pseedie

~~~bruised violet compound~~~ In the Imp: dusty with something rootlike...not sassafras, but something really earthy... Wet: Ok I still smell something earthy, but i get violets and now someone at the picnic has dropped their dill pickle in the dirt next to the clump of violets that I was smelling.... how odd. Dry: The violets grow and the rooty/earthy smell starts getting stronger....now has a cedarlike quality to it...it's beginning to take over the whole shebang, but as I have learned, I must wait for all acts before judging the play.... Timelapse 1 hour: Oh, that root is getting stronger and stronger....it's patchouli....and I don't care for patchouli, although the earthy quality of the root is somewhat better than straight patchouli. Hippie in the dirt is better than hippie in the air for me, but not by much.... Timelapse 2 hours: Didn't make it that long. Patchouli root had to be removed. I tried. Lord, how I tried. But I quit this one even though i really like violet.... Verdict: Industrial strength, as the fragrance didn't budge from my wrist. If you like patchouli, this is a gorgeous blend, a must try. It's the first blend that made me wish I could tolerate patchouli. If you don't like patchouli...well, try it on a day when you have a cold. It's truly worth a try, just be forwarned of it's strength. Best advice I can give!! [=

....i died for beauty... In the Imp: flowers!! and ALOT of them!!! All I get from the wee imp is floral.... Wet: Still Oodles of flowers, but there's a flower in there that I don't think I particularly care for...it's bitter kind of like a stargazer lily (peeyou), but there's a babypowder scent that's on the rise and working on cancelling the peeyou flower out... Dry: Well, the peeyou flower is still there, but the baby powder is mooshing it into the background now. I wonder what the peeyou flower is? Does hyssop smell like lily? Timelapse 1 hour: Powdery floral....but I LIKE powdery as long as it's not too floral...I'm picking up way more violets now as well, which is why I bought this imp. Timelapse 2 hours: niiiiiice powdery floral with violets. Verdict: Most might call this a bit matronly, but I think that violets have been out of fashion since our grandmas were little girls, so now I like to think of them as fashion forward! I don't know if I'll need a bottle of this, but I will keep an imp handy!

An agricultural gargoyle. Though he is the Guardian of the Crops and Keeper of the Fields, his visage is still the stuff of nightmares. The scent of a hot wind blowing through desolate, scorched, barren fields. Scarecrow (or how to scare yourself with a fragrance, by lil' miss chickenpoop.) In the Imp: My first impression is nail polish....and something dry and plant-like...the name releases cornhusks into my brain, but I can't say I've ever really smelled cornhusks, so dead dry plant material is what I'll say. Wet: Oh....something scary is happening in my brain....the fragrance is bringing up the apocalyptic weather that I envisioned while reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Acrid desolation, empty dead fields for miles. No hope, many many fears, no future. Dry: Jesus, Mary and Joseph....the scenes from the book are more vivid as the fragrance dries. (I never saw the movie, hence no Viggo to brighten my fragrance) Dry scorched grasses, earth and wind. Endless desolation...and no hope for anything other. Timelapse 1 hour: I take a nap...when I wake up, the fragrance is still there....a first (out of 20 tries)....of course it's the SCARY fragrance! The scent hasn't changed in the last hour....it's still haunting....visionary.... Timelapse 2 hours: The fragrance has not left me, and the only change is that a little touch of bitter celery similar to Szepasszony smells like it's in here somewhere... but it still won't let me shake the visions of "The Road". Verdict: If you've read that book, and are planning on taking acid (or peyote, or mushrooms...), DON'T PUT THIS FRAGRANCE ON. It will mess you up. The smell is dead on. I will keep this imp to torment myself on the odd occasion as it is a complete mindf**k for me. I'm a bit sensory integration dysfunctional, and this one tripped lots of switches. The name and the description are as true as can be. I've decided to love it and never wear it (unless I go see the movie! ) and scare myself with the imp on occasion.

Cockaigne: In the Imp: Smells like a squirrel's dream....nuts.....creamy nuts. Wet: Exactly the same on my wrist....I dare not go outside, for the squirrels. Dry: Did i close all the windows? Can the squirrels get in? Wait, maybe it's nutmeg I smell. Do squirrels like nutmeg? Timelapse 1 hour: Yes, this is truly industrial strength.....but now I no fear squirrels, for I know what my wrists smell like. Curry. With raisins for garnish. If I think "cake" i can still smell the cake....but now it's in my head....curry. Timelapse 2 hours: Do squirrels like curry? Verdict: Thick, rich, foodie. If you keep thinking cake, it's a much more palatable fragrance than if you think curry. Keep thinkin' cake, folks!!

