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In bottle: Dark, almost liquor-like aroma. Slightly tangy, grassy matcha, and duskily spiced woods.

 

Wet: An old-world forest meadow, enveloped in patchouli, dirty & lush. Tangles of filmy champaca & tart petitgrain, with just a trace of smoldering rose & narcissus. Leather appears, black as pitch among the other notes.

 

Dry: Robust leather, backed by the duskily spiced woods I could smell in the bottle. A whisper of smoky anise, oudh & cedar envelope the background, supporting the all-too-enticing gloom this blend seems to evoke.

 

Verdict: It reminds me just a bit of Liz - perhaps a darker, moodier 1880's version. Or, you know Kate Beckinsale's character in Van Helsing? This, all over this.

 

ETA: It fades remarkably fast, I am hoping that a bit of age will increase its staying power! Leather Phoenix is highly favored by the aging process, even just the few months I've had it. The leather note in particular has deepened and really started to mature into an intensely captivating essence.

In vial: Leaves and mums. Sharper than I expected.

Wet: The linen and rose creep in, making this feel suited to spring or summer rather than autumn. Clean white sundresses hanging to dry among rosebushes and daises.

Dry: The linen becomes very strong on me, and slightly ozonic. There are still hints of flowers, breezy and pretty.

 

Verdict: I can only tolerate ozone in very small amounts, or when it's buried deep in the blend. Not the case here. This one reminds me of 51, actually - like an ultra-femme version.

In vial: Fresh and airy but very smooth - not staticky or ozoney at all.

Wet: There is something familiar going on, but it is not sweet enough to be fruity, nor sharp enough to be citrus. I can't pinpoint it. It may be juniper as other reviewers have mentioned, but if so it is a totally new kind to me. Usually pine, juniper and the like are horrible on me, but this is really nice which makes me think it must be something else altogether.

Dry: A slight herbal or floral edge slides in, creamy and pale. So mysterious! Wait a second... I think I know why it seems familiar. It's reminding me of Bijoux Y'ha Nthlei, from 2010 Lupers, I think. That one has various herbs, beeswax & Hawaiian ginger in it. From what I recall it has the same sort of delicate feel as Pale Student does, though Student is more masculine and seems a bit cleaner.

 

Verdict: I went out on a limb with the vague description, and while it was fun to try and smells nice - it's not something I'd reach for.

In bottle: A spiced aura, red and black are the color impressions I get.

Wet: The almond is strongest on me, unfortunately. There is a grounded kick of rooibos, some pepper and slightly astringent ginger.

Dry: It becomes much sweeter as I detect the fennel and licorice. The coconut sugar and jaggery (also a type of sugar) slide in to bring a syrupy quality. This will benefit much from aging.

 

Verdict: Almond doesn't work on me very often but I had to give PMR a try since it was a spicy blend without cinnamon (which gives me a rash sometimes). It just didn't pan out on my skin, but I can see it being really wonderful on the right person!

In bottle: Sweet, cold, with an odd tang.

Wet: Ah, I have a feeling these night-blooming flowers include jasmine, which is hit or miss for me. I am also getting some almondish-coconutish whiffs. Almost husky or musky?

Dry: Smells... melted. Like a wad of jasmine blooms fell off the vine into a slushy, icy mudpuddle. Actually, exactly like that! How odd.

In vial: A forest green leather bound book, aged and worn. Something a bit sharper in the background, it actually does seem a bit thorny!

Wet: The leather gets stronger, smoother. There is a velvety dust note, not too sweet or powdery. A hint of inked paper.

Dry: It reminds me very much of Rogue at this point - leather with a touch of green, bolstered by a waxy dustiness. But it has something else too, that makes it seem much darker than Rogue.

 

Verdict: Surprisingly when I tested this I was immediately able to describe what it smells like on me by using an equation of existing BPAL blends. I'd say it's just like the velvet & leather from Erik plus the sweet dust from Black Opal plus the dark green stone from Night's Bridge. Maybe some hemp & rosin from Rogue, as well. I'd recommend any of those blends if you like this version of Old Moon, or are wanting to try it but having a hard time obtaining any.

In vial: Not being a drinker, this reminds me immediately of butter rum lifesavers. There is a distinct boozy bite to this though.

