Maybe a little vetiver. Nice, but a little herby/green for my taste. Also fades pretty quickly. BLOOD PEARLLustrous, sanguine, soft and lavish: soft orris, blood musk, and coconut. In the bottle, I get coconut and musk, with a hint of something else — orris? On wet, the scent us musky, with something green and oceany and a touch of coconut. Dry, it's mostly musk and coconut, with a bit of that something green. This is an ok scent, but not terribly interesting to me.

... However, this bottle was not marked `poison,' so Alice ventured to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished it off. To me, this smells EXACTLY like a movie theater. It's all buttered popcorn and candy. It's not something I'm likely to wear much, but it's neat and I like it. Maybe I'll use it in an oil burner or something like that.

In the bottle, this is a really nice combination. It's mostly musk and lilac, with a hint of lemon rind and leather. On wet, the tobacco begins to come through, on top of the musk and lilac. As it dries, it becomes more complex as more of the subtler scents come out. I really like this one. Works great on both me and my hubby (although, admittedly, a wee bit better on him).

This sounds right up my alley, and in the imp, it's lovely. Unfortunately, there's a note here — the teakwood? — that smells like the vet's office on me. I wasn't sure what it was at first, but when I put this on, I immediately thought of trips to the vet. About an hour later, I walked by the cat food bowl, and realized what the problem was — something in this smells like Iams cat food on me. Otherwise, it's nice. The black vanilla and tobacco are great. I can't get past the Iams-ness, unfortunately. Bummer.

The tonka and leather are the strongest notes in the bottle. On, as it dries, I get more of the incense and parchment, and very subtle rosewood. This is awesome. The warm, comforting scent of old books, pipe tobacco and rainy days in front of the fire. Great on the hubby, too. May need a bottle of this one.

I was really looking forward to this one, based on recommendations from some helpful forumites, and it did not disappoint. In the bottle, the beeswax is prominent, and other scents are a bit hard to distinguish. On, other notes make themselves known. Benzoin, saffron, maybe a little lemon balm. This scent is complex and lovely. I can see why it was so highly recommended. May need to order a bottle of this one.

Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum. Thanks to everyone who has recommended Mme. Moriarty to me. She is truly divine. In the bottle, I get musk, vanilla, maybe a hint of patchouli, and pomegranate. On wet, the musk and vanilla are most prominent, with a stronger patchouli presence and a subtle smokiness. As it dries, the pomegranate returns, the patchouli softens, and it's a lovely, very complex blend (as other have noted). Very nice indeed. I may have to order another bottle of her before the Carnaval leaves town.

