alyelle

In the imp: Apple, thick spiced cider, and skin musk. Wet: Very smutty musks, laden with a horrifyingly sweet apple and groggy, sugary cider. Dry: Once the booze wears off (which it does surprisingly quickly), a sweet musk carrying only a trace of apple. Around 6 hours wear time, but with a very strong throw for almost all of that time. Stars: ★★★½

In the imp: Tuberose and autumn leaves. Wet: A very thin oil; noticeably moreso than others from this year's Halloweenies. Slightly spicy red currants and tuberose sprinkled on a base of crunchy leaves, reminiscent of a warm and sunny day in early autumn. Dry: I slathered this because a) it's lovely and b) it was Halloween when I was testing. It didn't last long but I love it anyway. Medium throw, shorter lived than most (at least on me). Stars: ★★★★★

In the imp: Oak. Spooky, sexy oak. Wet: Almost single note Oak. A soft sprinkling of sunlight on stairs, polished oak boards, and faint music drifting from another room. Dry: Really really lovely - a gentle amber, dust motes, and old oak shelves glowing in the afternoon sun. Mild and short-lived. Stars: ★★★★½

In the imp: Floor polish, a smear of eucalyptus mop water, and strong black tea. Wet: Bay, tea, cigarette smoke, and something goopy and tangy that's not quite blood. Movie set blood. Dry: I might have accidentally thrown the whole decant over myself. Very bay, and loads of tea (black, no sugar); cigarette ash if I sniff for it. Not so much blood, tbh. Unfortunately I had to go wash it off, so I can't speak to life or eventual morph. Reasonably strong throw, made stronger by the sheer amount that got on me. Stars: ★★★

I have multiple Snake OIls of varying age which I'm experimenting with - one of my first perfume oils was an Indonesian vanilla from another company, many many years ago and it was the gateway to my current excessive BPAL collection. I've always wondered whether I can get a Snake Oil to match its richness and spicy vanilla scent. This review is for a 2014 purchased imp, aged under dark, temperature-controlled conditions. In the imp: Vanilla dominant, with a sandalwood/patchouli backbone - thick and treacly. Wet: This is such a dark oil - it looks, and smells, like pure vanilla extract (minus the seeds) Dry: Mostly vanilla, with a vaguely menthol note; this could be bay, it does some weird shit on my skin. Not quite the same vanilla as my non-BPAL, but aging nicely, and I'll come back to this in another 3 years or so to see how it's changed. Life isn't overly long, about 8 hours, with a medium strength throw. Doesn't blow my mind, but I would definitely consider repurchase/rewear. Stars: ★★★½ so far

In the imp: Heavy on rose, with a soapy lilac. Wet: I had this once, years ago, and didn't like it then - rose simply refused to behave on me. These days it's a lot better, and is often pleasant - which is the case with this on initial application. A full-blooming pink tea rose, almost-but-not-quite Penhaligon's rose note, which would be perfect but for the soapiness of the lilac. Dry: Sadly, the rose wilts under the lilac, and this ultimately becomes the same grandma talc scent that I remember from my long ago tests. A shame, because it really is wonderful to start with. Very short-lived, and not a winner on me at all. Stars: ★★

In the imp: Patchouli and rose geranium. Wet: Patchouli base but covered with a layer of sweet wild plum, musk, and the tiniest hint of jasmine. A summer or early autumn fragrance. Dry: A wonderful, plummy patchouli - my only wish is that it lasted longer! It's not short lived by any means, just so lovely that I want more. Stars: ★★★★

In the imp: Cherry jam, blackberry jam, and sweet apple cider. This was a frimp, and I am praying to everything in existence that it doesn't contain cinnamon like all the other cider blends. Wet: A tiny application, pending allergy checks. Instant amp of a very powdery carnation, alongside treacle and amber, and the crumbs of a spiced currant cake. Dry: When I didn't immediately break out in a rash, I applied more for a proper wear test. This ends as mashed apple and sparkling cider, summer carnations, spiced and sugary vanilla cake studded with plump raisins. I ... love it?? It's amazing. It's everything I wanted Autumn Cider to be, and is probably the first cider scent I can actually wear. Hashtag blessed. Medium throw, and a reasonable lifespan of 6-8 hours. Stars: ★★★★★

Partial bottle, gifted from a friend, which I try every so often as part of a gardenia experiment. In the bottle: Gardenia dominating, a backbone of grassy closer and sweet tuberose. Wet: Jasmine tea with gardenia overtones, and a wee hint of rose. Dry: A faceful of gardenia and tuberose. This is so much, in the best possible way; an enveloping floral cloud about six feet wide with a heavy throw and unabashedly long life. Stars: ★★★★½

