Vega

Sniffed: Warm, deep and vanilla-creamy, with a bright note I can only define as "alcoholic" (for lack of better terms and scent recollection!). On skin: WOW. This is beautiful! Dark, rich, warm wood makes a full base, with nutty vanilla mixed in to sweeten and lighten the deepness, topped with a hint of tobacco smoke. Woody, smooth and deep; very warm, almost cozy, not at all brassy or cold. It reminds me of Oblivion, which is a similar polished/dark/woody blend -- but while Oblivion was hollow and cold, The Antikythera Mechanism is very warm and grainy and so much better. Doesn't morph or change over time, but remains its beautiful self, thank goodness. Colour impression is a dark brown made rich with red, and varnished. It reminds me of Chinese lacquered redwood furniture, and really does evoke the wooden enclosure that this Antikythera Mechanism spins in. (But what of the Mechanism itself? Maybe it's the delicious vanilla?) Verdict: What a gorgeous rich and well-rounded scent! Vanilla and dark woods FTW! The Antikythera Mechanism has shot onto my Top Ten list, and I'll be getting a bottle in short order.

Sniffed: Light, furry, brown musk. On skin: Brown, fuzzy musk with a hint of greenery that feels more mossy and damp than leafy. No amber, and only the barest hint of rose (I'm not familiar with oak); everything is drowned out by the brown musk. I don't get anything much more than a furry, sour scent that reminds me of body odour. It does remind me of warm, living fur, but it's also dirty in an unwashed way. Verdict: Not fond of this. I have a feeling brown musk and I won't get along... For swapping.

This is the amber oil. (There is a green oil? Intriguing, I'd like to try that!) Sniffed: Dark and woody, very smooth and clean. On skin: A very dark, deep scent. I get mostly woods, overlaid with a sheen of bright spices. It gradually opens up during drydown, becoming smooth, sleek, and clean, reminiscent of lacquered wood. Oblivion feels "enclosed", like it's blanketing my senses without being too stifling, and there's something cold and hollow about it. It definitely evokes the enfolding yet impersonal blackness of the abyss and annihilation. Colour impression is a very dark brown, almost black, with a polished sheen. Verdict: Fascinating, not unpleasant, but not my kind of scent: it's too dark and deeply woody for me. But I'm once again in awe of how Beth is able to capture the essence of Oblivion in a scent! I'm glad I got to try this.

Sniffed: Pine with a creamy undertone. On skin: Simultaneously pine green and creamy sweet, with a hint of dryness from amber (and maybe rosewood). The sweetness morphs in and out over the pine base. Golden Priapus ends up dryly creamy in the end. It's quite reminiscent of Black Forest -- the pine note is very similar, although Black Forest is more green and non-vanilla. Verdict: Hmm, I'm not really feeling this scent. It's pleasant, but doesn't really stand out. And call me prudish, but given its name, I don't see myself often reaching for this, I'm afraid!

I tend to separate the ozone scents (eg. Lightning, Sea of Glass, Hurricane) from the aquatic scents (eg. Lady of Shalott, Y'ha-nthlei, Danube) since they actually smell different to me. The ozones are in a class of their own, I don't associate them with water at all. YMMV. Out of those I class as "real" aquatics... Danube is a great choice. I tested it recently and found it very unique -- it actually evokes a racing, gurgling brook, whereas most other aquatics are wide-flowing rivers or oceans. The Lady of Shalott is also good, it felt like darkened white flowers on deep water. You may also want to try Szepasszony (cold white flowers and rain), R'lyeh (also a floral aquatic), The Sea Foams Milk (milk on water), and Water of Notre Dame (a still green pool with wet flowers). Mag Mell too, although I got more lush greenery and less rain; I haven't tried Amsterdam but it's also a floral aquatic. For Limiteds, I recommend Selkie and Long Night Moon. Have fun, your choices look great!

