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BPAL Madness!

Invidiana

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Everything posted by Invidiana

  1. Invidiana

    Jolly

    Jolly is every treat at the autumn fair swirled together, something from the old mill shops from my childhood that have all but vanished. There is the creamy filling of pumpkin pies, the chewy burnt-sugar satisfaction of fresh caramels wrapped in wax paper, the fragrant, but not overwhelming, sweetness of local honey, and handfuls of candy corn and lemon drops. Maybe you will walk away grinning like a pumpkin and not notice the jack-o-lantern glow you think surrounds you is actually coming from your own face.
  2. Invidiana

    Carmilla Hair Gloss

    This is the smell of a shadowed room. Even the curtains are dark shades of amber and cacao and chestnut, with hardly a glimpse of light making it through. In the corner is an old mahogany piano that mysteriously plays itself, or maybe not so mysteriously, as a ghostly silhouette of ylang ylang and vanilla appears and disappears for fleeting moments. Enter this room and your daydreams will darken into the nightmares to come.
  3. Invidiana

    Pumpkin Nut Bread Atmosphere Spray

    From an unseen kitchen comes the irresistible aroma of buttery baked pumpkin with a delicious nuttiness, like walnuts roasted in the oven, and all of this is swirled with spices that welcome the colder months. This is not an overwhelmingly spicy pumpkin bread. It is deliciously realistic, with the comfort of the pumpkin and roasted nut notes, along with warming hints of spice, that wrap you up in a your favorite wool socks and blanket on a chilly morning.
  4. Invidiana

    Autumn Bouquet Hair Gloss

    If there was a smell to the waning light of summer before the autumnal equinox, it would be roses drying in the sun, next to the bright yellow petals of sunflowers. Whispers of carnation and hydrangea are exchanged before their last breaths. There are hints of clove and pumpkin on the changing winds, brushing against what can only be described as antique velvet that has finally come down from the attic to have its turn dancing in the sunset.
  5. Invidiana

    Come With Me, Loving Me to Death

    This begins with a blood rush of something that is almost cherry but is really the almond. The initial pulse of living blood quickly settles down under the velvety petals of dark, night-blooming orchid that casts shadows of black musk and a cacao that is not chocolate, and is just slightly bitter but sensual. It is a night among the orchids surrounding an Anne Rice-esque mansion where vampires lurk.
  6. Invidiana

    Smiling Melancholy

    There is a strange coolness to this scent, not so much actual cold as the absence of warmth in a vampire. The apparition starts off in a haze of white musk fluttering with pale petals, and if the rose isn't white, then it has just barely begun to flush pink. What appears to be a vaguely human shape is fleshed out by vanillic tonka and soft woods that may have the feel of a cashmere sweater, and cling as close, but this being can never feel warmth again because it is not human.
  7. Invidiana

    Lavender Silk Sheet Ghost

    These sheets are so clean all the sins you committed as Motel Ghost last night are immediately forgiven. This ghost is shrouded in freshly aired, lavender-scented sheets and what I think is clean, unsoiled white musk. This is a sleepy, gentle lavender that could easily float you to the otherworld. It seems there is no one under the sheets, but it casts a shadow of labdanum, all that is left of an earthbound spirit.
  8. Invidiana

    Pumpkin Lust

    This is the dirtiest Halloween costume in a bottle, like taking a jack-o-lantern carved with a very suggestive expression and dressing it up in red lace lingerie. Pumpkin entwines with clouds of shameless red musk in a forbidden liaison, with a backdrop of deep and sexy resins with an enticing whisper of patchouli. This pumpkin is not actually raw pumpkin guts. Rather, it turns out to be smooth and voluptuous with just enough spice to do unspeakable things. As if this isn't already heady enough, the ylang ylang opens its petals wide on the drydown and makes the whole bedroom scene on Halloween night that much more erotic.
  9. Invidiana

    A Glare of Skulking Ferocity

    This is like standing in the shadows of an abandoned church, breathing what remains of your vanilla perfume and the residue of incense smoke long gone. It is as if the oud and unholy resins (which aren't bitter on me) are scorched at the edges but not completely blackened, though a shadow of black musk is cast over them. Metal gives this the shivers, and it doesn't have a metallic tang to it like some metal notes do, buth a cold feeling that has nothing to do with snow and ice but the total lack of warmth in the edge of a blade or the veins of the undead. The sins of the past are shrouded in vanilla, vampire-pale but still a sweet memory.
  10. Invidiana

