devilot

Thanks so much for your input! I'm really excited that I have Lights of Men's Lives on the way to me from the lab. I love Hanerot, but I'm also a huge vanilla-whore so I bet LoML will be awesome!

Any of you folks who've tried Lights of Men's Lives and Hanerot Halalu; how do the two compare? (Ooh, and we can make it a 3-way with Hand of Glory being compared, too!)

Honey Moon 2005

In the Vial: A very bright honey. Not like honey we normally get from the farmer's market. Less syrupy. It smells the way I wished that honey would taste to me. Very pleasant!

 

Wet: Still that light and bright honey but now very much so floral. Sort of like a gardenia-- thickly heady and sweet at the same time.

 

Drydown: Honey is still there, for sure, but this has dried down to a distinctly floral perfume. And I mean, perfume. Sometimes, I don't like "perfumey" but this one is lovely and is designated 'perfumey' in the best possible way IMHO.

 

Verdict: Probably one of the blends with honey as a major element, that I like the most. I'm incredibly grateful I got the chance to sniff and test this, and I definitely like it. I'm a hoarder and a wishy-washy person and so predisposed to want one of something 'just in case' I feel like 'something different today.' This would be what I would choose for a sweet and perfumey floral. Not too sharp. Not powdery. Enough throw to be noticeable without knocking people out. Gorgeous! Too bad this is probably impossible to get. Ah well. I'll keep an eye out in case I get lucky!

Copper v1

Super citrus. But, a raunchy citrus. I mean, I guess I could detect something metallic, but that might just be the name or other reviews getting to me. Honestly, I don't have much interest in even skin-testing this blend, but am very grateful that I got to sniff this. (Thanks to tragedy for the imp swap!)

Love and Pain

In the Bottle: Something v sharp. Sharply cologne-like. Eeks.

 

Wet: Starts off with whatever notes are creating that sharpness again. Shifting into lavender.

 

Drydown: The slightest hint of darker notes like the tobacco and musk, but really, this is all about the lavender and whatever that insanely sharp/ bright note is.

 

Verdict: I really dislike the scent in the bottle and wet. All in all, I wish I got more tobacco, musk, and vanilla than the other notes. This is nothing like I thought it'd be. Glad this'll be off to the swaps!

Taphophobia

In the Vial: Dirt. Almost a pruney dirt.

 

Wet: Still pruney dirt, maybe mothballs, too.

 

Drydown: No more mothballs, but it's still an unpleasant dirt. Dirty dirt.

 

Verdict: Rancid dirt. Ick. I'm glad I got to at least test this (big thanks to tragedy's imp swap and testers). But I'm even more glad that I hadn't swapped for a decant or bottle unsniffed.

White Moon

In the Bottle: Floral soap.

 

Wet: Surprise, surprise. Floral soap.

 

Drydown: Mind-blowing, but, it's still floral soap.

 

Verdict: Honestly, I thought my mom might like this, take pity on me, and take this bottle for her very own first bottle of BPAL. Unfortunately, when I asked her to sniff it on me, she had the same reaction I felt, but didn't express-- she wrinkled her nose in disgust and jerked her head away from my hand. Yeah, no, this blend ain't a winner for me. I wanted it to mainly be sandalwood and musk and violet, but unfortunately those other notes are what I get.

Geek

I definitely smell the leather, cedar and pine. There's also a very dusty element to this. At first, I really liked this and could see why it's so popular. But as it dries down, it's just so overwhelmingly dusty and piney. Ick. Pass.

^^ IM, that's the most recent standard GC label. That's been in use at least since Feb. '09 (earlier this year) as that's what I got with my first lab order.

 

What's the kind of label you'd previously seen?

devilot, have you tried Melainis (teak, frankincense, caramel, oakmoss, red currant, labdanum absolute, bitter clove, patchouli, star anise, tobacco, and black musk)? If you haven't, you should! It's kind of a scary blend when wet, but once it dries down... wooo!

Curses! Sure, sure, just make me add yet another LE to my crazy-long WL, why doncha! That actually sounds to die for-- many of those notes are awesome on me (though clove worries me as I amp it). Tobacco... *swoon*

Any chance we could add a category for sandalwood? Or do people not find that "woody" enough?

