puck_nc

Initial Thoughts: I like drinking peach bellinis. Totally worth blind buying.

 

In the bottle: Lightly fruity with a fizziness that I think is the champagne note.

 

On wet hair: The fruit coalesces into tart peach with the champagne. Not much throw to it.

 

After blow-drying: No morph to speak of, but it remains very light champagne and peach.

 

Verdict: A very gentle and pretty scent perfect for those who love a champagne note. I personally would have liked a bit more of a kick from the peach. However, for people who love what the glosses do for their hair but are afraid of strong scents because workplace/being around sensitive noses/etc., this would be a very good choice. I'll see what the next few tries feel like before I decide whether I need to keep the backup bottle.

Initial thoughts: I hope it's like the old Panacea blend that was good for headaches, Oof or Ugh or Grr - I forget which it was.

In the bottle: As advertised, lots of peppermint and eucalyptus. If you've ever tried the Bath and Body Works Eucalyptus/Spearmint aromatherapy scent, this is that but much icier and fresher and better.

On the skin: Wow, ALL the peppermint! The first inhale from my wrist made my nostrils tingle. It's certainly working as a distraction from the headache.

 

Drydown: The peppermint blast has calmed down, letting the eucalyptus through. I'm also getting the first hints of lemon.

 

Later: Lemony bright and soothing and I do think it helped bring the headache down a bit. I could see applying a bit to the temples, or to the wrists and lying down where one wrist is near my nose and just letting the scent drift around.

 

Verdict: Glad I got it. Might be on the lookout for a backup bottle.

Initial Thoughts: I love several of the Lick It series. Minty and sweet are right up my alley.

 

In the Bottle: Gooey marshmallow with a trace of mint. Very sugar-heavy and mint-light.

 

On Wet Hair: The mint develops somewhat, but it's less mint and more icy chilled sugar.

 

After Blow-Drying: The mint fades again and I am mostly back to the beginning of lots of marshmallow with a little mint.

 

Verdict: Not sure about this one. Like Snow White, it doesn't seem to have a lot of staying power, but I don't know that I need several bottles of scents that only give me nice smells when I'm drying my hair. I may try again and use more to see if I can keep the scent going.

Initial Thoughts: I never tried the hair gloss before because I tried the perfume oil back in 2005 and something in it turned into sour dishwater on my skin. But over the years I've discovered that some scents with dealbreaker notes for my skin actually work nicely in my hair. (I'm looking at you, rose.) So I figured I'd try this.

 

In the Bottle: Sweet marshmallow and cool florals.

 

On Wet Hair: The florals go nasty and sharp for a moment and make me worry, but it calms down by the time I finish massaging the spray into my hair and the floral notes remain.

 

After Blow-Drying: The marshmallow comes out to play and softens up the floral notes.

 

Verdict: I am quite relieved that the hair gloss experience is nothing like my perfume oil experience. But the scent is really quiet and by the end of the day is mostly gone. Which at least makes it a good candidate for work or somewhere if I want the benefits of the gloss making my hair smooth and shiny without a stronger scent that might offend someone else.

Initial Thoughts: I like TKO a lot and use it regularly to help me sleep, so the above description seemed intriguing to me. I didn't catch at the time that it might mean a blend of TKO and Snow White. I tried Snow White all the way back in 2005 and it did not play well with my skin. So now I'm worried.

 

In the Bottle: Very lavender with a sweet and cool floral. Doing side by side bottle sniffs with TKO actually makes TKO smell stale by comparison, and I like TKO a lot.

 

Wet on Skin: The first impression is that stale dirty-dishwater effect that I got from Snow White. Thank goodness, that fades after a few minutes and I have a really quiet impression of sweet flowers in the snow.

 

Drydown: Well, my fears of the acrid stink I got with Snow White don't seem to be happening, thank goodness. It's staying gentle without a lot of throw, getting less chilly. There's vanilla poking its nose in from somewhere.

 

20 minutes later: The lavender has finally come out and is melding with the vanilla and florals. The entire scent is still staying very low on the skin.

