puck_nc

Origin: Frimp from the incredibly generous OriginalWacky Initial Thoughts: White musk treats me better than most musks, but the combination with frankincense will probably do my chemistry in. In the Bottle: Light musk and very floral. Wet: Huh...of all things I'm getting lemon. Then the flowers bloom and an undertone of the musk evolves. Drydown: That lemon impression hangs around for a while, but eventually the musk takes over. At least it's not MUSK!!!! like I've had with some scents, but still. Verdict: Not bad, but I don't think I'm likely to reach for it often. There is a better home for it somewhere.

Origin: Frimp from the wonderful OriginalWacky Initial Thoughts: I'm not sure why I wasn't more interested in this when it was released. Maybe the sage or moss or general Poe atmosphere had me thinking it would be a graveyard scent. In the Bottle: Chilly. Green. Floral. Mossy. OK, a graveyard on a spring day. Wet: I get the flowers. Lily and sweet pea dominate, with a crispness that I think is the cucumber. Drydown: The sage deepens it a little, into a cool, very springlike scent. Verdict: Much prettier than I was expecting. I might wear this a bit on the days I'm not feeling joyous enough for Frumious Bandersnatch.

Origin: 1/2 imp gifted me by a dear friend on El Jay Initial Thoughts: This was the only Maelstrom scent whose description intrigued me. I adore a good red wine. In the Bottle: I can understand the cherry cough syrup references. At first it smells very like those old-fashioned cherry cough drops my parents used to buy, before the faintest woodsy notes crop up. Wet: Heavy, sweet wine. It smells like port on my arm. Drydown: The fruit and the vanilla oak find a nice balance for a sweet and rich fruit scent with an edge of alcohol. Verdict: I do like it. I'm not sure how much I'll wear it. I'm due for a travelling imp box among a BPAL circle and if I'm not picking it up I may add it to that stash.

Origin: Imp purchased from the Lab Initial Thoughts: The description was beautiful and I am curious enough about the honey love to try some of the belnds with that note. In the Bottle: honey and very tart, sharp herbs. It's almost a fermented scent, like I'd imagine mead to smell like. Wet: The herbs come out first, very strongly, before the honey shows up. Drydown: It goes kind of airy on me, very herby, with the honey remaining in the background but never fully emerging. Verdict: It's interesting, but I'm not in love with it. Off to the swaps. Perhaps I'll try it again sometime.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Well, myrrh is often like many of the musks and incenses and goes nova on my skin to the point of unpleasantness. Jasmine is hit or miss, depending on what else is in the blend. But I will always give a rose scent a chance. In the Bottle: Sharp myrrh over jasmine. Not even a hint of rose. This bodes ill. Wet: Extremely jasmine at first, but the rose begins to appear and mute it some. Drydown: The myrrh comes out to play, but it's quieter and more subtle than in some other myrrh blends I've tried. Eventually it goes completely to myrrh. Verdict: Well, if it were just me, I'd probably send it to the swap pile. But I let the husband sniff my wrist and he promptly went in for a kiss after keeping my wrist to his nose for a full minute. So I guess it stays for now

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Well, I'm not sure what linden blossoms smell like, and herbal can go either way on me, but I do like a lot of white-flower scents. In the Bottle: Sweetly floral. Something is reminding me strongly of honeysuckle and I loves me some honeysuckle. Wet: A very light, white floral. It feels like dawn on an early summer morning, before the heat sets in. Drydown: It fades fast on me and the herbal comes out to mix with the florals. Verdict: Hmm. It's very pretty. It's also very light. But unlike Pele and some other light scents it LASTS. I can still smell it on my wrist hours later. I think I'll be hanging onto this one and see if it turns into a desire for a 5ml.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Patchouli tends to scare me, and I've found very few scents with honey to work on me, but let's give it a try. In the Bottle: Very strongly patchouli with a honey undertone. Wet: This pretty much screams "patchouli" for a minute, then some clove and honey start to emerge. Drydown: Eventually the patchouli fades, leaving a herbal honey scent that reminds me a bit of Osun, but perhaps sweeter. Verdict: Well, it's not bad at all, but I'm not sure I'd wear it. Must consider.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Well, with no notes to guide me I didn't know what to expect. For some reason I was thinking the Dead Sea and imagining something dusty, dry and desert-y. In the Bottle: I get watery, faint florals. It's a very light scent. Wet: A light, clear, green watery floral. This is what I would have expected from the Lady of Shallot (is there a Lady of Shallot scent yet?). It's kind of a faint version of Ophelia, definitely living up to the description. Drydown: This stays very faint on me all the way through and fades pretty quickly. As it does, the aquatic notes take over and leave almost nothing of the florals. Verdict: Well, it's nice, but so light. And I tend to prefer florals to aquatics, so the wrong half of the notes faded. WIll be swapping this one.

