Lori

Sniffing the imp: A soft, greenish white herbal. Not as strong as Belladonna or Hemlock. Wet on wrist: Oh, how pretty! These gorgeous white flowers are coming through to dance with the herbs. Everything smells gossamer light and bright and dewy and sweet. Dry-down: A perfect, wonderful blend! It has morphed into a wonderful blend of crushed herbs, flowers and incense spices, all caught into the same web, saved for consumption. I wonder if I wear this, if the spiders living in and outside of my home will give me more respect! They like to spin their webs on whatever I can easily walk into. Maybe they have been trying to get my attention and have me join their spidery guild or something. I can start by wearing Arachne. I want a big bottle of this one!

Sniffing the imp: Mmmm…this is gorgeous! Sweet, and yet earthy undertones. Wet on wrist: Sweet, almost coconutty. I wonder what that scent is coming from? The oleander? I have never smelled that flower. I can’t smell any mandarin but the magnolia is coming through. Oh, maybe the coconut smell is from the musk? I don’t know but I am enjoying smelling this. Dry: A soft blend of sweet, sensual, floral musk. If this is what a demon’s consort wears, it must smell pretty good in Hell! I love this one and think it may become my 3rd catalogue imp I have tried that I want a bottle of. Funny, but I am wearing Hemlock on my other wrist and on a whim, I rubbed the two together and man, this blend smells really good!!!

First sniff of the imp: Very green herbal! It is reminding me of another scent that I just tried, recently…Belladonna! Wet on wrist: Oh my, this smells like pine! A bright, clean pine. More cleaning fluid than forest. Now this reminds me of Mistletoe! Dry: A nice pine scent, like several I have smelled before…usually at Christmas. I should swap it, but I want to keep it for the name so that I can secretly wear some hemlock in my poison ring. Heheh

Sniffing the imp: Oh…beautiful frankincense! Wet on wrist: The frankincense, which smells very earthy, almost like cedar, and now the cinnamon is coming through! Drier: The cinnamon is becoming most prominent! Like those little red hot candies. I can almost taste them on my tongue! This is getting hot!! Dry: This has sweetened up. It is still earthy and dark and spicy, but the frankincense smells sweeter and there is dark, sweet flowers growing in the black of the night.

Sniffing the imp: Very, very earthy. At first I thought it was patchouli, but is the cedar. Wet on wrist: Cedar and florals. Mmm…the lilac is coming through. I love lilacs! They are one of my favourite flowers…the embodiment of Spring! J Drier: Now the cedar is coming on strong, again, balancing out the sweetness of the flowers. It smells smoky and has darkened this scent down quite a bit! I can also smell a bit of the tea and lemon. This is morphing beautifully! Dry: This fully embodies a Princess, who became a Queen, and who ended up disguised as her father, King Lear’s fool. It has many guises. It is a perfectly blended scent of strong florals, mixed with watery, light tea, sweet musk and earthy, smoky cedar. Just a gorgeous, amazing blend! Bravo!!!

Sniffing the imp: Nice, sharp mango! Yum! Wet on wrist: Mmmm…the amber is coming through, and something smells almost like coconut in the background. Drier: Some blossoms are coming through now, tropical and breezy. This feels like being on a warm, fragrant beach in Hawaii. I have always wanted to visit Machu Picchu (as I want to visit all of the sacred sites in the world). I didn’t picture it smelling Hawaiian but you never know! Dry: Beautiful! Warm, gorgeous, golden fruits and florals, with earthy amber permeating them and making this feel old and wise. I close my eyes and dream I am on top of this mountain, gathering up its metaphysical knowledge and energy. I love this one!

