puck_nc

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I love gardenia and it doesn't seem to get used enough. Sometimes lily is divine on me. I'm not sure about the mosses, but I hoped for a scent that evoked a soft summery night like a butterfly's gossamer wings. In the Bottle: Very woodsy and mossy orchid, chypre and lily. I get a faint touch of the gardenia. It's cool and evokes the night, but is much chillier than I was thinking. The chypre is strong enough to make it unisex or on the masculine side. Wet: Wow, very much a woodsy, patchouli scent. The florals are just the tiniest sliver of cool and white and airy. This is definitely not what I was thinking when I read the notes. There's a sweet edge to it, maybe from the benzoin or currant. Drydown: The currant gets stronger on me and the chypre is poking its nose in again. I can detect more of the florals now, but this is still a much earthier scent than I was imagining with the mosses being so strong on me. It still has that unisex feel to it all the way through. The scent does evoke "black" and "moon" for me, but I'm not getting the "butterfly" part at this point. Verdict: I think I'm going to have to let this one sit a day or two, get my preconceptions out of my head, and try it again so I can judge it on its own merits and not over how it didn't smell at all like I was hoping.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: There's lots of vanilla in there. I love vanilla. In the Bottle: Rich and sensual vanilla with an herbal edge from the chamomile keeping it from being too foody-sweet. Wet: The bourbon in the bourbon vanilla kicks in and the chamomile comes out stronger, almost minty. It's not as sweet as in the bottle at this stage. Drydown: The chamomile settles down, letting the vanillas emerge again. The throw is indeed low, staying close to the skin and simmering quietly. It's sweet and a bit come-hither, but not lush. Verdict: A beautiful, subtle scent.

Origin: partial bottle bought from a fellow BPALer Initial Thoughts: I hadn't planned to get this one originally since I didn't know its purpose, but someone else asked and when the seller answered, I was interested. I've used Sexual Energy with some success and thought I'd mix it up. Scent In the Bottle: Very spicy/musky/incensy with citrus overtones. It reminds me a bit of Mama-Ji with more depth and that shot of citrus. Wet: Strongly lemony-orangey with a heavy cinnamony-spicy musk to it. We'll see whether I amp the musk. My wrist feels warmer as it starts drying, so I bet there is some cinnamon in there. Drydown: The citrus calms down or (more likely) the musk is amping. They're balancing one another pretty well now. It's most definitely a sexy scent; I could see this as a perfume when the wearer is looking for some action. Effect: I'll come back and edit this with more detail, but my husband is currently on the other side of the room, trying to transcribe an interview for his podcast, and he keeps glancing my way...

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I definitely would never have ordered this; I don't wear chocolate notes and there's an awful lot of citrus as well. In the Vial: Shockingly sweet and candy-like...very Jolly Rancher. Wet: The peppermint comes surging out, so strong it's almost like an antiseptic against the sweet candy fruit. And I think the lavender is tagging along. Drydown: All of the notes soften, but what's left is this sort of muddle that's almost baby-soft and almost sugary and almost minty. Verdict: Not with this skin chemistry.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Not sure why I haven't tried this one before, since I love delphinium and star jasmine. Perhaps I feared that the soft musks wouldn't be soft enough not to amp. In the Vial: Nothing but spices, sharply sweet ones. I feel like sneezing from a noseful of nutmeg. Wet: Musk and spice. At the moment I can't find any of the floral notes. Drydown: The flowers are trying, but it's an uphill battle given how my skin loves to amp musk. Verdict: Definitely doesn't play well with me.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I've had the chance to sniff the original June Gloom and found it interesting but wasn't so in love with it that I had to go searching. So when it appeared again, I decided to try it. In the Bottle: Wow, I think this is one of the most "traditional perfume" perfumes I've ever smelled from BPAL. Richly floral and layered, just a touch aquatic, minus the alcohol of a commercial perfume. It's lovely and I keep picking up the bottle for another whiff. Wet: Some citrus comes out to play, adding an extra dimension to an already multifaceted scent. The aquatic is a little stronger, but it's still very much a floral scent with a lot of depth. I think I'm picking up some honeysuckle in there. Drydown: This one doesn't seem to morph much on me. It stays that sweet, heady floral with enough interesting things that possibly people who normally dislike florals will be intrigued. Verdict: I think I'll be hanging onto this one. Hopefully I have enough floral scents that I won't need to track down a second bottle.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I was lucky enough to have a decant of the original Strawberry Moon for a while, but swapped it away. I then found strawberry scents by other perfumers that I love. I though it was worth a shot again. In the Bottle: A strawberry patch with berries galore! A lot of lovely sweet, sun-kissed strawberry backed by a lovely green without a trace of earth. Wet: Okay, that's new...I know this smell, and it's not a good one. Of all things, it's turpentine!! Paint thinner! This bodes so ill...it's sharp and acrid and is drying my throat like smoke if I huff it trying to find the other notes. Drydown: The strawberry and the green are trying their best, but they aren't able to overcome the plasticky paint thinner. Verdict: Oh, cruel skin chemistry! I think I'll hang onto it for a few days in case (1) it's that time of the month and (2) I have a meet & sniff happening next weekend. But if it's as bad then as it is now, this will go to a better home and I may track down a decant for my scent lockets.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: The first Flower Moon is one of my favorite springtime scents. This one has some of my everlasting favorite notes like wisteria, daffodil, and honeysuckle. Honey is a problematic note for me, however. In the Bottle: Sweet and rich honey with floral overtones. Wet: The honey is lighter on me, sweet and innocent rather than sexy. I can pick up some of the wisteria and other floral notes. Drydown: The balance is holding. I was afraid the honey would take over everything and smother it but I have a lovely balance of warm honey-kissed flowers on my wrist. Verdict: I think I'll be hanging onto this bottle.