    Elf

    ELF Pale golden musk, honeycomb, amber, parma violet, hawthorne bark, aspen leaf, forest lily, life everlasting, white moss, and a hint of wild berry. I think I'm going to die of happiness that I'm the first to review this. Elf was the first RPG bottle I *had* to get because I used to write LOTR/Silmarillion fanfics and my character was a Noldorin elf. Plus I have a peculiar fetish for pointy ears. Wet this is woody and a bit piney with berries that remind me of Skadi/Talvikuu/The Snow Maiden and a certain dewiness to it, like walking into an enchanted forest at dusk after the rain. It' really on the drydown that the true character of the scent starts emerging and it hits me: this smells like Lothlorien. Not that I know what Tolkien imagined the foret of Lothlorien to smell like but it's at least dead close to what I always imagined it to smell like. Slowly the wood/green aspect drifts to the background and the lovely soft musk and honeycomb emerge on a bed of soft forest florals. I definitely get some gentle violet petals here, though by no means is the scent dominated by violet. I'm not really familiar with what life-everlasting smells like on its own but it' an appropriate floral to have in here because elves are traditionally percieved as immortal. Gradually the amber emerges and adds warmth and depth, and finally the moss which give it a hint of woodsy earthines. The woodsy and berry elements entwine with the honeycomb, musk and florals to create an enchanting ethereal scent highly evocative of the these elusive creatures and the mythical forests they call their home. Final verdict?
  11. Invidiana

    Convertible Hearse Atmosphere Spray

    Convertible Hearse somehow manages to be fresh and macabre at once. It reminds me a little bit of a gothic cologne a friend of mine wore in high school, a throwback those days when I was fifteen and thought it was rebellious to hang with my friends at the mall without any of our parents around. There's something of a new car smell about this. It's not the typical eau du new car, but if there ever was an air freshener was made for a hearse, this is it. The exhaust isn't anything like the overwhelming fumes of a gas station. It's a jolt of gas swept up by a cool autumn breeze that kicks up dry leaves as the hearse, not burdened by a casket yet, speeds down the freeway.
  12. Invidiana

    Hearse of Pancakes Atmosphere Spray

    This is a breakfast to die for. It reminds of me of those times when I've stayed at a hotel and used it as an excuse to grab everything semi-forbidden for breakfast, especially a fluffy stack of syrup-drenched, butter-slathered pancakes, except the syrup here isn't the imitation stuff but that elusive dark maple syrup you can really only find at farmers' markets a way off. The steaming mug of black coffee next to that plate is definitely not decaf. As if this isn't enough, a donut fresh out of the fryer has been sneaked in there as well, and it makes itself known. Hearse of Pancakes almost makes me want to be a morning person. Almost.
  13. Invidiana

    Headless Hearseman Atmosphere Spray

    Whether the leather here is the upholstery on the inside of a hearse or the tattered leather jacket of a maniacal ghoul on a horse, it is definitely black, the impenetrable moonless-night black he rides out of. The leather is scuffed by fallen branches which dead leaves swirl around as he tears through the forest (on his horse or in his hearse). I know it isn't listed, but I swear I can pick up that signature Dead Leaves note rustling among the wood. The pumpkin head he holds in one hand blazes with a sweet, slightly burnt smell, definitely not pumpkin pie but pumpkin flesh. Beth has managed to bottle the Headless Horseman.
  14. Invidiana

    Hot Pink Hearse Atmosphere Spray

    This is the kind of hearse I'd rent for a party. Think champagne poured over a lurid pink concoction of guava, strawberry and grapefruit, with a shadow of blackberry syrup, rimmed with sugar. There is also the feel of a clean car scent underneath all this macabre glamour. That might be the bergamot, like a gust of air from a window briefly rolled down, even the chrome note, thought it doesn't flash in your face as chrome over all the pink on pink on pink. If there was actually such a thing as a Barbie hearse, this is exactly what it would smell like.
  15. Invidiana

    Black Lipstick

    This is a throwback to my aunt's lipstick from the '90s (though it was nude and not black), whose waxiness is infused with a subtle rose scent. I don't know where I'm getting rose from. Maybe it's just my skin, but something about it is vintage and familiar, while also being slightly more shadowy and mysterious than the smell of what my aunt wore back then. It's a realistic lipstick scent made slightly darker, suggesting dark lips exhaling a curl of clove cigarette smoke right outside the goth club. Does it smell like The Cure? Bauhaus? Siouxsie? The Sisters of Mercy? London After Midnight? I can't decide, but it suits all of them.
  16. Invidiana

