Balame

A celestial hymn, singing to Earth from fifty light years away: ten billion-trillion-trillion-carats of glittering white musk, with cognac, tagetes, white champaca, Gum Arabic, and davana. Nag Champa incense with a hazy buffer of white musk beneath it. This and Diamond Star are fairly similar, but where Star was lighter and more ethereal, this feels spiritual and a bit somber. In a good way, though. It smells like the inside of temple and brings to mind words like "prayer" and "enlightenment." I couldn't shake the Nag Champa association though, and so it ended up being too simplistic on me. Odd that tagetes is in here, because I really couldn't pick out anything fruity or green.

Opium tar and sweet patchouli with labdanum, awadh, and inky black myrrh. My reaction when I first smelled Lydia: Aaah so good! I got three of the Exquisite Corpse blends (Djed, Silky Bat and this) and Lydia is easily my favorite. Ruler of hell, vampire queen, gothic villainess. All associations I had when drinking in this potion. It smells elegant, beautiful and dark as the depths of the night. It reminds me of another favorite, The Final Darkness, but this has no florals peeking out from the shadows. It's all about the sinuous and seductively sweet resins. The labdanum, myrrh and opium call out the most. I think the labdanum is particularly stunning, as it puts me in the mind of amber or ambergris with a sticky, somewhat powdery sweetness. When I first put this on, there's a heady smokiness from the opium that makes me feel like I'm getting high on (really good) narcotics, but it's not overwhelming and comes without the negative side effects! Surprisingly, the two notes which are usually the loudest didn't wrench my focus away from the resins at all. I don't smell any patchouli or vetiver (awadh), so if they usually scare you but you're looking for a killer incense blend, this is going to be a favorite. Although I like the pair, I'm more than happy with the scent as it stands. Lydia feels like a room full of smoke, velvet and death. You're hypnotized by its splendor, but in the vague corners of the room, inky black tendrils wait to consume you...

GINNY, The Reaper of Vengeance Sharp tobacco flower and white cognac, a thin layer of smoke, and dusty black pepper pierced by the amber of her eyes. I was unsure of this blend since it sounded like it would be super strong and astringent, but I was wrong. It’s interesting, sexy and smooth. From the bottle I mostly smell the pepper and cognac. This didn’t make me feel any better, but once I put it on the pepper calmed down greatly. While wet it's a soft, dreamy tobacco flower with cognac and sweet amber. It’s definitely strong but not overwhelming. Rich and more than a little sensual. I pick up a bit of spice every now and then - I suppose the pepper returning - but it doesn’t “read” as pepper. It just gives the blend some kick. My color association is a soft gold. It almost smells like a pretty commercial perfume (probably because cognac = alcohol) but it’s more nuanced than that. I can imagine an otherworldly cowboy/girl smelling like this, the light from the setting sun making it look like they’re all aglow. In the end the alcohol slightly overwhelms it for me, yet I find myself wearing Ginny over and over hoping the tobacco and amber will finally overtake it. It's so close to being absolutely stunning, and even as is, it's a knockout.

ALICE, The Reaper of Cruelty Bourbon geranium emboldened by the rich scent of aged patchouli, the sweetness of peach, raspberry leaf, and bourbon vanilla, surrounded by a butterfly swarm of spicy carnation and Italian bergamot. From the bottle Alice is a lovely, juicy mixture of fruits with red florals in the background. When I put it on, though, the florals quickly become dominant. The geranium and carnation make for a spicy, almost musky combo while the fruits sweeten things up further. The bourbon geranium is sharp, verging on boozy and rose-like. The patchouli is pretty subdued, though there's a definite woodsiness in the background. It's essentially a fruity, alcoholic musk on me. This scent is definitely on the stronger side and would be good if you feel like making a statement!

