Vega

Sniffed: Sugary vanilla upon a leather backdrop. On skin: Sweet, sugary vanilla comes to the fore, but gets darker and deeper upon drydown as the smoke and leather gradually emerge. The smoke note here is really good: it's a rich, slightly gritty tobacco, and thankfully not the burnt charcoal/astringency of vetiver. I find BPAL's leather note too synthetic, and leather-dominant blends (like Whip) tend to be rather flat -- but the leather in Liz is well-blended and forms a discreet backdrop to the vanilla and smoke. Liz ends up a rich, full, dark tobacco-vanilla with a touch of smooth leather and gritty smokiness. Definitely a feminine scent, but subdued and darkened enough not to be too girly. Verdict: Very, very pretty. Liz is the latest of BPAL's vanilla blends that I've fallen in love with. She's not too smoky, not too sugar-sweet, not too leathery -- she's just perfect. I was generously frimped a tester through swaps, but I definitely need a full decant, possibly a bottle!

I'm discovering, to my dismay, that some aquatics end up disastrous on me, especially if they're white floral-aquatics. Case in point: The Lady of Shalott. Imp ordered fresh from the Lab. The very first time I tried it: In imp: Dark water, watery like Water of Notre Dame, but with a sweet edge. On skin: Dark floral water. I can smell light, white flowers, but always swirling in water. There's an edge to the flowers, possibly from ginger. The deep, brooding waters eventually recede, leaving ginger and darkened, gently spicy white flowers. A gentle scent, melancholy and sorrowful, very evocative. Colour impression is a deep aquamarine. Oh yes, the Lady is lovely! She must be a winner! But on all subsequent tries... In imp: Pungent, hot white flowers with a touch of water! On skin: Aie, there's NO WATER! instead it's a pungent white floral. There's a spicy, slightly peppery touch that may be ginger, but from start to end the Lady is now all spicy, thick, soft, and very high-pitched white flowers. And these flowers aren't pleasant at all; I may have to avoid gardenia and those unnamed "water blossoms" in future. My beloved aquatic notes are nowhere to be found. All this to say... I'm rather puzzled and frustrated! Some floral-aquatics, like Water of Notre Dame, remain watery and pretty, but that's the minority. The Lady of Shalott, Szepasszony and R'lyeh have all pulled this stunt on me, somehow losing their water and becoming nasty white florals. *sigh* I guess I'll stick to the grassy/airy aquatic blends, which have been way more successful. But The Lady of Shalott broke my heart. I love her story, and wanted to love her scent. Alas, not meant to be.

Sniffed: Dark pine with an edge of sharp, wet decay. On skin: Dark, damp evergreen with a wet, mossy/leafy smell that borders on the edge of decay. This same unpleasant note was in Ulalume, so they must have a dirt/"dried leaves" note in common. Over time the sharp, wet earth/decaying notes burn off, leaving thin and damp evergreens. Overall, Nocnitsa is sharp, unfriendly and damp. The pine note isn't as dark and rich as, say, Black Forest, but it's more sinister and oppressive. Verdict: I dislike the Lab's dirt/wet earth/dry leaves note -- it really smells like wet decay -- so Nocnitsa is going straight to swaps. I must say though, it is quite an evocative scent. I definitely don't want to meet the Night Hag anywhere!

Lyonesse (GC) is very similar to Haloes (Retail Salon) -- both are woody vanilla/amber, but Lyonesse has a bit of a tangy, colder feel. Nothing beats Haloes for fluffy, cozy, golden vanilla, but Lyonesse comes very close!

Sniffed: Um. This is all pale, cold, sharp mint. Does the snow note have mint? That's all I'm getting in the decant... this doesn't bode well. On skin: Entirely astringent and mentholic. 100% cold, thin, sharp, aggressive MINT. Egad! No amber? No woods?! Outrageous! *rages* Furthermore, this mint note is way more tenacious than the other mints I've tried: it's stronger and stays on longer. It burns off eventually, but all that's left is dilute and hollow -- a ghost of damp woods and frozen snow. Verdict: Well, I got the malevolent, destructive side of Ded Moroz -- he came in a blustery, freezing fury, and then vanished without a trace, leaving a destroyed scent behind. This may be a storm in a teacup, but I'm actually quite angry that a blend that had all my favourite notes had to be ruined by stampeding mint. If only there wasn't a snow note in Ded Moroz! Mint, you and I are through. You've ruined too many scents for me. I'm never seeking you out again, ever.