Personal decant from a friend's 2015 bottle; aged in a temperature controlled cellar. In the imp: Sweet and floral plum, a mossy little apple, and a slightly bitter violet leaf. As it has aged, the vanilla top note has emerged. Wet: Vanilla, apple, tuberose; after a few moments, moss and a mild synthetic musk, like washing detergent. The apple has dominated as this aged, with sandalwood taking a very back seat. Dry: A wonderfully pleasant moss-drenched, apple-tinged musk. Less synthetic after settling. The throw tends to the milder side, and the life is a fairly average 6-8 hours. Stars: ★★★★

Decant from a circle; I had apparently meant to buy a bottle, but I never did get around to that. It's a shame, as it aged superbly. In the imp: Spicy, green, and astringent. Young, the imp displayed a whiff of lemon; years on, that has gone and it's a pure herbal blend. Wet: Originally, lemon - not balm or verbena, and probably the first lemon-ish scent I'd tried that did not trigger an immediate migraine. 6 years on, no lemon at all; its white tea, pale green herbs, and a brambly little thing that could be blackberry but which I assume should be pyracantha berry. Dry: Herbal, in an abstract way; I've never yet been able to pick an identifiable note. White tea, slightly sugared rosehip, and something a little leafy. Stars: ★★★★

Originally purchased in a decant circle, then as a bottle in 2015. Both aged in temp-controlled environments. In the bottle: Pale wood and fresh vanilla pod. Wet: Swirls of soft, snowy vanilla-rose, which becomes gradually warmer and redder as it settles. Beautiful in both summer (my original wear test was on a 35 degree celcius Christmas Day) and winter, where it tends to last longer. Dry: A touch of powder as it first dries off, which thankfully never turns into baby talc. From there, a smooth transition into a rose-blushed vanilla, comforting and warm. Medium to light throw with some longevity of wear; not quite in the same league of beloved faves as Snow Glass Apples and October, but getting close. Stars: ★★★★★

In the imp: Smoky resins, first patchouli and then benzoin, with a squish of fig. Wet: Fig-sweetened patchouli. Dry: Eventually a little vanilla-ish, but not so much so that you could ever describe it as vanilla. For almost its entire wear, it stays firmly on the side of smoked patchouli, sweetened by fig. It's not the first patchouli sent I'd reach for, but by no means unpleasant. Medium throw, lasts around 8 hours. Stars: ★★★½

In the imp: Vetiver up front, pushy as ever; hidden in the background is a sweet and sultry vanilla and a little bit of smokey leather. Wet: Vanilla and vetiver, splashed over with bourbon. Dry: Quite short in terms of its lifespan, which makes identifying all the stages of morph tricky. I aged it in the hope that the staying power would improve but it looks like 6ish hours is the upper limit on me. Stars: ★★★

Lab freebie from 2016, tested on arrival and again this year after aging. In the imp: extremely floral - my bets are still probably jasmine, perhaps lily of the valley. Wet: Spicy and slightly salty. I can't pick anything that would be obviously contributing to the oil's colour, but I still suspect it has one of the blood notes; there's a vague blood-muskiness that starts to emerge as it dries. Dry: Didn't get far enough to test for morph, as it ended up triggering a migraine both times and I washed it off (both times). The floral/power amps to high heaven, so I'm giving it to a friend who likes floral-driven blends more than I do.

Freebie with a decant order in 2016, exact age unknown. In the imp: An overwhelmingly sweet green tea, with a splash of bright lemon and cool aloe - basically NesTea. Wet: Heavy lemon, accompanied by a fervent wish that this is not going to morph into lemon cleaner. Dry: Lemon cleaner. I would love to do something about my obscene power to amp lemon, but unfortunately the best thing I can do is stay away from anything that lists lemon as an included note. Eventually I get a tiny suggestion of matcha green tea, and after three hours, the entire thing has vanished entirely. Stars: ★★

In the imp: A very sweet, almost sickly, plum flavouring; suggestions of plum fruit and almond blossoms beneath. Wet: This has all the potential for disaster on my skin, but I did it anyway. The plum is immediately tempered by woodsy stems of blackcurrant, with a bitter almond note emerging as it begins to settle. Dry: Nowhere near the mess I was expecting! Its final form is a rich, sweet plum with a spicy wood accompaniment. Medium to heavy throw, 10-12 hour lifespan. A very pleasant surprise! Stars: ★★★½

In the imp: Oak-laden Snake Oil with hints of moist green moss Wet: Vanilla, the tiniest sliver of olive leaf, and sweet - almost rosy - moss. I love it. Dry: Vanilla-dominant, with sweet fruit-floral top notes. It lingers very close to the skin but has a decent enough throw, and a good solid life of 10 hours. I almost bought a bottle after my 2016 decant circle, but at the time had an unwieldy stash and decided against enlarging it. Stars: ★★★★