 

Verdict: I am very relieved that it doesn't behave like Snow White did and thinking this could be a good alternative to TKO - my husband complains sometimes about how strong TKO is when I put it on my temples before going to bed. At the very least it's a pretty scent and right up my alley as a florals fan.

Initial Thoughts: I love jasmine and lavender. I love vanilla tea. Blue musk usually doesn't amp on me like darker musks do. I think peony works for me in some of the Shungas I've tried.
 

In the Bottle: Very floral and somehow a touch aquatic.
 

Wet on Skin: A very strong burst of jasmine and then lavender joins in with just a hint of tea.
 

Drydown: Things warm up as the musk kicks in, softening the sharpness of the jasmine and lavender. I'm not getting much from the vanilla tea.
 

20 Minutes Later: Finally the vanilla tea shows up and adds a layer of sweetness to the whole thing. A gentle, jasmine-y floral musk.
 

Verdict: It took a little while to get there, but I like the end result a lot.

Origin: Straight from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: This was honestly more of an impulse buy since I was getting the rest of the Shunga HGs. I'm not fond of tangerine or blood orange, but I'm always hoping to find a HG with similar cool citrusy vibes like Lightning Storm, which was my favorite gloss for hot days for years.

 

In the Bottle: Lots of tangerine/blood orange and white tea.

 

On Wet Hair: The musk comes out and tamps down the tangerine and blood orange, which is fine with me.

 

After Blowdrying: The orange blossom comes out and balances very nicely with the musk. It's not quite the levels of cool/chilly I was hoping for, but it's very nice.

 

Verdict: Keeping the bottle. I will use this.

Origin: Straight from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: I like plum, I like honey, and nothing in the list is a deal-breaker.

 

In the Bottle: I'm getting a LOT of honey, a bit of plum, and a definite zing of lemon.

 

On Wet Hair:  No real change yet. This is very much honey, to the level of The Sharing of the Cake Between the Lion and the Unicorn, but with lemon zest.

 

After Blowdrying: Still strongly honey on me, but the lemon calms down and there's a trace of floral freshness.

 

Verdict: I like it a lot and am glad I grabbed a bottle.

Origin: Straight from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: I like lilacs a lot and I love bourbon vanilla. Amber can amp on me if it's dark, so fingers crossed there. And then the reviews emphasized how it's so very lilac, so I bit.

 

In the bottle: FRESH-CUT LILAC! ALL THE FRESH-CUT LILAC.

 

Wet: Lilacs without the "green" of fresh-cut. Guessing the amber is toning it down or the vanilla is making it sweeter.

 

Drydown: Lovely sweet sun-warm lilacs. The vanilla and amber aren't front and center but are enhancing the lilac very nicely. I'm not sure I can pick out any muguet since I'm not quite sure what it's like on its own, but it's not doing anything bad that I can tell.

 

Verdict: Keeper. I definitely recommend this for any fans of lilac.

Origin: Straight from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: Vanilla and sandalwood are two great scents that go great together. I'm glad chatter about it came up in the Discord, otherwise I would have missed it.

 

In the bottle: More sandalwood than anything else, but a very sweet undertone that is probably the vanilla.

 

Wet: And now it's more vanilla than anything else. But it's staying very close to my skin, with almost no throw.

 

Drydown: The sandalwood comes out more, and for me it's a really balanced presence. Woodsy but not too woodsy, sweet but not too sweet.

 

Verdict: Potentially an excellent work scent, given the lack of throw. I like it a lot.

Origin: Straight from the Lab

 

Initial Thoughts: Wisteria is one of my favorite flowers, so when none of the other notes are deal-breakers, I'm gonna try it. White musk doesn't amp on me and I like lily and plum.

In the bottle: Plum and florals. Very sweet and heady.

 

Wet: Because it's my skin, the musk jumps out. But because it's white musk, it doesn't roll over the other notes. I get lily and maybe plum blossom at first, then the wisteria comes out to play. Lots of florals, grounded in the musk.

