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BPAL Madness!

riddel

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Everything posted by riddel

  1. riddel

    Breezy/Outdoorsy Scents

    How about Rosalind? I find it evocative of a rolling field in the middle of nowhere, a field rich with wild flowers and sweet, juicy berries. Perhaps even Dublin? Dublin is a lovely forest scent that somehow manages to avoid being heavy. It's actually a bit airy, a bit wispy. Must be the "mist." Oh, and you might like Phantom Queen. It reminds me of a meadow. Good luck! Vinland sounds like a great choice for you. Let us know how it works out.
  2. I agree with that. Spooky smelled like a softer, creamier, less tart version of The Star when I initially tested it on the top of my hand. I wish it had smelled like that everywhere else on me, though. I envy those it does.
  3. riddel

    What Scent Is This?

    You say the oil is fairly pale? Even a small amount of patchouli turns a blend somewhat brown, right? Anyone?
  4. Have you tried Shattered? I thought it quite similar.
  5. riddel

    Coyote

    Coyote In the vial: Herbal amber. On my skin: Oh, Beth, this is amazing. Really, really amazing. It's all dusty, downy fur and dry plain grasses with just the smallest touch of sweet golden warmth; like cuddling up to your favorite furry friend outdoors as the sun sets overhead. More than a scent, this is an experience. Final thoughts: Sadly, most of the oil in my impy leaked out when the cap decided to break off. Whimper. As this is more of a private, personal scent for me -- something I would wear around the house as opposed to outdoors -- I'm not sure I'd ever use a whole bottle, though I'm definitely tempted to buy one anyway. I will have to get my hands on at least another imp eventually, though, so that my boyfriend can try this. Let's not tell him, but this could very well be my green kryptonite...
  6. riddel

    Peach, Peach Blossom, Apricot, Nectarines

    Tamora is beautiful. I don't even like peach and I like Tamora.
  7. riddel

    Are bpal blends all-natural?

    It was I who told joseybird that BPAL blends contain no synthetics. I was under that impression because of what it says on the site itself: "The oils that we use are all steam distilled or cold-pressed directly from their organic origin. Some fragrances cannot be obtained purely through natural extraction processes, therefore some of the scents that we use are 'bouquets' - essentially a combination of natural scents created to imitate a fragrance that is irreproducible by other means. We never skimp on quality, and it shows through in the excellence of our creations." As in, all of the oils used are extracted from their "organic origin," and that notes that cannot be obtained purely through natural extraction processes (honeysuckle, for example?) are a bouquet combination of "natural" scents. As for being undiluted, I'm not sure anymore. I was under the impression that they weren't diluted at all, but the FAQ section of the site does say that BPAL blends are "85 - 100% perfume oil," so I guess some are diluted a bit? I'm interested in hearing if you get a response, Josey.
  8. You should really try Queen Mab. Queen Mab Warrior, Trickster and Goddess of Magic and Poets, she is one of the Tuatha De Danaan and the Queen of the Faeries. A very complex scent, both shadowy and fierce: black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk. Good luck, and welcome to the madness!
  9. riddel

    Aquatics

    Ophelia. 'Nuff said.
  10. riddel

    Juliet

    Juliet In the bottle: Very light, a bit crisp, kind of honeyed, slightly sweet. Smells golden, just like the color of the oil. Hewwo, pear, I wubboo! On my skin: The lilies are rowdy at first. It's like they're pushing the other components down with their naughty little stems, including the pear and white musk I love so much. Attention whores. Lilies always smell a bit paper-y to me, a bit waxy -- maybe even a bit dry. But ah, they're calming down. They, in the aftermath of their initial struggle for dominance of this blend, are resigning themselves to the fact that it's just not nice to not play nicely with others. It's starting to blend together now, smelling quite a bit like it did in the bottle: light and crisp, honeyed and sweet. It is a bit powdery, but not aggressively so. It's powdery in a very subtle, feminine way, in the way many mainstream perfumes are. Final thoughts: While I didn't think much of this blend the first time I tried it (much to my dismay, as I'm such a Juliet fangirl), I found myself reaching for it again and again. It is, at the moment, my most worn BPAL oil. Not my favorite, mind you (that honor goes to Maiden, my pwecious), but my most worn. I just find it very classic, very safe. But more than that, it's very, very pretty. This feels like me. But then, I'm in my element with sweet, feminine blends. P.S. Juliet, to me, is a more feminine version of Endymion. Not that Endymion is a masculine blend, not by any means. Juliet just doesn't in any way smell gender-neutral to me. Endymion, however, does.
  11. There have already been so many great recommendations. I'm going to have to third (or forth? or fifth?) Maiden. It's just insanely beautiful. Insanely. Of course, I might be biased, seeing as how it's my favorite BPAL oil. It does seem to fit all of your requirements, though.
  12. riddel

