Heavenlyrabbit

Well, patchouli and I do not mix. At this point, my list of BPAL patchouli scents that crashed and burned contains almost every one I've tried. The Masque seems to be the exception that proves my "No Patchouli" rule. My Intuition told me try The Masque and thankfully I listened. Because this has become my Daily Wear. It's what I reach for. Beautiful floral with a heart of incense. The honey sweetens the base just enough to lighten the experience while the cocoa meshes with the patchouli. God I love The Masque. Strong enough to be noticed by not so overpowering it's disruptive. Womanly, romantic. Perfect for Fall, Winter, Spring.

Calming, refined floral with herbal undertones. Reflective, relaxing quality. Somewhat introspective. IMO, not overly complex but masterful in its simplicity. Otherwise assertive notes harmonize well in a quiet sort of nocturne. This works very well with my chemistry and is very soothing. Instinctively I put this on today (monthly cycle). Perfect choice! Could also imagine wearing this after a good soak. Must make a note for tomorrow to bring some forsythia branches into the house and begin forcing their flowers for early Spring blossoms!

Smut went beyond just not working for me, it was spectacularly BAD. I love Snake Charmer and was indifferent to Snake Oil but when it comes to Smut I cannot, for the life of me, get what others draw from this perfume. Not in the bottle or on my skin. The only thing I can smell in this perfume keeps bringing Patchouli to mind, the one solitary note that stinks on me and to me. Since there's no Patchouli perhaps it's the Red Musk others have mentioned? Good Bye, little bottle of Smut! You'll be well loved in your new home in Texas

Elegba's tea-totalling sister. Less sweet and non-alchoholic. but no prude. There's a sensuality and earthiness that reminds of patchouli blends. OR The Springtime version of Hearth without the evergreen notes. On my skin, the preeminent note is Tobacco. The caramel wafts out of the bottle but quickly moves to the background where it picks up the baseline.

Pretty, uncomplicated Rose scent perfect for a "first date". Strong enough to leave an impression but not enough to be overwhelming. The Rose does fade a bit, but then towards the end of a first date, it's nice to get closer and cozy up a bit for that "first kiss".

It's as if Patchouli was transmuted alchemically into a Floral Essence. Dark & earthy which are adjectives I ususally associate with incense and not florals. Deep and complex this is very sensual. One might imagine Parvati wearing this after her bath while awaiting Shiva or, to highlight the Androgynous quality, maybe a Djinn. This exudes a mature sexuality. There's something almost tobacco like here. On me, the sweetness tempers the earthiness but doesn't stand on it's own at all. Patchouli is the one solitary essential oil used in pefumery that I can't abide and have difficulty appreciating. Thus, there is a gaping hole in my BPAL wardrobe. Khajarho is a scent that fills that void and I shall wear it in lieu of Patchouli blends. While I initially thought of swapping this off, it seems prudent to allow myself time to fall in love with this. IMO, aging will bring out the florals and sweetness much more as it did with All Saints.

My experience was almost identical. No scent whatsoever... and my skin chemistry generally grooves on flowers. My head scratcher was Hamadryad. First imp gotten in a swap was well aged and smelled of a beautiful Woodland. New imp straight from the Lab smelled of Cinnamon and absolutely nothing else. Oh, I purchased an imp of All Saints from someone here and it smells like Penitence with no trace of flowers at all. But that was an imp someone made up....

Well, I am waiting to see what the Lab has to offer in the way of scent lockets before buying one. The one scent I've put aside as a candidate for scent locket use is Holiday Moon. Love its initial fruity/green bouquet and then the strong tea underneath... but get little of anything after an hour of wear. Up til now, I've swapped or sold those scents that fade so rapidly on my skin. Will probably only keep a very special few for locket use.

#63 A beautiful herbal bouquet entwined with a gentle sweetness. It's perfume hovers around me, subtle yet long lasting. I do not really get the literal Anise/Absinthe but easily conjur an image of a Green Fairy who offers her own special concotion making me feel relaxed and perhaps even a bit sleepy. Energetic properties also strike me as cool and dry. Perfect antidote to summer humidity. The citric qualities other BPAL'ers note seems to me more herbal and not so much from fruit. It will be interesting to note differences as this ages.

So beautiful! Sweet without being cloying. I shall wear this solo and use Sugar Cookie for layering. Mitzvah will be cherished. Thank You, Trading Post ETA: Creme Brulee on application, Angel Food Cake upon drydown.

Lump of Coal does indeed smell like Ghiradelli's double chocolate brownies in the bottle. 30 seconds after touching my skin it dissipates to something like hot chocolate mix... or the younger sibling to Bliss. I say younger sibling to Bliss because it doesn't last as long. Even though Bliss doesn't smell as strong in the bottle... it lasts longer on me then Lump of Coal. It is amazing to smell Brownies in a bottle! Glad I had a chance to sample a sniff.

Creamy Mint that wears very closely to the skin. And on me, becomes a Skin Scent. The Mint note is fugitive. After a 1/2 hour I'm left with a lovely creaminess that has only the barest hint of Mint . After an hour the Mint exists only in my imagination. Oh, about that creaminess. Some of BPAL's 'creamy' scents have screamed something that sounded like 'COCONUT' on me and occassionally 'PLASTIC'. Snowblind does none of that. But then neither does Beaver Moon, Sugar Cookie or Mitzvah all of which I have and all of which will layer perfectly with Lick It to provide a Creamy-Mint experience that doesn't require costly and ultimately futile reapplications. Happily, Snowblind is much desired and thus easily swapped on Forum for something with a bit more gusto... say a Lump of Choco... Coal. I am going to be really crass and wonder when the first Snowblind bottle will show up on Ebay and how much it'll bring. For those whose chemistry holds onto the particular Mint Note used in Snowblind.... I'd say a bottle will be worth a pretty penny.