No. 93 ENGINEBeeswax candles reflect flickering light onto a brass-coated boiler engraved with the words "Solve Et Coagula". The gargantuan boiler sends torrents of steam into rigid pipes that exert force onto innumerable pistons and turbine blades. The motion is harnessed to propel energy into gargantuan cogs and gears that move liquid metals, herbs, and resins into a series of alembics. Balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm, and white sage. I was really looking forward to this one, based on recommendations from some helpful forumites, and it did not disappoint. In the bottle, the beeswax is prominent, and other scents are a bit hard to distinguish. On, other notes make themselves known. Benzoin, saffron, maybe a little lemon balm. This scent is complex and lovely. I can see why it was so highly recommended. DEEJohn Dee: master of science, alchemy and magic, Hermetic philosopher in the schools of Rosicrucian Christian Mysticism and Platonic-Pythagorean doctrine, and Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer, advisor, cryptologist and spy. With Edward Kelly, he created a field of study and work in Angelic Evocation, and isolated the Angelic language: Enochian. His scent is soft English leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woods. The tonka and leather are the strongest notes in the bottle. On, as it dries, I get more of the incense and parchment, and very subtle rosewood. This is awesome. Another winner recommended by CaffeinatedAngel (thanks!). This is going to be great on the hubby, too. We may need a bottle. THE ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISMBronze gears spin inside a polished wooden case, and an entire universe dances within. Teakwood, oak, black vanilla, and tobacco. This sounds right up my alley, but there's a note here — the teakwood? — that smells like the vet's office. I'm not sure if it's a particular medicine, or a pet shampoo vets use, or what, but it definitely smells subtly of vet's office. Otherwise, it's nice. The black vanilla and tobacco are great. I can't get past that, unfortunately. Edit: I went home and fed my cats, and realized immediately what it is. There's a note in there that smells like Iams (which would explain the vet's office thing). OThe scent of sexual obsession, slavery to sensual pleasure, and the undercurrent of innocence defiled utterly. Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla. Amber, honey and vanilla? Sign me up. This is very sexy indeed. MME. MORIARTY, MISFORTUNE TELLERA colorless woman bursts from an elaborate gold and ruby tent and faints dead at your feet. Soft laughter emits from the dark entrance to the tent, and the scent of musk, black fruits and incense touches your senses. Looking up, you see that the sign hovering above the unconscious woman is adorned with images of the Major Arcana's Tower and reads: "Mme. Moriarty, Misfortune Teller. No fate too grim, no future too bleak." A tiny woman with floor-length black dreadlocks walks out of the tent, stepping over the prone body. She is clothed in deep red wrappings, and is bedecked in golden ornaments bearing alchemical symbols and charms representing eternity, chance, and wisdom. She pauses, looks you over slowly, and then flicks a tarot card at your feet. Red musk, vanilla bean, pomegranate, patchouli leaf and wild plum. Another scent I was really looking forward to trying, and she doesn't disappoint. In the bottle, I get musk, vanilla, a hint of patchouli maybe, and pomegranate. On wet, the musk and vanilla are most prominent, with a stronger patchouli presence and a subtle smokiness. As it dries, the pomegranate returns, the patchouli softens, and it's a lovely, complex blend. Very nice indeed. CROWLEYNothing about him looked particularly demonic, at least by classical standards. No horns, no wings. Admittedly he was listening to a Best of Queen tape, but no conclusions should be drawn from this because all tapes left in a car for more than a fortnights metamorphose into Best of Queen albums. No particularly demonic thoughts were going through his head. In fact, he was wondering vaguely who Moey and Chandon were. Crowley had dark hair, and good cheekbones, and he was wearing snakeskin shoes, or at least presumably he was wearing shoes, and he could do really weird things with his tongue. And, whenever he forgot himself, he had a tendency to hiss. Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk. In the bottle, this is a really nice combination. It's mostly musk and lilac, with a hint of lemon rind and leather. On wet, the tobacco begins to come through, on top of the musk and lilac. As it dries, it becomes more complex as more of the subtler scents come out. I really like this one. Works great on both me and my hubby (although, admittedly, a wee bit better on him). PERVERSIONThe perfect scent to wear to your next bondage ball, dungeon adventure or sojourn to your favorite pleasure dome. Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka. In the bottle, I get a lovely, sweet scent. Rum and tonka, with a tiny bit of leather and chardonnay. On wet, the tobacco begins to come through. Dry, it's very nice. Mostly rum and tonka, with those nice hints of tobacco and chardonnay. LOVIATARThe Finnish Goddess of Agony, Torment and the joy found in inflicting pain on others. The Mistress of Torture, she has transformed in the modern era into the patron Goddess of Dominatrixes. The slap of slick, hot leather punctuates the warm, sensual embrace of black amber, red musk and dark, lascivious myrrh. Myrrh strikes again. In the bottle, this smells really nice. Leather and amber, with a bit of musk, mostly. When I first put it on, it's leathery with a touch of roses. Then the myrrh kicks in and it's just awful on me. I've got to learn to avoid it. BLACK PHOENIXOur signature oil. A dark, languid scent. Promotes hedonistic tendencies and extreme self-love. You won't stop kissing mirrors for a month. This is really interesting and complex. In the bottle, I get a bit of green, pine-iness, but not in a Pine Sol sort of way. It's something dark and green and foresty. There's also a sweet, fruity scent that neither the hubby nor I can quite identify. On wet, it goes a bit soapy at first. As it dries, however, it returns to this dark, complex green-and-fruit scent. This is going to take some time to wear and think about. SEVERINLeopold von Sacher-Masoch, the Father of Masochism and sexual surrender, had planned on writing six volumes of erotic literature entitled The Heritage of Cain. Only the first two volumes were completed, the more famous of the two being the notorious Venus in Furs. This novel tells the tale of a man, Severin, that enters into a relationship of slavery and increasingly debauched degradation with his mistress, Wanda. Dry black teas, Earl Gray, and leather. In the bottle, this has a lovely tea scent (I can definitely get the Earl Grey) with just a touch of leather. On both the hubby and me, it's mostly tea and lemon. It's a very nice scent, but not necessarily something either of us would wear. I like it, though. May keep it and use it to make scented candle tart things. SUDHA SEGARANamed after the primordial ocean of milk where Lord Vishnu reclines upon the thousand-headed Naga. Sweet milk and warm, healing ginger with a touch of golden honey and our blend of Ambrosia. In the bottle, this definitely gives me milk and honey, with some lovely ginger. On, it's pretty much exactly the same. Very true to bottle scent. It's quite pretty, but not really stunning. I tend to prefer more complex scents. AZATHOTHThe Daemon Sultan, Seething Nuclear Chaos ...that last amorphous blight of nethermost confusion which blasphemes and bubbles at the centre of all infinity — the boundless daemon-sultan Azathoth, whose name no lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin, monotonous whine of accursed flutes; to which detestable pounding and piping dance slowly, awkwardly, and absurdly the gigantic ultimate gods, the blind, voiceless, tenebrous, mindless Other Gods whose soul and messenger is the crawling chaos Nyarlathotep. Azathoth is the blind, idiot god who sits on a black throne at the center of Chaos. His scent is high-pitched and screeching, both impenetrably dark and searingly bright with the clarity of madness: tangerine, saffron, vetiver, black amber and cedarwood. In the bottle, this smells really interesting. It's an intriguing combination of notes. On, it just doesn't work for me. I think it's something about the combination of tangerine and saffron, or tangerine and cedar, that just doesn't work for me at all. FRENCH LOVEA warm, soft, sexual blend. Sweet and alluring. Used to entice new lovers and add an aura of temptation and carnal sin to your environment. In the bottle, this seems like a sweet, nice scent. Unfortunately, on me it turns straight to powder. Headache-inducing powder. And on that note, I stop testing for today. *goes to scrub off French Love and put on something non-headachey*

