auburnette

(Resurrected version - I've never smelt the original) Wet, in bottle: Medicinal Snake Oil! Wet, on skin: Coconutty Snake Oil... Dry, on skin: SEXXXXXY What I wanted Snake Oil to be (I like SO, but it's a little too smoky on me sometimes, this is much lighter). I can't really describe this in terms of notes, but it smells expensive. The coconut is there, definitely, hanging around in the background, and I think the amber is definitely adding something but I can't tell what. I can smell vanilla (this is the only note that really distinguishes itself, but it tends to amp on me). Now I just have to decide if two bottles is enough...

The Piper At The Gates of Dawn Wet, in imp: sharp pine and earthy patchouli. There's a strong note which I can't identify but think may be linden blossom as it reminds me of Cottonmouth. Wet, on skin: How odd, oranges? With amber lurking in the background. Oh, I see that blood orange is listed as a note - it jumps out as soon as this is applied to skin. I think the amber is the same amber as in Inez, as I can detect that odd biscuity note that it does on me, but this is not so distracting as there are lots of other notes surging to the foreground. Dry, on skin: As it dries down I get lovely wafts of scent, which is a good sign. Up close it is quite sharp. I can tell that this one is likely to be a morpher. The biscuit has disappeared which is good, it takes a long time to go in Inez. The loaminess of the initial patchouli has gone, with something warmer and muskier coming through. Overall, I like this but don't love it, so my decant will do me just fine.

Gaueko In imp, wet: hello, lavender! On skin, wet: Lavender jumps up and screams "I'M PURPLE!" (in a very relaxing way!) On skin, dry: The lavender stays prominent for a while, with the sandalwood coming through from underneath. Then, suddenly, it starts to morph. The sandalwood takes centre stage, and smoky incense starts to curl in. Mmm. It's good. I haven't got a clue when I will wear this, but I'm definitely keeping it. Perhaps as a sleep scent, or for absolutely slathering when I'm on my own at home, or for hiking. Who knows? But I like

The Wild Men of Jezirat al Tennyn Wet, in imp: This really, *really* reminds me of the Body Shop's Dewberry, only mixed with something creamy and slightly manly. um, yum. Wet, on skin: Oh, this is lovely. I think it goes towards the masculine slightly more than the feminine, but anyone could wear it. It smells good. The amber is really, really working here, and the cloves are delicious (I hated the cloves in Clemence). Dry, on skin: Yum, yum, yum. SEXY. I am going to slather this on my boyfriend. Creamy. He'd better like it!

The Obsidian Widow Wet, in imp: Rich and metallic. Almost a bit winey. Wet, on skin: Definitely winey, and I can smell rose. Looking at the notes, there's rose and pinot noir. I did think there was a metallic tang to this when I first put it on, which was very appropriate but kind of unnerving. Dry, on skin: Rose comes stampeding through, dragging jasmine along by the arm. The other notes are left in a confused sad heap; the rose and the jasmine have drunk all the pinot noir and are now rampaging around trailing the scent of cold metal. The jasmine starts to whimper that it's time to go home. Unacceptable, says the rose, chopping the jasmine up with a big axe. The scent that's left is a dark, bloody rose with shreds of jasmine. Yikes!

Succubus Wet, in imp (aged; old label): Pickle vinegar! On skin, wet: Lemon cleaning products. Bergamot (yum). On skin, dry: Play-Doh. How odd!! How can something go from sour to lemon to soft playdoh? I've never had the Playdoh phenomenon before, but it is interesting to smell, at any rate! I don't think the age of this one (it is old label) must have helped, as citrus notes don't generally do well with age. This was ok, but I wouldn't wear it again.

Dionysia In imp, wet: This reminds me a touch of Aeronwen in the imp. On skin, wet: I get a biscuity note for a while, a little like I did with Inez. Then it becomes fruity, with a touch of spiciness/pepperiness. On skin, dry: I am not a big fan of wood notes (exception being Miskatonic U - dusty wood is ok), and I was afraid that the mahogany might ruin this for me, but it doesn't seem to emerge. There's a long drydown for this one - I can tell, sniffing my arm, that the final fragrance is not there yet (and indeed my arm is still shiny with oil). As it dries down, the fruits are beautifully paired with a deep purple incense. No mahogany, hurray! The one downside to this is that I could definitely imagine it being compared to a scented candle - which is not what BPAL is about (for me, anyway!). I plan to keep half my imp - seems like it would be perfect to wear to concerts, visiting museums etc - and decant the other half for a friend. It did also remind me of Christmas, as another reviewer noted.