I live out here in the Hamptons and just got my imp along with my Yule order, HURRAH! The Cranberry, Juniper/Gin and Lime Notes used in The Hamptions take me to personal preferences and favorite places. Hopefully BPAL'ers will indulge my sharing some musings. Especially since I don't drink Cosmopolitans and stopped trying to keep up with the "In" crowd long ago. Not far from where I live are the Walking Dunes with Cranberry Bogs nestled between them- remnants of days gone by when the cranberry industry prospered here. In amongst the Dunes, in the quiet and quickly fading Novermber sun I go to pick cranberries by scooping them out of the shallow, cold water with my hands. As for the Junipery Gin-ness, most dunes leading up from the beaches around here are filled with windswept cedars (kissing cousins to the Juniper) as well as ground covering junipers. I used to make and sell Christmas Wreaths by taking some prunings from local junipers and cedars (and neighbors evergreen shrubbery).. but that story belongs is the "Mistletoe" Review Thread. Then there's the Key Lime pie at Bostwick's, a terrific restaurant overlooking Maidstone Harbor. Even though Bostwick's gets the busy summer crowds hungry for its outstanding seafood, it also has a great bar where I can often find a familiar face having a drink and the BEST KEY LIME PIE ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE> Summing up The Hamptons as a perfume- I feel this will be a terrific pick-me-up in the summer when the heat and humidity are wearing you down. It'd also shine as a scent to wear to dinners with friends where the drinks and conversations will flow happily into the night. Since this perfume is called "The Hamptons" better make that a Lobster Dinner with friends.

Beautiful, engaging florals wreath themselves into One Scent, uplifting and rewarding. A masterful blend.

Lovely, light bouqet of flowers. Again, I sense the removed, akashic quality floating throughout all of the Poe florals. The carnation plays well with others, a first from BPAL's carnation which usually screams SPICE on my skin thus drowning out all other voices.

Violets and Seaweed carried on the wind. Usually BPAL's Violet note wears astoundingly harsh on me. In City by the Sea, even though it's prominent, the Violet has a somewhat removed, distant quality making one want to focus their attention in order to hear all it's poetry blowing in the salty breeze. City by the Sea stands with Ephemera as the only Violet inclusive BPAL blends that could work for me personally. Since Ephemera's subtlety would mean reapplications, I'll now have to decide between City by the Sea and L'Artisan's Violet. That is meant as a compliment to Beth. For clarity: L'Artisan's Violet might be used to define the word 'Feminine' while City by the Sea is a desirable and wearable Androgyne, IMO.

Patchouli and Cardamom, Cardamom and Patchouli Nothing more, nothing less For my chemistry, an unpalatable gourmand. For others, most likely an earthy, warm embrace.

Opens with slightly sweet florals immediately touched by some spicey but well behaved floral note. Well blended and refined florals gently harmonize. An ambient, ethereal quality. Ozone? A discrete but enticing scent. Perfect for luncheons, springtime, work (where major statements aren't apropos) mixing into lotion and linen spray.

Les Infortunes de la Vertu is one of BPAL's most outstanding perfumes yet. It is in the world class category of historic Floral Chypres occupied by such luminaries as Bandit and Habanita. Of the two stellar examples of perfumes from the 20's-40's just mentioned, I'd say Les Infortunes de la Vertu suggests Bandit in EDP strength rather than the Parfum since the leather is more predominant. This is the perfume that the female James Dean would wear. Whenever Hollywood decides to give us a female anti-hero, she'd be wearing this. And while anti-hero usually means challenging the status quo and a willingness to take risks it doesn't preclude a certain vulnerability. Idea: Try layering with peach or maybe vetiver. Even the Perfume Snobs at Makeupalley ( "I don't DO Eve Arden") would consider this a fine example of Perfumery.

Harvest Moon 2005 brings to mind the very first perfume I bought and wore as a teenager- Cinnabar, a spicy fruity floral. Yes, I do love spiced perfumes still and Harvest Moon's description mentions mulling spices. Unfortunately, that's pretty much what asserts itself at the opening and mostly what's left after dry down. True, you can smell the fruits somewhat. But over time, the spices become tedious. Even when the fruits present themselves, the spices never leave center stage and continue to chew the scenery throughout the day. The Tagete (marigold) never really gives its hint of smoke and the flowers just don't ever seem to get a moment in the spotlight at all. In the end, this version of Harvest Moon seems lacking a certain distinctiveness. It is a very nice spicy, fruity perfume but is too much like the many other spicy, fruity perfumes available. As a quality Autumnal scent, I can see why Harvest Moon is loved by many. Recomendation, layer with something like O or Dana O'Shee for a more lavish gourmand production. Use as is for pot pourri or sachets.

Freshly made Waffle Cone. Midway smells like freshly made waffle cones you can get for ice cream. Fried dough that is not greasy or mushy but a bit crisp and ready to hold a flavorful scoop of something or other. Consider layering this with gluttony or bliss for a chocolate ice cream cone. Mix it with something that smells like anise or licorise and you've got pizzelles. So this is mainly a fresh waffle cone with nondescript vanilla ice cream and coconut sprinkled on top. Coconut (or whatever it is in Midway that reads as Coconut) amps up on my skin terribly and usually makes any perfume a single note Coconut. Snow White, for instance... on me it's nothing but Coconut. So that Midway can smell like a waffle cone WITH coconut on my skin is kind of amazing. This is essentially a skin scent, not too sweet and not to be pigeonholed as a gourmand.