I think doing that means the Lab gets charged fees twice, unfortunately. They get charged a PayPal fee and a CCNow fee. That's why they prefer people use the PayPal comments box method if they want to pay with PayPal. Of course, you'll still get your order if you pay with PayPal via CCNow; it's just better for the Lab (and helps keep prices down for everybody!) if you don't double up the fees. (Someone correct me if I've got the facts wrong - I'm an international customer, so I've only ever used PayPal solo.) No, you are correct and that is why the lab states this in their site: IF YOU ARE PAYING VIA PAYPAL, please do NOT use our online credit card processor. Place your order through PayPal using the payment address paypal [at] blackphoenixalchemylab [dot] com and fill your order info in the comments field. but the PayPal debit card in reference is not the same as what you're referring to with the "if you are paying via paypal" instructions from the lab. the PayPal debit card is a standard Mastercard that works the same as any other credit card or debit card. CCNow has no way of knowing that it is a PayPal debit card and that, ultimately, the funds are coming from a PayPal acct, and as a result cannot charge the lab extra fees because of it. with the PayPal debit card you check out in CCNow the same way you would if you were using any other credit card or debit card, NOT through the PayPal payment option. Yup, that's what I thought. And that's good, because it seems from this thread like a lot of people are having trouble with PayPal. I definitely don't think I want to use it anymore. Edit: In my original post, I mentioned that I had noticed PayPal orders sometimes get filled more slowly. An update on that: today I received an order I placed on 8/4, several days after my PayPal order. When I emailed the lab to ask about it, they hadn't received the notification from PayPal, so they never got my order (Bill was a total sweetheart about it, by the way, and says they'll get it out right away). I'm definitely not using PayPal again. It's just not reliable.

Wow. In the bottle, this smells exactly as described: honeyed almonds and spices. It's very complex. On, it's fabulous! Honeyed almonds, saffron, cadamom, maybe a touch of cumin and more that are too subtle to identify. Pure awesomeness.