Pride In imp, wet: Whoa, rose. On skin, wet: Rose, rose, rose! (I should mention at this point that my imp was acquired from a forum sale and therefore I don't know how old it is). On skin, dry: I want some Turkish Delight. Hmm, I quite like this (although I'm not getting any narcissus from it), but I feel like I've already found my One True Rose Scent (Hope, which smells *even more* like Turkish Delight, and I can't really say that I want another rose scent when I'm not that much of a fan. I can appreciate this, definitely, but I don't feel the need to keep it.

Pele In imp, wet: A clean-smelling yumminess. Very sweet. Creamy. Floral. I can't identify any of the notes at all. On skin, wet: Much of the same. Smells like holidays. Even a bit of sun-tan lotion (is there coconut or gorse in there?) but in a very, very good way. On skin, dry: summer in a bottle. I would definitely get more of this, perhaps to wear in the spring/summer - the creaminess stops it from being too light, so it could be worn in winter, but it gives such happy summer vibes that it would be at odds with the seasons. It has pretty good throw, too. Admittedly I slathered it once I decided I loved it, but I am getting lovely wafts of it as my hands move to type, and I only applied it on my wrists. Into the keeper box it goes, and onto the wishlist a 5ml goes, ready for summer! I meant to test out some other imps today, but I almost don't want to any more...the Pele smells delicious and I don't want it to leave!

Pontarlier Wet, in imp: GREEN. Incredibly green. Wet, on skin: Smells hot and wet, lush, like a rainforest or the inside of a butterfly house. Not sweet; there's a bitter (but not unpleasant) green note stopping it from being sweet. This doesn't smell like perfume, but like the crushed stems and leaves of plants. Dry, on skin: Now there's lilac. I like lilac, and enjoy Brisingamen and Ashlultum. I don't really get any anise (which is a minor disappointment as that's what I ordered it for), but this is a very unusual and lovely scent. I'll definitely keep my imp.

Catherine In bottle: Roses. On skin, wet: sweet, fragrant roses. There's definitely something tempering the roses and making them less pungent, but I can't tell what it is. On skin, dry: Still roses. Rose always seems to amp on my skin. Pretty? Certainly. I don't really get rosemary from it, although the orange blossom's there (and stays sharp, unlike in Zarita). Oddly I don't get any rosemary from this at all. Ultimately this is quite nice, but it doesn't beat out the best rose scent I've found so far (Hope) - and not being a tremendous rose-lover, I think this will go in swaps.

The Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus In the imp, wet: Oooh, this is nice. I can smell a sort of citrusy thing that I really like. It's quite hard to detect notes in this one. It smells clean. On skin, wet: Jasmine? Something very yummy... On skin, dry: This one will take a long time to dry down as it has amber. Smells so clean and fresh. I'm really liking this. Looking at the notes now, I incorrectly identified the lilac as jasmine. You can't really smell the blood orange (aka "citrusy thing") any more...it's all lilac and amber now. Frankincense loves me and I don't know what agarwood smells like, but I think this is going to be a definite keeper. The amber in it isn't going evil and lemony/ammonia-like, it's just hanging around in the background being lovely and golden. The lilac isn't as strong as Ashlultum (which is perhaps a good thing as I thought Ashlultum had the potential to be headachey even though I loved it), but people who liked that scent should definitely try this. The sort of amber that's in this reminds me strongly of Blood Amber (is that golden amber too?) - yet that's weird because I think Machu Picchu has that sort too, and it went to lemon hell on me. Perhaps one of the other notes that doesn/t work. As predicted it's still wet and shiny on my arm. Mmm, delicious lilac...Lilac triggers really strong scent memories of childhood for me (there was one in my parents' garden) so I am enjoying it. I already know that I love this; I can't get my nose away from my arm. There's just the right amount of lilac tempered with the amber. 5ml? Definitely. And it hasn't even dried down fully. It may even bump Ashlultum as my favoured lilac scent.