Sniffed: Golden, glowing patchouli with a touch of fruity sweetness. On skin: Bright, bold, juicy and sweet. The patchouli dominates but doesn't get obnoxious; it's complemented perfectly by buoyant peach. Musk and amber are keeping a low profile, probably adding to the depth and brightness. The peach continues to morph in and out over glowing patchouli; it is at times peach-sweet, at times patchouli pungent. Definitely a shifting (shifty?), playful, light-hearted, "impish" blend! Imp resembles Mantis and Omen -- all are glowing patchouli with other lighter notes -- but it's lighter and fruity and more appealing to me. Verdict: I'm testing a friend's Imp, and I think I will need my own Imp now. I only wish that the peach was more constant, but given the theme of this blend, I should (and certainly will) be content with what I'm getting, I suppose!

Sniffed: Light cinnamon sweetened by honeysuckle. Promises to be a rich, heady scent. On skin: Cinnamon flows out over a deep, creamy sweet base. The honeysuckle is doing its honeying work, perhaps in concert with copal (which I'm not familiar with), and while I can't smell any myrrh it must be grounding the scent. Over time, the cinnamon gradually blends more and more with the other notes, finally becoming spicy-honey-sweet. A smooth, full, honey/creamy blend with a playful, spicy cinnamon sting. Colour impression is golden yellow slashed with dark red. Verdict: A cinnamon that I can actually wear and appreciate! I quite like this.

Sniffed: A bit foody/nutty, must be the anise. On skin: Yep, anise (maybe mixed with vanilla) is dominating here: Pink Mood has a distinct seed/nut-like foodiness, with the slightest medicinal quality. Light, spicy-sweet, with a non-spicy freshness that must be neroli and flowers. The scent grows warmer and more spicy-foody over time. The anise is largely the star of the show, and I don't really get any other notes. Verdict: Nice, but I'm not feeling it. Wish I got more out of the other notes. Don't think I'll keep it.

Sniffed: Ugh! Sweet, thick gourmand -- the type that makes me nauseous. Sufganiyot are Jewish jam-filled pastries, it must be the culprit here. This doesn't bode well... On skin: The gourmand backs off as the scent dries, and I can smell whiffs of the other notes now. A touch of olive oil. Beeswax sweetness. Something a bit sharp, maybe the amber. And other unfamiliar notes, which must be pomegranate and fig. All of which waft upon the solid backdrop of sickly sweet gourmand. Verdict: I think I would've really liked Chanukkiyah -- if it did not have the sufganiyot. While I love eating these doughnuts, I certainly can't wear their smell. I've already swapped my imp.

Sniffed: Mint with a touch of citrus. On skin: Initially, light mint and lemon. I'm not familiar with the floral notes, so one of them must be giving it that citrus touch. This mint/citrus burns off quickly, leaving gentle, indistinct white flowers behind. Thankfully, the flowers remain grounded and mellowed, and the sandalwood lends it a woody dryness. All the Zorya blends have this light, airy, delicate feel about them, and Utrennyaya definitely captures the gentle golden radiance of the Morning Star. Colour impression is very pale lemon-yellow with a touch of green. Verdict: While I love the starry theme and Beth's fine scent interpretation of the Morning Star, this sadly ends up very faint and not memorable.

Sniffed: White musk. On skin: The Zorya blends are all similar in feel: airy, feathery, pale, gentle and graceful in simplicity. Vechernyaya is primarily white musks, which give it a feathery, fuzzy softness. The very light patchouli grounds the scent with an earthy flavour, and there's a touch of spiciness presumably from poppy. Overall, a simple, gentle scent that does evoke the Evening Star. Colour impression is white feathers touched with watery yellow-green. Verdict: A lovely blend befitting of a star. While I like the concept, such a gentle blend really doesn't stand out to me. Unlikely to wear this much, since there are more interesting smells out there.