I really want to love this one, as I believe in unicorns. I used to collect them, and still have some of the most beautiful ones. As well, I have a wonderful silk screen of a unicorn, decked out in garlands of forest flowers. I am really hoping I get that picture in this scent. Sniffing the imp: Ewww…Cherry cough medicine! Where on earth did that come from? Wet on wrist: Oh, this is better. A floral is coming through. Mmm…a white floral, which I love. And something sweet, too! Must be the herbs. Drier: This is drying down into a sweet candy smell. I can see giving this to my 12 year old niece to wear. It is a little too sweet for my tastes, but very much embodies the spirit of playfulness and innocence. Oh my! I was about to put this one into the swap pile, when the florals came back and pretty fast, too! Maybe this one will be a keeper. Dry: The Unicorn has dried down into the sweetness from before. The little girl who lives downstairs from me comes up to admire my unicorn and fairy collection. She draws me beautiful pictures of them in their realm. This scent is now invoking those sweet memories of her and I and of the times we have spent, together. Oh! Another beautiful memory just came back! It is the 1970’s and I am 12 years old, and in the musical supply store that my beloved father worked at. He and I are at the counter, and I am buying my first 45 record, which is The Unicorn, by the Irish Rovers! While, it is more likely the name of the scent and not the scent itself that is invoking these memories, it is sure nice to have them. Although, when I was 12, I was probably wearing Love’s Baby Soft cologne, and this smells similar to what I remember! I do think it is too sweet for me to wear (giving my sinuses a workout, now!), but I want to thank the Unicorn for the memories, and this will be passed on to my niece (who also has a wonderful, musical Dad – my brother!) to make some memories of her own.

Sniffing the imp: A very sharp, tart grapefruit! Wet on wrist: Grapefruit, again, but with a hint of floral. This is quite nice, actually! Drier: Ok, the aquatic is really coming through, now and is invoking a cold and rainy night. As soon as the aquatics start coming out in a scent, it doesn’t seem to agree with me. Which is strange, as I love the rain, the smell of rain, the ocean, etc. But aquatics always smell like some sort of household cleaner, to me. So does ozone. Dry: A definite watery floral, with a hint of grapefruit in the background. I loved the beginning of this…the grapefruit and the flowers. It is just the watery notes that I don’t like, but what can you expect from an oil named after a river? It is very pretty, but it is giving me a headache, so off to swaps it goes.

Sniffing the imp: Whoa! This smells lemon fresh! Huh? Yes, wet and green and herbal! Just the exact opposite of what Hell has been depicted as. Hmmm…now I am intrigued to find out why it starts off that way and what it will become! Wet on skin: The herbal is still there, but there is also a spiciness peeking through. Like someone is about to drop a match on the lushness of a damp, green forest! Drier: The spicy scent has really taken over now! Ahhhh…I get it. It is Hades up to his old tricks! Luring us in to the illusion of a rich, healthy, living green space, only to pull the curtain away and reveal that we are really in a dry, barren, hot Hell! Dry: I must have passed some initiation, as now I have been rewarded with some sweet smelling florals. I guess there has to be some pleasures in Hell, eh? But uh oh…there is that spiciness again! First the forest, and the waters, and now the flowers, huh? You really are an evil ruler, Hades! I am glad I am going to the opposite place. :-P

Sniffing the imp: I smell sandalwood right off the bat. Oh, and there is lavender peeking through. *reads ingredients* Oh, cool…Nag is in here, too! I bet this is going to smell like my store! Wet on wrist: There is the Nag Champa! Everything that I buy from the store, and leave in a bag for a day or so…when I take it out, it smells like Nag Champa! People are always coming in the store, and asking what the wonderful smell is, and even though we have dozens of types of incense and essential oils and scented candles, I always attribute it to the Nag, because it takes over EVERYTHING!!! Just like it is doing here! Drier: Ok, this is just a gorgeous scent! If I didn’t work where I did, this would be a definite keeper to wear or scent a room with, but I kind of smell like this a lot already! I wear a lot of lavender, which is in here, too. I keep telling myself to swap this as it is so familiar but I think I am going to be keeping it…hippie girl that I am. I love it! Dry: The incense really stands out, and I still can smell the lavender and now…wow… that smoky scent is coming through, too. It is as if someone has taken a match to the incense…I can smell the charcoal. Gaueko. I didn’t know his name, but I have already made friends with this God of the Night, who protects womankind against its perils. I definitely have heeded his counsel and I love the night and the darkness. Again, this scent is gorgeous and now it feels protective, too! I am so glad it turned out the same and yet different than I expected. I want a big bottle of this. I can see this rivaling Hearth for my favourite cuddled-up night time scent.

