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BPAL Madness!

AlarmAgent

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Everything posted by AlarmAgent

  1. AlarmAgent

    Autumn Moon of the Mirror Stand

    In Bottle - Sort of a fruity drink mix, but with quite a bit of honey-sweetness to it as well. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Apricots and honey, like some kind of dessert! Dry, on Skin - I get tiny bits of cognac-whiffs every once in awhile, but this is mostly apricot (quince, perhaps? it seems less tart than I remember quince, but I'm no quince expert) and very soft, vanilla and honey. The honey seems softer and sweeter than 'O', for example. I don't smell even a little bit of tobacco. I love it, I'm definitely looking to pick up a bottle.
  2. AlarmAgent

    Overprotective Possessed Talking Doll

    In Bottle - Powdered strawberry candy, maybe a milkshake mix, even? It's not sour-smelling like a candy might be, it's a lot more mellow of a sweet strawberry--but not exactly creamy. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Yep, a soft sweet strawberry. Very mellow for me. Dry, on Skin - The mimosa comes out a bit more as it sits for awhile, gives it a bit of a tang. Smells more like Sweet-Tarts, which I personally am totally okay with. I was worried there would be a smell of alcohol from the inclusion of mimosa (that does mean the mixed drink, right?) but I smell nothing that could be construed as boozy. It's a little fizzy in the same way that Bon Vivant is. I like it a lot!
  3. AlarmAgent

    Zombie Apocalypse

    In Bottle - Smells just like a heavily strawberry jam'd doughnut. Very sweet! Wet on Skin, First Applied - Strawberry syrup all over a stack of pancakes. It's very sweet and 'cute', I like it. Dry, on Skin - Unfortunately, I get the inner tube/plastic undertone fairly quickly, and it doesn't much dissipate. I feel like a scented doll version of an IHOP server, which isn't all bad--but isn't exactly what I expected, haha. I'll enjoy the imp, and I'm so glad I got to try it, but I'm glad I didn't jump right into a bottle like I originally had planned to do.
  4. AlarmAgent

    The Fruit of Paradise

    This is for the 2009 version of The Fruit of Paradise. In Bottle - Sweet pomegranate candy, but not very sweet. More of a tinned pastille than let's say, a gummi. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Same, just sort of a sour-sweet, very juicy smelling pomegranate. It is nice, and just a tiny bit spicy--couldn't readily identify any of the possible spices. Dry, on Skin - As it sits on the skin, more notes appear. Well, one more, really, to my nose: amber. This smells more like the amber I experience in non-BPAL amber fragrances--the lab's amber has turned to powder on me on most occasions, but this definitely doesn't. Maybe it isn't amber at all, but it smells like it to me. As a few other reviewers noted, it's got a lot of similarities to B&BW's Midnight Pomegranate, so if you are a fan of that scent, or you know someone that is, this would be a great oil to start them off with. The only difference I can see is Fruit of Paradise is a lot less 'synthetic' smelling, and of course, has no alcohol scent to it, like body splash in Midnight Pomegranate would. I like it!
  5. AlarmAgent

    The First Soft Snow

    In Bottle - Hm, snowy? Minty, but very fresh, definitely 'cold'. Hard to describe. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Ozone, I think. Snow? I know it's snow, but I really have no idea how to describe it. Cold air, a little very fresh, herbal mint...it is nice. It's very soft and slightly sweet, as you might expect. Dry, on Skin - It smells so clean, and very fresh, definitely chilly. Somehow, I get the feeling of cinnamon--but it is nowhere near a spicy or warm blend. Maybe like, cinnamon ice cream--if that exists--but it isn't sweet, either. A chilled cinnamon/mint drink? Sounds sort of gross. This does not smell gross at all, and it barely even smells like cinnamon upon resniff. I'm not making any sense, but the 'snow' note completely confounds me. It smells like very cold air, magnified. It's an awesome scent to experience, and yet it still works as a perfume. I think everyone should try at least one snow-based blend, because I think it's hard to imagine without actually smelling it. I had no idea what it was going to be like, but I dig it! The throw is quite subtle, and it's lasting decently for about 3-4 hours so far. Now that I know what the snow note is like, I'm interested in trying more of the water/'mineral'/aquatic lab blends--along with the other snowy ones.
  6. AlarmAgent