SARAH, The Mother Bear Practical scents - warm, nurturing, wise, and strong: tonka bean, soft brown leather, myrrh, white sage, gurjum balsam, Ceylon cinnamon bark, red sandalwood, sweet tobacco, and a touch of gunsmoke. Ironically I thought I’d enjoy Sarah the most from the PD line since it seemed like it would be warm and smooth, but to the contrary it comes across very harsh, peppery and woodsy. I would've thought pepper was in this if it wasn’t missing in the note list. Simply put, it smells like spicy bark with gunsmoke. Things sweeten up a little bit sweet thanks to the cinnamon, but for quite some time I can’t pick out anything like leather, tobacco or myrrh, which probably could’ve softened this up a bit. It’s too much on my skin. I think anyone who wants to get a guy into BPAL might do well with this. After an hour or so it becomes less overpowering and I can finally smell some of the brown leather, but it’s almost disappeared at this point as well.

BEAUTY, The Aggrieved A white rose draped by a delicate, pale, sheer veil of vanilla, the depth and darkness of her black lace embodied by tobacco absolute, Indonesian patchouli, Bulgarian oakmoss, frankincense, white sandalwood, and myrrh. Rose is hit or miss with me (usually miss), but this was a big win. Color me impressed. Unlike 98% of other rose blends, the rose doesn't dominate. It's pale and soft while the patchouli does a great job of keeping this from being all floral, all the time. The patch brings its rich, foresty scent to the blend (along with the sandalwood). Frankincense and myrrh darken it up while the moss makes it dry and elegant. The vanilla is pretty understated but there’s a delicious creaminess here that I can attribute to it. This is one of those oils where you can pick everything out individually, but the notes are layered so well that it comes together in an ideal way. I can actually imagine a mature Red Riding Hood smelling like this. It’s lush and womanly and evokes a forest – but lingering under the pretty exterior is a touch of the wild side. Someone who can hold her own against the Wolf.

MASTERMIND The first of the Grendel legacy, a stylish, best-selling author who leads a double life as a relentless assassin and all-powerful mob overlord. An elegant cologne of olibanum, opoponax, leather accord, black amber, bois de jasmine, cade wood, pale balsam, orange blossom, oudh, black plum, bourbon vanilla, and sandalwood. In the Bottle: A first first! Wish I could say I loved Mastermind more, but while he's not quite my style, he's still wonderfully unique. This scent is very jasmine intensive, but this is the jasmine I knew before BPAL. It's very wet, well-rounded, and "full" with a distinctly Middle Eastern harem sort of vibe. Not in a bad way, just that it's exceedingly indulgent. Makes you think of sensual nights in a lush garden. I've never smelled this sort of jasmine from BPAL before, to the point where I thought the other brands I'd tried years ago must have been substituting something else, and yet here it is. (BPAL's jasmines tend to turn "baby diaper" on me, sadly enough, and come across as much drier and powdery. Not sure if this is the "bois de jasmine" specifically, but I'd assume so.) Wet: The jasmine is still largely predominant at this stage, and continues to smell languid with a touch of the sweet incense-y smell of opoponax. I can definitely tolerate this more than usual jasmine fare, plus the olibanum is hovering in the background giving this just the slightest smokey vibe. Dry: Largely the same. Between the wet stage and now I could pick up a hint of the plum coming out, but it quickly got gobbled up by the other notes. The leather also made a brief appearance, but it's still come back down to the jasmine and incenses. It's sweet, yes, but not horribly overt. Never even got a whiff of the resins, vanilla or orange blossom. Overall: Definitely a traveler of the night. Sexy, elegant and probably rich, Mastermind is the devilishly good-looking type you see in the movies, but you can't help but wonder if he or she has some questionable secrets. Highly recommended for those looking for a dramatic jasmine scent.

LILY, The Prostitute Heady blossoms of jasmine, white gardenia, and magnolia sharpened by neroli, given a voluptuous depth by red patchouli, oakmoss, and cedar. WHOOSH, JASMINE. Piles and piles of juicy, lush jasmine. I do like “wet” (rather than powdery) jasmine so it’s not too bad, but then the richness of magnolia and gardenia make an entrance. I smell a tiny bit of cedar and patch behind all the flowers, which grounds the floral overload slightly, but no oakmoss or neroli. If you love jasmine, get this. If you love white florals, get this. Way too many petals for me! I will say that Lily surprisingly doesn’t give me a headache like a lot of other white floral blends. Somehow it’s not as cloying - more like standing in the middle of a beautiful garden.

