Tess

(Original '05 verision) I'm not much of a floral girl, so this'll be an interesting test: Can the vanilla make this a doable scent for me?

In the vial - Oh, she's a floral. I'm having a hard time placing the specific notes, but it's perfume-y. Something like my mother or grandmother would wear.

Wet - It burns... The heck?!

Drying - Oh, the jasmine is there, but the whole thing is very faint. The rose and the lily aren't letting the jasmine destroy me the way it normally does, but all in all, it's quite, quite a faint scent on me. And very floral and feminine.

Dry (30 minutes) - Eh, it's gone to powder on me, which is deffinately the rose doing it. I'm getting little to no honeysuckle, although lily is the more forefront scent. The amber is just an afterthought giving it a twinge. Still, very faint.

Overall - This just doesn't stand up to the test of my skin absorbing all throw. It's very pretty and feminine (two things I'm not), so I can see this being lovely for other ladies. The amber really DOES give it just the right amount of kick. Still, not for me.

This one seems to run the gambit as far as scent goes. To summerize previous reviews, this seems to be fruity/sweet/gingerbread/chocolate/floral/spicey... dirt. Let's see what my skin makes of it.

In the bottle - Well, it's certainly a loam, and I can indeed smell a touch of ginger, fruit (grape? Something of the juicy family), and a tiny hint of some sort of white floral.

Wet - Ginger dirt. Whoo, my sinuses are clear!

Drying - The ginger is mixing with something that smells like mole (spiced chocolate), so I can see why people think it smells like gingerbread. That over the loam is really interesting...

Dry - The gingerbread smell is backing off and a scent like a milder, gentler Queen of Clubs is coming out. Dirt underneath a grape vine. In fact, the ginger has pretty much completely disappeared now, with the loam being the main scent.

Overall - After the first few minutes, it turns almost into Graveyard Dirt on me. This is a Good Thing , seeing as I love that smell of dirt. It's quite a bit fainter than GD, though, with just about no throw. I have to press my nose to my wrist to smell it. I'll try it out a bit more and see if this "maybe" turns into a "YES" for me.

This is a frimp, but I've been eyeing the scent for a bit. Something about apple blossom just strikes a note of "this might work" for me.

In the bottle - Oh interesting... I can see where people thought this was soapy, since it does remind me of Bath & Bodyworks apple blossom, but I actually like it. The apple is light and meshes wonderfully with the amber.

Wet - Okay, my skin chemistry is just off today. This smells like Coke, just the way Satyr did earlier.

Drying - As it dries that random cola smell is disappearing and the glowing apple-amber I smelt in the bottle it coming forward. It's delicate, dusty and just a touch sweet.

Dry (15 minutes) - Well, hellooooo, babypowder. Slightly amber tinted babypowder, but still.

Overall - I refuse to give up on this. It has such potential, that I simply feel obligated to try it out later, once my chemistry as stopped freaking out.

Unless I am much mistaken, this will be my first try with a scent containing civet. There's been a strong division on this one, so let's see how my skin handles it.

In the bottle - This is going to sound incredibly whacky, but it smells like a Coca-cola in the metaphysical store I used to go to all the time. *ogles* Musky Coke with incense. That's exactly what I'm getting...

Wet - I'm wearing a bottle of Coke! EH?!

Drying - Okay, I think the civet is coming out now, although that soda smell is still there. It's getting that musky sweat scent that guys get when they're out in the woods all day. Only this male is carrying an open cola. (Does anyone know what I mean by that? You know, that strong tang that hits your nose when you smell a Pepsi? Or am I just a weirdo? )

Dry - ...I smell like a ferret. Or a pet shop, whichever you prefere. Yeek.

Overall - So, I don't think the civet likes me, because I have to say, this is terrible on me. I can tell there are some other notes in there (cedar and vanilla coming to me most strongly), but the association with animals is a little too strong for my tastes.

Oh, please let this work on me! It sounds glorious and I've heard wonderful things about it. Please!

In the bottle - This is truly a light vanilla with a hint of linen. And am I picking up some white musk? VERY faint, but lovely.

Wet - ...sandalwood? *ogles* I'm picking up a very sizable amount of something very dry and incensy...

Drying - I kid you not, it's a strong incense with a linen crispness to it and just a very faint touch of something that smells vaguely like a commercial white musk. The heck? I can get that sense of floral others are getting, but I'm nearly 100% certain that it's neither jasmine nor lilac. In fact, it's actually working with my skin chemistry, so I'm nearly possitive that it's a white floral.

