auburnette

Saw-Scaled Viper In the bottle: foody gingerbread. On skin, wet: Cinnamon, gingerbread. A very sharp edge which I think must be the cassia. On skin, dry: The cinnamon and the ginger both still very strong and giving off lots of throw. I'm not very keen on ginger and this just makes me think of gingerbread men (which I like, but not to wear as perfume) so I think I will be swapping or selling this one. It's a good scent, but not one that I would wear.

Death Adder In bottle: smells very cologne-y. I get some of the same sense from it that I get from Highwayman - I think this is the vetiver. wet, on skin: Goes through an almost chocolatey stage before the sharpness of the vetiver starts to dissipate (reminds me, oddly, of chilli chocolate peanuts). It mellows very quickly. Dry, on skin: Sugaring up now, and a lovely vanilla Snake Oil. Almost a bit softer and sweeter than regular Snake Oil on me. The coconut is definitely there, and the vetiver has taken a back seat and is now observing from the sidelines instead of prancing around on centre stage. I like this a lot, but I don't think I will order a 5ml. I might get another imp though. There are other snakes that I like more, and my imp is quite full, so I don't think I need a bottle. A very lovely scent though, and one that I will enjoy wearing.

Scorpio 2007 In the bottle: Quite aquatic, with a definite note of basil. Fresh, but I can detect a touch of sweetness underneath. Quite yummy. Wet, on skin: A spiciness emerges, not sure what note. The musk emerges a little. Anise! Scorpio is my sign, so I'd like this to work on me. I'm writing the review directly, so I'll have to go and have a coffee or something while it settles down. Dry: spicy, with a yummy sweetness that I think is coming from the dragon's blood. Yet also resiny and warm. It does threaten to go to baby powder, but a lot of scents seem to go through that threatening stage on me before settling down into something I love. I'll keep my imp for when I feel very Scorpio, but won't bother tracking down a bottle. This is a very nice scent though.

BELLE EPOQUE In the bottle: This reminds me of an orangey version of Guerlain's Shalimar. The mandarin is lovely and fresh and juicy smelling, but blends perfectly with the other notes. Wet, on skin: Lovely, the vanilla introduces itself and starts to mellow. The sandalwood is becoming more pungent but not overpoweringly so. Lovely. This smells like afternoon tea in the parlour with miniature macaroons and pastries, the mingled scent of perfumes, decadence. Unfortunately as it dries down on me the mandarin sharpens and the opium asserts its presence. Still lovely, but not quite as soft as it was in the bottle, which is a shame because it was to die for in the bottle. That represents faded glamour quite well though, as it transitions from lush fullness to something slightly sharper. I'd wear it in a scent locket if I had one, though I spilt some as I was applying this and it seems to have gone the same way as it has on my skin. I wish the vanilla was just a touch stronger; it might come out as the scent develops further on my skin. There's something a little synthetic in how the notes blend without that roundness. Still a very lovely scent though. I tried layering with a little of L'Occitane's single note vanilla eau de toilette and this works well if the vanilla is underneath. I have a feeling that the throw is actually much softer than what I smell when I put my hand to my wrist, but I can't tell without verifying this with someone! I'll keep this and try it again, probably will normally layer with extra vanilla. ETA: After wearing this with vanilla for a day I think I may well end up getting a bottle

FASCINUM Dark golden; thick In bottle: spicy, smells quite masculine, but a lovely roundness underneath, and floral? I think I can smell vetiver (or something that is in Highwayman, anyway) but it's warmed wonderfully by the softer notes. Wet, on skin: Astringent, almost a hydrogen peroxide smell at first! Then...argh...erm... . I really hope this stage passes quickly. Well, it certainly represents its name during this stage... Dry, on skin: It's softening up and smelling quite lemony but I can still smell that smell. I'm not going to be able to keep it on for much longer if it continues to smell like that...I can't tell if it's my body chemistry working with it or against it! Nope, can't take this one, going to have to wash it off. Sorry Fascinum, you could be quite fascinating in the right circumstances on the right person, but not on me.

In bottle: A warm, spicy floral that has an almost biscuity tinge, like the base of a cheesecake. Smells very impressive in the bottle. On skin: the floral-ness comes out even more. As it dries down it loses the biscuity edge that was there before to become a delicated, sexy floral. There's no powderiness in this one; it is a really nice floral and lot more 'inviting' than it is 'innocent'. There's a herbal element too. The main problem with this on me is not how it smells (which is a delicious and unusual floral) but how it lasts. There's very little throw and the scent dies down in literally half an hour. For that reason I can't see myself getting a bottle, although I'll enjoy slathering the rest of my imp.

Stand and deliver! Vetiver with gardenia, blood red rose, night-blooming jasmine, a dash of cinnamon and a faint hint of leather. Highwayman In the bottle: Urgh. Um...it reminds me of vomit. The sort of vomit where you've drunk loads of rum and then thrown up. Wet, on skin: Now a nice blend of spices emerging. Morphs quite a bit in this stage, but I can still smell a bite which reminds me of stale spirits. The leather is coming through. Dry, on skin: Sharp, and there's definitely cinnamon here which I can sense making an appearance. Starting to show some potential. So spicy and very fresh. Something very compelling about it in the back of my nose, almost a 'clean' scent, or an 'afterscent' after you take your nose away and you can still smell it. Definitely would work as a masculine scent. There's an unfortunate hint of a particular brand of insect repellent, though, which I am hoping is going to go away as it settles down. It's lovely and fresh though. Actually I think I really like this, but only for particular (and limited) circumstances. Walking or running in the woods after it's just rained...cold and clear. It makes me feel bold and wild/adventurous. Or perhaps for skiing. It might also work well in a post-exercise shower gel, if I could figure out how to make such a thing. I like the cold, clear feeling I get from it. I'll keep it until I find something in the same vein which suits me better to replace it.