Oh please, oh please, oh please, I want to LOVE this one! I want...I NEED to smell like the Fae!! Tentatively sniffs the imp: Hmmmm...smells orange! Not the colour, the fruit. Wet on wrist: Inititally, this is very Orange (not Peach!). It reminds me of the smell of those sugared jelly fruit candies (the orange one of course), sweet and sugary. And shortly after, the musk starts peeking through the orange. Drier: Oh No! No, no, no, no, no! This is turning into Gilette's Musk deodorant that my ex used to wear! After awhile, I couldn't take that smell any more (not because it was him wearing it...I am just not a musk fan!) and bought him another type of deodorant! *keeps sniffing every couple of seconds to see if it has morphed out of the musk deodorant smell* Dry: A sweet smelling orangey musk. Actually pretty nice for a musk scent, but as I said, I am not a fan of wearing musk and it is most prominent here. It makes me sad that the Fae smell musky. *sigh* But then, I never pictured them smelling like sugared orange jelly candies, either. Actually, I think Elves would smell more like oranges and candy. That was what I always found in my Christmas stocking! Well, I was going to send this to swaps, but actually, it might make a nice Christmas room scent, now that I am thinking of it. Maybe it will even attract the Elves to bring me more stuff!

I received this imp, in a previous lab order. Writing the review, now I see it is discontinued. When did that happen? Uh oh….I hope I don’t fall in love with it. The description suits me to a tee! Sniffing the imp: Mmmm…beautiful, beautiful roses. I’m doomed… Wet on wrists: Lovely, beautiful, pink roses! My boyfriend just bought me 2 dozen pink roses for my birthday and they smelled like this. Mmmmmmm Drier: Now, the other florals are coming through and this is just gorgeous! Why did this one get discontinued? Wah! Dry: Has faded fast, but left a lingering scent of soft perfume. This is what I think Antique Lace should smell like! Old linens packed away with a rose satchet. Gorgeous! This imp is going to have to stretch. *sigh*

Sniffing the imp: My…this is *very* fruity! And…uh oh…what is that underneath…oh, ick…smells like pee! I’ve read about other people smelling that in certain scents, but it is the first time that has happened to me! Uh oh, well I still have to try it on my wrist in the name of scientific research. Here goes… Wet on wrist: Very fruity! At least, there is no urine smell this time. Drier: Still fruity, but now the floral is coming through. It is very sweet, so I am guessing honeysuckle, but then again, the fruit smell was sweet, too, so it is hard to tell which is the sweet thing that I am smelling. Dry: Well, the florals have evened this out a bit, but it is still a merging of fruit and floral that is I am not enamored of. Unfortunately, too, the pee smell is there faintly, again. Is that the Martial spices? I don’t know but I am not going to keep this anyway. Off to swaps it goes!

Sniffing the imp: Oh no - the dreaded jasmine! But I have to try it on as you never know... Wet on wrist: This is beautiful, but too strong smelling for me, and the jasmine in it is really affecting my sinuses, as jasmine always does. Plus, the honeysuckle is competing for attention, and while I love honeysuckle, these two are both playing really hard! Drier: Hmmm...this is really starting to embody Ostara, now, which is one of my favourite times of year. I love the Spring...the first few buds peeking through, and dew on the grass in the morning. I wish I could wear it. Buttercup just sounds so nice for that time of year, too, but I am just not smelling it yet. Dry: Well, I have been wearing this for a few hours now, and I can't stop sniffing my wrist! I really, really like this!! When it dried down and faded a bit, the scents merged into a precious sweetness that speaks of Spring. I am drifting away to my younger years, walking to school on the most beautiful Spring day, inhaling the blossoms on the trees, finally out of the winter coat and boots and wearing white knee socks and mary jane shoes. Dreaming of Easter morning, seeing my Ukranian Grandmother's beautifully decorated Easter eggs, and imagining digging into the chocolate bunny and the coloured candy eggs come Sunday morning. Yes, I am so glad I stuck out that initial jasmine as now I want this in a large size, come Spring, for Ostara. This is definitely a very happy, very yellow scent!