Actually, sandalwood already has it's very own thread here in the Recs subforum: Best Sandalwood Scent.

 

 

It's funny, I used to really really hate wood scents, but something must have flipped a switch in my brain/ nose communications because I really enjoy some woody blends of late. Some of my fave woody blends have been mentioned, but I'll just go ahead and reiterate, for er, emphasis, yeah. And clearly, I seem to have a preference for teak (though not all the teak blends I've tried, I like, for example, I can't stand Habu since the bamboo turns it all to soap on me). Anyhow, the woody blends I love (names are linked to their review threads):

 

Antikythera Mechanism: (GC, Phoenix Steamworks & Research Facility)

Glowing Vulva: (LE, Shungas)

Nanny Ashtoreth: (GC, Good Omens)

Osiris v4: (Unreleased prototype) - to me, very similar in drydown to GV, but starts off w/ a kick of black patchouli or some other kind of patch' and in general, has greater and longer-lasting throw than GV, like Super-GV

Sacrifice: (LE, Event Exclusive) - get tons of cedar, which admittedly, my skin amps and I normally dislike, but works well w/ the rest of the blend

Velvet Dogs Playing Poker: (LE) to my nose, similar to the wood in Nanny A.

Opium Poppy

I'm honestly a bit scared to even skin-test this. It just smells so strongly of... well, something. Something my nose and body reacts very negatively to. I don't know if it's opium, or poppy, but it's so strong. I closed the imp, and I can still smell it wafting about. No, I'm definitely too chicken to apply this to my skin. Eeks!

Severin
In the Bottle: Smells rich, almost thick and viscous.

Wet: Whoa citrusy. Guessing that's the bright bergamot others mentioned.

Drydown: Mellowing down into the black tea. Still slight citrus tones.

Verdict: It's nice, but I don't see myself wearing it ever. Where was the leather?! I never got any leather. I purchased a bottle during the Convergence event in July '09 since it was just discontinued. I got the 2nd to last bottle, but I'm thinking I might have to let this go. It just doesn't impress me enough and there's no leather! (Yup, swapped away to a more loving home, I hope!)

Democrat

In the Vial: Slightly sweet. Is my sniffer broken?

 

Wet: Still sweet.

 

Drydown: Er, did I really apply oil?!

 

Verdict: I guess this is nice. If I, er, could smell anything. I dunno why, but I just can't smell anything!

 

ETA: Now that I've read some of these reviews, I'm a little sad that I didn't really get the beeswax others did. I've loved a few beeswax containing blends (Hanerot Halalu, Hand of Glory) and might have kept this special imp around if I got that note from it. Ah well, it's gone to a new home and hopefully I'll have a new love soon in its place.

Pickled Imp

The notes sounds sooo promising. I know I tried one partial decant before, and got all pine sap. Ick. But this decant? My skin is beyond amping the cinnamon and clove, but mainly the cinnamon. I wish I got the gorgeous vanilla blend that others talk about. *pouts* I'll definitely hang onto my "imp" but doubt I'll spring for a 5ml any time soon.

Mitzvah

In the Vial: BUTTER! Buttery sugar, to be more precise.

 

Wet: Hm, still buttery, but now plasticy. Hm, sort of like powdered sugar on something v buttery.

 

Drydown: Pretty true to the wet smell. Still slightly buttery, powdered sugar and plastic.

 

Verdict: It's a really fun smell in the vial, and so-so on my skin. I'm definitely glad I got to try one of those rare BPAL blends, but I don't think I love this enough to keep. I'd rather swap it for something else I'd possibly love more.

The Witch Queen

In the Vial: Weird, it smells green somehow. I think I smell the plum, but it's a super green, super fresh, kind of plum. Not sweet at all. Very tart.

 

Wet: Sharp floral. I'm going to blame the tuberose for this one. But it could be calla lily-- I'm not very familiar with either flower. Still has a green vibe to it all.

 

Drydown: Still that greenness, but it's finally sweetening a bit. Where's the red musk? The beeswax?