    Yuletide

    Yuletide 2004 The juice of ripe, bursting, blood red holly berries. In the bottle: Skadi, is that you? Well, no, you're similar to my nose, Yuletide, but not exact. You're a warm scent, not cold, and your berries aren't as prominent. On my skin: Yeah, this wears much like Skadi wears on me minus the chill and the strong berry drydown -- as if the pine needles in Skadi were to take over. These aren't fresh pine needles from a living tree that's being nurtured by soil and rain and air like those in Skadi are. No, these are the fallen pine needles of a dying Christmas tree that's been in the house for some time now. The berries in this don't smell ripe and juicy and alive like the berries in Skadi smell to me. These berries, these berries smell dried, like the kind you find in craft stores. I do detect a bit of spice in this, I think, when I sniff hard enough. As this dries further I smell something a bit "brown," much like the trunk of a Christmas tree or even a pine cone. Very comforting. Final thoughts: I like! This one really does smell like the Yule season. If Skadi is a winter walk, Yuletide is a winter house, decorated for the upcoming holidays, closed to the chill outside. S'very evocative, very nice.
  13. riddel

    Rose Red

    Rose Red 2004 In the bottle: The perfect rose scent. On my skin: The perfect rose scent. Seriously. It's rich, thick, velvety; dew-covered, indeed. There's even a bit of sweetness, an element I can't quite put my finger on. Whatever that element is, it gives Rose Red a slight Persephone vibe, though the oil as a whole does not smell like Persephone. This lasts a wicked long time, much like Snow White, and towards the end of its long, long wear something a bit... warm... started to peek its way out. Something that "feels" like rosewood smells, if that makes sense. Final thoughts: My favorite of the Yule LEs, me thinks. It's the rose scent I've been waiting for, being the rose freak that I am. I absolutely cannot accept the fact that this is a limited edition oil: I'm in complete and utter denial. I just can't say it enough, it's the perfect rose scent. Like Snow White, an absolute work of art. I'll cherish my bottle, handling it with kid gloves, using it sparingly. I might even look into obtaining another bottle in the upcoming months, just in case...
  14. riddel

    Midwinter's Eve

    Midwinter's Eve 2004 In the bottle: Much like Snow White (which ended up being a big winner), I didn't think much of this in the bottle. Yes, it smelled delicious -- as in I wanted to drink it delicious -- but it was also very, very plummy, and I usually feel a bit... off... wearing strong plummy/berry scents (though I do think they smell wonderful). I usually need something floral/green/spicy behind them, something to add a bit more depth, otherwise I feel like I'm wearing my 14-year-old cousin's screamingly berry body spray. On my skin: Oh. My. Gosh. I can definitely smell something sugary in this. It really does smell like white sugar -- like juicy, juicy plums dusted in sweet white sugar. The scent as a whole is tugging at my memory a bit, but I can't figure out why. I keep thinking it smells like something from my childhood. Some sort of candy, maybe? Oh, well. It's the white sugar that's making this blend really special for me, I think. It comes out rather strong on my skin and I just adore every second of it. I've wanted a great white sugar blend of some kind for a long, long while. Final thoughts: More Yule greatness. 'Nuff said.
  15. riddel

    Snow White

    Snow White 2004 In the bottle: I didn't think much of Snow White in the bottle. It reminded me of Dana O'Shee, like Dana O'Shee made sweeter. That scared me a bit, to be honest, as Dana O'Shee, while I once liked it quite a bit, has been doing bad, bad things with my skin chemistry lately. But oh, how I wanted Snow White to work on me. Still, I put it off for days, sampling the other Yule LEs I received first. I knew I'd get to it eventually, though, as I know BPAL oils can surprise the heck out of you once they bloom (or wilt) on your skin. I make it a point never to let one pass without at least trying it on. On my skin: Oh. My. Gosh. This is just absolutely friggin' amazing. I haven't found a BPAL scent that loves my skin this much since Maiden. (Okay, okay, so that's not exactly true, as Rose Red loves my skin just as much and I tried that just a few days before trying Snow White, but I speak in very broad terms sometimes.) Snow White touches my skin and makes sweet, sweet love to it. It smells like buttercream frosting with just the barest hint of buttermint. I say buttermint because it's not a sinus-clearing peppermint but a buttery peppermint, rich and creamy, floating around in the background, giving the scent as a whole a light, light chill. I do think I can pick out the coconut others have mentioned, too -- or maybe I, in my furious sniffing to find it, have simply convinced myself it's there. Still, oddly enough, Snow White isn't what I'd call a "foody" scent. Maybe it's the winter blossoms adding backbone and I just can't consciously pick them out. Whatever the case, wow. Just. Wow. Final thoughts: If you haven't already guessed, I love Snow White. Love. It. I love it so much I might want to get my hands on another bottle of it within the next few months. I love it so much were it never to come out again I'd cry. Okay, so maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but I'd be really, really sad could I never get my hands on a fresh bottle of this little piece of art again. It lasts a wicked long time, too, which is just the cherry (or should I say shredded coconut?) on an already sweet slice of angel food cake.
  16. riddel