 

Drydown: The sharpness in the lily calms down and everything melds together into a gentle floral, rounded out by the plum and musk on a very delicate level.

 

Verdict: This is exactly my type of BPAL, so I'm very glad I grabbed a bottle.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: This was an impulse toss into the shopping cart. I usually go for bolder pinks if I wear pink.

 

In the Bottle: Rose pink. The Easter Grass flake does include some green, but there's also yellow, pale blue, and a very bright pink.

 

Coverage: This is a very translucent polish. I ended up trying four coats but still didn't get full opacity. So if that's a goal for you, keep this in mind.

 

Verdict: It is very shimmery with the pale glitter sparkling everywhere. The hot pink glitter gives it a bit of extra spice. On a whim, I tried one coat over my test of Harlot and that was interesting, like gilding a ruby with gold dust. I'll keep playing with the bottle and see what happens.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: Le Léthé  is my go-to red. I was curious to see if Harlot would please me as much.

 

In the Bottle: A deep and sexy unapologetic red.

 

Coverage: Two coats was enough for full coverage, giving it a full glossy red like a sports car just rolling off the assembly line.

 

Verdict: I definitely prefer the shimmer in Le Léthé, but this is nice and I already have occasions in mind where I could wear it.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: I have several greens in my collection already, but nothing like this.

 

In the Bottle: Gold and copper glitter is simply raining down through the green.

 

Two coats: This is close to the Luperci green, but absolutely bursting with metallics. So shiny!

 

Verdict: Of all things, I'm thinking this will be a good fall color. The green backdrop with all the copper and gold shimmer of changing leaves. I'm glad I got it.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: I debated a little about buying this one because bright yellow is not one of my typical color choices. But I decided to try it and give the Lab one less bottle to move to Philadelphia.

 

In the Bottle: Light and bright yellow with a green tint and lots of shimmer.

 

One coat: Well, it's definitely yellow.

 

Two coats: Super shimmery and when the light hits right, that copper leaps out.

 

Verdict: This is much prettier than I was expecting. We'll see how often I reach for it.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: I love rainbow sparkly things and the only reason I didn't buy this before was the description of a top coat, rather than a full polish - I don't do a lot of effects with my nails. But when I was buying backup bottles of favorite polishes, I threw this one in for grins.

 

In the Bottle: Silver full of shimmery glitter, on the pastel side of the spectrum. If I hold it side-by-side to my bottle of Nuclear Winter, the latter has the stronger, more traditional rainbow glitter.

 

One coat: Soft, smooth, and sparkly.

 

Two coats: I think this would be enough to wear as the base color. I tried a third coat and that got me to full opacity.

 

Verdict: We'll see how fast I go through this bottle. I will definitely try layering it over other polishes to see what happens.

Origin: decant bought on the Forum

 

Initial Thoughts: I like peach and plum and the corresponding blossoms. I like white amber. Rose tends to behave on my hair better than on my skin. Worth a try.

 

In the Bottle: Light florals and something that is very sour. The cognac?

 

On Wet Hair: The sour shifts to more tangy, less acrid, so that helps.

 

After Blowdrying: Light and fresh and floral, with the musk or amber hanging around.

 

Verdict: It's pretty and I think it's less heavy than any of my other current floral scents. Definitely keeping the decant and I have a couple of days to decide whether to order a bottle.

Red plum, pineapple, and King mandarin with pink grapefruit, bergamot, cherry blossom, oakmoss, and crushed mint. 

 

Origin: Decant bought on the forums

 

Initial Thoughts: I love most of these notes individually. I'm hoping for something light and cool and refreshing that can take the place of Lightning Storm, which was one of my favorite summer HGs ever.

In the Bottle: Very woodsy. I'm getting all the oakmoss right now.

On Wet Hair: Citrus! I'm getting a lot of orange and grapefruit and pineapple right now.

 

After Blowdrying: Wow, this is remarkably well balanced! The fruit calms down, the oakmoss comes back, and the mint and bergamot add a gently green herbal edge to it. The above comparison to a perfect cocktail is spot-on.