MAGUS In the bottle: Oh god, graphite and pencil shavings. I don't want to put this on me! On skin, wet: Wood, and more pencil shavings. Pine forests that must be cedar. Drydown: Takes a while to dry down...sandalwood still giving off pencil shaving smell. Reminds me of something I really can't put my finger on. It starts to sweeten up as it dries down. This isn't what I normally look for in a perfume, but it's a scent I would enjoy smelling on other people. I think I will frimp it to my dad, as the thing it is reminding me of is one of his colognes! The pencil shaving smell is gradually fading away, but there's a sharpness to this which remains (cedar, I think). Something smooth and rich in the base. This was an interesting scent experiment, but not one I'm likely to wear again, so I will swap, sell or frimp it.

Oh, I hadn't spotted Eos! I think I will go with a 5ml of that and also get an imp of New Orleans to try (I like honeysuckle too, and the spice sounds more down my alley than hers). I also want to try Chimera now because it sounds delicious!

Hi all, I'm going to place an order for a scent for my mother's Christmas present with my next purchase, so I wondered what the best honeysuckle scent is. I'd prefer the honeysuckle to be the predominant note as she absolutely loves the smell. The possibles are: Lolita (hmm not sure I want to give her a scent called Lolita, even though she wouldn't mind) Bright, sweet and youthful, but swelling with a poisonous sexuality. Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena. Twilight (I have an imp of this on the way so may be a good one - she loves lavender too - but I wonder if the honeysuckle would come out) An enigmatic, otherworldly scent, brimming with power and mystery. Lavender and jasmine, with a touch of glowing honeysuckle. Chimera Parthenope (CD) Juliet Hermia New Orleans What do you reckon? I'd also look at trying to get hold of a discontinued LE if there was one that sounded promising.

ode on melancholy (very pale, runny) In the bottle: Woah, spicy! Almost a menthol smell. Minty? But floral all the same. Wet, on skin: Even more mint or menthol. Is there even mint in this? I write my reviews without the notes to hand. Now florals emerging as it dries down. A bit pot-pourri ish...The musk is emerging. Drydown: I smell lavender now, and musk. It is quite a cold scent - perhaps that's what confused me with the earlier stage in the bottle, because there's no mint here. There's an almost salty edge which makes my taste buds tingle. It is definitely quite sad-smelling! I visualise walking on a moor, looking out over a grey sea, wearing a long white dress. It's raining. I have a bouquet of flowers in my hand, but they're soaked and crushed. I think this is going to disappear quickly on me. The rose comes through as it develops but then it's also smelling quite aquatic. I do get a bit of soap from it. I like this, but not enough to get another. I'll use up my imp on myself and my oil burner and then that will be enough.

BLOOD AMBER (appearance: dark, thick, red) In the bottle: Rich, with a sharper top note, surprisingly fresh despite its depth. I can't pick any notes out other than thinking it has a great depth and roundness. Maybe a bit musty though. Wet, on skin: Smells a bit like strawberries have turned! I'm thinking this must be the blood note. There is an 'orange' sort of smell to it - not the fruit, but the colour, so I guess the amber comes across. Close to the skin some of the depth is returning but from a bigger distance it's the sharpness which is coming through. A sweetness is emerging too. Dry, on skin: Takes a long time to dry down. There's a pleasant edge coming from it which I can't link to either the amber or the blood, but perhaps it's the amber. Mmm. Pleasant, but not very 'me', I don't think. I can imagine this would smell very good on a guy. I am also getting wafts of...argh! Talcum powder...but only sporadically. It almost feels like the perfume is fighting to develop -one way it could go lovely and rich and resinous, the other way is...powder. Overall it tips towards rich and resinous, but it's not comfortably there. I think it is the blood which is threatening to go to powder, but not sure; I'll have to try some more things with blood and amber in order to tell. Overall, I like this, but perhaps not enough to keep it. Will try once more before it goes to swaps. After 1 hour: okay, I didn't leave it long enough. The drydown takes ages! Now it is super sweet and the blood is really coming through, with a lovely spicy amber underneath. Yum. I will keep after all. It's delicious! I'll just have to remember to apply well before going out as I don't really like the smell of the dragon's blood when wet...it reminds me of rotten strawberries! Bit concerned that it's super strong though, I can really smell it wafting around and I don't think that I put that much on.

This is the first BPAL scent I sniffed, and the first review I've done! Hellcat (very pale yellow) In the bottle: Foody. Very, very rich - marzipan with a slight burnt tinge, like bonfire toffee. Also get what smells like a very buttery cherry or red fruits cheesecake?? But hard to tell through all that marzipan - so rich and almondy, too rich for my tastes! Wet, on skin: AAGH the marzipan has got even stronger, if that were possible. Still with the burnt undertone, very sweet and buttery... Drydown: Hurrah! The marzipan starts to fade out (good, as it was really too rich for my tastes) - now a subtle, warm spice creeping in from underneath. It doesn't smell edible anymore; but warm, and welcoming. Has a spicier edge now rather than the overpowering buttery almond/marzipan of earlier, but a subtle and delicate spice (and no idea why it should smell like that as it has no spice notes). The honey's definitely there; honey on buttered toast. Delicious and such an unexpected surprise - in the bottle it was a bit scary with all that almond. A keeper.