Dry (One hour later) - The strong incense is fading, so the linen and the vanilla (finally) are coming out a little, but it's very faint. Despite it's faintness, I really do like the subtle sweetness. It isn't at all what I was expecting, but it's nice.

Overall - This smells almost exactly like a lighter version of Hinoki Pagoda from Pier 1... At first it especially smells like that, very strong and dark, but then fades out to allow the other notes to shine through. If I remember correctly, the main scent (in that candle scent, at least) is hinoki cedar, so maybe that's what this smells like...? It an interesting scent, regardless. I'm going to keep my imp, just to see where it goes.

I've been searching for a good foody type scent, but nothing's worked for me yet. Here's hoping that this one breaks the pattern, or else I'll have to regulate myself to just having foody room scents.

In the bottle - Very buttery, a bit sweet and heavy on the buttercream. I don't smell any chocolate or hazelnut yet.

Wet - Rum and... plastic. Oh dear.

Drying - This is doing fantastically bad things. The plastic is faint, but the cream smells almost rancid on me. The hazelnut note is coming out a bit and there's still that boozy tinge to it. There's also a really strong spice note. I'm not sure what that is, yet.

Dry (20 minutes later) - Yup, plastic, rancid cream and oddly stale nuts. No, I don't understand what's going on with the nuts, either. =/ It really is just my skin doing it, I know it is.

Overall - A serious "no" on this one. I might keep the imp to try and make some soap with it, but most likely it's just going to be traded.

I use these. They're glass and are color coded to match the little labels I put on the tops of my bottles. Granted, the ball at the end tends to grab quite a bit of oil (I'm a slatherer, though, so I don't mind) and there probably aren't enough colors for many of you, but I highly recommend them.

*unofficial Pier 1 pimp*

I actually ordered this imp to test my theory that my skin sours amber. Let's hope it's not true...

In the bottle - A boozy and bit cinnamin amber. It's actually surprisingly light smelling.

Wet - This is super cinnamin. Super, super cinnamin with some amber to it.

Drying - The amber is now coming out and it's hot and spicy and just yummy. There's a clarifying note that I can't seem to pin down... There's also that hint of sandalwood that other people have pointed out.

Dry (30 minutes later) - Amber is certainly there, a spicy amber that still has that hint of sandalwood. It's even slightly boozy, which I think is just the reaction to my skin.

Overall - I really like this. It's warm without being too hot, like a savannah rather than a desert. I think I'll keep my imps and try it out on a day to day basis. Looks like a winner!

I ordered this for the boy (he smells to die for in white musk!), but I just have to try it on myself first. My love for all things lemon is well known, and the idea of a lime-white musk scent is enough to make me order a bottle unsniffed. The down side? Lilac. My skin AMPS lilac.

In the bottle - Helloooo, lime! There is a hint of the musk, though, lingering with a background sweetness.

Wet - Lime and lilacs dancing, with the lime deffinately leading...

Drying - This seriously is all lime and lilacs on me. My skin is amping the lilacs, as per usual, but the lime refuses to give in! I'm waiting for that musk to come out, but I'm starting to feel this may be the first scent with lilac that I can wear.

Dry (25 minutes) - The lilac has taken over, just like I feared it would. It isn't massively bad yet, as the lime is keeping it under control, but the musk is just a hidden hint in the background. It's still a very clean scent, though, and it has a decent throw to it.

Overall - I think this warrants some experimenting with. It might work on me in certain situations; it's a very light summer type of scent. The lilac isn't overpowering, although it is strong. A few more times of trying it out and it might just be doable.

Wood notes and I, in general, do not get along if there's even a hint of a floral in the mix. Some people have described this as having some floral tones to it, but I'm hoping not. Floral + wood = rotten flowers, for some reason on me.

In the bottle - Whoo, juniper. Pine's in there, too, with a STRONG hit of mint.

Wet - My skin is really grabbing hold of that pine and not letting go. I smell like a Yule tree decked with mint. *laughs*

Drying - I smell exactly like a piece of wintergreen gum... 0_0 That's got to be what the mint note was, but good lords, my skin's amping it up.

Dry (20 minutes) - The wintergreen calmed down and some nice cedar came out, along with juniper, pine and some fir. It smells just like a green, growing conifer forest like we've got all over Up North. There's even a hint of loam to it, just enough.

Overall - I just so want to try layering this with Graveyard Dirt and make a candle of it. In fact, I think this would make a fantastic candle or work wonderfully when used in a ritual as an earth oil. I'm going to pass on the imp to the boy, but I'll see about getting myself another for magical use or for candles.

