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BPAL Madness!

hlemonds

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Everything posted by hlemonds

  1. hlemonds

    Looking for a BPAL that Resembles a Favorite Perfume

    Not a perfume, but a scented hand lotion. It's Rescue Beauty Lounge Citrus Vert and it smells so wonderful and fresh. I haven't been able to find a list of notes. I have an imp of 51, which I love, but it reminds me most closely of Prescriptives Calyx. Citrus Vert and Clinique Happy are two of my favorite fragrances from other companies, I would love to find similar scents to these in the BPAL catalogue.
  2. hlemonds

    What do bottles and labels look like?

    The labels are too cute! I only requested Loli and Romanti from my Angel, but they'll make an adorable little couple, they will!
  3. hlemonds

    Looking for a BPAL that Resembles a Favorite Perfume

    I've no idea if anyone has had the same experience, but on me 51 has a strong resemblance to Prescriptives Calyx. I've also noticed a similarity between Hermia and Chanel Chance.
  4. hlemonds

    Lady Una

    I can not believe it has taken me so long to try this. Lady Una is utter perfection. I definitely get the rich, sweet vanilla, along with the most amazing honey musk. Gah, this is soooooo good. It is creamy, and sweet, but the sweetness is tempered just enough by the tart green tea and blackberry leaf. There is a fruitiness to this that I would probably associate with blackberry fruit moreso than leaf. Unbelievably delicious. There is a green element to this that reminds me of 51, but more sweet and subdued, as opposed to the fresh brightness of 51. I would guess that is thanks to the honey musk and vanilla. All in all, this is just amazing. I will be wearing this a great deal during the spring and summer months. It very much makes me think of sitting in a warm meadow, near a blackberry bramble. The scent of the blackberry patch is wafting on the sun warmed breeze. I'm drinking iced green tea with honey from a thermos. The scent of clean sun-warmed skin, scented with vanilla and honey, mingles in the gentle breeze. Now I really wish it was warm outside today, and that the sun was shining. This makes me yearn for a gorgeous spring day.
  5. hlemonds

    Peach, Peach Blossom, Apricot, Nectarines

    Lamia is a lovely peach scent....it is technically white peach, not peach blossom, but I find it subtle enough that it could mimic a peach blossom note. It is a really awesome scent!
  6. hlemonds

    Bette Noir

    Still a little bit unsure of this one. Primarily I get the wild plum, berries, and amber. I also think I'm smelling the orange blossom, although my nose is sensing it at an indistinct floral note, not specifically "Oh, hai, orange blossom." Overall this ends up smelling very.....traditional? Not that I would consider traditional a bad thing, just not necessarily what I was expecting for a weapons and martial arts expert. Probably just the way my skin chemistry works with this one, and how my nose interprets it. I am interested to see if the blend will become smoother with age, so I plan to hold onto it for now
  7. hlemonds

    BPAL blends that remind us of Chanel perfumes

    Chanel Chance is my SOTD today.. It's definitely not a typically 'me' fragrance, but I LOVE it and would really really like to find something thematically similar from BPAL.. if any of you perfumistas out there can help, I'd be grateful, thank you so much! You might want to try Hermia from Illyria (it has the pink pepper note that i also find quite distinctive in Chance, and golden amber as a base note). I find it similar, both in "feel" and the actual scent.
  8. hlemonds

    Kaidan

    Hmm....I think that some combination of the rosehip/jonquil/sandalwood are causing this to seem a bit soapy to me. The fruity quality when wet, in combination with the florals, reminds me a bit of Prunella, only with a white sandalwood base rather than cream. Once the bright fruit quality fades (which happened pretty quickly) I'm left with a somewhat rosey, slightly creamy, soap. I'm not really getting the amber-laden incense as of yet, but it has only been about half an hour. Will come back to this one once i've had another opportunity to test (when my nose isn't so worn out). ETA: Later in the drydown this reminded me very much of Morocco, perhaps with a hint of plum rather than carnation. It's very nice, but I'll have to test again to see if i need a whole bottle. I might be fine with my lovely Morocco, i can always add a dab of Prunella if i need the plum. And thanks to Invidiana for sending this lovely carded imp to me! Such a nice surprise!
  9. hlemonds