    Joulumuori

    In Bottle - Smells like raisins and cologne at first, which doesn't dissuade me at all from putting this on. Suddenly, raisins and cologne sounds like a perfect combination. Wet on Skin, First Applied - It reminds me of a specific men's cologne, but I can't remember which one--one that doesn't smell very much like your general 'men's cologne' fragrance...Not musky, just sort of fresh. The raisin/prune note is really wonderful, and I'm thinking it must've been the base of whatever other fragrance I'm thinking of. Hm, but I do love it! Dry, on Skin - As it dries, it smells more and more warm and foody--but never enough that someone might think it was actually food cooking somewhere, which is my preferred level of foody, haha. I'm really loving this particular fruit note, it must be the prunes or raisins? Sort of a smokey maple oatmeal, topped with raisins. A couple of other reviewers mention a Yankee candle scent, and after reading that, I'm totally thinking that is where I've smelled this before, because it just seems so familiar! The throw is moderate, and it's lasted substantially on my skin for about 4 hours, then begins to fade in a slow manner, to lingering. I hope it makes a return in next year's Yules.
  7. AlarmAgent

    Comforting Plush Companion

    In Bottle - Sugar plums...I think. It's sweet and vaguely fruity at first. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Oh, yes. This is gorgeous. Honeyed musk, I'm totally smelling that. I had no idea how great it could be! Something in the background, too, that is sort of dough-ish. Not cake, some other kind of dough that isn't neccesarily sweet, but isn't savory either. Bread? Pancake? It's a gorgeous base, whatever it is. Dry, on Skin - That honey musk just warms up the entire time, and that background dough scent is just hanging back. It smells really great, comfortable for sure--without being too sleep-inducing. Just warm and safe. The fruit that I smell in the imp completely dissipated. I want a 5ml of this badly.
  8. AlarmAgent

    Left His Nurse While In a Crowd

    In Bottle - Oh yeah, definitely dark chocolate and raspberry. Wet on Skin, First Applied -The chocolate sort of fades out and the cake gains some prominence, but it doesn't override the berry at all. This smells a lot like some sort of mixed berry coulis with a little piece of chocolate cake. Dry, on Skin - Stays pretty much as it was in the first stage, the cake strengthens a bit throughout time, but the sweet berry syrup remains the strongest note--it's a raspberry, lemon mix. Not too strong, not too sweet, and definitely nowhere near acrid, like I was sort of worried about. Very pretty, but I think I'll be content with a decant. Sort of reminds me of a Tootsie Roll Pop, but with cake.
  9. AlarmAgent

    Sachs

    In Bottle - Really lovely chamomile, sweet and slightly 'smoked'. Already I can see a similarity to Dorian. Wet on Skin, First Applied -Dorian, but no lemon, no musk, more vanilla, and a stronger tea. Less sweet, lots of chamomile. Vanilla is definitely present on me, in it's dark and woodsy incarnation. I don't get anything foody, too sweet, floral, or fruity. I've yet to smell this much vanilla in a BPAL blend, I used to think it just melted away into my skin--but whatever this one is, is gorgeous. Dorian is a tea-musk on me, mostly, and with Snake Oil I get nary a bit of vanilla, it's all just powder and musk. If you have a similar reaction to Snake Oil's (assumed) vanilla component, and you think that your chemistry might just screw with/eat the Lab's vanilla, you might want to try Sachs out. Dry, on Skin - It's worn well on my skin for about 4-5 hours now, and it has a pretty decent throw. I've had some real luck with Sachs! It's chamomile and this rich vanilla, all the way through. I'll definitely be picking up a bottle before this one goes away for good.
  10. AlarmAgent