SISSY, The Ascendant Sassafras and smoke for black vulture feathers, and King mandarin and red musk for the deep red-orange of the vulture's face. Blue lilac and chamomile / opoponax and vetiver for the blue and black of her eyes. Vanilla bean and fig represent her innate goodness and instinctive kindness. This is a cuddlier scent than I thought it would be. For as many notes as there are listed, it’s fairly focused on first application: sassafras, smoke, vanilla and lilac. It starts out sweet, evocative of a smoky root beer, then gets slightly sharper... I guess due to the chamomile. As it dries it goes from being something familiar to a very “mystical” scent. The longer it sits the harder it is to define. It makes me think of a magical orb with smoky black tendrils and hints of deep blue fog. A little dark but not heavy. It’s not a “rawr” blend so if you’re iffy on vetiver I wouldn’t worry about it (I can’t smell it distinctly, so it's likely just contributing to the overall smokiness). The herbal aspect of the chamomile dies out as well. It reminds me of a warm, comforting shadow. I think the opoponax helps give it a soft, indistinct vibe. In terms of “type” I’d say it’s an incense-y, purple/blue floral that’s almost a little candy-ish.

The Divine Comedian, the Eternal Jester, instructing through pranks and buffoonery: vetiver-steeped raspberry and red currant. Tart and sweet raspberry juice supported by... peanut butter! It's not actually as foody as that sounds, but something in here is playing games with my nose. Must be the vetiver. Thankfully this effect burns off pretty quickly. For those who don't usually get along with that note, it's very calm here and lacks much smokiness. This is pretty nice as it settles into its final stage despite my initial experience being akin to a kid making a mess of the kitchen pantry. It's a pleasantly dry raspberry, almost wine-like minus the booze, paired with a softly musky/herbal grass from the vetiver. The currant adds a bit of jamminess. A bubbly yet mature fruity/herbal scent. Reminds me of Bewitched.

Notes provided by Geeks Doing Good: Otherworldly and fae, but animalic. Feral, sensual musks strangely glittering. Geeks Doing Good is on top of it! I got the shirt I ordered for my friend along with this oil last night. Was only expecting it around November, but I'll take it! Based on the video GDG released and initial impressions from con-goers, I'd expected something musky, spicy and woodsy. The oil I got is not that at all. But it's extremely unique and I'll do my best to adequately explain it. The description in the survey was: "Otherworldly and fae, but animalic: feral, sensual musks strangely glittering." When I first put it on I was smitten. I'd expected Bast to smell "earthy" based on his personality, but this is all about his fae side. It is indeed a melange of musks, but they aren't cologne-y or super heavy. On first application the association I get is of a deep, vanilla mist. It smells both damp and airy, with a hint of the forest about it. If you know BPAL's moss note, it has that exact dry "after smell" contrasting with the overall dewy feeling, which works wonderfully. The "strangely glittering" bit is accurate. I haven't really smelled BPAL musks like this before. No heavy red musk here, definitely white along with BPAL's "animal" musk, like the one in Ivanushka. It feels like it's from the same family as The Girl. It's heavier and a tad sweeter, but has the same vanillic, smooth, misty quality about it. It has the same floral edge, too. There's some sort of white floral here, which comes to dominate early on, but thankfully recedes to round out the vanilla on the drydown. I swear I can smell a hint of leather underneath everything once it's dry, and perhaps a "juicy" resin like oudh? I don't like the super floral stage, but it's not very long-lived, and it's all magical and mysterious vanilla when settled. If The Girl was a hit (and it certainly was), I'd say this is The Boy... It's funny, based on the scent descriptions I actually emailed Worldbuilders after writing this thinking, "Hey, the things I wrote sound like Denna!" I thought it might be a mislabel with the rainy feeling, floral and leather. But thanks to a prompt response it seems Denna is almost all floral, where Bast has more going on like this. It might not be what I expected, but I'm good with it. I really dig the hazy, wet vanilla. I hope it might continue to be sold later on, perhaps through the Worldbuilders site!