Just reviewing some of the frimps included with my yoga pants/locket order. Queen of ShebaA woman of exquisite, unearthly beauty, profound intelligence, wit, and exceeding wealth, the Queen of Sheba — called Bilquis by the Muslims and Makeda by the ancient Abyssinians — traveled by caravan to Solomon's realm seeking proof of the king's reputed wisdom. Bearing gifts of exotic spices, a veritable mountain of gold, hearty camels and precious stones, she presented herself to the king and, bearing her heart to him, asked him a series of challenging questions, and was ultimately convinced of the truth of his wisdom, knowledge and judiciousness. In the end, the great king and queen conquered each other's hearts and fell breathlessly in love: the perfect marriage of equals. Her scent is a bounty of golden honeyed almonds and a whisper of African and Middle Eastern spices. Wow. In the bottle, this smells exactly as described: honeyed almonds and spices. On, it's fabulous! Honeyed almonds, saffron, cadamom, maybe a touch of cumin and more. Pure awesome. Dragon's TearsBittersweet yet powerful: salty aquatic notes and bursting with dragon's blood. In the bottle, it reminds me strongly of Sturgeon Moon, with some dragon's blood thrown in. On me, it smells like this at first, with a little stronger dragon's blood, but then it kinda goes weird. On my hubby Ben, though, it's great. The scent stays very true. Really nice. MasqueradeA festive, dazzling blend, layered in mystery and intrigue. Patchouli, ambergris, carnation and orange blossom. In the bottle, this smells like patchouli and orange blossom. On wet, the scents are the same, but the patchouli is much softer and the orange scent really comes through. As it dries, though, it takes on a smokiness that just doesn't work for me in combination with the patchouli and orange. ThanatosOne of the horrible, painful, cruel, brooding, mocking and malignant children of Nyx, he is Death Incarnate, and is seen as a willowy young man, accompanied by a butterfly, bearing an inverted torch and funeral wreath in his hands. In modern thought, thanks to Sigmund Freud, it is the Death Instinct: love of death, destruction and decay, and the desire to embrace the quiescence, silence and peace of the grave. Dry white sandalwood and soft Siamese benzoin over a lugubrious blend of myrrh, Moroccan rose, mastic, tomb moss and a thin whiff of Greek incense. In the bottle, I get the sandalwood and benzoin. There's also a sweet, vaguely floral scent. It's just a little funereal. On, it almost disappears. Not much throw. But as it dries, the floral amps and it's definitely more funereal. Not a favorite. Cheshire CatGrapefruit, red currant, dark musk, Roman chamomile, delphinium, and lavender. In the bottle, I get lots of grapefruit, chamomile, and maybe a touch of lavender. On wet, it's pretty much the same. As it dries, it softens and blends very nicely. The lavender is stronger, but it's not bad, as lavender tends to be. It's very smooth. Not my personal taste (I don't like grapefruit much as a scent to wear), but I may get this for Mom for Christmas. Right up her alley, I think. BluebeardA scent swirling with dark rage, unbridled jealousy, and murderous intent. Violet, lavender, white musk and vetiver. In the bottle, the violet is strong! Maybe a touch of lavender and vetiver. On, this is pretty nice, actually. The lavender doesn't really come through. It's a nice violet scent, with maybe a little musk and vetiver.

My triple dagger yoga pants and brimstone locket came in the mail today. This is my first BPTP order, and I am in love. The yoga pants are perfect, soft cotton with exactly the right amount of stretch. Can't wait to wear them to class on Tuesday. And the locket! The locket! ZOMG, it's even better than I imagined. I'm so happy. Puddin included a bunch of frimps too, including two I've been dying to try, Queen of Sheba and Dragon Tears. Also, I bought the L'Autunno set from Maidenhell on eBay, and that came today too! Again, I am in love. I may have a new favorite scent. My hubby and I both are crazy about it. We love fall (we got married last October, the date chosen because it's our favorite season). Maidenhell also included a sample of Villainess Autumn Gala soap. I've been dying to try Villainess, and it smells wonderful, so I can't wait to take a shower. All in all, a fabulous day. Anyway, now I'm off to the weekly wine tasting at our local wine shop.

Speaking of 10ml bottles, I was just cruising around on eBay and noticed that one seller is selling several 10ml bottles, some in discontinued scents.

That's an awesome idea. Are you listening, labbies?