In the imp: Tea-laden Snake Oil, and the tiniest whiff of sweet mint. Wet: Earl grey tea with vanilla, not unlike Dorian but with a richer and warmer undertone, and a dash of spearmint. Dry: The tea fades away gradually to leave a rich, thick vanilla. Medium throw, average lifespan. Benefits from aging. Stars: ★★★½

Purchased first in a decant circle, then as bottles direct from the lab. My review for the sisters combined is beneath each separate review; my review for Hope alone is here. In the bottle: Pure violet, becoming more sugared as it ages. Wet: A slightly greasy feeling at first application. Dry: Violet that tends powdery as it dries down, capped with a generous dusting of fine sugar. Not unlike my first-and-favourite violet scent, Le Serpent Qui Danse, but nowhere near as strong. Together, Faith and Hope blend perfectly, with the astringent edge of the tea rose soothed and rounded by the sugary sweetness of the violet, and the slight powdery note of the violet morphing into an almost vanilla-like scent when combined. The rose strengthens the violet rather than drowning it out. They're definitely best worn as a pair, though both are lovely on their own as well. Together, they have a mid-strength throw and last about 8 hours. Stars: ★★★★★

Purchased first in a decant circle, then as bottles direct from the lab. My review for the sisters combined is beneath each separate review; my review for Faith alone is here. In the bottle: Tea rose covered in powdered sugar. Wet: When I bought these, I wasn't a huge fan of rose and didn't love how it behaved on me. That's changed somewhat and I can wear most of them these days - however, at the time, I was SUPER pleased to find that the tea rose which generally induced a teeth-grinding headache did nothing of the kind. Dry: Stronger, and less sugary, than her violet counterpart, but with the same slightly powdery note as it settles. Together, Faith and Hope blend perfectly, with the astringent edge of the tea rose soothed and rounded by the sugary sweetness of the violet, and the slight powdery note of the violet morphing into an almost vanilla-like scent when combined. The rose strengthens the violet rather than drowning it out. They're definitely best worn as a pair, though both are lovely on their own as well. Together, they have a mid-strength throw and last about 8 hours. Stars: ★★★★★

In the imp: Vetiver. So much vetiver. And a bit of bergamot. Wet: Dark, spicy, and green with a hint of earthy sweetness. Bourbon, hay, vetiver and sweet myrrh; I smell like an 18th century gentleman. Dry: This has one of the weirdest morphs ever, changing from dark, sexy, and brooding to a sweet feminine vanilla like *that*. After 8 hours of wear, it's like being enveloped in a cup cake. The two experiences are so different, it's as though I switched perfumes halfway through the day. Strong throw, and a 10-12 hour lifespan. Stars: ★★★★

In the imp: Marshmallow and pretty peony, a waft of lavendar and a hint of apricot musk. Wet: Sugared vanilla, slightly cakier than Dorian, but very similar. A strengthening spine of musk, slathered with a soft ripe apricot. Dry: A perfectly sugared floral/fruit combo. I never did end up purchasing a bottle, though I was sorely tempted at the time and wouldn't rule it out if I saw this come up on a sale list... Mild, but with good staying power. Stars: ★★★★★

In the imp: I'll be honest - it's slightly gross, and I blame the labdanum. The scent is predominantly one of decay: rotting rose petals and sludgy orris. This sounds extreme, and it's not the worst thing I've ever sniffed, but it doesn't immediately compel me to apply it to my skin. Wet: An immediate improvement, like those dead roses are aging in reverse. There's a rounded depth from the orris, a dried-but-healthy rose note, and a surprisingly pink frankincense. Weirdly, no trace of labdanum at all. Dry: Surprising (and surprisingly short-lived for something with resins). Its final morph is into an innocent, soft rose - fresh, young, and pale pink - with a base of orris. I'm glad I kept it; age has done nothing to improve the initial waft of death, but after the first few minutes, it's a lovely scent for winter. Mild-to-medium throw, very inoffensive. Stars: ★★★★

In the imp: White sandalwood, touched by rose and the sharp astringency of pear. Wet: An unfortunate amount of pear and sadly little moss. I bought this as part of a decant circle, and debated at length about whether to bother; my only experience with pear prior to this was La Belle Au Bois Dormant, which was a colossal failure on me. Here, it isn't as bad, but it's too generic, and too much like a powdery nanna soap, that I can't really count it as a win. Dry: Powdery pear. I didn't like it when I first received it, and I don't like it after careful aging. It may just be the fact that I don't find it pleasurable, but it seems to last forever, with far too strong a throw for a fruit-based blend. Stars: ★★★