OctoberGwen

I love Waterhouse's art, and The Magic Circle has long been a favorite, so I knew I needed this one!
I have to say, vanilla-infused frankincense is delicious. The vanilla really softens the sharp edge that frankincense can sometimes have on my skin, yet it still retains that solemn incensey vibe that I love. The clary sage is very distinctive, as always, but is prevented from being too masculine for me by the sweetness of the jasmine sambac. I don't get a lot of my beloved aged patchouli, it seems to be laying low with the honey myrtle and oude to create a nice base. It may become more prominent with age, too.

This is gorgeous. I think I need all the Pickman Hecate blends. Oy!

One of the few fruity blends I really love, probably because it's so dark. I think the bud of the blackcurrant is also a more subtle version of the fruit, scent-wise. It's a lovely swirl of fruity rose and musky tonka, blended really seamlessly.

 

This may have snuck its way into my Top Ten. Something about my skin chemistry works really, really well with this blend - I am very glad I've been able to locate two bottles.

I was lucky enough to snag an empty bottle a couple of years ago and ever since, I've been stockpiling and hoarding by dribs and drabs.

 

I adore Storyville. It's rich and deep and everything old world New Orleans, and it smells unbelievable on me. I think it's the Great Tragedy of BPAL that it will never be resurrected.

Some of the reviews for this scent are really amusing.

 

Scherezade is gorgeous, and there is no mistaking the components here. It smells exactly like you would expect red musk, saffron, and warm, dry Middle Eastern spices to smell like. (In a word: heavenly.)

 

I think of it as being in the same classic BPAL family as Bastet and Morocco. I really love it.

Beautiful Death is part of the Lace family of scents, which I would have recognized immediately upon smelling even if Beth hadn't said so. I love the Laces, so of course I needed this.

It's very well blended, so I don't get a lot of vanilla though I can tell it's there. I actually love it when vanilla acts as more of a supporting player rather than taking over, as it can sometimes be too sweet for me.There is a certain sweetness here, but it's only very slightly fruity. Also present are the very distinct Lace-y elements of cognac and tea, but otherwise everything just blends into a lovely, elegant, very Victorian scent. No distinct sandalwood or Roman chamomile or (surprisingly) tobacco to my nose, though the latter is almost certainly lending itself to the 'Lace' aspect of this scent.

I'll quote here what Beth said about it on FB:

"I made the scent for myself, because I wanted something corpse'y and bittersweet for spring. It's in the Lace family." And, "...the belladonna berry accord has a blackcurrant feel to it, but a little sweeter. I think you'll like it."

I definitely do, Beth. xoxo

Something about this is making me think of Antique Lace.

 

Sweet but not cloying with a definite creamy quality to it, I think it's the combination of marshmallow root, macadamia, and amber that is reminiscent of dark vanilla to my nose. Interesting. This is not particularly tropical, despite the presence of coconut, nor is it 'buttery' at all on my skin (thank God.)

 

Very low throw - this is a snuggly skin scent, for sure. Happy to have a bottle when I'm in the mood for something sweeter.

I looooooooove this.

Startled Toad is like a who's who of notes I adore: coconut, lemongrass, amber, patchouli...I get all of those (and they blend together beautifully), along with just a touch of frankincense's bite and maybe a hint of vanilla. The carnation is just adding some spicy sweetness.

This is really lovely, not too sweet, and smells like classic Shunga to me. I am so glad I bought a bottle.

I was thrilled to see another blend featuring orange, and the combination of notes looked almost too good to be true: it's like a "who's who" of some of my very favorite notes. This does not disappoint.

 

Beautiful deep orange/tangerine over that magnificent patch and a whiff of tobacco to open, then as it dries down I get a lovely, dusty amber. I'm not picking up the white musk per se but I can sense it's there. I do not find this blend to be overly masculine at all, probably because of the sweetness of the citrus combo. I think this is gorgeous, one of my favorite anniversary scents to date. My only complaint is that it doesn't last all day.

After a couple of months of mellowing, this has become one of my favorite rose scents. It's really more rose-tinged than straight-up rose; I find it fresh and only slightly sweet, with a really captivating waft. It's very...womanly.

 

I'm very glad I got this!

This is gorgeous. I love rosehip, and I definitely smell that here along with the sweet plum blossom and a beautiful, light incense.

 

This may go onto my bottle list.

Ha - I would never, ever buy this because sugar is a no-go on me and I'm not a foodie gal. However, I am really glad someone frimped me a little tester (thank you!), because this is such a nice memory Beth shared with us.

 

This smells exactly, precisely like Easy Bake Oven pink cake. Sweet, vaguely strawberry-ish, and PINK. Period. There is no butter, no yellow cake, no frosting (at least to my nose.) It's a childhood-happy scent for sure.

Gaaaaaaaahhhhh.

 

This is lovely. First applied, it's slightly bitter and the dirt note is very prominent. Given a few minutes to develop on my skin, it becomes another creature entirely. Honey and fig are both notes that do not often agree with me: they can both be cloyingly sweet, which usually makes me nauseous. Here the honeyed fig lends a beautiful round sweetness that is an absolutely perfect balance for the slightly bitter/sharp quality of the ivy/leaves/cypress and the sourness of the graveyard dirt. Each element here is necessary and lends something vital to the whole, and something about this scent captures what I feel to be the true essence of Autumn. It's evocative, haunting, and really beautiful.

 

I love the poem, too, and the scent nails it. My hands-down favorite Halloweenie this year, and perhaps ever. I am so glad I took a chance on a blind bottle.