Beautiful blend. The best rose I've gotten from BPAL. The type I often smell is usually too heavy, sharp and overwhelming for me. Here it reminds me of gentle rose petals and mixes seamlessly with the tobacco, creating a sticky sweetness that's still somehow pure and light. The tobacco puts me in the mind of BPAL's rich, slightly citrus/caramel-ish French Tobacco, but it's not heavy here. Encampment feels religious somehow, like a rosy incense blend in a temple. It does have a slight mineral dustiness to it from the clay, somewhat reminiscent of the dust in The Mountebank or Aziraphale. It's not a funky, musty note but like a light, sun-warmed light layer of dust that gathers atop a stone pillar or old book. Comforting. I can't pick out the tonka or oudh individually here, but I would say they're contributing to the incense-like atmosphere with more resinous and vanillic attributes. Really, galahad got it spot-on with the first post. Soft dusty rose tobacco (with a touch of minerals). It feels warm, sensual and sacred. For those, like me, who are tobacco lovers and feel this might not be anything new, I'd say give it a go anyway. Encampment feels both familiar and exotic, making me think of an ancient temple half crumbled in the midst of desert sands.

Three brown musks, galbnum, saffron, golden honey, myrrh, cumin, and patchouli. Funny mental association with this one. You know magazine ads where you can tell some hoity toity photographer wanted to do an "edgy" photoshoot, and so there are all these "muddy" supermodels in varying states of disarray despite their chic dresses and suits? Their perfectly coiffed hair is just so slightly out of place and they have "dirt" smeared on their faces? Yeah. This is like that. It's an eye roll and a, "There's no way these high class people were sweating or uncomfortable in the slightest." This is definitely heavy on the musk. I imagine a lot of people will think of cologne because of that. But, behind it, there's a zap of green from the galbanum, a full sweetness from the honey and bite of woods from the patch. The combo of honey and woodsiness almost makes me think of chocolate, in fact... and this comes out more and more as the musk calms down. This is in your face, but simultaneously "fancy." Like a spoiled rich boy trying to be intimidating but failing miserably because there's not a thread out of place on his tailored suit. You kind of just want to pinch his cheeks. I like it.

MOLLY, The Reaper of Justice White lime with lily of the valley, oudh, Himalayan cedar, nagarmotha, and tobacco for the sheen of raven feathers, and saffron, white honey, and amber for her fierceness, strength, and courage. This sounded interesting for the most part, but according to the internet nagarmotha smells “unpleasant” so that put me on edge. I’m happy to report, though, that Molly ended up being my favorite out of the entire PD line. Molly is refreshing, outdoorsy and soothing. It totally suits my scent portrait for a dryad! It's sweetly woodsy, herbal and clean (like "out in fresh air" clean, not cleaning fluid), but has a certain depth to it. Like an ancient tree sap glimmering in the light filtering through leaves... Suffice to say it might be a bit tough to pin down. The lime is bright, but the honey and tobacco give it warmth. The honey doesn't turn into plasic at all, which has been a problem for me in the past. Settling behind that is a gorgeous cedar and I guess the nargarmotha – since it’s the only herb aside from saffron I see. It smells bitter but fresh, kind of like thyme. It’s different from anything else I’ve smelled, but I’d put it in the same family as Waters of the Well of Wisdom (Molly is lighter and sweeter), Eldritch Drunken Constellations (richer and more staying power) and Embalming Fluid (sweeter and woodsier).

The master of sleight-of-hand and trickery: dexterous, clever, and roguish. He is the mischief-maker whose tricks propel men to action, or dupe the foolish into traps of their own creation. Peru balsam, tobacco absolute, leather, white sage, and blackberry juice. Big whiff of Peru balsam at first. Smells like vanilla and cinnamon, which makes me think of Christmas cookies. The tobacco is right behind it, and it's very much BPAL's chewy/citrusy French Tobacco. Mmph. I'm not able to find the blackberry or leather, but I do get a bit of a powdery herbal addition from the sage. Still balsam/tobacco dominant. I would say that if you like a bit of spice and enjoy French Tobacco and/or missed out on the single note, this would be a good one to grab.