Origin: Generous freebie decant sent with another perfume I purchased from a fellow fragrance fan Initial Thoughts: The original Lick It is one of my favorite BPAL scents ever and I hoard the three bottles I have and use it sparingly when only mint will do. I tried decants of the next two versions, but Lick It Again went plastic-y on me and Lick It One More Time was OK but not as pretty as the first on my skin. I hadn't bothered ordering this one, but since it's dropped into my lap... In the Vial: Very cool, crisp mint with an undertone of sugar. Where Lick It reminds me of a pure candy cane, this one makes me think of a candy cane that's been frozen in an icicle. There's an extra chill to it. Wet: The "chill" factor goes away, leaving the very crisp sharp mint and the very sweet sugar to mingle happily. So far, so good. Drydown: Hmm. It calms down to a sweeter mint like the others tend to do on me, but I may be getting that plastic-y thing again. I'm not quite sure if I'm really smelling it or just imagining it; if it's happening, it's not happening as badly as in the Lick It Again. Verdict: Cautiously optimistic. I'll probably test it side-by-side with my Lick It to clear up whether the plastic thing is real or in my head.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I needed something to round out an imp pack and picked this pretty much at random. In the Vial: True to its name, the notes are very quiet and whispering their presence rather than blasting it. A very quiet floral, heavy on the ylang ylang and lilies. Wet: This develops quickly into a musky spice on me, enough so that I check the notes again because I am a notorious amper of musk/incense notes. But I guess the culprit is the calla lily. Drydown: It continues to hug my skin and it goes a little less musky and a little more floral with the spice. I don't get any plum from start to finish. Verdict: It has possibilities. Must play with the imp more.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I'm a serious florals fan. Reading these reviews, I see that this is supposed to be pansy, though I can't remember ever detecting a scent from one. In the Vial: A very sweet floral, with hints of spice. I think there's some carnation in there and maybe some hyacinth and honeysuckle. It's a very pretty spring-almost-summer floral. Wet: The spice is there, the soft florals are there. There's also a creaminess developing in the sweet notes. Drydown: Dammit. There's either rose or violet or both in this because the whole thing turns greener (rose) and develops a hard sour edge (violet). Rose and violet are two of my BPAL nemeses. Verdict: I think I'll use up the imp in a scent locket, but no bottle for me.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Not quite sure about the lettuce, but I thought it was worth getting an imp and trying it. In the Vial: Salad. It smells like a salad. I have never had that experience before with a perfume. Wet: Okay, it's no longer pure salad, but it is extremely green. More floral-green than herby-green, but there is only the faintest whiff of blossoms in the floral. Drydown: The floral shifts a bit to rose behind the green notes, and eventually does the baby-powder thing on me. Verdict: Definitely not for my skin.

