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BPAL Madness!

Ina Garten Davita

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Everything posted by Ina Garten Davita

  1. Ina Garten Davita

    EPIC BPAL Spreadsheet Thread

    Major points to Izile for keeping the spreadsheet up to date!
  2. Ina Garten Davita

    Imp and Bottle Cap Issues (breakage, leakage)

    I could have sworn we had a topic about imp and bottle cap issues but my searches have yielded niente. Editing the title, moving to FAQ.
  3. Ina Garten Davita

    Vivement Atmosphere Spray

    Peppermint candies dropped into a flute of champagne. Another winner! It's a winter party in a little spray bottle. Buttermint candies melting in Champagne, not foody at all, but a little sweet, and above all, it's very pepperminty and very bubbly. Definitely a palate cleanser for after all the smells of Christmas and perfect for that time heading into New Year's Eve.
  4. Ina Garten Davita

    Yellow Metal With Mingled Purple Blushes

    I bought this at Will Call last year when the scent was just released. It was all ripe, juicy dark fruits with sweet hints of amber. I cellared it to see if the amber would deepen over time. It did! This yellow and purple beauty aged perfectly, like a fine wine. The amber is deep, rich, glowing. There is the barest hint of gleaming metal wet, and as it starts to dry but that goes leaving a seductive, slightly sweet, ripe and dark scent. Just wonderful!
  5. Ina Garten Davita

    Champagne Lace

    I've scoffed at just about every Antique Lace comparison over the years until I could verify it myself, and never found any of them to be to true to my nose. I did not like Antique Lace, found it cloying and overly sweet. I've loved every "Lace" scent since and have them all, plus a few backups in my collection. Well, folks, here it is. The fairly close dupe of Antique Lace you've all been waiting for. Except for the burst of fizzy champagne that lasts a few minutes, the rest is pure Antique Lace in all it's overly sweet, cloying glory. Super-sweet vanilla, lots of throw, long lasting. The "lace" accord seems to be missing that smoky-tobacco like waft that keeps everything grounded. I hope Champagne Lace mellows as it ages, because I want to keep the collection complete. In the cellar it goes.
  6. Ina Garten Davita

    Indulgence

    Indulgence is a scent that should not work on me, vetiver and chapaca are two of my "great ruiners." And I can smell them at first, dark and dank, the scent oozes out of the bottle and sends a shiver of dread up my spine. I almost didn't want to skin test it. I steel my nerves, gird my loins, and dab a tiny dot on my right wrist. WHOA! Hello throw! As it hits my skin I am immediately reminded of LUSH Tramp, on of my all time favorite scents. That rich green and chewy black goodness. The vetiver is gone almost instantly. Bye, click. I'm left with rich, resiny, chewy goodness. Definitely indulgent, deeply seductive. After a while the florals come to play as the whole scent begins to soften and sweeten on my skin. This has great throw and is different afar than close up. The green florals are leaping off my skin, while the resins are sticking close. This lasts forever! I'm still smelling a hint of green floral with an undercurrent of sweet amber this afternoon after applying last evening (still in my house clothes, doing housework.) This scent needs more love. I think it's going to age tremendously.
  7. Ina Garten Davita

    Searching for the Perfect Vanilla?

    I probably have posted this before but Lady Death Savage is one of the most wonderful vanilla scents ever! It's womanly and sexy with that floral and ambergris backdrop.
  8. Ina Garten Davita

    Bloc Na Nollaig Atmosphere Spray

    BLOC NA NOLLAIG Nollaig faoi shéan is faoi shonas duit! A fresh-chopped Yule log glowing in a holly wreath-festooned hearth, with snow-dappled evergreens, bay leaf, bittersweet winter berries, and apple beer. This should have been called "Anti-Grinchy McScrooge spray." It is indeed Christmas in a bottle. Cold sniff on first spray it is quite the Christmas craft store scent, but that doesn't linger long at all. After a few minutes the whole area is transformed into the quintessential Yuletime Fantasyland. Seriously. We have two Christmas trees, an artificial one in the kitchen and a real Fraser Fir in the family room. I sprayed the kitchen tree with Bloc Na Nollaig and it was transformed! That sad little tree pretty much smells better than the real thing. And it lasts for days! Just so Christmassy, spicy, green, fresh, warm, cold, joyful. You need to buy this particular room spray if... you have an artificial tree but pine for the real thing (ha, ha, get it? PINE!) you're feeling particularly Scrooge-y this year. You'll be transformed into the whooping Christmas morning Scrooge!
  9. Ina Garten Davita

    Traveling with BPAL

    I just returned from a trip to Italy. I put about two dozen imps in a small metal case and put it in my unchecked suitcase. It wasn't noticed outgoing or on the return. I had room in my zipper bag in case it got noticed but no one batted an eyelash.
  10. Ina Garten Davita

    New this week: '13' and Palmyra

    FYI Palmyra will come down when the Yules come down.
  11. Ina Garten Davita

    Wildfire

    A traditional blend of woods used in Celtic pyromantic divinatory practices, updated and contemporized with the addition of a fae blend of orris essence, dragon's blood, juniper berry, and red rose. First Impression: Sharp, soapy and strong. Second Impression: It's all sharp, soapy juniper berry and orris on me and it's not changed in over an hour. I used a tiny dab and it's quite strong with real staying power. Final Analysis: I'm gutted that the dragon's blood, red rose and woods did not develop on my skin. I'm going to give a couple more hours and see what changes it makes and then I'll update the review.
  12. Ina Garten Davita

    BPTP (Hair Gloss, Atmo, Bath Oil) to BPAL Similarities/Reccs

    Venustas has that wonderful candlesmoke thing happening. Perhaps try layering it with something boozy like Mr. Nancy?
  13. Ina Garten Davita