The scent of three roses and a half bottle of cognac. Origin: 1/4 decant from a dear friend on El Jay Initial Thoughts: It has three roses. It must be tried. In the Bottle: BOOZE! Then the roses, heavily likkered-up. Wet: Ew...this is what happened with Peacock Queen. The roses are turning a nasty green on me. I'm getting collard greens stewed in alcohol. Drydown: The cognac takes over a bit, but that evil green stench persists. I gave up and had to wash it off. Verdict: I'm glad I got to try it, but it's definitely not for me.

Origin: A partial imp gifted me by a dear friend on El Jay Initial thoughts: I have wanted to try this one ever since I dove headfirst into BPAL. I love mint and the thought of it with florals was fascinating. In the Bottle: Sweet, minty flowers. Almost a fruity mint, very unlike the crisp note of Tulzscha or the chilly sugary Lick it. Wet: Strong mint, undercut with lotus. The sweetness has receded, so I think that might have been the gardenia. Drydown: The mint is the dominant note, gently clearing my sinuses with repeated sniffing. I think I'm getting more lotus than gardenia, since that almost fruity note is much fainter than it was in the bottle. Verdict: Well, thank goodness I didn't fall head-over-heels in love with such a hard-to-get scent. But it is very nice and I will keep what I got for the benefit of sniffing parties and the occasional special event.

Origin: Imp ordered from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I was a bit afraid of the tonka and copal, but I adore stargazer lily and thought I'd give it a go. In the Bottle: A rich, deep floral. I can't pick out any note, but the whole is interesting. Although I sneezed mightily a couple of times after sniffing it. Wet: My impression is plummy flowers with hints of musk. I'm guessing the latter is the copal and that the tonka is that deep scent. Drydown: It lightens slightly for me into flowers warmed by the sun. I still can't pick out any one note, but the effect is pleasing. Verdict: Gonna hang onto this one and experiment some more.

Origin: Imp purchased from the Lab Initial Thoughts: I love carnations. I love plum but hadn't found a plum scent among the BPAL yet that I adore. In the Bottle: A bright, sweet plummy floral. Oh, this smells divine! Wet: Heh, cinnamony flowers. Not what I was expecting, but rather good. Drydown: OK, here we go! The plum comes out and deepens the whole thing, with that overlay of cinnamon floral to keep it all fresh and light. This smells like a pure joyous spring day to me. Verdict: I have been reaching for this imp more than my beloved Bearded Lady in the last weeks as spring took hold. That's pretty hard to do. I see a 5ml in my future.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Myrrh is one of those red flags when I look at notes. It usually doesn't work well on my skin. In the Bottle: Well, it's very strong myrrh, but I'm also getting a hint of a creamy vanilla, of all things. I have no idea where that's coming from. Wet: MYRRH!! And more MYRRH! I can just get a hint of the herbs and that creamy vanilla background is still there, driving me nuts. Drydown: It eventually goes over to 100% myrrh. Verdict: If that whatever-it-is impression of vanilla stayed, I might have been tempted to keep the imp. But it goes to the swap/sale pile instead.

Origin: Frimp from the Lab Initial Thoughts: Amber is hit-or-miss with me, so I figured that with five of them I was doomed. But I quite like carnations and myrtle so I dabbed a bit on anyway. In the Bottle: Lots of the florals with just a tinge of amber. Wet: Very, very amber. It just surges up and takes over. Drydown: On me it stays strongly amber, with very little floral at all. [v]Verdict[/b]: Off to the swap/sale pile.

I love the smell and taste of coconut, but have yet to find a BPAL coconut scent that's really me--I want it sweet. I was hoping the milk and shea butter would deliver. Origin: Imp from the Lab In the Bottle: VERY coconut, with a heavy milk scent as well. Nice. Wet: I get a faint milk and coconut, with a bit of shea butter...hey! Where'd it go? Drydown: Well, I can get a hint of the watery note now, but damn! My skin sucked that in and left barely anything behind! Verdict: Well, it smelled nice while it lasted, but the duration was laughably short. Ah well...maybe Beth will get crazy with the coconut, vanilla and sugar sometime.

I'm a florals fan, therefore I must try anything with a strong floral element as long as it's not violet. Origin: Fresh from the Lab In the Bottle: Very faint upon first try--I agree with the person above who had to check that there was oil in there. After a few deep sniffs I get the gentlest whiff of florals, very pink and spring-green. Wet: Oh, nice! Very floral; I'm not good enough at the notes to say whether it's the peony or plum, but something is very high and fresh. I can tell that the water reeds are keeping it from being too sweet. I can see the resemblance to Budding Moon, though this is much more spring-like to me. Drydown: Hmm... at first it's nice, with the woods poking out just a bit. But then I develop a very acrid note. It's not like my troubles with violet, not that strong, but it's there, distracting me from the sweet flowers. And most annoying of all, it comes and goes. Verdict: I'm going to have to try this one again and think about it.

