Scylla

Before I read the Lab's description for this, I sniffed it and thought, "Wait a minute! That smells a lot like Embalming Fluid!" Indeed, it does. And I noticed that it has some similar notes. But it actually smells more like across between Embalming Fluid and Old Shanghai.

Embalming Fluid is one of my summer favorites, but I sold it in September because I couldn't see myself wearing it until next summer and didn't want it to go to waste, so to speak! My plan was to re-order a fresh bottle in the spring. But now....now I think I will be ordering Phantasm instead!

In the vial: Very sweet floral. I can smell the rose and jasmine most prominently, with something fruity behind it.

Wet, on my skin: The sandalwood and musk have come to the forefront, with the rose and jasmine in the background.

On drydown: Not much staying power. It was pretty much gone within an hour. The drydown kind of reminded me of Zephyr. Probably the sandalwood and musk.

In the vial: Whew! It smells a lot like Liquid Smoke, the stuff that I put in my BBQ pork to make it taste, well barbequed!

Wet, on my skin: Very smoky, with some spice. Menacing--someone else mentioned that word, and I think it fits perfectly! Brooding. I would have to say, this is what I would expect Brimstone to smell like!

On drydown: Luckily, some of the smokiness has disappeared and it has begun to smell more like a traditional perfume, I suppose. It has gotten more incensy/resiny. I think there might be Nag Champa in there? Not sure. Definitely a very well-crafted allegorical expression in a bottle!

Upon first sniff, Nine Mysteries mostly smelled like mint. After I applied it, it still smelled predominantly of mint, but then I smelled lavender, violet and lilac, I believe. I usually don't care much for lavender or violet, but I really enjoy them in this blend--neither takes center stage--they are just supporting cast members.

I am not getting the citrus or coconut that other reviewers have mentioned. However, I do sense a "creaminess" but I'm not sure what it is. Tonka bean, perhaps?

Nine Mysteries is a very likeable, mysterious blend. If you are a fan of Veil, you MUST give Nine Mysteries a whirl.

Gingerbread Poppet 2004 is definitely a true, spicy gingerbread smell. I think I like it best in the bottle or in my oil burner, only because my skin amps up the spicy notes and it becomes overpowering no matter now little I use. It is a lovely holiday blend, nonetheless!

If you are sensitive to cinnamon oils, you may need to use caution with this one. I definitely got the trademark "cinnamon tingle" from Gingerbread Poppet!

I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to love Snow White. I just KNEW it was going to become my new favorite BPAL oil. But, alas, my body chemistry did NOT agree!


On me, Snow White smelled liked buttered popcorn Jelly Belly jelly beans and plastic! Buttered popcorn jelly bellies are my LEAST favorite jelly bean, and they are gag inducing if I happen to eat one by accident. *sniffle*

ETA: Leslie260 hit the nail right on the head when she said it smells plastic-y like Scotch Brand Magic tape (or cellophane). That's EXACTLY it! THAT kind of plastic.

I'm all about foody scents, but on my skin chemistry Sugar Cookie was pretty much straight cinnamon and other spices. Cardamom, maybe? I dunno. I'm not getting the "baked goods" smell others were discussing in the chats. It totally does remind me of Christmas, though!

If there were ever a true expression of winter in a scent, Skadi would have to be it! It is fresh, chilly and piney (without being Pine-SOL-y) at first, and upon drydown I detect the berries and a light floral note.

Upon first sniff, my husband said, "It smells like Ozium." What does HE know! He wears AXE!

I'd have to say this is definitely my holy grail of winter perfumes! Love, love, love it! And please, please, please bring it back next year!

I have admit, I almost didn't try this one on my skin AT ALL because in the vial it simply smelled like lavender!

But wet, on my skin the lavender is nicely balanced with sandalwood and something else--nag champa, maybe?

Doesn't change much on drydown. This is a nice, masculine lavender blend.

In the vial: smells like sandalwood incense

Wet, on my skin: sandalwood and something smokey and resiny. \

On drydown: Musky, and kinda powdery with sandalwood and amber (I think) peeking through. I am getting "a golden light" feel with this one on drydown. Or maybe I'm just impressionable!

To me this smelled a lot like Black Cat at first--there must be some similar herbs in here. I can see how it could be taken as a dark scent. I think I can smell some amber, but it doesn't smell as bad as amber usually does on me!

This is a darkly exotic scent. I think it's perfect for a scent named after the midnight sun!

In the vial: roses and patchouli. Uh oh.

Wet, on my skin: Yep, roses and patchouli. Very strong, but at least they're not "old lady" roses!

On drydown: The roses fade a bit and it becomes more of a patchouli and sandalwood scent. Very exotic.

In the vial: juicy cranberries. Very tart.

Wet, on my skin: Juicy, tart cranberries with some spices in the background. I'm not really getting any floral notes in this.

On drydown: The spices came out more on drydown and kinda made the cranberries smell like they were rotten. Crummy body chemistry!

In the vial: Indistinguishable herbs and LOTS of lavender

Wet, on my skin: Gah! Pure lavender. And that is NOT a good thing.

On drydown: The lavender has gone away and left neroli and lemon verbena in its wake. Pleasant enough, but not really my thing.