Sniffed: Thickly creamy-sweet. On skin: Indeed, this is creamy and sweet; that must be the honeysuckle dominating the blend (as it did in Hermia), and I'm really not fond of it. I can also detect cozy fuzzy musk, and a tangy thinness that may come from the metal notes, but the creamy sweetness shoves everything else into the background. That's about all I get -- Metal Phoenix vanishes as it dries, and quickly becomes so insubstantial that I can't detect any more fragrance. Finally all that is left is a ghost of generic florals. Verdict: Nondescript and not memorable, it just fades too quickly on my skin. I try a scent several times before making a review, and I can never remember how Metal Phoenix smells, so fleeting it is. What I do smell is creamy and mellow, and not for me. Straight to swaps it goes.

Sniffed: Creamy sweetness. On skin: Creamy and almost syrupy with sweetness; this must be the honeysuckle dominating the blend. There are faint touches of other notes -- a little juicy, a little spicy (pepper?) -- but I can't identify or distinguish them. I guess this is a creamy/spicy floral. A forward, full scent, very happy and upbeat. Strangely, "bouncy" is another adjective that comes to mind! Colour impression is a sunny yellow blushed with pink. Verdict: Sweet, pretty, girly, and totally not for me. I think honeysuckle and I will not get along. It's going to swaps.

In imp: Cold and biting mint. On skin: Stings a bit when wet! Pure mentholic, nose-tingling, cold and intense. This manages to be thin and minty-chill, but still sharp and intense; there's nothing insubstantial about this scent. Unfortunately, mints seem to lose their coldness on my skin, and Hypothermia is no different. Pretty much one-note mint, although there's something green in there that may be the herbals/eucalyptus that other reviewers have brought up. I can't detect any other notes. Verdict: Hypothermia does resemble its name, but it doesn't quite work out on my skin. And I've discovered, through this blend and others, that I'm not fond of mint. For swaps.

For those who are missing Mantis (discontinued GC), Omen may make a passable dupe. Both are golden/patchouli with a layer of greenness; Omen is a bit darker and less herbally green than Mantis, but otherwise they are quite similar. And these are both LEs, but those who like Parlement of Foules may want to try The Last Rose of Summer, and vice versa. I almost couldn't tell them apart in the imps, and they remain quite similar white rose-and-resins on my skin, although Last Rose is a tad more earthy and complex. Edited for grammar!

In imp: Smoky, dry, and sweet orange with an edge. On skin: When wet, it's mostly woody-dry with a touch of incense smoke and oranges. The drydown progressively gets more smoky and more dry, almost dusty in feel. Now it's smoky champaca, slightly sweetened by the orange blossom, made dry by sandalwood. It's actually a gentle scent, mild and cool, and pretty in its simplicity. A scent I would associate with a phoenix! Unfortunately this is smoke with orange and woods, and I would've liked it the other way round, with less champaca and more of the other notes. Verdict: I'm a bird-lover on a mission to try every bird-themed BPAL blend, so it saddens me that Paramatman just falls short of being perfect. I may age my imp for a while -- hopefully the champaca will tone down and it'll become what I want it to be!

In imp: Orange and glowing; patchouli and neroli plus other notes. Like Omen, though it feels lighter. On skin: Bright and shimmering, full, rounded, a bit humid and hazy but doesn't get too stifling. The patchouli makes a grounded, earthy base upon which all the other notes float in a kind of fragrant fog. Slightly herbal and freshly green, with an orange presence that must be from the neroli. I catch an occasional whiff of something drier and creamy, possibly the amber and musk making themselves vaguely known. Over time the patchouli tones down, and the scent gently morphs between bright green herbs and a dry sweetness, all lingering over a deep, rounded base. This is quite like Omen, albeit lighter and a bit more herbal in greenness. A 'saturated' scent, like a photo over-saturated with colour. It puts me in mind of a mantis perched still on a stem, amidst a field of nodding flowers under a blinding summer sun. Colour impression is a bright, throbbing orange with flecks of emerald green. Verdict: Mantis is an evocative scent: languorous and humid and radiant. I think I'll keep it! Omen is a bit darker and less herbally green, but I think it'd make a good dupe for those who miss this.