I remember liking Estee Lauder's White Linen once upon a time when I wore perfume, so I am really interested in trying this one out! Sniffing the imp: Yes, this is very clean! It smells like the scented “outdoor-fresh “ dryer sheets that I never buy, as I don’t want my laundry smelling like them! It is a far too chemical smell. Wet on wrist: Plumeria! Sprayed on a chemically scented dryer sheet! Dry: Back to the "outdoor-fresh" dryer sheets. No, I don’t like this. It just smells like a chemical laundry cleaner to me, and I hate those. It is stuffing up my sinuses. That sure wouldn't help after a night of debauchery, either! I rarely drink any alcohol as it affects my sinuses so badly. A definite one to swap!

OMG, this is lovely!! The flowers are absolutely beautiful. No wonder this is a funereal scent, as this smells Heaven sent (scent!) I don’t know what 3 of the flowers in this blend smell like, but the white rose and gardenia are here and gorgeous! A definite keeper for a girly girl who loves pretty clothes, pretty things and pretty scents! I have two imps and am keeping them and will order a bottle, too.

Sniffing the imp: I smell oranges! Must be the Neroli. Wet on wrist: Wow! This is very perfumey! Dry down: Nice, but maybe too perfumey for me After it dried, it was gentler, but still smells like a perfume and similar to a lot of other blends. The musk and the vanilla take over and while nice, I am finding that I like the ones that are really different, most of all, and this isn’t one of them.

Sniffing the imp: Mmmm…fresh cut flowers in the imp! Wet on wrist: Mmmm…fresh cut flowers on my wrist! I feel like a girl going to a prom, with a rose corsage on her wrist. Dry down: Oh noes!! This has dried and so has the smell. It now smells like flowers drying and mildewing in a vase full of mucky water! *Sigh* I guess I am not going to the prom, after all. So much for the "potent hummingbird of love"! S'ok...my date wasn't about to get any, anyway.

Sniffing the imp: I smell white tea, a floral (maybe cherry blossom, only because of the name of the scent, although I would have guessed honeysuckle) and something fruity (although that could be the cherry in the cherry blossom!) Wet on wrists: Still white tea and something quite fruity, almost pear-like. Drier: The pear scent is still the most prominent and I really like this. I have no idea if it is pear or not (as I have yet to get a SN of pear) but I am imagining it smells like this. Dry: Soft, white, breezy, beautiful fruity floral. I have no idea of the ingredients but I love this. I had two and swapped one for something else I wanted to try. But luckily, I got through imps slowly, so will definitely use this one up and then get a bottle.

Sniffing the imp: Mmmm...beautiful, delicate sweet pea! I love that smell. My Mom always had sweet peas in her garden. :-) Wet on wrist: Oh, the water lily just took over! It is a nice scent, but I am not as fond of "watery" fragrances, so I hope it changes. (It does always amaze me though, how a scent can smell one way in the imp and instantly transform into something completely different as soon as it goes on my skin!) Drier: Ok, the sweet pea is merging nicely, with the aquatic lily, creating a nice balance, of sweet and cool. As a few more minutes go by now, and the carnation starts acting up with it spiciness, and this is turning into something soft and sweet yet with a bit of kick! Dry: This is a beautifully merged scent of all 3 florals. Since finding BPAL, I have found myself turning away from the florals that I always only wore for fragrance, and enjoying the foody and smoky scents, but I do still love florals, and this is a nice one. I will keep the imp. Not sure yet if I would want more. I will have to see, after a few more wears.