I've never had a problem traveling with imps. I tape the tops and put them in a film case, as suggested by another forumite (sorry! I forget who suggested it--Laurel, perhaps?) and put the film case in my makeup case with my other makeup, etc.

Have you tried Akuma? It's not really spicy though, it's got more of a tart kick to it.

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I second Akuma. It is very fruity and tart--smells like SweetTarts or Razzles. No sickening sweetness there!

Also, Bewitched is fruity (blackberry) and balanced without being too sweet.

Whew. Very resiny and very sweet. I am getting mostly patchouli and myrrh. Kinda hippie-ish.

On drydown, it smells less hippie-ish and I can totally see, er, smell the comparison to that Bain de Soleil Orange Gelee stuff. My mom swore by that stuff when I was a kid. Before I read the reviews I thought it smelled familiar, but I couldn't place it. That's it, alright!

Very cool walk down olfactory memory lane, but not something I'd wear as a perfume.

Hmmm....not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting something "angrier," I guess. And instead this was rather nice. Maybe a little passive-aggressive, but definitely not rageful!

I adore dragon's blood, so I am glad that this was the predominant note on me. I HATE amber (or, rather, my body chemistry does!) and usually BPAL scents with amber in them smell awful on me. BUT, the amber in Rage is not a predominant note and just kinda hangs around in the background. The rose geranium is the second most prominent note and I'm not detecting any mandarin (or fruitiness, really) at all.

This is a nice scent, but I'm not blown away. I will likely swap it.

In the vial: Vetiver and musk. Very manly and sexy.

Wet, on my skin: I know it's a men's scent, but I felt compelled to try it myself. At first I get quite a bit of musky, wet leather. Someone else mentioned it bringing back memories of waiting in the rain with the leather-clad masses to get into a club, and I have that scent memory, too! This is a VERY mysterious, masculine scent. Something I'd LOVE for my husband to wear, but I can tell without him even smelling it that it's not his thing.

On drydown: Wow, this lasts a long time! I put this on last night at about 6 pm and it's now 7:00 am and I can still smell the musk and vetiver wafting.

I like Iago a lot--I'm sending my brother and his girlfriend some imps for Christmas and I think I'll include this one. My brother's girlfriend will thank me, I'm sure!

In the vial: Dragon's blood and musk. I dragon's blood!

Wet, on my skin: Dragon's blood and cinnamon, mostly. Something about it reminds me of Tintagel. Must be the cinnamon. I can smell the patchouli and musk in the background.

On drydown: The Dragon's Blood has faded away and I am now getting mostly patchouli and musk with some cinnamon. I like it, but probably not enough to buy a big bottle.

In the vial: Very sharp and masculine. There is something about it that reminds me of that bastion of early 90's mens cologne, Drakkar Noir. Which is not to say it actually SMELLS like Drakkar Noir. Maybe it's got a similar note. I dunno. It was just a "first impression" observation.

Wet, on me: Smells nice, but kinda manly. The carnation seems to be the predominant note with herbal smelling mosses in the background. Thank goodness I'm not getting any amber--amber usually smells really BAD on me!

On drydown: The carnation remains the predominant note on drydown, but now I smell the lavender. I really like it, but I think it's definitely a men's scent. I wish my husband would try it. But, upon smelling this shortly after application, my husband said, "What the heck did you spray in here? It stinks!" He thought it was a new scent of Lysol or some kind of cleaning fluid! When I told him it was one of my new BPAL imps he promptly said he didn't like it.

Too bad. I think it would smell really good on him!

It is difficult to pick out individual notes in Wolf's Heart, but I CAN definitely tell that there is Dragon's Blood resin in there. It is "quieter" than straight Dragon's Blood, though, if that makes any sense. There are some mild herbs in the background, but they are indistinguishable, at least to my nose!

I can see how others have said this is a cozy scent--I get that feeling also. Never would have ordered it, but I am really, really glad the Lab sent me an imp with my last order. It's lovely!

I don't know what it is about my skin chemistry, but it amplifies all oils with rose in them to the point that all I can smell is rose. And it's not a good rose--it's an old lady rose.

Sadly, this happened with Wanton also. In the vial it is very sweet and feminine, but as soon as it hits my skin it turns to a generic "rose."

In the vial: Whoa! Sickening sweet floral and wine (?) or something else with a sweet and sour fruity fragrance.

Wet, on my skin: Overpoweringly sweet jasmine. I can smell some rose, but I am mostly getting jasmine.

On drydown: Pretty much stayed that same as while wet, although it was not as strong. Much too floral for me. I will be swapping this one.

Yo ho, Yo ho, a pirate's life for me! Avast! Ahoy there, me hardys! Arrrrrrr!

(sorry, I couldn't resist!)

In the vial: Smells like a rum ball. Delicious!

Wet, on my skin: Still smells like a decadent, chocolatey rum ball. I guess I was expecting something more "piratey" but this smells great! And it is a wonderful comfort scent.

On drydown: Smells less like a rum ball and more like hot buttered rum. A buttery note has definitely come out on drydown. Now it reminds me a bit of Hellcat, but I like Grog much, much more!