Sniffed: Lush green and watery. On skin: A "green" aquatic - both grassy and floral. Selkie is lush, grassy-sweet and a bit juicy, made deep and dreamy by the water. A gentle, rounded scent without any edges; it's also solemn and sombre, almost "desaturated" in feel. Doesn't morph much over time, just gets softer. Colour impression is dark blue-green, touched with gray/desaturation. This blend resembles both the poem and its namesake, in mystery and wildness. It evokes a wind-tossed ocean, crashing against tall cliffs, under an overcast sky. Selkie and Long Night Moon are similar green aquatics, although LNM is more floral and yellowy blue-green. Surprisingly, it's virtually identical to Blooddrop's Pegasus scent, even though the notes are completely different. If you like Selkie, try out Pegasus! Verdict: This is a beautiful, liquid, calming scent. I love everything about it, am glad I have a bottle!

Sniffed: Minty-cold, thin and nose-tingling. On skin: The Coil is all mentholic when applied, but begins to open up with drydown. Eucalyptus and mint dominate here: this is light, dry, thin and sharp, though not particularly cold or "electric" (not surprising, given my skin chemistry). Unfortunately the scent fades very fast, and while it's a tad more complex on my skin than in the imp, the non-mentholic notes never really show their faces. Verdict: Eh. The Coil is the latest failure in a string of minty failures. I'm quite disappointed at the lack of ozone and flowers here, but given how mint tends to dominate most blends it's in (at least to my nose and skin), I shouldn't be surprised. Thus ends my foray into minty blends.

Sniffed: Quite a few things going on -- I'm smelling notes of flowers, aquatics, fresh greenness, and dirt/earth. On skin: The Dole of the King's Daughter begins as dewy roses and fresh stems floating on tangy water, lightly touched with woods. It darkens during the drydown, as dirt and more woods come out. I can smell the faintest breath of decay; there's no blood at all. Ultimately it ends up a clean, mild, feminine floral, grounded by woods, water and earth. Like most blends, it doesn't morph much on my skin, and remains the same over time. Colour impression is a pale jade green. What an evocative scent! Beth has done it again, she's captured the spirit of the poem perfectly in this blend. The Dole of the King's Daughter is pretty, delicate and wispy, but subdued and sorrowful. I can envision the scene: the King's daughter, dressed in scarlet, with red roses in her lap and a bloodied dagger in her hand, sitting and weeping by a swift-running brook, feet and dress covered in mud and sand, while the sky is filled with gray clouds and rooks. I'd imagine this is how fresh roses mingled with tears would smell. Verdict: I like this blend, it's a pretty, light green-floral. And I keep being amazed by Beth's genius at making such evocative scents. Well done!

Sniffed: Evergreen, sharp, fresh. Nose-tingling and biting, thin like winter air. On skin: The Snow Storm is a living winter pine forest, the lushest evergreen I've smelled so far. It's crisp and thin, all edges, without any roundedness or warmth or friendliness. Much to my relief, the mint is completely overshadowed by the more pleasant fir and cedar. While it doesn't actually feel cold on skin (my skin chemistry working its wonders here), the sharp dryness still manages to evoke winter. Yet it has a sap-like quality that makes it just this little bit sweet (in an evergreen way). Overall, this is unadulterated evergreen, without the warmth that, say, Golden Priapus and Black Forest have from their other notes. Colour impression is a blackish, dark hunter green. Verdict: I keep rediscovering and falling in love with The Snow Storm, it's such a beautiful, pure, wintry forest. Not a scent I'd wear on a regular basis, but I'm definitely hanging on to my imp.

Sniffed: A strange scent -- fluid, tight and medicinal. I've never smelled anything like it. On skin: The same. Hmm, I think lavender must be the dominant note. It definitely seems herbal, maybe smooth from resins. A thick, close, heady scent, with a metallic/inorganic vibe. Very unusual, makes me feel a bit ill. Verdict: Don't like Quicksilver Phoenix. But I must say, it really does evoke shimmering-hot liquid metal. How does Beth achieve this? What an unusual blend that was worth sniffing, but I won't be missing it.