szepasszony In the Imp: Immediate images of water and bitter citrus...no plastic pool toy like most bpal water scents, so that's good! Wet: Oh! Hairspray and bitter lemon. Where'd the hairspray come from? I reckon it must be ozone, but it set my eyes to waterin' Dry: There's certainly a sharp smell here...kind of like "Off". Still no plastic-y smell, which is good, but there's a bitter biting note happening...almost spicy bitter. Someone above mentioned celery....it's like that one of those bitter celery sticks that you hate to bite into (like the random bitter raisin in the box that you have to spit out) with a tang of tomcat pee.....but that could be dandelion too.... Timelapse 1 hour: Bitter dandelion/ozone/celery. There IS something in this that makes me keep smelling my wrist, but I don't think I want to smell like this for a whole day. Timelapse 2 hour: Why is it only the ones I don't like that stay? (kinda like men, i reckon! hahahaha! OH! except for the last one, of course) Verdict: This is a fragrance everyone should smell, but I won't be able to wear, sadly enough. I would LOVE to find an aquatic fragrance that didn't turn plastic on me....my search shall go on.....

Thalia In the Imp: Oh. In the bottle this smells like the air in a place that does acrylic nails. Not a good sign, me thinks. Wet: Ah, now we've moved down the street to the floral shop....much nicer, but I think I'm smelling something jasmine like, and I really hope it's not jasmine. Dry: It's NOT jasmine!! And some lovely summery fruit is coming up behind the floral...it's going all lovely on me!! Hooray!!! Timelapse 1 hour: Ah, now that the floral smell has mellowed, I can smell champagne...not bubbly champagne, dry champagne that goes well with ripe fruit. Timelapse 2 hours: The fragrance is but a ghost, but it was very very lovely while it lasted. Verdict: Will buy bottle. Yomyom....

The Sea Foams Milk In the Imp: I love milky fragrances and that's what I smelled in the imp...but I also smelled something vaguely plastic-y again....it must be related to bpal's "water" scents, because I smelled it also in The Water of Notre Dame. Not unpleasant in this case, but still there. Wet: Oh no...pool toy again...but I've learned to be patient with bpals... Dry: The sweet milk is stronger than in The Water of Notre Dame here.....but the pool toy still bobs around in the pool for me... Timelapse 1 hour: Wow! This is the strongest bpal yet on me! I can still smell it after an hour! Now it reminds me of Stila's Creme Brulee without the floral notes, but since I own that fragrance, it certainly isn't disagreeable. Timelapse 2 hours: barely there again.... Verdict: Since I already own Creme Brulee, I'll just keep the imp, but the scent is light and alluring in an innocent way. Glad to see it offered, as it is truly different.

Sybaris In the Imp: Holy Moly....violets on a hippie...in an imp. how'd they get her in there?? Wet: A hippie smoking djarums in an indonesian temple on a hot day....how'd she get to indonesia? Dry: All the hippies flowers have disappeared, but she's still smoking those djarums in the temple...like a madwoman! Timelapse 1 hour: ok, i admit, i couldn't wear this for an hour. Whatever incense this is makes me have an unpleasant olifactory experience. Off it came. Verdict: I'll never go to Indonesia with a hippie who smokes djarums (or jakartas)....ever. Not even on a bet.

Tweedledee In the Imp: This smelled like fruit and cake to me....something a bit more filling than fruit is in there.... Wet: The fruit and "cake" were joined by some spicy spice in the background...not overwhelming....more like a 3rd cousin than a sister.... Dry: Mmmmmm....something is staying tart but to quote a reviewer above, there is something vaguely Fruity Pebbles about this...the white pepper has now become the "saving grace" for the fragrance for my chemistry. Time Lapse 1 hour: like a dusty orange lifesaver stuck to a cherry lifesaver....haven't I typed this before? Sigh....by body chemisty is POO!! I'm either a plastic toy or an orange lifesaver stuck to a cherry lifesaver....sigh again... Time Lapse 2 hours: dusty barely there sweet and white pepper.... Verdict: these fruity fragrances just don't "throw" on me and certainly don't last.....it's a twisty lovely suprise of a fragrance thought....perhaps one for my locket!!