Oh yeah, this sandalwood is fabulous. Very reminiscent of The Coiled Serpent. I know people mostly get patchouli in that one, but for me it also seemed to be present there. Reminds me of Djed as well, with its sandalwood/sage combo. Dry, sweet and smoky resins, a sparse scattering of herbs and the chewy citrus spark of frankincense. Absolutely a desert-centric blend. It smells like a secret ritual performed by a bonfire amid the sands. Warm, mysterious, sacred, powerful. The tobacco shows itself after about ten minutes, providing a glowing richness. I've always liked scents that evoke the desert but haven't found many I absolutely love from BPAL. This is scratching that itch. Despite the strong formulation, I don't actually find Il Matto as heavy as some of my other incense blends, making this a solid choice for daily wear.

What an exceptional lavender blend. This is very sexy and somewhat foody to me, even though there aren't any gourmand notes listed. Smells like lavender, boozy vanilla, dark chocolate and dirty ambery rosin. There really is a "dusty" feel to it as well, as if The Mountebank has been on the road for a few days and still has a vague amalgamation of market spices, old books and tavern smoke about him. This is more roguish than Rogue to me, with its sultry sweetness hiding something sharp and glinting. A kiss or a sting? Is this dalliance worth the danger? YES. The Mountebank thrums and soothes and seduces. It's a smirk, a gloved hand against bare skin, a knife sheathed in leather. The intoxicating night that you never want to end. Another very unique, standout offering from The Magician series, and another I need a bottle of.

This smells surprisingly juicy. I wish I could tell what the "sweet resins" were because there's something extremely familiar in here but I'm not certain what it is. I was prepared for a woodsy blend and instead got hit with a lush grape-like note at the start. Not in a candied way, but a fresh juice backed by a soft, amber-like powder. It also makes me think of Two Old Men, which was specifically teakwood dominant. It has that same fizzy, sweet and lightly astringent edge. Perhaps there's a fruity oudh? That actually seems accurate the more I smell this, but this lessens as it wears. Replacing it is a fantastic, creamy vanilla that wafts out over time. I couldn't say what all of the trees smell like individually, but again, it seems the resins are the real stars here. This blend is maddeningly familiar, delicious and magical. It feels oddly "sparkly" to me, which I must say I like. Wish I could place the notes better! Will sum it up as a vaguely fruity vanilla amid powdery but natural resins. Very unique; I want more! *edit* HALOES. My mind finally made the connection; this reminds me of Haloes. I happen to still have a bottle so I compared them. Haloes is lighter, less powdery and has a green edge to it, but I'd hazard to say they probably both share tonka, amber, sandalwood and some sort of fruit or fruity resin. (Oak is common between them.) Glad I figured out why this smelled so nostalgic.

Oh myyy, this blend is MAXIMUM COZY. Usually BPAL's leather and smoke are pretty in your face, so I was expecting an aggressive scent. Yet this is far more like a crackling hearth fire than a blazing campfire. Initially I smell what almost comes across as pine or juniper. A soft, cool camphor with candle smoke. This quickly dies out and gives way to a drizzle of beeswax, followed by the most beautiful, buttery leather. It's not at all as fierce as it is in blends like Fighter or Rogue. This puts me more in the mind of Not So Penitent Mini Magdalene, with its homey yet understated sensuality. Everything is blended wonderfully; nothing dominates. By the time it's settled, this is a hazy mix of beeswax, supple leather and a wisp of woodsmoke. And everything is so soft and smooth. I think of a pile of weary travelers cuddled near the hearth as The Storyteller mutters in a pattering drone, whispering his tales... and before long they're all asleep, skin warmed by the fire's blurring embers. If you love cuddly blends or are usually afraid of leather/woods/smoke and want something imminently wearable, this is the one. It's a little more subtle than my usual blends, but even I'm going to need more of this around. Very evocative and soothing, one of a kind.