Sniffing the imp: Whoa…first thing to jump out is the lemon! Very sharp!! But I can smell florals coming up strong, behind. Wet on wrist: The rose starts coming through right away. It is nice, but strong! I really like rose, but this is a bit overpowering. Drier: The rose has lightened up a bit and the lemon has gone totally away, and no trace of apple yet. This just smells like Yardley rose spray perfume at this stage. Oh wait…now, there seems to be apple blossom floating about, not apple, along with the rose. It is still a strong smelling scent and now, quite sweet. Sniffing continuously is giving me a headache. This may go to the swap pile. Dry: Well, finally it has faded into a nice apple blossom smell. While this is more “me”, I already have a bottle of apple blossom, so I think I will swap this, as I don’t really like the stages it takes to get here.

I had 3 of these imps, two were from swaps and then I got a lab freebie! (thank you!) :-) I swapped one away and donated the other to an auction, but tonight I found myself wanting more than the one imp as I feel I may use this up quicker than I thought and am lamenting the 8 weeks it will take to get a bottle. I think that I figured I didn't need that much, as I already have the catlike sexuality and the childlike curiosity in spades, that it is supposed to invoke. Plus, I do tend to lean toward experiencing a joyful life and remind myself that pain is optional. And up till now, the only person I wanted to put a hex on was my obnoxious neighbours (though I have refrained from doing so.) I don't always wear the Voodoo oils, but tonight I am, and it is invoking memories of my black cat, Sebastian, lying in my lap, giving himself a bath and then purring till he falls asleep. That is joy being invoked right there and reminding me that pets do make living worthwhile. And that I need another one, NOW! There we are. The power of a drop is quite enough, and so I will use each drop to my advantage. But I am ordering a big bottle of this, to go along with the other big bottles that I am collecting of the Voodoo Blends. I can't say enough how much I love these blends, and even if none of the perfume scents worked out for me, and even though there seem to be hurtful people involved in the BPAL community, finding these scents made finding BPAL totally worthwhile to me!

This, along with Dorian, are my top two favourite catalogue scents, from all I have tried thus far (and that has been quite a lot!) And loving this one has made me, who lives in a world of beauty, just like the Dana O Shee, and who has heard their unearthly music and spotted a fae a time or two, very, very happy! Re-reading the description, tonight when I have lost sleep due to stress that another person has caused me, I also can identify with the Dana O'Shee's vengeful side. A little Black Cat may be coming out to play, tonight.

Earthy, earthy, earthy Patchouli. A lovely Patch to wear, but I use Beth's ritual blends for ritual use and this one falls into that category for me. I have done lots of healing work with the Chakras and this will be used when working with the Root Chakra, when and if needed, in the future. I have rec'd two imps as freebies so one will go off to swaps for someone else to try. I echo anyone who has asked that Beth continue a line of Chakra oils. It is so very easy for me to find such things on the hippie island I live on, that is ripe with aromatherapists, and shops (including mine) that sell these things, but I have had excellent results from using Beth's TAL and Voodoo blends, and so would stick with her on this line, too.

Sniffing the Imp: Wow! That smells really medicinal! It kind of reminds me of this little hard, plastic tube thing that my mom had, that you could put up to your nostrils and take a deep whiff of, to clear your sinuses! It is definitely all Rosemary at first, but a very strong one! Almost close to a Eucalyptus smell. Wet on wrist: Ok, now it is all Orange Blossom! Really, really strong, again. Drier: The rose finally starts coming through and it is a lovely one. This might be ok, as it came in there pretty quick to tame the Orange Blossom. Dry: Now we are back to the Rosemary, and the Orange Blossom is hanging around just enough to make this very strong and antiseptic and tart! The rose is barely hanging in there. How did Catherine seduce with this, in order to poison people? My nose thinks it smells sort of poisonous so off to swaps it goes.