    Pannychis

    In Bottle - Astringent white floral, straight out of the imp. I'm not huge on florals, well, white/paper/clean ones at least--so my expectations are pretty low. Wet on Skin, First Applied -Pure ylang-ylang, no chasers. Ylang-ylang has proven to be a pretty amped note with my chemistry, so it's not surprising that it's the first thing that jumps out in this blend. Dry, on Skin - Jasmine enters the mix, and splits almost 50/50 with the ylang-ylang. I like jasmine, and ylang-ylang isn't bad, but this doesn't much do it for me. Completely inoffensive, light throw, clean, not cloying, and slightly warm floral. If I knew someone who loved this style of fragrance, I'd suggest this for them. It's also one of the BPALs that I can most easily 'smell' being in a department store, or some more mainstream fragrance house--which isn't at all a bad thing, lots of perfumes that are widely available DO smell pretty good! Very pleasant, but unfortunately on me, it just sits as a pretty, delicate floral. Not my first choice, but not at all a bad scent. Would probably be better for a more professional environment than my usual choices, haha.
  11. AlarmAgent

    The Nameless City Drive-In Theatre

    In Bottle - Grass, and this note that I can never identify outside of 'general cologne smell'--I should add, a pleasant cologne. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Really dense grass, that cologne note (I think it must be a specific musk that is used often in more masculine-oriented fragrance, because it is definitely some sort of musk) and the lightest hint of leather. Dry, on Skin - Grassy, cold, musky. I was worried by the chrome, that I may end up smelling like a handled penny--but that worry was for no reason. The chrome is there, but it doesn't smell 'metallic' in the way that I thought it would, and I can't explain exactly how it...does smell, except 'cool and nice', haha. Grass is the key player on me, with musk a close second. The leather is very, very subtle. For me, this reads pretty non-gendered, but I'm also pretty open to wearing more masculine colognes, so results may vary. This is my favorite of the newest DD releases, I'll definitely be picking up a bottle (or two) as soon as possible!
  12. AlarmAgent

    Sue's Great Old Puppet Show

    In Bottle - Very warm cocoa powder, reminds me a lot of Gelt. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Mostly warm, milky chocolate with a little bit of linen. Dry, on Skin - It's stronger on the chocolate, with the hint of clean, airy sheets--I don't smell the glue, but then again, I might not be able to identify it well. Lasts quite awhile, I'd say it's been going pretty strong on my for about 6 hours? I like it, but there isn't too much of a difference between this, Bliss, and Milk Chocolate Buttercream for me to pursue a bottle. I'll love my decant until it is gone, though!
  13. AlarmAgent

    Story Time at Dark Delicacies

    In Bottle - Dust, wood, a little bit of incense. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Hmm, definitely mostly still wood--the slightest little bit of sweet lemon. I was worried it would just smell like a polished table, but it definitely smells like a lemon cookie buried under piles of broken up tables. Dry, on Skin - The lemon, as little as it is, dissipates pretty quickly and what remains is an herbaceous oak table. I amp wood to a maddening degree, so mileage will definitely vary with this one. Lasts forever, but doesn't waft much so far.
  14. AlarmAgent

    The Snack Hut

    In Bottle - Light butter, almost like a softer, fruit-based Gluttony. Smells a lot like a state fair's parking lot, really. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Fried cherry slushies. Dry, on Skin - Dries down to a cherry icee scent, but it doesn't seem like the lab's usual cherry note--so I think something must be settling it down from being too sweet or cough syrup-ish. Either way, I really like it! I didn't much care for previous cherry scents I've tried, like B-Horror and Dark Chocolate Covered Cherry, because they went very cough syrup on me. This definitely stays a gentle cherry, somehow 'cold' scent. I can see where it could be a little chapstick-y, but I've always sort of liked that smell, anyway. If you have had previous bad encounters with the lab's cherry note but want to find something it works in, I think this one is definitely worth a try.
  15. AlarmAgent

    Mircalla, Countess Karnstein

    In Bottle - Seems like pure red musk--which translates into a fruity, dragon's blood type scent on me. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Very strong on the red musk, a healthy amount of patchouli, and just the tiniest bit of clove. Dry, on Skin - I'd say the difference between this one and Mme. Moriarty (for me, at least) is red musk's strength versus patchouli. In Moriarty, the patchouli is strongest--here, it's definitely the red musk. Vanilla is the second strongest note in Moriarty, clove replaces it in Mircalla. If you like red musk, this is a blend that really seems to highlight it's unique properties.
  16. AlarmAgent