After nearly 10 years of BPAL (how time flies) I'm very rarely surprised by blends or find something that works on me when I expect it shouldn't, but Narr is an exception. I was lucky enough to get a tester of this from my kind decanter, otherwise I never would have tried it. I usually hate almond. No matter how often I've given it a shot in BPAL blends, it's unfailingly come across as a sickly sweet, cherry cold medicine scent on me. For the first time it's very sedate here, and the milk is smooth and frothy. When I put this on my impression is of coconut cream with a lightly honeyed/floral (ambrette) edge. It felt like it could be in the same family as Lovers & a Fan, and considering that's a favorite, this was a big plus. Not sure why or how I'm getting coconut, but it's really nice. The buttercream note might make you think this would be cloying, but in fact it's an airy scent and feels quite springy to me. I've about used up my tester now and am actually considering a bottle. It's just a damn good foody blend that's surprisingly light and dreamy. I agree with the other commenter saying it's reminiscent of Dana O'Shee, but again, it's gentler with the almond behaving far better for me. Feels low-key lickable.

This smells like the most beautiful lemon balm when first applied. Soft and smooth with just the right amount of refreshing citrus sunshine. As it wears, the coconut becomes more apparent and provides a creamy backdrop. I wouldn’t have known there were resins in this save for the description. The frankincense I could kind of see since it has a bit of a lemony tang itself, but otherwise it's a tough call. If I really focus I can pick out the slightest breath of sandalwood giving things a bit more weight, but essentially this is lemongrass/coconut on me. Which is great! It feels tropical in a calming, lounging on the beach at sunset way. I love the scent of lemon but don’t really have any blends that use it except for Delight & Consternation, and coconut is another one of my favorites, so it’s nice having them in starring roles.

A very sedate patchouli with BEESWAX in all caps. Just a dribble of honey that makes itself known after it's been sitting for a time. This isn't like the white patchouli in This Wan White Humming Hive, which was sharp and aggressive, so if you're worried about that dominating I'd still give it a go. It's definitely similar to Lights of Men's Lives but has that touch of woodsiness. It's a simple scent, but pretty. Like others have noted, I have blends that use these notes in more interesting ways so it's not bowling me over, but it's solidly in the "nice" category.

Lovely! I really enjoy red currant's jammy vibe, but if it's paired with too many other sweet notes it can become cloying. Here it's enriched by the amber cream, but offset by the lemony yet resinous depth of myrrh and the earthy smoke of vetiver. The rice milk overlays everything and lightens the scent up a bit, adding a sugared aspect. Verges on being gourmand, but has enough of a refined edge to keep it in grown-up territory. Creamy fruit and spiced smoke. Hits on just about everything I like in a blend.

Starts off as heady laundry detergent and you worry if it’s going to be generic ozonic/aquatic men’s cologne, but this only lasts about 10 minutes. It’s very pretty after the initial rush and morphs into a skin scent on me. It smells sweet, steamy and salty. I primarily get a soft woodsiness, gentle musk and silk. Like others have mentioned, I’m not really sure how BPAL has achieved the scent of “silk,” but to me it's like a vaguely vanillic musk with what almost smells like benzoin? It reminds me a bit of the cashmere in Autumn Overlooked My Knitting. The saltiness keeps it from becoming too passive, but overall it’s still a gentle blend. Grab this if you’re a fan of sweeter, less screechy aquatics. Feels refined yet gallant and cuddly. Great scent for a pirate. If you loved the “steamed silk” effect in Impressions of the Floating World, this is definitely in the same family; it just switches out the honey for sea spray.

I'm one of the few who don't like Snake Oil, but thought I'd give this a shot to see if leather could temper the coca-cola sweetness. And it does! I smell a lovely, dry vanilla with a tickling of spice. There's still the odd cherry association I get from Snake Oil, but it's not out of control. Like zankoku above me, though, I have to say the leather here isn't great. I've definitely smelled better from BPAL. All of the RPG line that includes it, Genital Mountains, Captain Cully, Jolly Roger, etc. This in comparison smells fairly synthetic and sharp. I think I would've loved this if the leather was softer and more worn, like an old riding saddle or beaten-up leather jacket. But as it is, this ends up smelling like plastic cherries and fake leather.