    Skytyping with Chemtrails

    Omnomnom. Lemony candy, with a hint of herbal "zing". I adore the way that white amber and spun sugar work on my skin, and i've been looking for a sweet lemon scent, so this fits the bill perfectly! I can certainly visualize a brilliant blue sky scored by bright white vapor trails, when i sniff this. It very much makes me think of a beautiful summer day when the sky is such a vibrant shade that it nearly hurts to look at it. Thankfully this one doesn't have any harsh chemical scent on my skin, but that's probably the nice herbal feeling i'm getting. I like that it keep this from being a pure candy scent, makes it a bit more sophisticated.
  10. hlemonds

    Banned in Boston

    I do get the sharpness the first reviewer refered to. Not something i'm familiar with, but it's quite odd initially. It almost reminds me of the off chemical smell i sometimes get from a blend that lists leather as a note. But i'm not getting a true leather note, just that chemical sensation in my nose. Once it has been on a few minutes i don't get the odd chemical note unless i get really close up and inhale very deeply. And since some scents can be slightly off when i'm sniffing them up close but have lovely throw, i'm not overly worried about it. Just a couple of inches away this smells just fantastic. I won't attempt to describe it right this moment, i'm wearing way too many other scents. But i will come back to this for further review!
  11. hlemonds

    Lamia

    Mmm...definitely coconut right out of the bottle. Which freaked me out a little because i didn't recall that it listed coconut as a note. But now i've double checked and know that i'm not crazy. On my skin the coconut immediately pulls into the background, providing just a hint of sweet creaminess, but this scent doesn't go all suntan lotion-y on me, it's the perfect kind of coconut. On top of that i believe i'm getting a hint of the vetiver, but it isn't strong at all. The base is rounded out by the vanilla-amber, topped of by a hint of peach-black currant fruitiness. I *think* the myrhh may be lending just a hint of sweet incense, combined with the very mild smoky vetiver. Overall i very much like it. It is a somewhat dark scent that still feels wearable any time, whereas a good many of my darker blends end up feeling more appropriate for cold weather. And a hint of the orchid is peeking out, nice! Returning for a secondary review now that the bottle has had a chance to recover from travel. And my nose has had a chance to recover from the massive amount of testing I did the first time around. This is my first full day wear, and I have to say, I absolutely this blend. This is a rich and somewhat dark blend that is brightened by the white peach. It is the perfect sort of "dark" blend for me to wear in spring/summer. It is rich and smooth, but not overly heavy. The vanilla amber is a delicious base, and the white peach swirles with the vanilla to create a wonderful creamy fruit vibe. I get a hint of smokiness from the vetiver, but it is very, very subtle. I think the currant is adding to the fruitiness, but i can't pick it out as a distinct note. The coconut is likewise there-but-not, adding to the heavenly creaminess, but I'm not actually picking it out as coconut. The other notes serve to keep this blend from being too sweet or foody, and lend complexity. I don't get any overt floral or incense. This very much makes me think of Mircalla, but a brighter, perhaps younger, feel. I'm already planning to order a back-up, as i think I will be wearing this one quite alot.
  12. hlemonds

    51

    Definitely getting a big bottle of this one. I can't pick out any individual notes. I get a somewhat citrus-y, fresh green feeling, with a very soft, feminine floral aspect. I really like this, it lasts very well on me, doesn't turn soapy or give me a headache, and is just right for Spring/Summer. It reminds me of Prescriptives Calyx, which i haven't smelled in ages, but this is quite close to what i recall Calyx smelling like.
  13. hlemonds