When I was placing the order of imps for the boy to try, I immediately added this one to the bunch. I ADORE cedar and I'm really hoping this works either on me or him.

In the bottle - VERY strong cedar with a heavy sage scent running through it and just a touch of bay making it medicinal.

Wet - Immediately a dry cedar with sage scent. VERY dry.

Drying - The sage is overpowering the cedar and the bay has a very strong presence now. This truly is very medicinal on me; it's clearing up my sinuses and making my lips tingle the may Carmex does...

Dry (15 minutes) - The cedar's back, mixing in very interesting ways with the sage and bay notes, but it's a dusty, ghostly kind of smell. Extremely faint, but I'm starting to think this would make a great scent to put in among old clothing and linens.

Overall - Not something I'd wear, but it might be more workable on the boy. If not, I really think this would make a great scent for putting among storage to give it that aged, homey type scent. Or a good scent to keep the mustiness out of an attic. Very interesting, indeed.

This has jasmine. I live in fear of jasmine. However, I ordered it for the boy and I couldn't resist trying it out on myself. If it goes the way I fear, at least I can wash it off...?

In the bottle - ...this smells almost exactly like Drakkar! *ogles* I LOVE Drakkar!!!

Wet - It actually doesn't smell like much of anything, just has a very faint scent of men's colonge. Must be revving up for more later.

Drying - The aquatic citris image is quite accurate. There's a hint of a difference from Drakkar, but it's close enough to make me want to gnaw on my own wrist. *clears her throat*

Dry (20 minutes) - After going through a lovely pure, light citris stage, it's dried to... exactly how Drakkar smells on me. It's a bit fainter than the colonge, but that's probably lack of the alcohol. Might need to pop this into some vodka...

Overall - Lovely for men, a bit too clarifying for me. The boy will highly enjoy it and I may be able to ween him off his black bottle of the expensive stuff now.

I didn't get this for myself, but that doesn't mean I can't sneak a swipe of it before handing it off to the boy. Mwaahwaahaa.

In the bottle: A boozy orange-clove with a little smoke to it, almost like smoke from a balsam wood fire. Heady and lickable.

Wet - Smokey fire with just a touch of clove.

Drying - That black musk is coming out like mad. It's the main smell right now, with some fir and cumin to it. The orange and clove went bye-bye.

Dry (15 minutes) - Black musk with some fir and orange to it. It's VERY dark and smokey. There's a touch of the clove right at the edge.

Overall - I do like it, although it would be for very specific times. Also it's very, very faint and fades extremely fast, so I think I can pass this happily onto the boy without feeling too bad about it.

I have to join the "great BPAL CS" group. I've only ever had one issue with an order (recieved a 5ml instead of the paid for 10ml) and the response was timely, not to mention that they just threw the 10ml in with my next order.

Oisin really is hot on man. The musk isn't over powering but brings out that sultry scent on them. I do recommend it for women, though, if they're looking to project a sex-appeal to other women. I find it works very well for that.

...I just wish they'd come up with a scent for Niamh.

You know, I hadn't thought of the cocktail stirrer idea, but seeing as there's a set of glass ones that I ADORE at work, I may try them out. They'd look delicious in a martini glass when not in use, right next to my BPAL boxes, and they'd be easily cleaned for reuse! Yum!

...I'm a decorating nut. =D

I'm going to my first Rocky Horror showing in Milwaukee since my move and I'm looking for a recommendation of what BPAL to go with. Right now, I'm leaning towards Perversion, Severin or Torture King... Any ideas?

I keep thinking that I should pick up some Dead Man's Hand, but I never see any available. Poo, poo, poo... Dublin, though, on yes. I want to eat myself up when I wear it, although it smells like a slightly greener Oisin to my nose. (I'm highly sexy in that, too.) Snake Oil was a biiiiiiiig hit with my lady friend the other night... and a lord friend, too. Anything that makes a little three time action doable is a winner in my book. *makes an order for a dozen 10ml bottles of Snake Oil*

The last new scent to try for a good long while. (Darn you, brokeness!)

In the vial - At first whiff, I could smell the moonflower coming throught clearly (I only know the scent because of where I work. *laughs*), but then a soapy smelling rose overpowered it. Hrm.

Wet - Same as above, really.

Drying - ...wow, this is a strong rose. A little goes a long way. It is a VERY true rose, though, the scent of walking through wet rose bushes. I'm waiting for more moonflower, though.

Dry (1.25 hours later) - Well, it's rose. Not the kind that's super strong, not the kind that super faint. It's just rose, almost like a pure rose oil.