Coyote Wet, in bottle: Pungent, golden. Are those almonds I can detect? Wet, on skin: Go away, almonds! I don't want to smell like a Christmas cake. Dry, on skin: The almonds back slowly away as the scent develops. They must have heard that I didn't like them A nuttier scent emerges, I think this is still some form of almond, but not the sharp, sweet kind. Then- amber! Glorious, golden amber. Very rich and sweet, staying very close to the skin. This is incredibly subtle and doesn't have much throw at all, but it really smells good. You could imagine it being someone's (someone VERY lucky, lol) natural scent. Interestingly, I applied this to the crooks of my elbows too, and it doesn't smell nearly as good there. There's some of that annoying ammonia smell that sometimes happens with amber (Fascinum and Machu Picchu both did that to me) but on my wrists it is pure golden loveliness. Quite a vanilla-y amber, I don't know if there's vanilla in this. I would definitely use this if I got a bottle (esp as it is so subtle it requires slathering) but am not sure...there are other glorious amber scents out there, so would I wear it often enough? It would certainly be great for occasions where I want a very subtle waft of perfume. later: I almost get wafts of rose (but a very lovely rose) from this at times, especially in the crook of my elbow. On my wrists it's creme brulee and amber. I've just decided I definitely want a big bottle of this

Schroedinger's Cat In the imp, wet: sharp, tart, wet, clean orange smell. On skin, wet: Lavender! Holy lavender. On skin, dry: As it dries down the orange starts to peek out again. There's almost a piney edge among the lavender. This is a very clean smell. I think I'm getting some mint too? (doing the review without looking at the notes). This is quite delicious. It stays well clear of perfumey, headachey land and is airy and fresh (I like heavier scents, but something like this is a lovely contrast). I ordered this for the concept, but am really glad that I like the scent so much. This also reminds me of something which I can't quite place - it triggers a memory but I can't put my finger on it. A fond memory. This isn't quite as unusual a scent as I was hoping for, but I do like it a lot and it will be good for days when I want a light, fresh scent. Will treasure my imp.

Clemence Wet, in imp: cloves. Wet, on skin: cloves. Dry, on skin: cloves. Sorry Clemence, your cloves came and trampled over all the other lovely notes; I can't smell anything else!

A Countenance Foreboding Evil Wet, in imp: vetiver? Wet, on skin: more vetiver? Dry, on skin: warming up now into quite a pretty woodsy scent. I'm writing this without looking at the notes. This is nice, but I've not really found a woodsy scent that appeals to me yet. I think I prefer the idea of cold woods rather than warm woods, and this is definitely warm; fragrant wood (thankfully not pencil shavings like Magus), but not my cup of tea. Frimping along with Magus as this is a similar sort of scent to my nose.

Faith Wet, in bottle: NOM! Parma Violets (the retro sweets). Wet, on skin: NOM! Parma Violets! Dry, on skin: NOM NOM NOM! Parma Violets! This is such a simple but beautifully executed scent. I don't think I can justify a bottle because while I liked Hope, I'm not enough of a rose fan to have a bottle of her as well. But I will definitely wear this, and use up my imp (and possibly seek another out), and be very sad when it's used up.

Zarita, the Doll Girl In the bottle: Soapy orange. Wet, on skin: The creaminess comes through as it dries down. Dry, on skin: I'm a bit ambivalent about this one. Something about the combination of the cream and the orange isn't quite working for me...it smells sharp and I can't get past that to the delicious creaminess underneath. Having said that, the scent I get from the throw is very soft and sweet...it's only when I put my nose close to my hand that the sharpness comes through. I like this much more as the drydown continue and the sharp stage passes. Mmm. As long as I don't put my nose too close to my skin, I get wonderful wafts of creamy orange. It actually reminds me quite a bit of a solid perfume I have - L'Occitane's Les Orangiers. I've got compliments on that many times, so I'm sure this will be very popular too. Hmm...I am wavering as to whether I want a bottle or not, now! It's odd, because this isn't the sort of blend that I've been going for recently, but I do really like this once it has settled down and the notes start to work together properly. A very pretty scent, which is soft without being a pushover - the sharpness which stays really helps keep the scent fresh once the screaming-sharp stage has passed. Looking back through the reviews, I also get the 'doll-head plastic' that has been noted by others, but it's only apparent when I've got my nose right up to my wrist. This is one to enjoy in wafts rather than sniffing closely anyway. A definite contender for a bottle.