I've got two lockets. I bought the first one for myself and it came with ten tiny felt strips for putting the oil on. Then my husband got me a darling heart-shaped one with a Celtic knot on it and I've been wearing it almost daily. For the heart-shaped one, I pull one end off a Q-tip and dip that into the oil. I keep both the felt strips and the Q-tips in separate tiny Zip-loc bags (check your craft store's bead section) labeled, so I can reuse them and not go through my oil so fast. I clean the locket with alcohol and a Q-tip. My current favorites are Bearded Lady and Lick It. I've also had Flower Moon, Ophelia, Juliet, Harvest Moon, 25&7... About the only ones I found I didn't like as much in the locket were Antique Lace (too weak) and Dragon's Eye (eye-wateringly spicy).

Origin: A 5ml from the Lab I was hoping that Khajurajo would be another Bearded Lady for me, a rich and complex scent that blended sweet notes, florals, and a bit of sandalwood/musk. In the Bottle: very musky and smoky, with some sweet hints underneath. Wet: MUSK!!!! I can get just a teasing tinge of floral, but my skin has seized the amber and run away with it. Drydown: I eventually get some sandalwood and the sweet honey and vanilla, but it remains MUSK!!! on me. Verdict: Alas, I am done in by my chemistry, which loves to ramp up amber and musk to their fullest. To eBay with the bottle!

I so wanted to love Snowblind. I wanted a gentler version of Lick It, one that wouldn't clear my nostrils when I wore it. In the Bottle: Heavenly! A lovely buttercream with a tantalizing undertone of mint. Wet: Oh, this is exactly what I'd hoped for! A gentle mint comes to the front, high and clear and oh-so-sweet with the vanilla and cream in the background! Drydown: It holds for ten minutes. For twenty. At the 30-minute mark, after I've written my notes with triumphant glee, I sniff once more... And I am crushed. My husband says it's coconut (which he hates). I am smelling soapy plastic and it's getting nastier by the second. Verdict: Snowblind has taken my skin chemistry, chewed it up, and spat out the pieces. Off to eBay with you!

I bought it from the Lab for the gorgeous description. I love florals, I love the smell of ice and snow. Surely a winner! In the Bottle: a blast of chill and snow, with strong evergreen and faint florals. Promising. Wet: PINE! EVERGREEN! I feel like I'm sitting on a branch of my Christmas tree. My husband remarks that I smell like Pine-sol, though I don't get that. Drydown: This one is taking forever to morph even a little. While I wait, I regret that this isn't the scent in-bottle...it would make a wonderful room scent at this stage. Eventually some 30 minutes later, florals start peeking out but it never loses the cold, chilly scent of the trees. Verdict: I think I'm going to hold onto this one and try again in a week or so. I'm not ready to give up on it.

AAAUUUUGH!!!! I have finally found a scent that broke my heart. I love roses. I adore roses. I am in love with scents like 25&7, Moon Rose, Rose Red, Ace of Hearts, Bearded Lady... This sounded like yet another wonderful blend to choose from in my arsenal of rose scents. Origin: Fresh from the Lab In the Bottle: Rapture! A mature, tantalizing bouquet of rich red roses. Wet: Um, ew? What is that? It's green, but not a good green. It's moldy, sour, like collard greens being cooked on a stove (I hate collard greens). Please let this go away! I can't smell my rose at all! Drydown: Rotted leaves. Stale collard greens. It's getting worse by the minute! Not even a hint of floral to be found! Verdict: Crushed, I will send this off to someone on whom it blooms properly.

Origin: Part of my Yule order from the Lab In the Bottle: It's candy canes! It's sugar! Wet: MINT!!! Yum, but MINT!!! It's chilly on my skin, it's clearing my sinuses. More spearmint than peppermint, I think; it's sharper than a bottle of peppermint oil that I have. Drydown: The mint stays and stays. The sugary vanilla note joins in for a bit, but it never tempers the mint. And myt skin is STILL chilled where I applied it! ETA: Three hours later, and I am wearing Antique Lace with just the softest touch of mint. Still beautiful! Verdict: I'm very glad I threw in a bottle of this with my order. I may have to nab another before the Yules go away.

Origin: Swapped for an imp on the forums. In the Bottle: Lemon tea, then the floral notes rise. Wet: I'm getting strong rose and carnation, with a hint of the tea. This is good; in other blends with tea it turned into Lemon Pledge on me. Drydown: Very light and pretty, though the tea distracts me a bit for some reason. Verdict: Hmm...it's all right, but I have many scents I like better. I think this one will become a lotion for a friend's Christmas present.

Origin: Got it in a swap here on the forums In the Bottle: A high, sharp scent with some floral undertones. I think I'm getting mostly lavender and lemon balm here. Wet: First I get a blast of lavender, then the honeysuckle, all on a bed of other flowers. Drydown: Ooh...nice and lushly floral but cool, somehow. How odd...and how lovely. I get the feeling I'm in a chilly cave, but surrounded by flowers growing in it. Verdict: I like it!

Origin: Decant bought on LJ In the Bottle: Cookies! I can smell vanilla and spices and a faint touch of citrus. Wet: Ew...this is like the dough stage of the cookies on me...but kind of unpleasantly sour. Drydown: The sour note hangs on. My husband sniffed my wrist and flat-out said, "The food scents just don't work on you." Verdict: This will be a room scent at best for me. I may send the imp to the swaps to find a better home, though.