White Rabbit In the Imp: oooh! black tea and a fruity thingy going on....I'm way more impressed by the tea than the fruity thingy...(I've had a couple of bpal fragrances go "life saver" on me recently) so I'm hoping this isn't doomed for the swap pile.... Wet: The black tea isn't so obvious, but the sweet has also dissipated....I'm now getting the spicy subtleness of the rabbit (eyew.) and the linen. Dry: Oh, it's like i work at a drycleaners. Linen. lots and lots of linen, but still a bit of spice and cream.... Time Lapse 1 hour: baby powder linen with a bit of sweet (what is going sweet on me?!) Not what I was hoping for, but not bad at all! Time Lapse 2 hour: I gotta stop putting this 2 hour thing in here....all the fragrances are gone on me by 2 hours...you gotta be a bloodhound to find any trace of fragrance....grrrrrrrrrrr....... Verdict: Light, fruity, spicy, gentle....like waking up slowly a little late and thinking it's going to be a good day....now who doesn't need 5mls of THAT?! [=

Ultraviolet In the Imp: Ooooh! This smells like astringent...metallic clean with a medicinal quality. If I'd have been scheduled for "a procedure" at the time I'd opened this imp, it would have made me apprehensive. Wet: Searing Eucalyptus with a subtle floral...I could tell that drydown was going to be important with this scent, so I didn't panic... Dry: I really like violet in general, and this is def. violet at this point. The eucalyptus began to fade into the background, but didn't disappear, so it had a really nice edge to it. Really different, unexpected. Time Lapse 1 hour: violet with eucalyptus as a backup singer...I'm hopeful, cuz so far, this scent has the best throw yet for me.... Time Lapse 2 hour: sigh...barely there, but still there! The longest staying scent for me so far, and I like it, so there's bonus points for stamina given here! Verdict: If you can make it to drydown, this is a captivating fragrance...although it might scare the cats a little.

Water of Notre Dame In the Imp: a lovely aquatic floral with a bit of "something" swirling underneath... Wet: sweet and aqua-ish....but there's that lurking thing.... Dry: Rose...and plastic toy. Damn. I'd heard about others having aquatic scents turn "plastic" smelling on them, and was hoping I wasn't one of them.....i is. Time Lapse 1 hour: Plastic rose. It ain't changin. Time Lapse 2 hour: smaller plastic rose. (I'm finding i have trouble holding on to bpal fragrances...they fade too quickly) Verdict: If i ever need to attract a plastic salesman, I'll wear this....but I doubt that'll happen, so into the swap pile it goes....dang shame too. It was lovely in the imp.

Veil In the Imp: very strong floral mix...something that i recognize as "not so good for me" in there....(no, not like cigarettes...like a note that really don't like) Wet: OH NO!! IT"S GARDENIA!! My skin completely amps gardenia and it overpowers anything else for ages....i feel doomed. Dry: Still a whole field of bloomin' gardenias...there is a wee touch of lilac and lavender appearing...then violet...so there is a nice little morph going on under the dreaded gardenia, but that gardenia won't leave my nose alone... Time Lapse 1 hour: gardenia Time Lapse 2 hours: gardenia Verdict: Well, gardenia just wouldn't leave the party....overstayed her welcome and was obnoxious in the process....this one goes in the swaps....

Sudha Segara In the Imp: sweet, light and yummy (I'll come to regret that middle part soon) wet: ooooh!! a mellow sweetness that soothes my nerves a bit...niiiiiiiiiiiice. dry: AH! Milk. just the right amount of honey (so it doesn't smell like a kama sutra dusting powder) and a touch of ginger to warm....3 of my favorite things.... Time Lapse 1 hour: oh no....it's so much lighter.... Time Lapse 2 hours: where the heck did it GO??? I LOVE THIS AND IT LEFT ME!!! I NEED A SUPPORT GROUP!!! Verdict: This is my first coveted bpal fragrance. I really wanted to be atypical and find something really unique to love (like that Jezirat al Tennyn or something equally as freakish) but alas, this is my first love. But like a bad bad boyfriend, it just doesn't want to stay with me for long.....what to do......

In the Imp: strong citrus and sage Wet: Lemon and chlorine?? Pool Water and lemonade?? wha??? Dry: Lemon playdough?? Nah, I must be having a bad nose day....but seriously, that's what I'm getting at first ...then sage comes forward a bit, then the verbena runs over the top of the sage (this is like a horse race, at this point) and finally, after about half hour, I begin to smell lavender..... Time lapse 1 hour: This has become a quiet, powdery (thanks to the sage) floral with strong verbena notes. Nice for a summer floral, if you're that way inclined. Time lapse 2 hours: Poof! Verdict: In the summertime, pool water and lemonade are a beautiful thing....it's a very citrus-y fragrance with nice layers of notes that all play nicely together....