L'Heure Verte Wet, in bottle: Rose, lots of rose. Can definitely smell the scorched aspect too. Wet, on skin: The rose goes crazy! But the absinthe's there too, making my mouth water. The dominant note is definitely still rose though. Go away, rose...I want absinthe, not you! Go away, go away... Dry, on skin: As it dries down the rose backs off a little and the sugar and smoke come through a little bit, but not as much as I'd like. Having said that, it's definitely wearable. I'm not too keen on rose as a note, but it doesn't completely ruin this blend for me. One imp will be enough, though. I have an imp of Absinthe on the way to try. I'll be interested to see if the rose backs off further as it ages.

Skin musk, smoky vanilla, pine pitch, patchouli, Indian resins, golden honey, and tobacco. The Illustrated Woman wet, in bottle: sharp, fresh pine needles. wet, on skin: Muskiness emerges, as does the tobacco. The pine keeps it fresh. Smoke starts to curl through. Dry, on skin: As it dries down - mmm, a lovely smoky vanilla, grounded in musk. Warm, but sexy. The pine's a distant, lone tree in the distance now. There's honey, swirling in golden, thick waves around the middle of the scent- the base is musk, and a warm and wonderful one at that. I think I'll almost certainly get a 5ml. Damn, and I still have Mme Moriarty and Temple Viper to try out of the 'big hits' of CD...

Licwiglunga In the bottle: spicy, herbal. Definite wet anise. Smells a bit like a mojito cocktail! Wet, on skin: much of the same. There's a lemony note which must be the gum mastic - I think this is a note in Fascinum, as this smells like what Fascinum could have been on me if it hadn't turned to rankness. Dry, on skin: The anise dies down on me after a while, leaving a green, herbal, almost peppery scent. I think this scent would smell very good on most guys...it's certainly unique, and quite light. I can definitely smell some sort of cumin...weird! I think I'm going to hang on for this one for future experimentation, but it's just about one of the weirdest things I've ever smelt.

Ashlultum In the bottle: Sweet, strong floral. The lilac really grabs me - I wonderered why this scent caught me so much and then realised that it reminds me of a lilac bush in my parents' garden, climbing trees next to it as a kid. Very nostalgic. Wet, on skin: Much of the same. Dry, on skin: I am still noticing the lilac scent because it's such a powerful scent memory for me. It is a very powerful lilac, but from a slightly greater distance I notice a depth and warmness which I think is the tonka, and also the coconut (more like gorse bushes, though). As it continues to dry down, I've already decided - YUM, I like this a lot, and will seek out a partial or buy a 5ml. Gorgeous, heady, powerful floral. And I'm not even so crazy about florals!

King Cobra In the bottle: Mulled wine!! Wet, on skin: Mulled wine simmering gently in a saucepan over a fire. Smoke. Incense. It smells vast, like the sky. There's throw, and lots of it. It is taking a while to settle down. Dry, on skin: This amps on me, but it appears to be as a whole rather than one note coming through. Sweet and spicy incense. This is a very evocative scent. After a while, the sweet vanilla of Snake Oil starts to peek through. I'm definitely keeping this imp (no bottle) although sometimes it threatens to go plasticky like Belle Epoque does - doesn't actually happen though, the scent manages to stay balanced. Lovely mulled wine goodness. Yum.

Habu In bottle: Intriguing. I can't really place any of the notes. On skin, wet: Oh no. Is that the smell I hated so much about Fascinum coming out? Dry, on skin: In fact, this reminds me a lot of Fascinum. Actually, it's nicer than Fascinum was on me, but there's still a note here that really, really isn't working for me. I'll have to watch out for these notes in future and try and figure out what it is, because it smells good in the bottle but turns to yuckiness on my skin.

Coral Snake In bottle: Very ripe apples with a soft, almost minty edge! Wet, on skin: Much like it smells in the bottle. Dry, on skin: So juicy. Mmm. I'm not getting any Snake Oil from it at all, though. Very nice, refreshing, with an alert sense. There's not much throw at all, so this would be a good scent to wear if you were afraid of frightening people off with strong perfume - it's light and airy and I can't imagine it being offensive to anyone's nose. I like this a lot, and will use the rest of my imp (having said that, there's not a lot left in it!) but I don't think I'll be buying a bottle. This scent feels pretty, but lacks the mystique and allure that I tend to look for in perfumes.