    Trick or Treat

    eta: This is the 2009 edition of Trick or Treat. In Bottle - It smells a lot like cold, sweetened butter. Like a bowl that is equal parts sugar, butterscotch syrup, and butter. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Still very sweet, but it no longer smells so buttery, which for me is a good thing. Since I know it's candy corn, I can tell it's candy corn--but for someone who was just smelling it? They might think it was those butterscotch discs. Dry, on Skin - It gets spicier, and more 'autumnal'. I like it, it's as close to candy corn as I've ever smelled outside of a bowl of candy corn, but I think I'll be content with an imp. It's a very cheerful scent, while still befitting the Halloween season. Unfortunately, it is very fleeting on my skin. The time it is there, though, it has a decent throw and it's very pleasant.
  17. AlarmAgent

    Cake Smash

    In Bottle - A lot like Beaver'versary, but without this teeny bit of strawberry (I attribute it to the frosted cupcakes) I always smell in the bottle for Beaver-versary. This smells a lot more like just sweetened cream cheese frosting, and cake. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Mm, yep, this is like a Dorian cake on me! I smell a bit of Snake Oil in there as well, but the Dorian really takes the reigns in this blend. I'm sure as the oil ages that the SO will make itself more known, as that is the way of the Snake Oil, but for right now it's a deliciously frosted lavender-tea-musk cake. Unfortunately, I've never smelled Doc. Constantine, so I can't comment on the strength of that in this blend. Dry, on Skin - As it sits on my skin, the cake and the Dorian ebb and flow. Occasionally I take a sniff and it's all red velvet cake, sometimes I take a sniff and it's more or less pure Dorian, but most of the time, it's that gorgeous blend that is so like some sort of lavender-infused cake with tea, as served by a...musky gentleman? I love this! I'm going to try and grab a back-up if I can.
  18. AlarmAgent

    Tzadikim Nistarim

    In Bottle - Juicy Fruit, distilled. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Banana bubble gum, and pretty strong on the banana bit. Dry, on Skin - As time goes on, a little teeny tiny bit of earthiness swirls around, I wish I could describe it specifically...but it's a woody, forest scent, but without any hint of 'dankness'. That could be the olive, but I wouldn't have guessed had I not seen the notes for this one. The banana and the bubble gum definitely become a lot less apparent, but are still present, giving the woods and earth some sweetness. I like this, it's a pretty different oil. It starts off pure candy, but becomes something sort of strange, but still very wearable. This is one of those oils I can't stop sniffing and trying to figure out exactly what's going on.
  19. AlarmAgent

    The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

    In Bottle - Light, sweet fruit. Pomegranate seems about the strongest, but it's hard for me to smell it without a bunch of incense or "darker" notes surrounding it--which is the way I usually smell pomegranate. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Hm, well, I can see where the chocolate is coming from in other reviews, but it also smells sort of, a little bit, soapy. Like, maybe a very light chocolate-and-fruit soap? It's definitely pleasant, light, and inoffensive. Dry, on Skin - The chocolate-ish vibe mellows out as time goes on, and it smells a lot more like grapes, pears and pomegranates. Not very sweet, and a little bit soapy--or rather, I should say, 'clean'. It doesn't smell like Irish Spring. No hairspray, no candy, just clean fruit. I'm not a crazy fruit fan, with the exception of citrus, so it doesn't do a whole lot for me--but if you like fruits that are otherwise hard to find in fragrances (like pear and grape, that actually smell like pears or grapes and not like candy or old wine), this one is worth a try!
  20. AlarmAgent

