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BPAL Madness!

LyndaM

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Everything posted by LyndaM

  1. LyndaM

    Epitaph

    Solemn, formal lily with a touch of rose, as perceived through a light clean mist. This blend is beyond lovely. Very delicate, drying with just a hint of soft powder. I found that it doesn't have much sillage, but lasts for longer than average on my skin. This would be ideal for a light spring/summer scent on appropriate occasions - I think it would be nearly impossible to offend others with this fragrance. Also, it would make a great BPAL gateway for any mainstream, light floral loving friends.
  2. LyndaM

    Van Van

    Sweet, smoky...lemon cake? If this is indeed lemon, it is the only lemon note I have ever liked in the entire catalogue. I can't even deal with Dorian; too lemony. This is fascinating and unusual and I really like it. I can't speak for its' effectiveness as a voodoo oil, but it sure gives me a lift!
  3. LyndaM

    The Red Queen

    I can't believe I never reviewed this! Perhaps it's for the best, though. This was in my very first imp pack, in summer 2005. It...confused me. I wasn't at all accustomed to BPAL; many of the blends seemed just too odd or outside the mainstream for me to wear. This was not what I thought of, at that time, as perfume. The notes (of which I am now ashamed) from my first attempt mention gaggy fake cherry and with chemical furniture polish. I recently got a frimp of Red Queen, and gave it another go. Like so many other BPALs I rejected back then, I have grown into this with a vengeance. Now, I perceive The Red Queen as smelling of deep, sticky-rich cherry syrup drizzled over dark exotic woods - distinctive and different in the best possible way. I'm ordering a bottle for this coming autumn.
  4. LyndaM

    Three Brides

    A creamy, somewhat spicy floral that dries down to a sweet ambery base. A memory of the florals lingers into the drydown, with just a touch of the sandalwood, grounding the scent so it doesn't fly away. Well balanced; none of the notes really steal the stage from the others. The rose is barely a whisper, the carnation, lily and orchid blend with it to make a single outstanding floral accord. The mandarin isn't really noticeable, it just adds a delightful juicy sparkle. I combined this with a good quality perfumers alcohol to make a spray parfum, and was rewarded with much better sillage. A spray diffused the scent very effectively, opening it up and highlighting the complexities. I recommend it for all BPAL fragrances. The only negative is that I spray more scent than I would apply in oil form, and go through bottles more quickly! This is classy and timeless, pretty and wearable. Suitable for all ages. It is more similar to a commercial perfume than most of the lab's offerings, but SO easy to wear. This would take you anywhere, excellent for every day (though you might want to go with something a bit darker for night). I can't say enough good things about Three Brides, and I have been wearing it so often that I will soon need another bottle. This would be a good gateway, a seductive introduction to BPAL for friends who wear commercial perfumes and fear the lab is too 'dark'. I think it is the best of the Salons I have sampled so far, and a new BPAL favorite overall. This would find success in the mainstream market.
  5. LyndaM

    Kill-Devil

    Thick and sweet honey close to the skin, with a delightfully edible throw. Once dry, a bit of the oak comes out, grounding the sweetness and (I believe) increasing the longevity. It is a lighter honey than the one in O, and I suspect more wearable for those who find O to be too much. This is beautiful, and very sensual. I felt edible! My husband loves it. I'll be getting a bottle with my next order.
  6. LyndaM

    The King of Hearts

    This is a very interesting and complex scent. Cherry, sexy musk, lavender and faint rose. The lavender makes it just a tad medicinal for my taste; but I can see this scent becoming a lovely and unusual signature for the right woman.
  7. LyndaM

    The Knave of Hearts

    On me, this smelled of sweet, very buttery cake batter, then light and fruity roses. Not one that I will wear often, but perfect for a spring day, or when you just want something pretty and playful.
  8. LyndaM

    Samhain

    This years' Samhain is wonderful! It started out woodsy/foresty, quickly developed an apple note, then morphed to a highly spiced apple cider with just a touch of pumpkin on drydown. I can just barely detect the patchouli grounding it, so this Samhain is not a patchouli heavy scent. I'm ordering another bottle. I'll be going through this one in the next couple of months.
  9. LyndaM

    Goblin

    Love it! Dark patchouli smoothed out with dry coconut, and the barest hint of sweetness from the benzoin. Perfect autumn scent. This really smells wonderful to/on me; it just works with my chemistry. An instant favorite...I just wish now that I'd followed my first instinct and ordered a bottle instead of an imp!
  10. LyndaM

    Midnight Kiss

    Extremely sweet wine/fruit note up top. I agree with those who made Bordello comparisons. Oddly, I seem to get a whiff of baby aspirin as well. Luckily as it dries down I get more of the red musk, amber and patch I had hoped for. I really like this stage, but I don't think I care much for the wine note. No matter, I do think this will be very popular! The girls/guys who can wear wine are going to love it.
  11. LyndaM

    Looking for a BPAL that Resembles a Favorite Perfume

    51 = Alien by Thierry Mugler. Haunted = Shalimar edp
  12. LyndaM

    Masquerade

    I should have loved this, based on the notes. Somehow, it turned into heavy viscous pine and patchouli as soon as I applied it, and gave me a headache. It is very strong and long lasting. I'll keep the imp and give it another try in a week or so. Maybe it's too fresh and needs a little time to come together.
  13. LyndaM

    Haunted

    I love Haunted, to me it smells like all the best parts of Shalimar edp, right down to the faint citrus in the opening and the animalic/vanillic drydown. Dark, slightly sweet and sexy. More please!
  14. LyndaM