Sniffed: Warm, furry and "close". Quite brown, seems a bit foody. On skin: What I initially perceived as "foody" must be the musk. Ivanushka is warm, brown, and cozy, a bit musk-spicy, with a slight touch of green moss and dry woods. A gentle, skin-hugging, comforting scent, completely rounded and without any sharp edges. Quite a simple scent, but it really feels like a deer's furry, soft, warm flank -- which is the imagery I get when wearing this, along with a dun/tan colour impression. Thank goodness this isn't dirty or sour! The brown musk in Whoso List to Hunt went nasty unwashed-body-sour on me, but Ivanushka is clean and mild and actually pleasant. Verdict: Ivanushka is a cozy fur/skin scent. I'm really glad that it turned out pleasant on my skin, but I'm still uncertain since it was a little musk-sharp on an earlier skin test. A fascinating blend, I definitely will keep imp of this to sniff and wear occasionally.

Sniffed: I've never smelled anything like this, so I can't quite compare to anything else! A clean, green, "alive" scent; feels like incense/resin, and slightly sweet. --Wait, oh no, the dratted olive blossom is rearing its head now. I hope it doesn't dominate the blend on my skin! On skin: I'm not familiar with spikenard/galangal/hyssop, so they must form the basis of this scent. It's clean, sap-like, milky in texture (but not in scent), a bit resin- or herbal-sweet, with a bit of a spicy or incense note lurking underneath. Thankfully, olive blossom (which I don't like) maintains a low profile, occasionally morphing in. Over time the scent deepens and becomes a bit sweeter. Tzadikim Nistarim has a cleansing, purifying feel to it. It's in the same family as Tabella and Blue Moon 2009: Brian's Interpretation, being green herbal/resinous blends (and they all have frankincense/galangal/olive in common). Verdict: Quite fascinating, I've never smelled anything quite like Tzadikim Nistarim. It's pure, solemn, and deep, very much like its namesake. Compelling, but I don't think I'll wear this often.

Sniffed: Juicy sweet cherry, with an anise edge. On skin: Strong cherry at first, but upon drydown, red musk comes out to complement the cherry. Now it's predominantly warm, rich red musk, coloured with cherry zest and brightness. I can't smell anise, but I think it's adding a spicy touch while tempering the cherry. Overall, Kabuki is warm, sensual, silky-smooth, a bit velvety, yet syrupy in texture. There's a bit of a cough-syrup edge, but it's quite discreet and doesn't bother me. The cherry sweetness eventually recedes, finally leaving a berry-touched red musk that fades over time. Colour impression is a dark, silken blood red. Verdict: Kabuki is a beautiful, evocative blend that is nevertheless not something I see myself wearing often. I'm glad that I got to try it, but I don't think it'll stay for long.

Sniffed: Floral, gentle, honey-like. The olive blossom is quite obvious. On skin: When wet, it opens up into something quite attractive. I'm not familiar with most of the notes, but I can smell olive blossom amidst flowers, a touch of smoke, and a honeyed flavour that must come from the beeswax. However, Liberty loses its complexity upon drydown: the flowers and beeswax disappear, and all that's left is olives and peppery smoke/gunpowder. The beeswax occasionally makes an appearance to sweeten the scent, but overall, all the other notes are drowned out by smoky olive. Tzadikim Nistarim and Tabella had a similar scent, so I suspect my skin is amping olive blossom, much to my annoyance. Verdict: Liberty began so promisingly, but it ended up disappointing. Darnnit, why does olive blossom dominate the blends it's in? and I don't even like it. I doubt my bottle will be staying.