Jezirat Al Tennyn I'm going to forego my usual format to tell a story that relates to this fragrance....in 11th grade I had to take a public speaking class, and we had to give a 5 minute demonstration speech. Because I was a "horsey" teen, I decided to show how to wrap a horse's leg that had been strained. My friend decided to act as "horse leg" for me, so in front of the class, I slathered a horse linement called "Absorbine" (menthol and camphor-based) onto her leg and then showed the appropriate way to wrap the leg to support the ligaments and tendons. I had just barely finished my speech when my friend let out a shriek and started yelling "oh jayzus!!! This burns! This BURNS!!!" We got her out of the wrap and down to the gym locker room asap to rinse the scorching stuff off her poor poor leg, but if we would have lit her on fire instead, and then rolled her in the dirt to put the fire out, this frangrance is what she would have smelled like on the bus home from school. So, not particularly a great fragrance for me, but it sure brought back a memory!!

The Ghost In the imp: it smells like white dusty florals....something ethereal floating.... Wet: Oh. Very easily identifiable Iris and lily...all over the place. Slight dusty undertones still present but my schnoz is completely overwhelmed by the lily. Dry: The florals mix up a bit and luckily the iris and lily back in to the mix. It's sweet, but not candy sweet....dusty floral sweet Time Lapse 2 hours: The background flowers have come forward in a very pleasant way...still dusty but intriguing... Time Lapse 3 hours: I'll have to use the word ephemeral instead of ethereal here....where'd it go??? Sigh.... Verdict: A not-too-sweet floral for me....but sadly on me it had the life span of a fruit fly. My mom might like it though!!

The Hamptons In the Imp: oooh. cherry life saver...or is it orange? (it was kind of like a cherry one stuck on an orange one and you have to bite them apart)....definitely CANDY. I didn't get much alcohol at all. Wet: candy....still bleedin' candy...no alcohol or lime. Dry: Well, a bit less sweet, a tiny bit more tart and a little bit "dusty" ...perhaps like a cherry and orange sweet tart? Still candy! Later Dry: After a couple hours it was a dusty sweet fruity smell...similar to a Demeter-type fragrance....it faded in about 2 hours on me. Verdict: Not bad in the end, but again, super sweet. Folks that like candy fragrances shouldn't miss this. Me? In the swaps it goes....

A dark, still winter's night. The cold, white moon shines on frozen ground dusted with silent snow: evergreen, juniper, winterberry holly, bayberry, Viking black chokeberry, hemlock, and yew, ice-rimed, gilded by traditional lunar herbs and flowers. ...my very first review of my very first bpal scent.... Old Moon Bottle: When i opened the bottle and sniffed, it was heavily evident that this was a winter scent, as a forest of evergreens went flying up my nose with a fury that made me wonder "why did i choose this fragrance?!!"....then the scent hit the back of my throat and i got bigtime juniper...and something really sweet.. i then realized that the scent wasn't as simple as the evergreens lodged in my nose...it was much more layered than that.... Wet on skin: Where the heck did the evergreen go?? Were they all lodged in my nose and none left for my wrist?? I was confused! On my wrist was berries....tart, sweet, almost unripened berries...the kind your friends dare you to eat, and you say yes cuz you've seen birds eat them and the birds seemed to like them but you end up spitting them out cuz they're so dang tart?....yeah, those sour-sweet little red berries. Something sweet was still lurking in the background, but since this is my first bpal fragrance I couldn't place it. Was it the winter blooms? Or is it what folks call the "slush/snow"? Hmmmm..... Quick Dry: Phew! What a morph!! All I get now is sweet sweet sweet!! The juniper is still there....The fruit is still there, but some other fragrance pushes the sweet to extreme. Unfortunately, I don't like sweet perfumes, especially sweet florals...my jury was still out when i took a nap..... After nap (about 2 hours later): It has changed yet again. Now it is just barely there, quietly dusty sweet with a teensy mint/evergreen/juniper in the background. I like it like this....but it's also right about the time that you'd normally think about putting more on!! Ah, the dilemmas in life.... Overall: You know, sometimes it's not the destination, it's the ride that makes the journey worth it....and this was like a wrong turn in the mountains on a winter's night....it may not be what you had in mind, and it may take you longer to get there, but the ride itself was gorgeous. Verdict: I'll keep this one for the ride.

.... I'm new to bpal.... looking for suggestions based on what I love to wear from "mainstream scents"... in winter I wear Hypnotic Poison from Dior (bitter almond, caraway spice, sambac jasmine, cinnamon, tuberose, vanilla, musk (glad this is toward the bottom), mosses, jucarunda wood) and in the summer I wear Leila by geir ness (norwegian lillies, watermelon, norwegian sunflowers). Any comparable scents here?