    Carnaval Diabolique

    In Bottle - Lemon candy, very sweet and not at all floor cleaner-ish. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Still lots of sweet lemon, a little bit of coconut...just the tiniest speck. Mostly smells like lemon candy though, very nice. At this point it smells quite a bit like Whitechapel to me, or maybe even the Great Sword of War. Dry, on Skin - It really improves as time goes on, the musk and the opium smoke make an appearance and deepen the blend significantly, making it much less candy-sweet and a lot more like a musky lemon. Really, the musk becomes a bigger player than the lemon for me, and it's more a musk-with-a-citrus-zest. I really enjoy it at the end here, and it doesn't take too long to get to this point. The coconut is not very strong at all, but that is okay. I'd buy a bottle or a partial, that's for sure.
  21. AlarmAgent

    Melisande, The Puppet Mistress

    In Bottle - Not entirely pleasant, a sort of acrid, poolside smell. Something in there is registering as chlorine for me, or some other pool chemical. I'm tentative to continue, but I know that so often you can't judge an oil by the smell of the imp wand. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Mawgh, that is some jasmine. I like jasmine, too. This is jasmine extreme, tampered down only by violet. I also like violet, and the driplets of violet water I smell in Melisande are very gorgeous. It is a different sort of violet than what is in Faith, or any of the other violet blends I've tried. Too bad the jasmine keeps jumping in front of it and mugging. Dry, on Skin - A little more musk, a little more violet, and yet the jasmine does not let up. Like I said, I'm one of those people who enjoys jasmine (it always stays true on me, never goes 'poopy' or...any number of the other awful things jasmine translates to for people), and even I can't help but wish it'd settle down a bit. There is a little bit of a powdery finish to this, but over-all it is a pleasant, if not all-together 'me' sort of scent. I was hoping for more vanilla, as vanilla and jasmine were one of my first favorite combined notes...going way, way back to the very beginning of middle school. As it stands though, I wouldn't turn my nose up at Melisande, and if I was just reaching around my imp pile for a random imp to wear that day (I do this a lot), and I picked this one out of the lot, I wouldn't toss it back in the pile. I guess not a glowing endorsement, but if you like floral-heavy blends, speaking most of jasmine and violet, I'd say you may fall in love with Melisande. It just didn't have enough 'base' to grab me and never let go, I suppose.
  22. AlarmAgent

    Al Azif

    In Bottle - Definitely pancake topping, of some variety. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Ahh, this is absolutely butterscotch incense. Butterscotch is a specific scent to me, not too maple, not too caramel, not all butter, just somewhere in between all of these. Coupled with resiny bits and the slightest touch of smoke, and this is something different from just a syrup scent. Not that there is anything wrong with that (for instance, I got this as a frimp --a crazily perfectly chosen one, at that-- when I purchased Pancake Breakfast from a forumite) so I am down for pancake smells, but this is just a little more...esoteric? Dry, on Skin - The butterscotch is light, not a thick, cloying scent--which I would expect from butterscotch. As time goes by, some sort of floral makes an appearance alongside the incense and tufts of smoke. I don't hazard a guess as to which one it is, because I can only readily identify three or four varieties of florals out of...millions, so I am not so sure as to which one this is. One thing is certain though, it isn't foreboding or dark in the slightest on me. This is a sweet, bakery-type incense blend that is perfectly wearable, and no one would think you were wearing a fragrance named after a creation of Lovecraft--that is what makes it fun. edit: someone just threw dirt on to the sacrificial butterscotch pyre, which makes the whole fragrance even stranger. Dirt, incense, butterscotch. Weird, but not one bit unpleasant. Seems that as it wears on the skin longer, it gets a bit more sinister; much like it's inspiration, I suppose!
  23. AlarmAgent