Wet: Immediately awash in booze! Strong, buttery rum. It has a similar feel to Boo on me - if Boo was golden instead of ghostly, and tarnished instead of clean. Maybe that only makes sense to me, but there you go.

Dry: Does go slightly plastic, I am sure aging will fix this.

 

Verdict: Not something I'd enjoy wearing, but it was fun to try.

In vial: Sweet, tangy rosehip and plum. This is very promising.

Wet: Headier than I expected, but lightly so. The sandalwood and incense are grounding influences, keeping it from going screaming off into 'shrill white floral' territory. I am loving this plum blossom - all too often the lab's plum notes go craft store candle on me, but this seems like a perfectly rosy plum right off the tree.

Dry: The jonquil adds a swaying breath of ethereal cleanness. It seems quite serene, feminine & lovely. The fruitiness melds into an aura of incensed sandalwood, adding just enough dry spice to make this blend a more intense and alluring experience than expected.

 

Verdict: All too often it seems that Asian inspired blends feature notes that don't work well for me, namely citrus, insubstantial florals or aquatics. I am glad to find one that is wearable, and not only that, still complex enough to keep me sniffing long after application. Of course, the fact that rosehip and jonquil are two notes I adore may have played in, just a bit!

In vial: Leathery, seems quite artificial.

Wet: I get some orange blossom and florals but mostly leather. It reminds me of new car smell, but the fake kind from those scented trees.

Dry: The florals kick in more, but do nothing to improve my opinion of this one.

 

Verdict: Just not my style. The leather/floral combo confuses my nose too much - this seems disjointed to me.

In vial: Gingery, faint.

Wet: An initial burst of clean, surprisingly sterile milk. Very odd.

Dry: Somewhat latex-like. This is reminding me of a hospital. I am weirded out!

 

Verdict: This is a blend I've had my eye on testing since I first found BPAL, and I finally got a hold of some! Too bad it just didn't work for me.

In vial: Deep, syrupy, even oily pear. Lushly dark herbs. Incredibly alluring, I can hardly bear to pull my nose from the vial.

Wet: The pear flees almost instantaneously. The motia attar, mugwort & violet leaf clamber forward, great hulking bullies that they are, and turn the lovely darkness into sour, soggy black hay. Literally, it smells like I stuck my arm in a pile of burnt hay. Still dark I guess, but grassy rather than floral or fruity.

Dry: The pear comes back hesitantly, lessening the impact of the previous stage. The last five notes are more apparent to me now, grounding and smoothing out the scratchiness with resinous clarity. The end result a bit later on is much closer to the smell I get right from the vial that I loved so much.

 

Verdict: That middle stage is quite a ruckus, so if I want to wear this out I'll be sure to put it on at least half an hour before I leave the house, to give it time to settle. At first I didn't think it would be something I'd wear, but after experiencing it I am really liking it even so. I think this blend would be fabulous for roleplaying. To me, overall Black Moon embodies the essence of a mystical hedgewitch; very aloof yet desirable, seeming almost phantasmal until you are close enough that you can feel the warmth radiating from her skin - she is all too real. The combination of herbs, florals & resins bring to mind dark rituals, arcane pacts & sensuous sensibilities mixed with earthiness and elements of village life.

In vial: A vibrant swell of neroli. Quite overpowering.

Wet: The ylang ylang makes an appearance, clamoring for precedence over the already intimidating neroli. Usually I get along well with both these notes, but apparently not this time!

Dry: It becomes rather aquatic after a time, which is generally the death knell for my skin chemistry.

 

Verdict: I am going to keep finding aquatics to test even though they keep bombing on me; there must be ONE that will work!

In vial: Strong almond & cinnamon. As I tend to have reactions to cinnamon if too prevalent, I am testing this very lightly.

Wet: The almond bursts forward before fading in a flash of cinnamon. I am getting gleaming heliotrope, sweet and light.

Dry: Ultimately it settles into a sweet vanilla-almond, creamy and not too foody.

 

Verdict: I like it more than expected, but I usually associate this particular conglomeration of notes with soap, homemade soap in particular. Not interested in it as a perfume, unfortunately.

In vial: Lightly creamy floral. Not shrill, though very 'white'.

On skin: Totally unexpected, but as I discovered- mogra is a type of jasmine, which in this case goes a bit unpleasant on me. I can sense rose, but it is quite faint. The bit of coconut I get is lovely.