    Sweet Tooth

    Throw all your candy corn and toffee into the bonfire, then stand back and revel in the smell of burnt sugar rising from the flames. The melting mass of candy corn has an undertone of sweet almond, and there is also a something of a caramel undertone from the toffee. There is something both recognizable and unrecognizable about the candies that has been sacrificed. They are, and they are not. When the fire goes out, the edges of this monstrous lump of sugar have been completely burnt, while the rest has been caramelized, a ghost of what it used to be and also a monster.
  17. Invidiana

    The Treat Keeper

    There is something sinister about this treat, far from brightly colored candies eagerly received on an well-lit porch, but something curious offered by the gnarled hands of something that is reluctant to let you see its face until its head emerges from the shadows and you run shrieking into the night, forgetting whether or not you dropped whatever it gave you. The sour apple mash is some strong moonshine, with something of a dusty feel coming from the dried apple, and while the molasses is not at the forefront, there is an undercurrent of it adding a dark but mild sweetness. This is the type of apple scent that makes me think of the creaky old cider press at a local farm that has long since been razed to the ground. While there are no woody or dust notes here, it feels as if there are jars of dried apples and apple liquor and molasses sitting in the kitchen of an abandoned farmhouse that is almost definitely haunted.
  18. Invidiana

    Bourbon Soaked Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge

    This is what happens when trick-or-treaters grow up. Imagine the peanut butter chews from your Halloween plunder melted into a sticky gloop, swirled into spiced pumpkin fudge, and drowned in bourbon. It's decadence and naughtiness that makes no apologies for an egregious amount of calories. Of course, this is primarily a pumpkin spice confection, but there is plenty of sweet and creamy pumpkin fudge to balance the spice. The peanut butter note is almost chewy like those Mary Janes you either love or hate (I love them) and would inevitably get a handful of from some neighbor every Halloween. What seems like an innocent treat is made devilish with a hefty swig of bourbon whose fire you would definitely be able to taste if this was actually something edible, not the sort of thing you shouldn't drive home wearing, but boozy enough to give that tired witch costume thigh-highs and fishnets.
  19. Invidiana

    Thieves' Rosin

    Increases the chance of successfully picking pockets by 25%. This was a really hard one to pin down, but it is just sexy. The first thing I get is woods and resins, and then a sensual musk snakes through and take the whole thing to a completely different level. Since this specifically has "rosin" in its title, it made it a little easier to know what type of resin is in here--for those who don't know, rosin is a type of pine resin and the same type of note that's in Mr. Fezziwig's Ball. I definitely get that deep, slightly sweet resin right off the bat. The wood is a little more difficult tp grasp, but I'm venturing to say there may be teak in here judging by how it reacts on my skin. It has that same smooth, wood-but-not-wood drydown as teak, just not the same kind of finish as sandalwood. Not "woody" enough to be mahogany. No lacquer notes that I can detect. I told you this was hard to pin down! Finally we have that musk, which I think either is a sort of Indian musk or must have Indian musk involved somewhere. It's more noticeable than skin musk, but not quite as intense as Siberian musk. The scent as a whole is unisex and neither warm nor cool, and there is a certain oddly airy and uplifting aspect to it which makes me think, however strange this sounds, that it would actually layer well with Vial of Holy Water. I can't wait till it's released because this is another one I'm buying vats of.
  20. Invidiana

    Serket v5

    Serket was the ancient Egyptian goddess of healing bites and stings, and is often depicted with a scorpion atop her head. Her scent is a sweet spiced plum that is like a sophisticated sugarplum. One of the elements that adds to the sweetness here is definitely sugarcane because I recognize that same note from Dia and Velvet Nudie; it starts out fresh and sweet with a greenish floral tinge and dries down to a warm brown-sugary sweetness. I'm guessing there is also white honey in here because while I don't distincly get a traditional honey note there is something else supporting the sugarcane. Since honey also has soothing properties, which would fit into the theme of a healing goddess, it's highly likely that's what it is. The plum is more of a fresh plum note than the smoky Hellion or Snake Charmer plums, though it still is very fragrant. It is deepened by soft resins, I'm guessing some ambers and possibly sweet myrrh, and finished off by subtle spice. There must be cinnamon though it stays subdued, maybe a bit of ginger or allspice. There can't be any cardamom because I'd know that instantly. There is something else that might be among the spices though I might be hallucinating; the ancient Egyptians used coriander to fight fever, and while I'm not quite sure it may be in there for the historical value. This is a really lovely scent that is fit for a deity.
  21. Invidiana