    J-Horror

    In Bottle - Orange juice, quite refreshing. I really ought to look back at my reviews and see how many begin with me comparing the oil in the bottle to a drink of some sort. I enjoy beverages, what can I say? Wet on Skin, First Applied - Mm, the blood orange is the strongest note here so far, for me, but with a fair bit of lily wafting gently around. Dry, on Skin - This is a very clean smelling oil, and I can see where people would smell this and think soapy, or how it could even go on another person, with just one or two other notes dominating on them instead of the orange and lily, and it would smell like 'soap'. Now, do keep in mind that it would be a very nice soap, not really an Irish Spring or anything, more artisan. For me though, the orange and lily are almost purely all I smell. The eucalyptus makes it a bit chillier, and it does share something in common with Flowering Chrysanthemums, that sort of sharpened stinger at the very end of the scent. Must be Chrysanthemum, but these would be the only two oils I've had that had the note--so I am no expert. I wish I got a bit more of the mint out of this one, I think it would've added an interesting dimension further on my skin. An arctic chill, an icy blast--a dimension of the darkest, mintiest depths. J-Horror : The Ghastliest Li'l Freshmaker. As an aside, trying this and B-Horror in the same day was a mistake. These two are not meshing together for me at all (not that I expected them to, but B-Horror is even odder than I thought it'd be), and while B-Horror wins out for me filmwise, scentwise it is the airy J-Horror all the way! Soapiness is a legitimate concern, but I lucked out to have the scent stop short at just clean instead.
  24. AlarmAgent

    B-Horror

    In Bottle - Some strange, strong drink. Chocolate and cherry, heavier on chocolate than Dark Chocolate and Cherry (Lupercalia 2009) was in the bottle. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Quite boozy, chocolate-y, and the cherry is specifically the grenadine. My mom had a bottle in our fridge for years, and I'd smell it once or twice. Never much cared for it; cherry is not my fragrance of choice. The oil is no-joke thick, it will give you the full-on drenched-in-tinted-Karo-syrup experience that being on the set of Tales from the CryptZone: Blood, and Other Problems of the Vampire Netherworld (AKA Zombi '66) would. Seriously thick and dark, so be forewarned that your skin may be stained upon application. Dry, on Skin - Coconut, which I'll presume is a sniffterpretation of this blend's peanut butter note, becomes the most readily apparent. The cherry recedes, but it doesn't really go away completely. The chocolate is not strong in the slightest, which is exactly what a 'chocolate syrup' note would be; thinner in scent/strength than cocoa or just chocolate. If I told you I smelled corn syrup, would you think I was making it up? Maybe it is just knowing that is in there, somewhere, I swear I smell the burgeoning of a cherry-coconut-pecan pie. Not for me, too sweet and boozy, but a perfection execution of the stated notes by the lab! Really, the notes create an excellent interpretation of B-Horror as a subgenre; an excess of indulgences and schleazecheese, with no... nutritional content. Pure fun, nothing to think about, no deep anything! All there on the surface, readily apparent. If you like foody, crazy-sweet scents, but you don't mind chocolate taking a backseat to coconut (heavy on the nut) and sweeeet bits of cherry, I think you may love B-Horror!
  25. AlarmAgent

    Tintagel

    In Bottle - Cherry coke. Well, more specifically, Wild Cherry Pepsi--which always had a stronger cherry scent to me. Cherry, fizzy, with the slightest herbal quality at the very bottom. Wet on Skin, First Applied - Cinnamon and Dragon's Blood, which is awesome. There is that herbal touch as well, I get wee whiffs of pine and general 'outdoors' type smells. It isn't "green" as much as it is "woodsy", without being heavy on trees or the actual scent of woods. It seems like all the extra stuff one may find in a forest, moss, assorted grasses, that sort of thing. It has been a long while since I came anywhere near smelling juniper, the last time I recollect it was in middle school--and it was Bath and Body Works' 'Juniper Breeze', so it may not have been that accurate...anyway, cut to the chase, I can't identify the smells here too well--except cinnamon and Dragon's Blood. Dry, on Skin - The 'forest scents', the cinnamon (which is more likely the spiced wine making an appearance), and the Dragon's Blood are all so evenly represented. There is a smoky overlay to the whole thing, which I've got to assume is the leather. I'm very happy that the wine itself never really becomes evident on me, because it isn't a scent that I really care to smell like--because of that, I never would've tried Tintagel, which would've been a shame as I'm really enjoying it, so thanks Lab, for frimping me with this one. It would also be a really great room scent, especially around the wintertime, and the holiday season. It has got that sort of warm home feel to it, but it works as a wearable fragrance as well. Really enjoying this one!
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