Dry: Tangy, white freshness. I can't really describe it any better. Reminds me a bit of laundry soap, in a mostly good way but for the jasmine. I am usually pretty neutral towards jasmine, but here it just slaps me across the face and walks off. Ah well.

As far as I know, there is nothing that contains ALL of those notes. You can type in specific notes at www.bpal.org/search and it will show what blends contain them. You may want to try the following blends that have some of the notes you've mentioned, maybe layer them?

 

Cathode (GC)

Ambergris, Spanish Moss, oakmoss and three electric mints.

 

Casanova (GC)

A rakish blend of leather, anise, lavender, bergamot and amber with tonka, lemon peel and lusty patchouli.

 

Death on a Pale Horse (GC)

The End of All Things: empty white musk and mint seeped with solemn lavender, doleful patchouli and vetiver, scythe-sharp yuzu and lime, with geranium bourbon, white sandalwood and calla lily.

 

Manhattan (GC)

Sheer amber, black leather, white mint, lemon peel, white tea, grapefruit, kush, teakwood and orchid.

 

Nephilim (GC)

Holy frankincense and hyssop in union with earthy fig, defiled by black patchouli and vetiver, with a chaotic infusion of lavender, cardamom, tamarind, rosemary, oakmoss and cypress.

 

The Scales of Deprivation (GC)

A scent that offers no sustenance, comfort or satiety: lemon peel, white sage, frankincense, lavender fougere, sandalwood, vetiver and labdanum.

 

Schrodinger's Cat (GC)

A paradoxical scent experiment! - tangerine, sugared lime, pink grapefruit, oakmoss, lavender, zdravetz, and chocolate peppermint.

 

Anesthesia (Neverwhere)

A scent that slips through the cracks: peppermint, lavender, bergamot, and mandrake.

 

Green Tree Viper (CD)

Snake Oil with four mints, bergamot, and green tea.

In bottle: Ambrette seed, nutty and golden. Sweet beeswax is also quite prominent.

Wet: I can smell the smoky champaca and a deep citrus brightness from the bergamot & saffron.

Dry: It is well blended, but eventually fades to naught but a glowing frankincense.

 

Verdict: I don't need a whole bottle, as I have other 'golden' blends that are more dear to me, but this does have a warm, calming and comforting feeling about it.

 

Side note: After testing the bath brew 'Eye of Newt', I noticed a striking resemblance between the two. The only note they share is the ambrette, but they seem almost identical to me! So I suppose Thousands of Lights would be perfect to layer with after you bathe in Eye of Newt.

In bottle: Very woody and green. Has the tiniest hint of the same sharp wood that ruined The Changeling for me.

Wet: Sappy wood, green and splintery. I can smell the leaves now, they are really nice. Definitely alive, vs. the lab's more common note of dead or dry leaves. The scary Changeling wood has faded, thank goodness.

Dry: Sweet, creamy acorns and a bit of bark. Not getting any berry tones here, nor sugar. There is a vanilla-like quality, but this isn't totally unexpected- I recently read that there is a compound contained in wood that when aged, smells remarkably like vanilla of the highest quality. So for me, imagining a huge, ancient oak does not totally preclude a certain sweetness in the air.

 

Verdict: I do wish the greenness stuck around a bit longer, but overall I am very pleased with Oak Moon. It's a close, natural feeling blend, and not as one-dimensional as it seemed at first test (which had me thinking it was too sweet). After reapplication, I am getting in addition to the creaminess, pale translucent leaves & moonlit acorns.

 

I find this blend to be in the same vein as Tombstone, Sonnet D'Automne, and much more distantly related to Brood XIX & The Changeling (ie, Oak Moon is how I wish the last two behaved on me!)

In vial: Herbaceous evergreen, tinged with a bark-y bitterness. Reminds me somewhat of a taproot- supple, woodsy, earthy.
Wet: On skin, it becomes insanely musky, in the absolute best way possible. The myrrh is dirty & sweet, and there is a bright, tart edge from the bergamot, like dappled sunlight through the canopy.
Dry: The fir has gentled into a velvety base, supporting the resins most deliciously. I am getting the impression of ferns; deep green & brown shadows.