    TX30

    This one takes me straight to summer! It' a fresh cherry and almond scent that makes me think of sitting outside and eating just-cracked almonds and cherries that are in season. Since most almond scents tend to have a cherryish tinge on me that only makes the two notes work together even better. The almond note here isn't a roasted or caramelized almond note, or marzipan, but quite literally like sticking your nose to the actual nut. The cherry is a tart red cherry, like bing cherry rather than black cherry. It's very cheerful and is making me crave sunshine and the warmer weather that should be just around the corner. For a vampire like me to say that, you know it must be good.
  22. Invidiana

    Sin in the Pumpkin Patch

    Sin in the Pumpkin Patch There's all manner of shenanigans in this year's pumpkin patch! Pumpkin'ized hybrids of GC BPAL scents abound! This is like a pumpkin doing burlesque. The warm, creamy, comforting pumpkin appears all wholesome until it gets entangled with the blatant sensuality of Sin. Even though I tend to amp cinnamon, it behaves rather well here. The pumpkin note is lightly spiced, and I also think that the pumpkin just being present balances out the cinnamon of Sin so it smells more subtle than that of the original does on me. It warms the blend as a whole, but doesn't stomp all over it. At least on my skin, the most prominent note in Sin that dances with the pumpkin--and probably what makes this such a sexy pumpkin--is the black patchouli. Supported by the amber and sandalwood, which give it additional depth (read: even sexier) it crosses pumpkin over into territory I never thought pumpkin would go to. It's like putting that jack-o-lantern-next-door in black lace stockings that take her from pumpkin shell to bombshell.
  23. Invidiana

    Mrs. Valentine

    The house at No. 157 is kept by Mrs Valentine, who has four ladies in attendance and ready to receive gentlemen into their tender arms. This is a second class house. Lacy white vanilla, mallow flower, white sandalwood, sweet oudh, and a drop of red musk. I might be a fan of everything dark and unholy, but I love this ethereal white scent. Clouds of fluffy vanilla and mallow amp on me, like a more sophisticated version of vanilla marshmallows. White sandalwood is an iffy note for my skin but thankfully this one behaved on my chemistry and acted more as a hint of a something sultry along with the oudh and tinge of red musk rather than a screeching white sandalwood banshee. Mrs. Valentine is somehow innocent and sexy all at once, even for a proprietress of a house of ill repute.
  24. Invidiana

    Miss Anna

    This is a first class Ladies Seminary, conducted by an accomplished and intelligent young lady, who has a class composed of seven beautiful young lady scholars who do credit to her establishment. The house is newly furnished in a magnificent style, is very quiet and orderly, and first class in every respect. A sophisticated arrangement of graceful blooms: cherry blossoms, Florentine iris, violet absolute, and wisteria, warmed by honey, almonds, and cacao. I can't possibly resist anything with wisteria, and the floral charms of Miss Anna do not disappoint. It's like the first flowers off spring blossoming straight form the bottle, and while lit starts off like a shower of petals, it is eventually warmed up by a lovely backdrop of honey and almond with a slight shadow from what I'm assuming is the cacao. Wisteria is one of my favorite florals and while I don't amp it, it doesn't vanish after the drydown. This is not a screeching floral but more of what I like to call a fairytale floral. It starts off innocent and slowly reveals something telling about its namesake. Who knew a painted lady could be so respectable?
  25. Invidiana

    No. 101

    The house No. 101 is of the third class, and contains nothing worthy of attention. A little shabby: dusty sandalwood and cold black tea. I was really, really hoping this would be like All Hallows' Eve 1917 on me, that same scent of dusty light beaming in through a window at dusk. Alas my skin chemistry and the sandalwood just couldn't agree with each other. I amp many types of sandalwood and sadly I amped this one to the point of it going from swirling dust to the strong dry wood I was so desperately hoping wouldn't rear its Cerberus head. The black tea was completely overshadowed. It is, however, and atmospheric scent, and if it was an atmo, I would probably love it!
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