(Wow, a year went by without any reviews for this? ) Sniffed: Thick, syrupy, almost cloying sweetness. On skin: Oh no. Blends this sweet are repulsive to me. Heavenly Love and Earthly Love is full, syrupy, cloying, resinous sweetness without nuance, dryness, or "edges". It must be the ambergris, although I wonder if benzoin and unlisted "incense" are playing into it. Oh dear, where are my frankincense, myrrh and woods? This is totally not what I was expecting! I can't wear this. Verdict: Heavenly Love and Earthly Love had so many of my favourite notes, so I'm devastated that this turned out to be a scent I just can't wear. It looked so good, so promising...! Sigh...

Sniffed: Earthy, dark roses. A dying, shadowy scent, dimly lit by distant light. On skin: Deep and rounded, warm and cozy. Quite earthy, with a hint of decay from the dry leaves and perhaps moss. The rose emerges during the drydown, adding floral sweetness and lightness to the scent. The rose morphs in and out over the earthy base, sometimes dominating, sometimes fading away. This is a fascinating scent. On one skin test, I had a vivid image of a forest of tall, ancient trees, mostly cast in velvety shadow, brightened by beams of golden sunlight filtering through the canopy. Leaves and rose petals were fluttering to the ground, and all was still and dreaming in late summer sleep. Totally fits its name and Thomas Hood's poem. It's somewhat similar to The Last Rose of Summer, which is earthy but lighter and not so dry-leaves decayish. Verdict: Shadowless Like Silence smells exactly as I imagined it would. This is a dry leaves/dirt blend that I actually find tolerable, and actually pretty! I don't see myself wearing it much, but I'm very glad I got to try such an evocative blend. Once again, kudos to Beth and the Lab for capturing poetry in scent!

Sniffed: Mint and lemon, thin and cool and metallic-tangy. On skin: A dry, thin, hollow scent, perhaps a bit bitter. Feels a little airy and brittle. Lemongrass and mint are the stand-out notes (my skin tends to amp the former), and there may be a hint of ozone. But Tin Phoenix really fading very fast and becoming barely detectable. I think the metallic and minty notes are the culprits, as Mechanical Phoenix, The Robotic Scarab and Hypothermia pulled the same stunt on my skin. This blend ends up lemony, maybe mellowed by the other notes, but ultimately nondescript. Colour impression is a dilute, translucent lemon-yellow. Verdict: Sadly, this is the latest mint/metallic blend to go AWOL on my skin, and confirms that these notes really don't do anything for me. If I keep skin-testing, yet can never remember how a blend smells -- as was the case with Tin Phoenix -- it's time for it to go.

Sniffed: Citrus with a salty, oceanic tang. On skin: R'lyeh turns more citrus/floral than aquatic, and any water notes present virtually disappear upon drydown. It's pure citrus and sharp florals -- intense, almost bitingly tart, thick. However, it also smells dark and brooding in a deep-water fashion. (Or maybe that's the imagery that comes with knowing that it represents R'lyeh?) It feels like a darker, more intense version of Y'ha-nthlei, with more tang and no milk. Given the blend themes, that seems quite appropriate! Oddly, my colour impression is an intense tangerine encircled, whirlpool-like, by dark blue-greens of varying shades. Verdict: I'm discovering that floral aquatics can be hit and miss on my skin. R'lyeh misses. I've tried it several times, but it's dominated either by citrus or by sharp florals. If only the aquatic notes were stronger... but really, not a fan.

Sniffed: Milky and watery, reminds me of The Sea Foams Milk. Has a slight tang to it, like flowers? Light citrus? On skin: A light aquatic: milk and light citrus over turquoise water. The water fades upon drydown, leaving a creaminess touched by something tart -- possibly the bergamot, or maybe unnamed tangy florals? It remains this way, the tang morphing in and out of the milk. I definitely don't get any eucalyptus, and I'm not familiar with the ambergris note. Overall, Y'ha-nthlei is light yet thickly milky, and definitely feels "effervescent". I've tried this several times, and some days the milk dominates the tartness, sometimes vice versa. It's much like The Sea Foams Milk but a bit more tangy, and a milky, gentler "Lite" version of R'lyeh. A feminine scent, IMHO. Colour impression is white with flecks of bright colour - aqua, orange, pink. Verdict: A pleasant milky aquatic, but not particularly interesting to me.