Origin: frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: None really, other than I guess this is what Voldemort's wand would smell like. Looking at the reviews it seems I might like this, as I like some berry scents and some pine-woodsy scents. In the Vial: Woodsy, all right, but also a lot of damp/earthy tones that are more like walking through the woods after intense rainstorms, with soft rotten wood splitting under one's feet. Definitely a sense of foreboding. Wet: Dank and depressing cypress. Drydown: Not quite so depressing, but still strong cypress. Verdict: Definitely not for me.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I liked Pele and I like florals like hibiscus. In the Vial: Lush, white tropical florals with a zing to them that could be the ginger or a fruity note. Wet: Huh...this practically disappears into my skin. After a few minutes, notes start to emerge. I'm getting a banana-ish starchy fruit and a bit of warm spicy ginger. Drydown: A bit more in the way of hibiscus and orchid come out, but this is still predominantly starchy-banana-fruit and a dash of ginger. Verdict: It intrigues me. I must play with the imp some more.

Origin: Straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I've had a bit of luck here and there with plum scents, though mostly of the Japanese variety. In the Vial: Plum, but a light and pretty plum thanks to the wildflowers, and sweet cream. Wet: The herby-green floral element is stronger, but still grounded by the cream. The plum is very quiet right now. Drydown: Ah, there's the plum! Dark and sweet fruit comes out to temper the herbal into a softer floral note. Verdict: I think I like it. I'll see if I go through the imp fast enough to warrant a bottle.

Origin: straight from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I love the flower choices--carnation and sweet pea-- and I love vanilla. I wasn't sure about the tonka or the fruit notes, though. Apple has been hit-or-miss on me. In the Bottle: Fruity-sweet! At the moment I think I'm smelling a candied apple, but one made in spring and not fall because of the floral notes or maybe the tonka. It's very cheerful, a friendly scent indeed. Wet: Apple and tonka, I think. Definitely apple and a sweet smoky note that starts amping like incense usually does on me. Drydown: Darn it. All the wrong notes seem to be coming out strong. I get a bit of the carnation that I want so much, but overall it's a dusky-sweet scent since the tonka isn't letting any of the other notes really speak. Verdict: I may try again in a week or two, but at the moment I'm thinking this should find a home with someone who would love it as it deserves.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I see so few blends with delphinium, so I had to try it even though honey and labdanum are iffy notes for me. In the Vial: A very light, airy, somewhat green spring floral with a dash of ginger. I think I'm getting a full blast of the jasmine and delphinium. Wet: Lots of ginger, lots of floral, a hint of honey in the background. Drydown: This stays a very fresh floral on me. It reminds me of other spring floral blends like Poisson d'Avril. The honey is staying deep in the background. Verdict: I may need a bottle. I'm going to side-by-side test it with my other floral blends.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: This one was a shot in the dark. I have no reason to expect that honey, beeswax, or copal will behave on me. In the Vial: Salty-tangy incense. Absolutely nothing like I was expecting. Wet: Heh, I get barely anything at the moment. It's like my skin, only more so. Just the slightest hints of beeswax and maybe sugarcane. Drydown: There comes the copal, amping as it usually does on me. It's sweet copal, it's gentle copal, but it's still pretty much copal. Verdict: Oh well, I'll pass the decant to someone else.

Rice paper, white gardenia, and raw honey. Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: Honey is an iffy note for me, but I like gardenia a lot. In the Vial: Holy cow, that's in-your-face gardenia! I love this! Wet: The honey comes roaring out, trampling the gardenia in its path. This bodes ill. Drydown: OK, whew! The gardenia is fighting back. Now it's a very sweet gardenia with a soft airy touch from the rice paper. Verdict: I'm thinking bottle.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I've had some very positive experiences with cherry blossom in Hanami. Vanilla musk ought to behave and not amp on me. I'm not sure about the moss, but it's worth trying the decant. In the Vial: All cherry blossom and green moss. I can barely pick up any musk in the bottle. It's a very springtime scent. Wet: Now I get more vanilla musk, but the cherry blossom is still predominant. The moss is now a gentle green background. Drydown: Something about this combination is going slightly after-shave on me. It may be the musk amping. I have a hard time picking out the other notes now, although they're definitely still there. Verdict: I'm not sure about this one. I'll have to play with the decant some more.