 

Verdict: It's really not bad at all. But it's NOTHING like what I expected (red musk? beeswax?) and feels a little generic, and since the Gaimans aren't cheap, I'd rather make use of this decant by swappin' it away for a blend that I "must have."

Pinched with Four Aces

In the Vial: Woody, cocoa?

 

Wet: Creamy, hint of wood, like a latte. Very light.

 

Drydown: Still so faint! Definitely creamy, sweet, and slightly woody. But the combined blend with the sheerness of it (light throw) means that it almost fools the nose into thinking it's a light floral!

 

Verdict: It's lovely, but for a much-loved rarity? It's not for me. My stupid skin chemistry eats fragrances up and the gorgeous subtlety of this blend is swallowed up and is almost impossible to detect on me. I can see how this would just be to-die-for on other folks whose skin don't make this disappear. Sigh.

Hua Mulan v4

In the Bottle: Very subtle floral, almost imperceptible.

 

Wet: Bright! Very bright-- an almost citrusy floral.

 

Drydown: Shifting into a dusty citrine floral.

 

Verdict: It's very nice, but a classic example of nose-fatigue and panic/ impulse buying. I bought this on total impulse at Cobwebs III and I do still feel it's a gorgeous blend. I just know that I won't reach for it at all and so this beauty shall be swapped away! (Plus, I looove leather notes and so really prefer the released version that includes leather.)

Hmm, weird. With my skin chemistry and to my nose, AL is much more similar to Mouse's Long & Sad Tale than to the Girl. I'll have to retest The Girl, then.

Centzon Totochtin

Dusty cocoa, wine, and something moldy. I'm sure that on the right person, this would smell great, but I'm not that person.

Silk Road
Wow, I'm not having good BPAL-testing luck today. *pouts* The lab's notes are pretty vague ("herbs, flowers, oils, and balms")-- but this really does smell like spices to me. And, like a spicier Lunar Eclipse. So, this also reminds me of a Chinese herb/ medicine shop. Gross. Really not for me, at all.

Verdict: Glad this imp found a new home!

Shoggoth

In the Vial: Lots o' lemongrass, actually, like LUSH's Avobath.

 

Wet: Still mainly lemongrass, perhaps a hint of the coconut.

 

Drydown: Again, I'm getting lemongrass but now there might be something mellower in play-- the musk? But not identifiable as musk.

 

Verdict: It's a pleasant enough scent, but I've never been all that crazy about lemongrass. Time for this imp to find a new home!

Pumpkin II

In the Vial: Again, nauseatingly buttery pumpkin.

 

Wet: Whoa, this is interesting. Starts to pick up the warmth of the rosewood (mebbe sandalwood?). Wait, something sharp is coming in...

 

Drydown: And then it's super sour rose. Ick.

 

Verdict: I'm really figuring out that a lot of the blends containing rose wind up super sour on my skin. Too bad, because for awhile, it seemed like the only pumpkin patch blend that had something strong enough to combat the pumpkin without overpowering it altogether. Pass. And again, yet another pumpkin w/ long lasting powers on my silly skin. Too bad it doesn't work for me.

The Illustrated Woman

In the Vial: Whoaaaaa pine! And yes, unmistakable scent of patchouli.

 

Wet: Loads of pine. Yes, it's a slightly sweet pine, but it's still a strong pine note and I'm really not a fan of pine. How disappointing!

 

Drydown: Starts to morph like others have mentioned and the sweeter "gentler" notes come forward. Definite smoky note and the slightly sour sweetness of the honey. I can detect the tiniest bit of the musk and unfortunately for me, not much tobacco. I absolutely adore tobacco and was desperately hoping this blend would be all about the vanilla and tobacco. Alas.

 

Verdict: The final drydown is a strange and yet, strangely compelling scent. Like others have mentioned, not necessarily something I'd choose as my personal perfume, but such an intriguing scent that it's nearly impossible to keep from sniffing and resniffing this oil. It's nice in the end but I really can't stomach that much pine for so long. I wonder how this would smell in 3 or 4 years. Unfortunately, I'm not Oprah-rich so I don't think I can justify purchasing a bottle of this to age for years and years in hopes that it'll become something I hope for.