Dianora

Mother of Desire. Rose absolute, caramel, ripe red berries, pink pepper, Balsam of Peru, cognac, and benzoin. Ooh, my first time doing a first review. I got my package of new BPAL this morning, and in my haste before school I quickly grabbed a shiny new bottle and slathered some on before class. It smelled very green and sharp at first, and I drew my nose back from my wet wrist in confusion. I almost thought the lab had made a mistake and sent me Hemlock or some other spicy green from Rapaccini's Garden, but no, it was Pothon Meter with her pale skin and perky breasts smiling back at me. I didn't really have time to think about it, I grabbed my bag and went. I was in the middle of a Lit class when I suddenly caught a whiff of something lush and rosey and just absolutely divine. I looked around for a moment before realizing that it was me. The sharp greenery was gone, leaving something so delicious I had to restrain myself from sniffing conspicuously while in public. Now that I'm at home and can sniff to my heart's content, I am astounded. This has become something deep red, juicy and so sexy that I am just in love. I can definitely smell the roses and the red berries on top, giving this a sultry sweetness, while the smooth caramel lends a deep, delicious quality to it. Despite having foody elements, this is not a foody scent, at all. The closest thing I can think of to describe this is a wild Valentine's night; the candies and rose petals have been crushed in a sea of red satin sheets as two cognac-drunk lovers entwine amidst them. Oh man, this stuff is good.

I bought this bottle when it went up, and wore it a couple of times. Fresh, it felt a little chilly and sleek to me. The ebony musk and vanilla were lovely, but much cooler and more distant than what I usually love in fall-- warm, dark, spicy scents. So I put it away, thinking I'd try it later. I pulled this out again a few days ago. I've been on a Pickled Imp kick lately, all warm vanilla and yummy spice, but the heat and humidity made that seem a bit too heavy. Remembering that I thought Raven Moon was chilly, I put it on. Firstly, I just have to say that wow. Age has made this absolutely stunning. It goes on cool and smooth as glass, all ebony musk and a slightly haughty vanilla. Then comes the dry down, and this is where age has made this blend shine. The spices come out and blend with the vanilla, making this reminiscent of my beloved spicy blends, but somehow cooler and sleeker. I don't get much patchouli out of this blend at all. Aging has made this blend stunning, and a winner for me. It feels very sleek to me and has a lot of the spicy elements I love in heavier autumn blends without being too heavy for the humid Northern California summer. It's sweet but somehow just a bit distant and haughty. I love it.

I bought Lamia because the notes sounded lovely, and because I've always loved this character in the book. In the bottle, she smells rich and sweet, with a hint of vanilla that reminds me of Raven Moon and a hint of earthy vetiver. I wanted to cry when I put it on my skin and it went dark and flat, the vetiver amped and it just seemed horribly wrong on me. However, I stuck with it and left it on. I don't know how many hours later it was when I finally put my wrist to my nose again and inhaled... sweet, sexy vanilla-kissed goodness. This did a complete morph on me and went from yuck to amazing. It's sweet and feminine, while still being rich and not overly floral. It's the perfect warm-weather alternative to my usual heavy resinous scents. I wish that Lamia didn't have that yucky wet phase before it gets to the dreamy drydown. On the plus side, that dry phase lasts for hours on my skin, I don't have that disappearing fragrance problem others have mentioned. I have faith that aging will round this one out and make her get better and better over time. ETA: Woke up this morning and my wrists still smelled all vanilla-ambery and lovely. Not only do I not have disappearing scent syndrome with this one, she lasts for ages on me.

I agree. Mircalla is one of my favorites, and it has a lot of throw while lasting hours on end. It's some good stuff. I also get reactions from Madame Moriarty and Snake Oil. Not in the red musk family, Crypt Queen and Blood Rose seem to have both throw and long wear time too. As you can probably tell by looking at the little line of images in my signature, I am fond of oils that do both those things >.>

Out of all the Black Helicopter blends, this was the one that stood up and shouted 'buy me!' So, naturally, I did. Now, before I begin let me say I seem to be one of those rare individuals for whom Roses almost always work. I love roses, they love my skin. So it's a win-win for me, really. On me, this blend is just wonderful. I got a lot of roses at the beginning, though they are the slightly drier Roses from something like Zombi rather than fresh, full blown roses. The incense comes out and mingles with it, and for a bit it is a very sweet rose mixed with ceremonial incense-- which is pretty damn good. The wood and the pipe smoke come out to lend it some depth and temper that sweetness, and by the end of the drydown I'm trying to inhale my whole arm. To be honest, this reminds me a lot of the dry stages of Seance and Ouija, but without that strange minty undertone both of those have.