    Bewitched

    I was unsure of this one because of the greenery. I should have tried it much sooner, as it is just lovely. Very light, soft, and springy. I definitely get the blackberry, surrounded by the lush greenery of forest brambles. It really does reminds me of a nice mild summer day spent on the edges of the forest in the prickly blackberry bushes eating berries until our tummies hurt. I think the musk and tea form a wonderful base. Altogether really soft and not too sweet, which makes it perfect for warm-weather-wear.
  14. hlemonds

    XCDL13

    Yep, definitely the vanilla from Antique Lace, a bit brighter and lighter. This is very strong, i only had to put on a tiny dab. Lovely, just lovely! Initially i got something like strawberry, but in the drydown that is pretty much gone. It may be adding a bit of brightness, but there isn't any noticeable berry left once dry. Overall i love it, and i am so thankful to the fabulous gal who got me a couple of bottles at the last Will Call, i will wear it with joy!
  15. hlemonds

    Prosperity of a Country

    This is so different than the usual scents i would choose. And I think it is growing on me. I get a hint of warm, soft leather (it is more harsh when wet, but it calmed down very quickly), a velvety resin that must be the frankincense, and a soft creaminess from the ginger-cream accord. I don't think i'm getting the ginger, or the orris root all that much. Surprisingly, i don't find this masculine on me. I might call it unisex...but the frank and cream are so sweet and a tad powdery, it almost seems feminine on me! It is very soft, not a ton of throw, but i am catching little wafts of it. Overall, i think this is quite enjoyable, and a pleasant surprise. It seems leather often overwhelms a blend for me, but not in this case. I'm unsure how the average person smelling this on me would react, but i don't know that i care overmuch, since it is quite a pleasing scent for me!
  16. hlemonds

    Thoos

    This is so nice! It is light, a tiny bit powdery (not in a bad way, though), and quite refreshing. As others have reported, the cypress pretty much disappears shortly after application. I'm fine with that, since that note intially made the scent more masculine than i would usually wear. This oil seems to dry down very quickly on me, although it was a very light application, so that may be why. Once the cypress faded, this became quite unisex, which is what i hoped for. This seems like a wonderful fragrance for a day when i need a bit of a pick-me-up, and/or i don't want anything very "perfume-y". It's a very simple, clean, gentle blend. The citrus gives it a slight sparkliness. Very enjoyable!
  17. hlemonds

    The Harp of Cnoc I'Chosgair

    Oh my, this is just lovely. Initially i was a bit dissappointed. I dabbed some oil from the cap onto my arm, and it was so faint! It was a delicious, warm, golden-vanilla-sandalwood, but faint. Then it began to warm on my skin, and lordy me, it bloomed! I think that the foremost note i am smelling is Tiare, a very smooth, creamy floral. And beneath the Tiare is a *hint* of something almost spicy, perhaps the marigold (tagetes)? And rounding it out is the glorious, ever so slightly creamy, a maybe the tiniest bit sweet, vanilla sandalwood. This is just lovely. At first it had almost zero throw, but now that it has bloomed on my skin i can smell it wafting up from the test spot on my arm. Just lovely. I am glad to have a bottle, with one more on the way. I may indeed need another.
  18. hlemonds

    Saint Foutin de Varailles

    Well, i thought i had reviewed this one, but i see i have not! I tested this one twice from my little decant. The first test seemed very rosey, but it is possible my nose was just overwhelmed as i tested several scents that same afternoon. The second test was much nicer, but i found this blend very, very similar to Lights of Men's Lives with an added touch of rose. Since i already have a bottle of Lights of Men's Lives, which i adore, and a bottle of Spellbound that i can use to layer a touch of rose on top, i didn't need to keep my bottle of Saint Foutin. That is not to say that Saint Foutin isn't a lovely blend, it surely is! I just don't see the need to have it AND Lights of Men's Lives in my collection.
  19. hlemonds

    Crowd Pleasers

    If she likes musk i'd say that Dorian and Mme. Moriarty are both good choices. Mme Moriarty is definitely the spicier, sexier of the two. I find that the patchouli in Mme Moriarty can be somewhat sharp prior to aging. I prefer it once it's about a year old. I love Dorian aged and fresh.
  20. hlemonds