    When your favorite GC blends are discontinued

    I would love Queen Mab were it not for the fact it disappears in under two hours on my skin. Wah, Queen Mab doesn't last long on my skin, wah! Anyway, have you tried Phantom Queen? It reminds me a lot of Queen Mab. I don't pick out any "green" notes in it. At least, none come out on my skin. I have to admit, I do think I like Queen Mab better, though. Still, it's an option, if you haven't explored it already.
  17. Maiden, definitely. It would work really well on a younger girl. Persephone would be a good choice, too, I think. Oh, and Titania, yes. I wish I had had me some BPAL in high school!
  18. riddel

    Samhain

    Samhain Oh. My. Gosh. This one is so taking me back to those chilly nights I huddled around a wood pit with all of my best girlfriends at 6th grade camp. I almost can't believe how strongly it's bringing back those memories for me, and the nostalgia is welcome, as 6th grade camp was one of the best times of my entire life. I felt so safe there, surrounded by forest as far as the eye could see. I came home and felt like a stranger in my own bedroom, feeling like nothing fit me there anymore. It's a feeling I never really shook, as overly dramatic as that may sound. Samhain is all tree bark and fallen leaves and pine cones and fir needles and wood smoke on me, with just the smallest touch of spicy, organic sweetness, like cinnamon and nutmeg and, yes, apples. Thank you, Beth.
  19. riddel

    Sugar Skull

    Sugar Skull Brown, very brown. It smells like burnt maple syrup. Also, something in this reminds me of the first version of Jack (I've yet to try to second). I guess they share a note, a note that I pick up without really knowing what it is. Peach, maybe? Just the smallest bit of peach? Well, other than the possible peach, I don't smell any fruit. This isn't at all what I was expecting when I placed my order, although I did happen to catch Beth's post, the one in which she mentioned Sugar Skull was reminiscent of brown sugar, so it wasn't a complete surprise. However, before said post, in my head Sugar Skull was sugary white with just the smallest touch of grapefruit pink, melon orange, and grape green. I don't think this is for me. I just can't do foody scents.
  20. riddel

    Cucumber-ish scents?

    I would recommend Embalming Fluid and Shanghai. They both have a cucumber-ish "feel," I think.
  21. riddel

    Scent for Halloween?

    Jack, the first version. My imp has enough for one last wearing. It'll be, like, an event, and stuff.
  22. riddel

    Recs for Longest Lasting Oils

    I guess I'm lucky in that my skin holds on to scent like crazy (knock on wood), and I don't even apply a lot. Most every BPAL I've ever tried has lasted all day, even some "lighter" scents that others have said fade quickly on them (Dana O'Shee and Eve, for example). But there are some exceptions, such as Persephone, Queen Mab, and Seraglio, all of which say bye-bye pretty quickly. That being said, the scents that have stayed around a wicked long time -- longer than most, even -- are Dragon's Heart and Haunted. Man, those two just don't quit!
  23. riddel

    Rain Scents

    Rain? What is this thing you call... rain? *lives in Southern California* Okay, kidding, kidding. It rains here. Sometimes. I've noticed that I tend to pick richer, deeper scents come fall/winter, on average. Like, I've been drawn to Black Phoenix, Blood Rose, O, The Red Queen, Snake Oil, Tintagel, and Velvet the past couple of weeks, among others. I would guess those would be the scents I reached for come rainy weather (this is my first fall/winter with BPAL), or similar scents.
  24. Not always scents that work on me, personally, but the following very clearly evoke certain seasons for me: Fall/Winter - Black Forest, Bliss, Chimera, Gluttony, Jack, Seance, Tamora, Three Witches, Tintagel, Vice Spring/Summer - Alice, Cordelia, Dana O'Shee, Desdemona, Eve, The Hesperides, Jezebel, Ophelia, Pele, Persephone I hope you find something you like.
  25. riddel

    Jailbait

    Jailbait This was a freebie in my last order, an oil I had not planned on trying. While I do like sweet scents, I was afraid Jailbait would make me smell like a pre-teen, what with the bubblegum and lollipop notes. But... I like it, surprisingly. With wear, the "heady womanly perfume" comes to the forefront and the bubblegum fades to the background (on my skin, anyway). The result? A grown-up blend with just enough sticky sweetness to keep it from being downright proper. I never get any of the orange or cherry lollipops, although I'm sure they're there, so well-blended my amateur nose just can't pick them out. What a neat scent. I'll enjoy my imp and go from there.
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