First applied and for some time afterwards, Witch-Bride isn't so much astringent as it is medicinal: it smells like an old fashioned apothecary shop's mixture of tinctures and powders and roots. The resins don't do anything to deepen the pale, wispy quality of the scent, even into the far drydown when that medicinal smell has gone and the florals begin to shine a bit. These florals are witchy and greenish-white and mysterious; more sexual than sexy, if that makes sense, but in a slightly spooky way.

 

Witch-Bride is interesting and evocative; pretty, even, but ultimately too pale for me.

This is, yes, a primarily soft and cozy scent. Very, very soft. I'm not getting red currant at all; there is not the slightest fruity quality to this blend on my skin. My beloved ambergris, yes, and something else that might be leaves although it's not the distinct LEAF note that every other BPAL with leaves contains.

 

Quiet, unassuming, soft. I will probably reach for my Single Note or Humpback Whale when I want ambergris; this one is just sort of fuzzy and indistinct to my nose. It's nice enough, but it doesn't wow me.

The sea salt note starts off nice and strong - it's the same note from last year's My Mommy In a Boat, and it's delicious. After a few minutes the florals become more apparent and blend beautifully with the saltiness. This is pretty and fresh, and only very slightly aquatic-smelling. As Andyl said above: "this is an aquatic for aquatic haters, a floral for floral haters." It's a blend I'll reach for when I want something light and happy-making, smelling of the innocence and magic of childhood dreams.

 

Another absolutely lovely blend from this year's Lilith update. I really hit the trifecta with my blind bottle purchases this time.

 

ETA: On me, the vanilla-infused benzoin appears in the far drydown, lending a deeper resonance to the scent that is subtle and sticks close to the skin. This prevents the whole affair from being dismissed as too girly and/or immature, imo. Very nicely done.

OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

 

I love, love, love this. The almond is the star of the opening act, but it's quickly balanced out by the fabulous lime/absinthe/et cetera. For once, anise is not stomping on everything else, it's just giving a nice boost, a hint of freshness. This is so beautifully blended, and somehow it is bringing Voodoo to mind. It's like a lighter, fresher, more feminine version of Voodoo. Or maybe I'm just crazy, it's been a while since I've worn that one, but the lime and almond are evoking it for me, especially in the early stages.

 

On the drydown the lily becomes the focus, but this normally-overpowering floral remains nicely balanced by the other elements.

 

Gah, I am loving this and so damn happy I blind-bought a bottle. YAY, ME.

 

It is utterly unique to my collection. I adore the label, too.

 

Mini Magdalene is so beautiful! It is, indeed, very reminiscent of the Candlelight atmosphere spray but is less smoky and has the addition of vanilla and a very subtle spiciness. It is a sweeter blend than what I normally reach for, but it stays close to the skin and doesn't overpower. And while sweet, it is not overwhelmingly foodie to my nose.

 

The far drydown is a faint, creamy-smooth vanilla and candle wax scent. "Vanilla ice cream" has none of the plastic smell that I sometimes get from vanilla, and the spiciness is a lovely, delicate contrast to the sweetness.

 

Really delicious.

This is really good: slightly spicy pumpkin with that unmistakable tobacco/cognac/something that says "BPAL Lace blend." I don't find this foodie at all; rather it's refined, slightly Victorian, very Autumnal...and delicious. I'm happy to add this to my Lace collection.

GAH. I absolutely love this.

 

Sweet from the cacao and the exquisite vanilla flower, but not terribly foodie-sweet; a slightly poofy creaminess from the mallow flower, a groundedness from the honeyed patch and sandalwood. Really, really well blended. This is close-to-the-skin and the most completely inoffensive patchouli blend I own - I would wear this in even the most conservative work setting with utter confidence. It's got a slightly foodie quality and yet I don't smell like the dessert I just ate; the florals lend just the right amount of sophistication. This is absolutely lovely.

 

A million thanks to kashmira, who picked it up for me the day after I left NYCC without it.

I have to say, I wish I'd grabbed this, too - I fairied a bottle and I bet the buyer is going to love it. Turns out red musk and apple are a match made in heaven - they smell wonderful together, and the patchouli and khus give it a nice edge. I got no clove at all. This is beautifully blended and is the only scent with apple in it that I've ever liked on my skin.

This is a very pretty, somewhat muted floral blend (i.e., there is absolutely nothing "high pitched" here), with perhaps just the faintest whiff of something delicate that says "tea" to my nose. Gentle, comforting, and happy.

These Lilith blends are absolutely brimming with love.

WTF, banana? I figured this would be "scrub it off!" awful, but at the NYCC booth it was the one blend I could not stop sniffing on my arm. Something about the incense and, yes, banana really works. It's sweetish and unique and...I bought a bottle. An utterly shocking hit for me. (I should note here that New Orleans is one of my very favorite cities, so...I dunno. Maybe that has something to do with it.)

This is a very strong, gorgeous coffee (love) and that wacky thing sugar does on my skin (not so much love.) If you are a coffee scent lover and have been looking for the perfect coffee blend - look no further.

I didn't think I would like this at all, despite the fact that the description moved me to tears. Frankincense often overwhelms, bourbon vanilla hates my guts, and I dislike the masculine fougeres I'd tried so far. At the NYCC booth, I dutifully dabbed some of this on for review purposes and I am so, so glad I did. This is absolutely beautiful, people. Beautiful. No notes stand out to my nose. It is a soft, sophisticated, haunting blend. The fougere adds a gauzy, dreamy cast over the classic-smelling frankincense/myrrh/vanilla combo, giving them a character that feels entirely unique here. I really can't describe it any better than that.

 

I bought a bottle.

This was almost all grass, lots and lots of grassy grass, with a touch of what had to be cold iron. Evocative and both haunting and comforting, oddly enough.