Though I had some reservations about the pine sap note, I went ahead and just ordered this because cinnamon and cloves are by far two of my most favorite notes. When I first got it and sniffed, I got a serious 'baked goods' whiff from the bottle. I was worried it would end up too much like Shub Niggurath, and just be evil cinnamon cookies instead of evil ginger cookies. Anyway, I like cookies, so I put some on. Ok, let's be real here. I slathered this sucker. And it was gooood. At first, that buttery cookie smell was pretty strong, but I think the pine sap must have tempered all that because it settled down to a delicious cinnamon clove scent with a hint of vanilla sweetness. It dries down to a sweet spicy scent that somehow reminds me of an old, slightly dusty kitchen that has seen plenty of cinnamon being tossed around. I have a feeling this Imp is going to just get better as he ages. One interesting thing though. A while ago, someone generously gave me a decant of Three Witches, and it smelled like so much delicious love that I went and tracked down a bottle. The bottle I got must have been a different version, because there is a heavier smokiness in that bottle than was in my decant. I started fussing around when I didn't want too much heavy smoke, and eventually started adding a dab of Dorian when I wore Three Witches. Pickled Imp is really, really close to that. If Three Witches is a holy grail scent for you, try Pickled Imp.

My reviews are usually kind of wordy, but this one can pretty much be summed up in one: wow. This is just gorgeous on me, all golden amber and vanilla with some delicious spicy incense swirled in. The carnation is subtle and soft, and it just makes me feel exotic and sun-drenched-- in a good way. This is drop dead sexy fresh, I am seriously looking forward to how this develops as it ages.

I wanted to love you, Mad Hatter! In the imp this was a sugary peppermint, which smelled amazing. I thought it could be the sweet mint I've been looking for. On the skin though, this smelled like... shoe polish? Degreaser? Something chemical and not good. Ack! I scrubbed it off. This one is not for me.

I was organizing my imp box the other day and came across this. There is no telling how long it had been there, but I remembered the promise of currants, and being in a berry mood, I pulled it out to try. When I put this on, I got cake! Loads of delicious, light, fluffy cake. It's a softer, more vanilla cake than the cake I get in Knave of Hearts (which I love enough to have a 5ml of), and smells like eating. However, despite the name and the temptation, I did not eat it. Soon, the currants came out to play and I swooned. Delicious berries over angelfood cake all topped with vanilla cream, that's what this smells like. It stays pretty true to form in the drydown, and I get an all day 'wrapped in deliciousness' vibe. I will have a 5ml of this. Soon. Next order. Oh yes, it will be mine.

Oh, sigh. I love the concept of this blend, but I'm afraid I should have obeyed my instincts and thought twice about ordering a bottle unsniffed. In the bottle, this is all high pitched heavy florals. The jasmine especially is heavy handed, but I remembered reading reviews that said the floral dies down. So I put it on, crossing my fingers that the jasmine wouldn't turn into a screaming banshee of a flower on me, and would lie down nicely. Alas, it was not meant to be. I amp the jasmine to a dizzying degree and it got to be too much. I started getting a headache, and though I tried to hold out, I had to scrub it off within half an hour or so. Alas, off to the swaps.