ZOMG! My first BPAL Halloween, and everything is so awesome! I'm so happy about the Sleepy Hollow scents. It's always been a favorite story of mine. I've already placed an order.... Ok, I went a little crazy here, but managed to hold off a *tiny* bit. Harvest Moon Hellhound on My Trail Chant d'Automne Huesos de Santo Samhain 2008 Sugar Skull 2008 Brom Bones Fearful Pleasure Gunpowder Ichabod Crane The Hessian of the Hollow The Witching Time of Night I really want the Pumpkin Patch, and a few others too, but I'm hoping I can pick those up sometime between now and November. My wallet's already crying here. I can't wait to try these! Also, looks like I should be getting the CnS for an order I placed on 8/4 soon too, to wit: 5mls Mme. Moriarty Dracul Crowley Imps Queen of Sheba O Perversion Dee Sudha Segara No. 93 Engine The Antikythera Mechanism Severin Black Phoenix Loviatar Cockaigne Cthulu *Cough* So um, yeah. Bad Cam. Think I'll be holding off on the Pumpkin Patch, etc. (or anything else) until October or so... unless the Gaiman lockets go live between now and then...

I think doing that means the Lab gets charged fees twice, unfortunately. They get charged a PayPal fee and a CCNow fee. That's why they prefer people use the PayPal comments box method if they want to pay with PayPal. Of course, you'll still get your order if you pay with PayPal via CCNow; it's just better for the Lab (and helps keep prices down for everybody!) if you don't double up the fees. (Someone correct me if I've got the facts wrong - I'm an international customer, so I've only ever used PayPal solo.) If that's the case, then they'd get charged double anytime they use CCNow, I think, with any card. I don't mean checking out through CCNow and paying via standard PayPal. I have a debit card that lets me access PayPal funds from anywhere.

Personally, I prefer CCNow over PayPal. I've noticed that orders I place through CCNow seem to get processed more quickly than my PayPal orders have. At the moment, I'm waiting on the CnS for SGA, Schwarzer Mond and Lune Noir. I placed the order via PayPal a few minutes after the update went live on 7/28, but I'm seeing posts in the CnS topic from people who ordered on 7/31 and already have a CnS. Of course, it might have nothing to do with PayPal, but it's a trend that I've noticed in my orders. I think in the future, I'll just order through CCNow and use my PayPal debit card if I want to pay with PayPal funds.

Just got the CnS for my first order from Black Phoenix Trading Post: Triple Dagger Yoga Pants Brimstone Locket Eeek! Got the CnS last night, so it should be here by Friday or Saturday I think.

I ordered a bottle each of SGA, Schwarzer Mond & Lune Noir on 7/28, a few minutes after they went live. So why are people getting C'n'S for orders they placed on 7/31, and I still don't have mine? It's not fair! Okay, /whine. It seems like PayPal orders are processed more slowly than CCNow orders. At least, the orders I've placed through PayPal so far have not been shipped nearly as quickly as my CCNow orders (particularly this one).

CROSSROADSThe forks of the road: an in-between place, sacred and tangibly magickal in innumerable cultures and faiths. This scent is dark with mystery, taut with power. A chill twilit garden of blooms over dry earth and mosses, heavily laden with incense and offertory herbs. In the bottle, this smells so lovely. Florals, but not in the super-sweet way that I don't like, herbs and incense. Yay! Unfortunately, on me it just turns to soap and a perfume-y smell that's not very nice. Oh, well. FRUITCAKEUnreleased gift-with-purchase, December 2007. Received this as a frimp with a swap. In the imp and on wet, it smells exactly like fruitcake. On wet, the alcoholic note of fruitcake is particularly strong. As it dries, that softens up a bit and it's this lovely, boozey-fruity scent. I like it.

Oh wow! This is my first foray into Ars Draconis. I was a little hesitant to try to dragon's blood stuff at first, because it seems like people have very strong reactions to it (love it or hate it). But wow! I love this. Not too surprising (I'm a huge vanilla/tonka/benzoin fan), but I think I'm liking the dragon's blood a lot too. Good stuff!

Looking over reviews, trying to make a little sense of the notes we like/don't like, for future ordering reference. Likes Apple (especially apple cider-type notes) Musk Tobacco Vanilla/Tonka Amber Leather Chocolate Almond/Buttercream Rum Spices Fig Pepper Honeysuckle Vetiver Sandalwood Ginger Clove Dislikes Gardenia Violet Lavender (if strong) Rose (if strong; my skin tends to amp rose so it kills every other note) Almost anything super floral Sometimes Work, Sometimes Don't Myrrh Jasmine

This is definitely a "wet," oceany scent. It's hard to describe beyond that. Maybe a hint of citrus. It's kind of seaweedy, but not in a beachy way. On me, it remains pretty true to bottle scent. Not bad, but not really my thing.