In imp: Orange-gold, darkly glowing; a deep, earthy resin with a green edge. Patchouli is definitely there, with other notes playing in too. A bit sharp and bright. On skin: Whatever sharpness I smelled in the imp tones down when on skin. An earthy, resinous depth overlaid with a rounded, lush greenness that's more mossy than leafy. Seems like the patchouli (and perhaps myrrh, though I don't smell it) is the base note grounding the scent, and the oakmoss and juniper are tempering it and adding the subtle but distinct greenness. I like this variant of patchouli: it gets a bit dirty on occasion, but mostly remains well-behaved and pleasantly earthy. Overall it's mellow and dark, yet fresh and glowing. For such a full scent it has surprisingly weak presence, and is now very faint, then more distinct -- I wish the scent was stronger and more constant. Colour impression is emerald green complementing a brighter, pulsing orange-gold. Verdict: Another sleeper hit I keep forgetting and then rediscovering. Though I think it could be a bit darker and stay more consistent on my skin. Omen is also quite similar to Mantis, albeit a bit darker -- so it may make a good dupe for those who who miss Mantis. Worth keeping.

In imp: Earthy with a brighter note. Patchouli and rose, maybe frankincense? It's a lot like Parlement of Foules. On skin: Earthy and resinous, but not dirty; smooth, full and light, not too heavy, dry or overpowering. The base is mostly patchouli, but maybe the resins and sandalwood are playing in here too. This earthy depth is overlaid with a sweetness that must be the rose and neroli. The patchouli and rose, while dominant, are well-behaved, and I think the other notes are also contributing to the scent, though I can't distinguish them. Over time the patchouli recedes a bit and it brightens up, while something else that's sweet and bright peeks through -- maybe it's neroli? Overall it's grounded and quietly lovely, gently morphing between earthy patchouli/resin and fragrant rose. Very similar to Parlement of Foules, albeit more earthy and complex. Colour impression is a lush pink swirling in white and framed by a light brown. (Just like Rocky Road ice cream! ) Verdict: An elegant blend of grounded resin and light, graceful florals, neither too earthy nor too high. The Last Rose of Summer is a sleeper hit... I keep forgetting it, mark it for swapping, but when I come back and test it, I keep rediscovering how lovely it is. While I don't see myself wearing it often, it's definitely for keeps!

Decant, uncertain year. I love birds, the Parliament of Fowls poem, and this scent had me at "medieval romance and courtly love". Looking forward to this! In imp: Earthy and resinous with a high vibe that must be rose. Hmm, this is similar to The Last Rose of Summer. On skin: Sweet resins with a tender touch the white roses. The sweetness is quite gentle and a bit creamy. Light, smooth, delicate and graceful, quite feminine. It's almost identical to The Last Rose of Summer, perhaps a bit lighter, simpler, and not as earthy. Over time it seems to darken and become more resinous and earthy, probably as the rose notes burn off. Another successful rose blend -- which is a relief! I can wear rose and enjoy it! Verdict: I was quite excited about Parlement of Foules, so I'm really glad it works on me and fits the theme of courtly love. However, I don't see myself wearing it often, and The Last Rose of Summer is more interesting. I may just hang on to my decant for sentimental reasons.