Overall - Not really all that exciting. It works better on me than The Empress does, since it's not nearly as dry, but it's just too... ROSE, I guess. I still prefere Ace of Hearts with it's slight watery feel from the lotus. It's not BAD, just not great.

I may be insane, but Dublin smells almost exactly like Oisin on me. A bit of a darker green scent, but just barely.

I've heard this smells killer on men, so let's see how it smells on someone slightly less man and slightly more butch.

In the vial - ...mental note: read reviews before getting imps. *sighs* I didn't realize there was dragon's blood here until I just opened it and got that whiff of lilac that I always get. The amber IS tamping it down nicely, though.

Wet - LILAC. Not as sweet and overpowering as most, but LILAC.

Drying - The amber is keeping the lilac under control, but it's still THERE. Lurking.

Dry (1.5 hours later) - It's dried down really smelling like dragon's blood and amber, with not a lilac in sight! *grins* Ah, this makes me very happy. However, the amber is really getting drowned out and the whole thing is very dry smelling. If only the amber would blend a bit better...

Overall - It's one of the few dragon's blood scents I can wear without being killed by a giant lilac bush, so that's wonderful, but it just wasn't all that mind-blowing. I'll be keeping my imp, but it's not great enough for a big bottle.

Dragon's blood. Please, oh please let this be one that works with me. The other notes sound absolutely wonderful! *prays*

In the vial - Oh dear, it's lilac all the way. I'm so very, very afraid.

Wet - Ayup, lilac. I think I can grab a hint of pepper back there, but goodness is it a floral wash. =/

Drying - ...ooo! The black pepper, cinnamin and CLOVE are coming out and mixing with the lilac in the most bizarre ways. It's becoming a super spice floral WHAM! which I don't completely disapprove of. It's STRANGE, but not altogether bad.

Dry (1 hour) - And we're back to straight lilac with just a touch of pepper. *sighs* Too bad the drying stage didn't stick around longer.

Overall - This had so much promise and it just didn't deliver for me. I know that dragon's blood is touch and go on my skin, but I was just hoping against hope this would work...

Ah, something straight from the Tree of Life. It's bringing back childhood memories...

In the vial - VERY commercial perfum smelling to me, something floral, although it's hard to tell.

Wet - Rose perfume, not very strong or sweet, really.

Drying - Not a single waft of jasmine, despite what other people have said. (My skin HATES jasmine and usually amps it to insane amounts.) I'm just getting a very, very, VERY soft rose from this, like I splashed myself in some rosewater. Maybe it just needs to be given time...?

Dry (15 minutes) - Oh, guh. There's the jasmine. I'm DRENCHED in jasmine and rose. It's gotten really cloying and overpowering for me. Must... wash... off...

Overall - Jasmine strikes again. =P The rose in here could have saved it, but just turned too perfume on me and attacked my head and sinuses. Time to swap this one.

I've heard really good things about this one, so let's try it out.

In the vial - This reminds me very much of a sweeter Oisin, only with fewer herbs. It's sweet, faintly floral and a little musky.

Wet - The green foresty leafy scent really comes out now. Whoa, it's a strong green!

Drying - Wow, I don't get any of that sweetness or muskiness at all as time goes on. A strong, strong "green" smell with a healthy dose of white rose behind it, around it, through it. Very much the way I would imagine a crush rose, steam and all, would smell. It's calming down from that BAM! wet stage and becoming a more mellow rose.

Dry (1 hour) - This is just like a greener version of Oisin on me. =) Musk came out a little, the sweet white musk. So, needless to say, I really like it!

Overall - Soooooo going to try this on the Oisin loving boy. The white musk clung to me for 8 hours, although it in general only stayed around for the normal 3-4 hours. (My skin eats scents.) I'm most likely grabbing a bottle of this, just to keep me from using up all my Oisin. *grins*

Let's go firey scents! Need a pick-me-up right now. =B

In the vial - Oh, I like this! Sweet cinnamin and... something. I can smell the honey and I THINK that's the copal peaking out. NICE.

Wet - Yeah, that's the copal. Super yummy and sweet.

Drying - The cinnamin's coming out stronger, although the honey and copal are still the strongest notes. This is like candy on me!

Dry (1 hour later) - I can see why people say this is like Big Red gum, although I happen to really like it. It's a spicy cinnamin with just that hint of sweetness in the background.

Overall - I really do like this one, although I'm not sure if I like it enough to get a bottle of it. I'll at least keep my imp to use up and see how others react to it. It helps that the honey and copal rather clung to my skin after the cinnamin wore off. =B