I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I ordered this one. Probably something like "myrrh! Sandalwood! Herbs! Tomb dust!" I completely ignored the jasmine part, which is pretty much my note of death. In the bottle, the Jasmine and florals are kind of overwhelming. Cloying, to say the least. Wet on the skin, I was seriously dismayed. The Jasmine ruled this blend with an iron fist, keeping all of the spicy goodness firmly subdued as it rampaged across my skin. Then, the uprising! Tired of being oppressed and trampled upon, Myrrh and Sandalwood staged a bloody upheaval, toppling the tyrant Jasmine from her throne and trampling her into dust. Once the carnage was over, Myrrh and Sandalwood elected the delicate and divine Black Orchid to take the crown. With the evil Jasmine vanquished, Orchid settled down to a reign of peace amidst a court full of incense and dreamy spices. Once the jasmine is gone, this scent reminds me quite a bit of my beloved Voodoo Lily, though it is perhaps a bit more refined. It lasts much longer than Voodoo Lily, which is a plus since Voodoo Lily has a habit of disappearing after only a couple hours. The jasmine does linger on quietly past the dry down phase, when it comes out in a much more subdued fashion, and I'm really not sure how I feel about that. However, that's usually well past the four or five hour mark, so by then I can scrub it off or reapply. I was hoping that it would be a bit more dusty and musty, but alas, the dust barely makes an appearance. I like this once its dry, but the jury is still out on whether its worth it to wait out the jasmine or not.

I will preface this by saying that though I was attracted to the description of the scent, I bought this primarily because I have a strange and unexplainable affinity for lawn gnomes. Perhaps it's their smiling plaster faces, or the pointy hats, or the fact that I'm never 100% positive that they're in the exact same position they were the last time I saw them... Lawn Gnome smells like thick, sweet syrup in the bottle. Pancakes floating in a lake of maple syrup with lots of whipped cream piled on. You take the pancakes out to the back yard and add a handful of ripe red berries on top. A warm breeze blows the scent of freshly mowed lawn, and gets a few leaves of grass stuck to your pancakes. You eat them anyway. Then, as the sun apexes high in the sky, the pancakes are devoured leaving only the barest hint of sticky molasses on your fingers and the faint smack of vanilla on your lips. The berries you left on your plate mingle with the fragrance of the grass and just a hint of mossy dirt. You start to doze off in the sunshine, when the tiny plaster gnome in the corner of your yard catches your eye. Did he just wave at you? Nah, must have been a trick of the light.

Somehow, this is right up my alley. I'd third Blood Kiss, to start. Crowley is a great choice for either gender, though I tend to sweeten it up with a dab of Dorian on myself. It's dark, smokey, sexy as hell, and vaguely foreboding. Sin is another one that seems to fit the bill, it smells like defiled sacred incense to me. The first time I wore it, I flashed back to Poppy Z Brite's descriptions of Blood and Altars. Madame Moriarty is deep, dark, and mysterious. It's seductive without blatantly screaming sex, which is how I imagine a sophisticated vamp might prefer to appear. If you can find her, The Crypt Queen is dazzling, opulent and lushly sensual with just a hint of decay at her core. Another way to go for the whole "sexy undead" vibe is to wear intoxicating fragrances that have just a hint of grave dirt in them. It sounds strange to want to smell like dirt, but in blends like Jazz Funeral, it turns a heady mix of southern blooms and booze into something that just hints of graveyards and death. To me, it feels like the whiff of death hiding under a veneer of vitality. Voodoo Lily is a gorgeously dark, exotic floral with heady spices that is gorgeously seductive without the dirt, if dirt turns you off. And last but not least, Snake Oil, of course. Snake oil is heavy, slinky and laden with sex appeal. It's definitely dark and seems much more blatantly sexy to me, rather than a refined sensuality like some of the others I've suggested. The only caveat with Snake Oil is that some people can't wear it at all until it's aged. My bottle sat unloved in my box for over three months before I could wear it on my skin.