Verdict: At first sniff, I was afraid this would remain unforgivingly harsh on me as most evergreen blends do. I am so glad to say that isn't the case here! It softens exquisitely, and becomes an unaffected forest-y skin scent - I feel like I've just had a romp in the plushy undergrowth and am now laying in droplets of sunlight intertwined with cool green shade. It ultimately continues to sweeten on me, becoming rather incensed. I don't like that result as much, but I still love this enough to hold onto the imp indefinitely.

In vial: Sort of a prickly vanilla. I think orchid usually tickles my nose, so that must be it.

Wet: The leather comes out, but vanilla is still the main player. I can see why a lot of people would swoon over this!

Dry: The amber really comes out, not very powdery on me, but noticeable. I get just a touch of moss.

 

Verdict: It's easy to see why it's so coveted. I'm just not wowed by it though! It's quite similar to Liz or Paladin (to my nose at least).

Reading the description, the only notes that appealed to me were the damp woods & patchouli. I was afraid to get a decant, but I figured I could handle a 1/4 bar of soap - the throw is never long lasting once I leave the shower so I can generally use notes that don't work on me.

 

I opened the baggie my chunk o' soap was in, and it was very woodsy & earthy smelling! The soap is marbled bits of black, brown and tan.

Lathering it up, there is a hint of sweetness from the spices and apples, no pumpkin, mostly musky dark woods. It really seems counterintuitive to wash yourself with something essentially 'dirty' smelling, but for some strange reason, it totally works. It makes me feel like I was caught in an autumnal rainstorm, with all the smells of the damp & chilled forest floating around me. I honestly did not think I'd like it, but bodegaselkie is right- it is utterly addictive, and I really want to try the perfume oil now, as well as get a full bar of this soap!

In vial: Grapey, chilly.

Wet: A burst of herbaceousness, green and stark.

Dry: Delicate lace-wrought ozone. Smells either frosty or foamy, I can't decide.

 

Verdict: Interesting, much prettier than expected.

In vial: That sharp tang I usually get from sandalwood is very much present, with just a faint aura of sweet leather.

Wet: I can totally relate to the barn references - it does smell like golden hay & worn but well cared for saddles. Much sweeter than I expected.

Dry: Ultimate drydown is quite reminiscent of Paladin, but with raspy wood instead of vanilla/armor. Really nice!

I can smell all the notes at first, but it gradually fades into sour honey & over-ripe pumpkin on me. Blech.

In bottle: Thick chocolate, rich & spicy. Definitely needed to roll the bottle before applcation.

Wet: Hazy florals & cassia, it does seem quite smoky at first. There is a powdery edge from the sandalwood, it seems musty almost.

Dry: The chocolate all but disappears, leaving the oleander & heavily musky woods to duke it out.

 

Verdict: Reminds me of old lady perfume, like there is something sickly underneath it almost... I don't like it at all. There is a tang to the musk that turns my stomach.

In bottle: The slight soapiness of lily, and something reminiscent of bubble gum? I've never smelled betel nut before, perhaps that's the culprit.

Wet: The sugary/fruity edge dissipates, and so does the soapy quality. The lilies become very smoky & deep, and I can sense something dark green there as well - banana leaves, I expect. I like this much more than any other lily blend I've tested so far; it is clean, but ultimately without the soap. Hooray!

Dry: Heady incense, earthy & golden. Still much more smoky than I expected, it clings to my skin the way real incense smoke does after being burned. Almost like opium, how it's a smoky floral mix. Eventually I get some coconut bark, slightly woody & as the smoke continues fading, I'm able to smell the warm, sweet candle wax.

 

Verdict: The description sucked me in head over heels, so my expectations were rather high - yet I was still very surprised when I actually tested it. The incense/smoky quality is quite realistic, though it remains clean-smelling, not stale at all (which is what usually puts me off of burning incense.) The lilies are, as I said, the first I've liked this much. It's just slightly floral, barely resinous, and brushed with earthiness. This is a very arcane, mystical & primitive feeling blend to me. Lilies still aren't my fave, but I may hold onto this.

 

ETA: A few weeks of aging has really brought out the smoke - I honestly don't think I can wear it anymore. I love how it smells, but this incredible sexy smokiness is just too much for my skin to handle. There is an underlying sweetness that just gets to me after a while.