A generous frimp from angelicruin! In imp: Warm, fragrant spices, perhaps floral touched. Light and glowing, yet grounded. On skin: Oh, oh my, this is gorgeous. Fragrant, beautiful, warm, glowing, rounded; manages to be deep and light at the same time. Very well blended; I smell a lot of lovely spices, and the flowers must add to the lovely sweetness, but I can't tell anything specific. (I don't have a good scent memory though.) Moderate throw. Mama-ji is like a deeper, richer version of Baghdad -- both are in the same family of floral-spices, but Mama-ji is just this much more bodied and vibrant and sensual and exotic. Colour impression: a deep vermillion-golden-rose. Verdict: One of the most beautiful scents I've smelled so far, it's everything I ever wanted in a perfume. Although it doesn't seem to quite fit the Mama-ji of American Gods, IMHO. No matter! Mama-ji is in my top five blends, it's absolutely beautiful and bottle-worthy (and yes, I got one very quickly). I'm so glad I got frimped this, I don't think I would've found it on my own.

Quick question about the VILF scent: are there only two labels (male and female) or three? I was under the impression that there were three... but that may have been an illusion. Thanks!

In imp: Very bright, high and aggressive -- uh-oh, it's the patchouli. Perhaps with a bit of dry wood... On skin: The same: dominant, obnoxious, blindingly bright patchouli. It's the same patchouli as in Masquerade, and I don't like it. Sandalwood and rose are trying to make themselves known, but at most they calm the blend very slightly and add a bit of dry sweetness. The rose may be adding to the brightness, but this is mainly a patchouli-fest. Remains much the same over time. Colour impression: A dark, intense vermillion. Verdict: Rakshasa definitely lives up to its namesake -- it's aggressive patchouli all the way. I'm very sad that the rose and sandalwood were nowhere to be found. For swaps.

A festive, dazzling blend, layered in mystery and intrigue. Patchouli, ambergris, carnation and orange blossom. In imp: Whoa patchouli! it's pushing right to the fore, and it's the "dirty" kind. I think I can also detect some citrus/orange. On skin: Radiant, high, golden, and forceful. This is the same patchouli as in Rakshasa, the type that I don't like. Patchouli dominates the whole blend, and the orange blossom backs it up, making it bright, golden and a bit citrus-sweet; I'm not familiar with ambergris and carnation but they may also be at work here. Over time, the shrill goldenness tones down, the patchouli burns off and becomes more pleasant, and Masquerade becomes a little deeper and blunted, but still mostly radiant. Colour impression: Glowing vermillion. Verdict: Masquerade gets more pleasant over time, but I don't like how it wears for the first half-hour or so. Not fond of the patchouli here, so I won't keep this.

In imp: This is my first metallic blend. It does evoke oil and warm metal in a close space. There's the faintest zing of clean citrus. On skin: Hmm, it's vanishing very fast, I can barely smell it. When I do, it evokes grease and oil, polished and shiny metal; a light scent but "close" and not airy. Definitely like an enclosed engine. Overall it's quite insubstantial. Seems like metallic notes just disappear on my skin (especially when I'm cold), since the same happened to The Robotic Scarab. Verdict: I can barely smell Mechanical Phoenix to make a good review. I guess metallic blends aren't for me; blame my skin chemistry. For swaps.

In imp: Very soft. It's very much like Mechanical Phoenix, save that I get a whiff of anise. On skin: Discovering that metallic notes disappear the moment they hit my skin. I think I can faintly detect anise, maybe with the leather and frankincense blended in. These add a spicy/nutty flavour to the blend, but overall the Scarab is vanishing and barely detectable. Verdict: From what itty-bitty-little I could smell, The Robotic Scarab could've been quite pleasant. I wish metallic blends worked on my skin! Sadly, not worth keeping.

In imp: Tea plus a nose-tingling effervescence that must be the wasabi! On skin: I can distinguish all the notes (for once!), and they all interplay well with each other. The wasabi is the main focus, with tea and honey playing off each other in the background. Today, the tea forms the smooth grounded body, the honey (the faintest note) adds a touch of round sweetness, but the wasabi takes centre stage, bringing a bubbly kick to the whole scent. When I wore it on another day, the honey took precedence as a warmly sweet base. An uplifting, invigorating blend with a bit of zing -- and it really does smell like wasabi. Amazing, I think this nostrum certainly delivers on its promise to "revitalize the spirit"! Verdict: While Nostrum Remedium isn't quite my kind of scent and it's goint into my swaps box, I think it's unique and really encapsulates its theme. I'm glad I got to try it, because it's so unusual. Kudos to Beth for making a wasabi blend!