I bought this without knowing at all what it smelled like-- I didn't even read the reviews, just popped a bottle in my cart because my cat told me to. It turns out that if I had known the notes, I ABSOLUTELY would have ordered this anyway! It's like this perfume was made for me, I have an affinity for all cats (friends call it "obsessed"), and it turned out to be the perfect perfume for me. In the bottle, I smell freshly picked mint and roses. Wet on the skin, the mint and rose are out front and lovely, reminding me quite a bit of Ouija. Then, some very pungent herbs push their way to the front, bullying the other scents out of the way. This lasts only a few minutes before the herbs decide that they can play well with the roses after all. It settles down into this wonderfully complex fragrance full of roses and fresh herbs and... it's to die for. I can't give it justice. It lasts for freaking ever on my skin too, eventually becoming a slightly dusty mix of dried herbs and rose petals many hours later, which I also love. I could seriously wear this every day. Also, it works as advertised for me. I've been at a point where I could really use some joy brought back in my life. I put some of this on during a typical "blah" day, and without really thinking about it just found myself smiling more, and laughing at the small stuff. I found myself playing tag with my cats all around the house. It's not a cure-all, but for me it seems to lend itself well to just finding pleasure in the little things that get lost when the big picture seems bleak.

I tried this on without looking at the notes. I probably would have been warned off by the jasmine and apricot had I read them. At any rate, I get a weird reaction out of this one. The notes don't list any musks, but this definitely goes musky on me. Like, overpoweringly so. It smells like sex, but in a bad way.

I was going through my imps and put Mata Hari on. Two seconds later, I was furiously scrubbing it off. I thought I'd like it. Roses, Vanilla, Tonka, Mahogany and Coffee? Yes please! But there is Jasmine, my note of death. It amped and instantly gave me that "impending headache of doom" warning. It also goes funky on my skin, making this smell like, well... dog breath. I wanted to like this, but... no. Just. No. Apparently this exotic courtesan has halitosis. Not for me.

Wow. This is pure perfection in a bottle. I'm so glad I took the plunge and bought a 5ml, because I'm going to be wearing this alot. In the bottle, this smells like a slightly sweeter version of Graveyard Dirt, rich and earthy and just gorgeous. When it goes on, it continues on as GYD's twin sister for about five minutes before the roses show up. Oh, the roses! They are fresh, dewy and luminous! The mosses and greenery add a touch of spice to this simple scent, making it really shine. My nose is pretty much glued to my wrist. I knew I'd love this, as roses and dirt are probably my two favourite notes, and I'm so very, very glad this is a GC. This is glorious.

I hadn't really tried any of the lab's chocolate notes, and I'm starting to really warm up to my own Snake Oil now that it's aging, so I swapped for this with fingers crossed that it would smell as good as the reviews and description make it look. I opened the bottle and all I can say is "Nom nom nom". It smells like delicious, delicious chocolate. With a hint of warm vanilla swirled in. When I put some on, I was kind of surprised and amused by the extremely thick, dark brown oil. On my skin, it initially goes OMG SNAKE OIL, but after a few minutes the cocoa comes out and... wow. Yeah. During the drydown, it's cocoa and vanilla with a hint of all those gorgeous spices that make Snake Oil so very slinky and sexy. This is perfection. Much less foody than I thought it would be after it dried down, but still deliciously sexy. It's the perfect mix of slightly edible and very sexy. I'm so glad I swapped for this!

When I was a kid-- more like a toddler-- I was obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake. My mother likes to tell me that I had a doll that blew strawberry scented kisses, and I'd take it everywhere, snuggle up with it to sleep, and generally pitched a fit if I didn't know where it was at all times. One day the family dog got ahold of it, and tore it to shreds. Apparently I was inconsolable. This is probably where my fascination with everything scented strawberry comes from. It seemed like fate when Strawberry Moon was the lunacy during my birthday month, and who am I to deny fate? In the bottle, this is a very sweet, very real strawberry. It smells like it has a hint of vanilla, almost like strawberry shortcake piled high with whipped cream. Mmmm.... Wet on the skin, the greenery comes out more, so it smells like eating strawberries and cream on a freshly mowed lawn. As it dried down, it got a little bit soapy on me, but was still unmistakably strawberry. It's lasted several hours and is starting to fade, but fresh fruit smells usually get eaten on my skin in no time, so this stuck around for longer than I thought. I have some in my hair, and it's still going strong. I'm glad I bought this bottle, even though it's really nothing like my dirty, dusty, incensey preferences. It's absolutely beautiful, and smells like pure happiness.