    The Organ Grinder (2015)

    Sarsaparilla and Ivory soap!!! Not soapy, but a freshly unwrapped bar of 99 & 44/100% pure Ivory, which is very much a nostalgic scent for me. It starts off pungent, even sharp, but mellows out soon after it dries. The clean soap smell is tempered by the creamy, sweet sarsaparilla and as it wears I can detect a waft of pipe smoke. It's weird and wonderful and very Grandfatherly, or even Great-Grandfatherly. That eccentric character of a man you may not remember from personal memories but from crackled, sepia photos, and tales your Nana and Aunties told you.
  14. Ina Garten Davita

    Kunoichi

    Thanks to my favorite Vulcan for a generous tester of this beauty. I tried it on before looking at the notes, my impression was smooth, soft leather, warm cedar, and a plethora of spicy flowers. I can't wear a lot of the heavier leather but the way this leather is blended, it suits me. Sniffing after reviewing the notes, I'm surprised to see jasmine listed, because I can't detect it. The tonka and vanilla add warmth and depth, the flowers masquerading as oriental spices. Gorgeously blended, soft throw. I may have to start retesting Beth's feminine leather blends because I'm loving this!
  15. Ina Garten Davita

    The Beldam

    The Beldam is one of those scents that I really wish I had the notes, she's so beautifully blended it's tough to pick out individual notes. I don't get any cherry, which tends to do bad things on my skin. Rich, resinous, sticky and slightly herbal and a tad boozy, like an herbal liqueur. Dark, sexy, sinister. Very unique. It's a shame this hasn't been released with the other Coraline scents. She's gorgeous, unusual, just demands to be sniffed!
  16. Ina Garten Davita

    Sonnet D'Automne

    2014 version~ I did not like this at first sniff, popped it in the swap box but decided to give it another try this morning. WOW! So happy I did! Wet on the skin smells like dead leaves floating on chilled autumn air. Then it warms and opens into a creamy, gorgeous incensey vanilla. The dry down is familiar, reminds me of Dorian. Autumnal Dorian! Love.
  17. Ina Garten Davita

    The Old Homestead Atmosphere Spray

    Honeysuckle lovers rejoice, this is gorgeous, fresh Honeysuckle a bit of soft sweet musk, and a grounding breath of leather. Fear not, the leather is barely detectable, just a whisper as if sitting down in a well worn cozy settee beside a table of rich southern blooms. This is one beautiful atmosphere, perfect for our southern home!
  18. Ina Garten Davita

    Mattie Silks

    Bubbly champagne like in Tammany Free and Easy /Vivement but that's where they part ways. The leather, amber, and patch give a dirtysexy vibe to this party. As the resins age and the champagne smooths out, this will be stunning. This bottle needs cellaring to be its best.
  19. Ina Garten Davita

    Jennie Rogers

    Creamy, smooth, restrained jasmine rounded out by vanilla. I'm not a fan of peach but it's very subtle, lending sweetness rather than overt fruitiness. Layering this with a bit of musk would move it into the girlie floral musk realm of Ava, the Girl, and Lilith Flowers Butterflies Jewels Attending.
  20. Ina Garten Davita

    Oisin

    Proceeds go to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. A legendary warrior bard from Irish lore and a renowned member of the Fianna. His saga is detailed in two of the four great Cycles of Celtic legend: the Fenian and Ossianic Cycles. A lyric, wistful blend of summertime Irish blossoms and herbs, glistening with vibrant white musk. First Impression: Oh glorious musk. Second Impression: This is one sexy as hell blend. This definitely is a masculine scent, it's as if Beth turned my favorite Axe into a proper men's fragrance. Final Analysis: If Rob would wear this, I'd be one happy girlie. I want a big bottle.
  21. Ina Garten Davita

    Bourbon Vanilla Bath Oil

    Bourbon Vanilla bath oil is PERFECTION! Beth and Puddin have outdone themselves. I applied this to clean, dry skin post shower. This is the perfect "perfumey" vanilla that I have dreamed of in a moisturizing base. Not even the tiniest hint of foodie here, no butter, no pastry, no bakery ruination. No plastic, no play-doh, no powder, just straight up, pure and perfect VANILLA. It stays true to scent from application, to dry down, to gentle fade. The perfect base for just about every scent in my collection. I'm in love and may need more than the two I bought. I want to live in this scent.
  22. Please mark your calendars for Saturday Feb. 21st from 4p-7p NEW location: Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham at Perimeter Center 6280 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30328 US in the Conference/Meeting room This location is only about a mile away from Hammond Park. There is plenty of parking and no more stairs! Woohooo! Hope to see you all there!
  23. Ina Garten Davita

    Uncomplicated BPALs

    Eusapia reminds me of an uncomplicated, old school BPAL. Just white tea, lilac, and beeswax. Heavenly!
  24. Ina Garten Davita

    DSWC Will Proceed as Planned!

    The goodies have landed. See y'all tomorrow in Sandy Springs at 4pm.
  25. Ina Garten Davita

    A Lady Tall and White

    The cold sniff reminds me of the sparkling sugary snow notes of Snow Angel, but none of the bright lemon tea scent. There is a hint of ozone that comes through once it's applied to my skin, the ozone doesn't linger long, which is good because it's not a note that I'm particularly keen on. (I hope it ages out.) Once dry, the ozone is gone and the creamy vanillic woods start to peek out and it starts to warm up. I amp sweet and this scent is quite sweet on my skin. This one is a morpher, starts chilly and snowy then turns warmer, creamy and sweet, although the perception of the chill remains like looking out an icy window while you're inside, warm and cozy. Lovely scent, reminiscent of Snow Angel at the top and at the long dry down.
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