In imp: Warm and a bit sweet in a resinous way; quite deep and solemn, a rounded scent. Very similar to Cathedral, albeit warmer. On skin: Slightly sweet resins, a glowing and warm scent. Round and full when wet; becomes a tad drier and bittersweet on the drydown, but retains its warmth. So this is how frankincense and myrrh smell... Really wonderful. I think the warm rounded fullness comes from myrrh, and the dry bittersweet from frankincense. Penitence is quite similar to Cathedral, but both are different in distinct ways. (Cathedral is a little more dry, cool, woody and austere.) Like most scents on my skin, the scent fades over time but doesn't morph. Colour impression is glowing golden-brown, more red-tinged than black-tinged. Verdict: Thanks to Penitence, I learnt how frankincense and myrrh smell! And both are shaping up to be notes that I really, really love. I will keep my imp for wearing and as an incense/myrrh reference.

In imp: Thick, warm, nutty incense. Very similar to Penitence, except darker. On skin: Dry, slightly smoky, austere incense and resins. Has a strong, thick presence, but isn't assertive or cloying. In fact, it feels "hollow" in the sense that a huge cathedral nave is "hollow", like a nave filled with the smoke of incense. Fades over time, but doesn't morph much. Cathedral is similar to Penitence, albeit cooler, drier, and more aloof. Both are sufficiently distinct from each other to be worth keeping. Colour impression is a dark wood brown, more black-tinged than red-tinged. Verdict: I like it. A solemn, holy scent. Evokes an ancient, lofty cathedral, dark except for sunlight that enters through stained glass windows, with thick, wafting incense smoke and dust motes dancing in the light. I'm keeping my imp as an incense reference, and just to smell the lovely, evocative scent.

In imp: Chocolate! Warm, nutty cocoa. On skin: The cocoa vanilla is the dominant note; whatever sandalwood or myrrh there is, is barely discernable. Overall a light chocolate, warm, nutty, and dry. Also crumbly/grainy in a pleasant way, probably from the vanilla note. A pleasant, light, foody/chocolate scent, but it's quite flat, without any depth or body, and remains much the same all through. Not exciting. Verdict: Alas, Velvet was one-dimensional and ultimately uninteresting. I'm disappointed at the lack of myrrh and sandalwood, which I think would've given it more depth. But now I have to find more cocoa/vanilla, as I really like this note. May 2011 Update: My nose has gotten better at picking out notes, and I've had a chance to test Velvet again. Now I smell the sandalwood darkening the cocoa, with a bit of sugary vanilla sweetening the blend. Over time the sandalwood becomes more prominent. Velvet is like a woody, darker version of Gelt, and it's also surprisingly similar to Tombstone -- they must have the same vanilla, and the sarsaparilla/leather is probably duping the cocoa. Now I appreciate Velvet more than initially, but it's still quite simple and a bit flattened to me.

In imp: Leafy, wetly green, slightly sweet. Is that a veggie smell I detect? On skin: Light, moist, leafy green, with a light berry sweetness. There's also a hint of something "vegetable"-like, which must be the tomato leaf. A green scent that's more plant than pine; in fact the pitch pine and cedar are barely discernable. Over time it becomes warmer and softer, and what little pine there is fades away, leaving behind pleasant, fragrant berries and a touch of leaves. Nocnitsa and The Snow Storm are similar scents, albeit more piney. Colour impression is leaf green. Verdict: Odd, but pleasant. It's nice to find a green scent that's not merely pine. Not terribly interesting to me, but I'm glad I got to try it!