    Black Forest

    This one reminded me of winter and Christmas. It started off all pine, warming up to Christmas trees and sleeping dogs by a fire. Not something I'll wear often, but I am intrigued by it. I'll keep the imp and most likely use it for a room scent this autumn.
  15. LyndaM

    Cairo

    Strooong artificial lemon when first applied and right through drydown. I was dying to get some of the resins, incense and wonderful scents others are reporting here, but my skin ran with the lemon. Hours and hours later, the faintest breath of scent left on my skin is really lovely. The lemon finally gave up, and left a dry incence. Unfortunately, it is now almost too faint to smell. Cairo is just not for me.
  16. LyndaM

    Cockaigne

    I had high hopes going in. All the best foodies are LE, it'd be nice to have more in GC. I really loved this in the bottle. Sweet, buttery cream cake. As it dried, however, the wine note came up and ruined it for me. I found it to be sour and acidic, and the cake and honey just couldn't compete. This also reminded me more of a candle fragrance than any other BPAL has. But if Cockaigne happens to work on you, you might be glad to know that the throw is incredible, stronger than any BPAL I have tried (including Snake Oil). A little dab'll do ya. Lasted all day and into the night.
  17. LyndaM

    Umbra

    Dark and strong patchouli and vetiver. I get almost no cinnamon. I have a hard time describing Umbra, other than saying that I like it. To me, it is almost the base notes of a perfume, rather than a perfume in its' entirety. I find it to be perfect for layering, as it gives anything a sexy and earthy grounding. Lighter florals and sweet blends like Chimera are entirely transformed by it.
  18. LyndaM

    Tombstone

    Tombstone started out as vanilla covered cedar, a scent I had no idea I would love so much. Then the leather starts rising...the combo of the leather and the vanilla makes me weak in the knees. I can barely smell the sassafras, it just seems to be lending a sweetness here. While this should be dry, what with the sassafras and cedar, it is actually very creamy and just a bit foody. Longer lasting than most, with decent throw. More, please.
  19. LyndaM

    Sin

    LOVE. Sin vaulted into my top 10 after the second wearing. Warm due to the amber and cinnamon, dry from the sandalwood, and sexy as all hell thanks to the patchouli. The cinnamon is perfectly blended here, with nothing of the 'red hots' or bakery vibes about it. I only wish it had better throw and was longer lasting! I have to slather initially and then reapply during the evening to stay at the scent level I like.
  20. LyndaM

    Fenris Wolf

    Oddly (or maybe not, judging by other reviews), right out of the imp Fenris smells of pine to me. As it dries the sandalwoods make an appearance along with a hint of something sweeter, maybe the amber. Soon I could smell the same undertone of red musk that I love in Spellbound and Sin, except Fenris Wolf is dryer and more masculine to my nose. This is actually better on my hubby, but I could see myself wearing it in the winter.
  21. LyndaM

    Saw-Scaled Viper

    This one is bold and ballsy. Love it! From first whiff to late drydown, it is intense ginger and spice with a slowly rising sexy and sweet undertone. Only hours and hours after application do I really detect the Snake Oil base, and the softened spice stays until the very end. This is not a 'red hots' or craft store cinnamon scent, imo. More like walking into a combination bakery/whorehouse. Immense throw and lasts for freaking ever. Usually over the course of a few hours, I become immune to the scent of my own perfume. Saw Scale is an exception. I could smell it clearly 14 hours after application, and the strap of my leather purse still smells faintly of it days later. Another to stock up on and then mourn when the Carnaval leaves town. The Snake Pit is kicking my ass and stealing my wallet.
  22. LyndaM

    Boomslang

    Love it! It took quite a bit of judicious bottle rotation to get the oils to mix - it was so worth it. In the bottle and wet, all I smell is a dark, delicious cocoa. I agree with those who said this note smells similar to the cocoa note in Velvet, but this is much deeper and sweeter thanks to the Snake Oil base. As it dries the SO comes out more and more, and by drydown, I'm left with the scent of a richer, sweeter, well aged SO. The sillage and staying power are superb. I know it's been said, but this is one dark oil. My skin is very white and no amount of rubbing would stop the oil from producing noticeable brownish yellow stains wherever I applied. So I slathered it on skin hidden by my clothes and to the ends of my hair, 'cause I will not be prevented from wearing this with joyous abandon. I will be hoarding Boomslang. I predict this will age beautifully.
  23. LyndaM

    Shub-Niggurath

    Shub started off great...in the imp and first applied, it was all delicious spicy gingersnaps with a creamy base. I actually wrote it on my "bottles to order" list right after I applied it. However. As it began drying, I was assaulted by a persistant, 'sour lemon' note that I did not care for at all. While this note did become much tamer by the time the oil had fully dried, I don't think Shub and I were meant to be. I've decided to let the imp age for awhile and try it again before writing it off.
  24. LyndaM

    March Hare

    Hmmm. Weirdness afoot. Carnal smelled exactly like apricot tarts to me. March Hare smells very sweet and clovey, but I can't pick out the fruit. I like MH, but Carnal smells more like the description of March Hare than March Hare does!
  25. LyndaM

    Hamadryad

    I can't believe I never reviewed this; one of the blends I never want to be without. Dry and woody, with just a hint of cinnamon, and a breath of flowers on the light wind. Due to the name and associations, I feel like I'm walking through an enchanted forest; where the trees are sentient, and talk about me as I pass! There is absolutely no apple to my nose in Hamadryad, it's my belief that those getting apple got one of the imps of mislabeled Hesperides. If you got apple, please try again with a fresh imp! The real Hamadryad is so worth it. I didn't like uber-green-appley Hesperides at all, and my take on it was exactly that of some of the reviews above.
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