    Watery &/or Aquatic Florals

    I'll second Sara's rec of Enchanted Wood Florist, definitely sweet, soft floral with a bit of sparkle.
  21. hlemonds

    Enchanted Wood Florist

    Until i discovered BPAL, i would've insisted i didn't like florals. I've since discovered that i often DO like them, in the right combination. Generally the right combination for me involves soft florals with something creamy or sweet (or both). All that said, i really REALLY like this, and did not at all expect to. This came as a frimped sniffie in a package, I hadn't bothered to purchase an imp from a decant circle. I am so glad i was gifted this, because it is lovely, and i would've missed out! I think the moon tree sap is most prominent on me. Sweet, maybe a touch green, moist (in a good way), and *almost* creamy. The florals are so soft and blended that i don't get any one variety (no screaming Jasmine of doom, no overwhelmingly amped rose, no crazy migraine inducing gardenia). The blossoms in this are cool, soft, and radiant. I added a bottle to my recent lab order, so glad i got this sniffie just in time!
  22. hlemonds

    Okayaki

    Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Yes! Yes! Yes! Some of my favorite BPAL scents may now have competition. This is the creamy, almost vanilla-musk like base i associate with The Girl, made brighter with a dose of sunny bergamot and spring blossoms. The flowers are velvety, like petals warmed against soft, clean skin. The creaminess may be from the snow note, which i don't necessarily pick out on it's own (this isn't just some Snow White variant, no it is not!). The snow is likely where i am getting the vanilla scent-sation as well. This is gorgeously blended....and quite "traditional" to my nose. For the record, traditional, to my mind, is not a bad thing. I think this is the sort of BPAL fragrance that is quite friendly to the non-BPAL "informed", if you will. I definitely get what the other reviewer said about this having a "spa-like" feel. It is clean, soft, and very inviting.
  23. hlemonds

    White Chocolate, Strawberry, and White Pepper Truffle

    This makes me want to NOM my own arm. For the record, i am not really a "foody" type gal. But this scent makes me want to LICK myself. It is utterly delectable! Sweeeet strawberries (on me, definitely a strawberry jam or candy, not a tart fresh strawberry) and just a hint of the white pepper manifesting as a tingle in my nose. I'm not necessarily getting the chocolate as a separate note, it's probably what is making the strawberry more of a candy than a fresh fruit. I really, really like this! DH, upon sniffing, declares this scent "Porn-a-rific". I raise my eyebrows in question.....DH replies, "You know, it smells like one of those edible scented candy body powders or lotions or something!" Oh, i see. I think this was intended as a compliment.... Pretty decent throw on this one, at least in the early stages. I've only dabbed on a tiny bit from the lid, and i can smell it without huffing my arm.
  24. hlemonds

    Penis Admiration

    Mmmmmmmmmmm. I love Beth's Smoky Vanilla. I must admit, initially two things scared me away from this blend. The name Penis Admiration, in combination with the note of ho wood made me wonder if this might be slightly masculine. And i've not had much experience with lilac, so that worried me too. Fortunately, my concerns were all for naught. On me this is mostly creamy, smoky vanilla, woven deliciously with the lilac. The ho wood is very gentle, i have to really sniff to catch it, and i think it just adds a hint of warmth and complexity, no wood shavings yay! I'm not a big florals type of gal, so this is the type of floral that works perfectly for me, it is creamy and velvety soft. I may need a back-up!
  25. hlemonds

    Banshee Beat

    *inhales* This is good. *inhales again* Yeah, really good. The longer it's on, the better it gets. Warm, woodsy patchouli, perhaps a hint of that medicinal vibe i get from fresh Snake Oil (that may be the hemp, or the patchouli, or both). And delicious, rich vanilla. So warm and comforting! Definitely worth tracking down a bottle if you love vanilla and patchouli. I would personally LOVE to get my hands on MOAR. One bottle, maybe not enough
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