 

Verdict: I like this a lot and have to decide if I'm grabbing a bottle or two before Lupers come down or waiting in hopes of catching it on Etsy.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: I've been on the lookout for another hair gloss that would convey "cool" the way Lightning Storm did, since I expect we'll never see Lightning Storm stocked again. With eucalyptus and blue musk, I thought this might do it.

 

In the Bottle: Very pine. It gives a strong men's cologne impression.

 

On Wet Hair: All the pine and all the eucalyptus. It puts me in mind of Christmas, a chilly tree scent, but not as strong as some of the other BPAL/BPTP "Christmas tree" scents.

 

After Blow-drying: This one's a fader on me. There's a bit of the musk and a bit of the eucalyptus. but I have to hunt a little for it. On the bright side, perfect for work.

 

Verdict: I will probably use this bottle and I will enjoy it. I'm not sure I'll need another, because I have entirely too much hair gloss for one person.

Origin: Bought from C2E2 through a lovely fairy

Initial Thoughts: There is not enough wisteria in BPAL products. No deal-breaking notes. Had to try it.

In the Bottle: Very sweet, heady florals. All the wisteria and some of the lily.

On Wet Hair: I get more of the champagne and lily, cutting out some of the overwhelming sweet of the wisteria.

After Blowdrying: I think the wine emerges - there's less "fizz" to the scent - but the florals remain in effect.

Verdict: I'm glad I have this. I was hoping for lots of wisteria and I got it. A good spring and summer scent, though perhaps a little too present for work.

Clove and carnation in an excellent balance, bringing each other out. I get very little chill or snow from it. I so wish it were a hair gloss!

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: The Lab and Post went through a phase of scents that were basically super-sweetened florals. I became a fan. Of course I was going to try this.

 

In the Bottle: Very sugar-sweet with an undertone of soft floral.

 

Wet in Hair: Still sugar-sweet, but a little greener or fresher. I am now thinking of sugarcane more than just sugar to go with the sweet floral.

 

After Blowdrying: I do get a creamy element, as sailthetethys mentioned above. It is very delicate and feminine and gentle enough to wear to work.

 

Verdict: I like it and may spend some Christmas money getting another bottle.

Origin: Straight from the Post

Initial Thoughts: I like lavender, sandalwood, and pear. Bergamot is okay. There is nothing to fear in this and potentially plenty of good for another lavender-based gloss once my Lilith's runs out.

In the Bottle: Lavender and bergamot, with a hint of sandalwood.

On Wet Hair: Lavender, sandalwood, and a hint of pear.

After Blowdrying: Mostly lavender, but the other notes make it soft and sweet without really presenting themselves.

Verdict: A quiet and pretty scent, good for the workplace.

Origin: Straight from the Post

Initial thoughts: How many bottles can I afford? This is one of my top five BPAL scents of all time and I have been hoping for a HG version for years.

In the Bottle: Sweet and sugary vanilla mint, just like the original.

On Wet Hair: The mint is STRONG at this stage. Which is fine by me - it helps wake up my brain.

After Blowdrying: Wow, this one seems to have nearly vanished. A little sweet vanilla, a trace of mint. I'm a bit surprised, given how strong it was before.

Verdict: I'll try again and see if it keeps fading in my own hair. On the one hand, I do want it to be a bit stronger. On the other hand, what I have now is subtle enough for the workplace.

Origin: Straight from the Post

 

Initial Thoughts: I like CVBT very much and was curious how this might be different even though they're the same notes.

 

In the Bottle: CVBT is very vanilla and very tiare and very suntan-lotion tropical. Pickle is very coconut and very vanilla, but somehow not all that foody to me.

 

Wet Hair: A little tiare comes out, but again the balance between the three notes is significantly different. This is gentler overall.

 

After Blowdrying: Very vanilla, lightly coconut. Gentle enough to wear to work, in my opinion.

 

Verdict: I'm very glad I got two bottles and may get another in my next order. If you wanted to love CVBT but found it too strong, give this a try.