I've been coveting Crypt Queen based on the notes for ages, but have been outbid at every turn on Ebay. Suddenly, someone posted a bottle on the sales forum and horray! She is mine. I waited for ages for my first sniff of this regal perfume, and I'm not disappointed. In the bottle, this is deliciously sweet. It's sophisticated, dark flowers with a tang of raspberry and pomegranate candy. It smells edible and delicious in the bottle, but I was desperately hoping that some of that deep, dark tomb would come out on my skin. Wet, it smelled pretty much the same as in the bottle. To my delight, the gardenia stayed way far in the background, and the rose and blood shifted to meld nicely with the fruit. As it dried down, the patchouli came out and gave it a slightly musty, damp woodiness. It melded in with my skin pretty rapidly, settling in to lend that ripe, sweet darkness as a skin scent. The throw is pretty light, but I can still smell it on the back of my wrists. Final vote: This is definitely a Holy Grail scent for me, and is fit for a zombie queen.

I'm honestly surprised that I hadn't reviewed this one before, I've had it for ages. I was very attracted to this scent initially because I adore Stardust, and I love the idea of the Market. I could imagine the smell of it, and I thought that if this perfume came anywhere near that dream-scent, it would be exotic and delicious. Unfortunately for me, this was headache in a bottle. In the bottle, it smells kind of heavy and floral, like old-lady perfume of doom. I put it on, and immediately get a sour, mildew-y note that is very off-putting. As it dries, the florals come out more, but that mildewy note lingers for a long time. I don't get incense or sugary sweets out of this one, just moldy flowers.

I finally managed to get my hands on some Tokyo Stomp. I was so excited, I'd recently become obsessed with the vanilla/mint combination because of a particularly delicious candle that I've been burning like a maniac. My partial bottle arrived and I grabbed it and gave it the long awaited sniff... And it smells like chocolate with a hint of mint in the bottle. Ok, weird, but undeterred I tried some on. Immediately, I got the same eau de wet dog that I got from Snow White. As it dried down, my initial response was that it needed to come off-- now. Unfortunately, at that time I was out and about in a hot car, which only served to intensify that wet dog smell. I was a bit nauseated. When it finally dried all the way down, it finally lost that shaggy dog smell and instead morphed into kid-friendly new plastic. It's sweet, and almost a dead ringer for fresh Snow White on me. Oh Tokyo Stomp, you broke my heart. I wanted something that was much more minty, much more vanilla, and a lot more refreshing. Instead I got a damp mutt chewing on a My Little Pony. This one is not for me, and is going off to the swaps. Oh well.

I was on the hunt for a light, refreshing perfume to wear on hot summer days, and acquired this one based on the description alone. Wet in the bottle, this smells almost exactly like a particular brand of bottled iced green tea flavored with citrus, honey and sugar. I almost want to drink the stuff, not wear it! On the skin, it's pretty much exactly the same. Light, sugary green tea with hints of citrus. As it dries, the mint comes out a bit more and then poof! Vanishing act after a couple of hours. It does need some maintenance because it fades so quickly, but it's very light so I imagine I'll be reaching for it on sultry days where I want something light and fresh, without any cloying florals.

I thought Katrina Van Tassel would be a sure pick for my springtime wear, but she went insipidly sweet when the weather got too warm. Looks like she'll be a wintertime scent. I think I'll mainly stick to my dark, sexy resins and spices, but when it gets hot and sticky I foresee myself wearing Titania a lot more. She's just so juicy and fresh! Springtime in Northern California rushes right into summer. It's already been over 80 several times, and that's just the preview. By May, it will be in the 90s and even hotter, so I've already broken out my little decant of Pirate Moon. I just arranged for a bottle, so I think it will be my spring-into-summer staple.

I have a vase of full blown, gorgeous red roses from someone's garden sitting in my kitchen. It's three rooms away, and I can still smell them and they are heavenly. I want that! Is there anything you can think of that is like Blood Rose (one of my all time top five BPAL), but without the wine? I just want pure, unadulterated red rose. Also, how strong is the jasmine in Wicked? I've been avoiding it because jasmine is my note of death, but I kind of want to give it a whirl.