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: Sandalwood often amps on me, but perhaps the vanilla will make it behave. In the Vial: Very light and airy. I think I'm getting all wild rice with a dash of nutmeg and maybe a bit of plum blossom. Wet: Still very light and airy without any ozone, with the thread of nutmeg giving it a delicate spice. Drydown: Oh, this is interesting. The vanilla and sandalwood are coming out and grounding everything and now I can get whiffs of the plum blossom. The nutmeg is still there with its very light touch. Verdict: This might just be a bottle coming my way...

Origin: decant from eviltemptressdq's circle Initial Thoughts: I'm not sure about the sandalwood. Rose is hit-or-miss on me. I'm not always successful with grape. But the combination of all these notes just called to me. In the Vial: Pear, florals, a tickle of sandalwood, all held together by a lovely sweet background that I think is the vanilla. Wet: Now it's the sandalwood that's predominant, of course. It's my skin after all. The fruit notes are in the background and the rose is trying to pull its green-stem skankiness on me. But the other notes are holding it in check. Drydown: Darn it, I was afraid of this. The sandalwood is amping something fierce; it's a slightly sweet, slightly fruity, slightly floral...sandalwood. Verdict: I won't be looking for a bottle, but I might use up the decant in a scent locket.

Origin: Bought at the Chapel Hill, NC, Whole Foods. Initial Thoughts: While it has a number of floral notes that I like, it also has a few fruit notes that I don't always like, along with the wild card of cream accord. I was glad to be able to try it in the store first. In the Bottle: A cool, creamy floral. The fruits are blended in very smoothly. I can smell the peach and grape, but they're not overpowering. Wet: I get a crush of florals, dragging the peach along for dear life. It is light and spring-like, with just a hint of summer warmth. The jasmine and lily are strong, but not gaggingly so. Drydown: The fruits strengthen quite a bit. It's still a cool scent, but now with a definite citrus tang from the tangerine joining the jasmine and lily. The cream accord is there, but very in the background--I think that's what is smoothing the interaction between the other notes. Verdict: A very smooth scent with a nice balance between fruit and floral. Very suggestive of its name.

Origin: Bought at the Chapel Hill, NC, Whole Foods Initial Thoughts: This one wasn't even on my radar because of the amber and apricot. But when I was trying on several of the Retail Salons in the store--I couldn't remember the exact notes but knew there were at least two I wanted to try specially--I tried this one and was instantly charmed enough to buy the bottle. In the Bottle: A light, gentle, warm spice. It's almost like a dainty version of some spicier BPAL blends. I think I can pick out the oak, sandalwood, ginger and lily. Wet: The amber comes forward, as it always does on me, but it is not amping unbearably. I'm still getting that delicate, sparkling impression, like sunwarmed spun gold. Drydown: The amber gets a little stronger, damping down the ginger somewhat, and that shifting, sparkling dimension isn't as strong. The apricot is finally making an impression as well with just a hint of darkish fruitiness. Verdict: A warm spicy scent for winter...a comforting scent. I just wish it continued the gorgeous wet stage, but amber just isn't a very friendly note to me.

Origin: Bought at the Raleigh, NC, Whole Foods. Initial Thoughts: This blend attracted me at once, with the white musk (dark musks amp badly on me), freesia, pear, plum and jasmine. The BPAL violet note can turn very ugly on me if it's not beaten down by many stronger notes. In the Bottle: Smooth and cool and fruity. At first I'm reminded more of The Black Swan, gliding on a glassy pond under a full moon, even though that's another blend and smells totally different. Wet: It's much warmer on my skin to start with. Still fruity and smoothly sweet, but the chill that made me think "night-scent" is gone right now. I can smell the fruits, the musk, some jasmine and maybe some sugarcane. So far the violet is either nonexistent or playing so well with the others that I can't pick it out. Drydown: The jasmine and freesia get stronger, and I think the tangy impression that's developing might be the bamboo. There's a definite "Asian" suggestion now, a bit like a couple of the Asian-themed moons that I tried. The suggestion of chill and nighttime is coming back as well, while the fruitiness retreats. Verdict: A good scent for wearing to work, as it's subtle but refreshing.