Ishtar

(Long-overdue review for the 2008 version)

 

I have noticed a pattern in the way I review scents: my favourites seem to be the hardest to write reviews for. Not so much because I fear my words won't do them justice, but because I'm so thoroughly enraptured by them that I completely forget to pay attention to the notes and their interplay.

 

Red Lantern is one of these scents. The second I apply it, I find myself immersed in sweet deliciousness, and my brain goes something like this:

 

"Mmmh - oh, wonderful, yum - and so sexy! - hey, this is delicious - so sweet, so perfect - rowr!"

 

Ahem. So, yes, no wonder it took me so long to write something about this scent. I think we all agree the above is not the most helpful review in the world...

 

Here's the short (and hopefully more articulate ) version: on me, Red Lantern is very sweet, but not cloyingly so. It has really good throw, too - one of the few scents that makes me feel like I'm immersed in a cloud of fragrance, and I like it that way!

 

The coconut and caramel are very noticeable; the tobacco is much more subdued yet it is cearly there. As for the other notes listed, they are completely MIA. For some reason, I keep thinking there is cognac in this blend - not that there is an alcoholic feel to it, but it has a certain kind of fruitiness that reminds me of the cognac note.

 

As far as sweet and sexy goes, Red Lantern is utter perfection to me.

Honey and beeswax - very pretty! This is much softer and comforting than I expected.

 

Much to my relief there is no smokiness to speak of, which is a very good thing as smoke makes me queasy both IRL and in perfumes.

 

I can see how some reviewers got coconut, especially right after applying, but on me it's more like an evocation of coconut (and a fleeting one, at that) than a true note that makes you wonder whether there actually is coconut in the blend.

 

As it dries, The Light of Men's Lives becomes creamier and even more comforting - really, this is proving to be the perfect snuggly sweater, stay at home on a cold day kind of scent. I initially thought I may not find much use for such an unusual blend, but it may well earn a spot on my list of everyday favourites.

Even though I usually love every single note in it, Defututa isn't that great on me for the first half hour or so. The olive blossom and the jasmine vie for dominance, and they combine into a sour scent that I'm not enjoying.

 

Things improve during drydown, as the vanilla, honey and cinnamon show up to help ground the olive blossom and jasmine.

 

Once all the components have settled down, Defututa reminds me of a spicier, slightly greener O. Not unpleasant by any means, but I'd rather wear O itself, if only to avoid having to go through the chaotic first half hour.

This is simply stunning! I see how it could be a complete turnoff for those who don't like rose, but I for one happen to love it and... wow, just wow!

 

Fruity florals like Eustephanos usually work very well on my skin, particularly when they contain amber and rosewood, and this is no exception. On me, this is more akin to a slightly less spicy Harlot than to Persephone - it's sweet, deep, rich and truly intoxicating. Sophisticated enough to be worn for an evening out at the opera, and at the same time so deeply satisfying that I would wear it anytime, just to be surrounded by this beautiful womanly scent.

What a lovely, lovely pomander scent!

 

I was worried at first that it might be a bit too "Christmas craft" to be worn as a fragrance, but after a few minutes the mandarin note fades away - not that I'd had minded if it had stuck around, far from it - and I am left with a delicious spice blend.

 

As Miaiphonos dries down, the anise note that was so prominent during the wet stage recedes in the background. The end result is a pretty mellow clove blend, with just enough anise and cumin to keep things interesting.

With such lovely, unusual notes, I had high hopes for Harimise. Unfortunately, it didn't agree with my skin back when I received it, and this is one of the few 2010 Lupercalias that a good bit of aging didn't help.

 

On me, Harimise changes very little - if at all - from start to finish. Be it freshly applied or after 2 hours, it smells exactly like some expensive shampoo only available through salons: vaguely herbal, vaguely floral, clean and soapy (no, I won't use up my decant to perfume my hair! )

 

I think it's now safe to say that this doesn't work for (and on) me...

Hmm, this is very nice! In the imp and wet, it is a very soft, close to the skin type of scent. As it dries down, the lilac becomes more prominent yet it never threatens to take over the blend.

 

After 30 minutes or so, the scent opens up and literally blooms on my skin: creamy, woodsy, warm and yet fresh at the same time thanks to the lilac note. Really lovely, and even though it has very decent throw, this is ultimately a subtle blend (provided you don't amp lilac to high heaven, I suppose).

On me Womb Furie is much more O than Snake Oil - the only Smake Oil trait I can recognize in it being a sweet spiciness that somewhat reminds me of fresh pine pitch.

 

Strangely enough for a cross of two very potent scents, Womb Furie doesn't have that much throw on me and dries down to a rather thin honey and musk blend (mind you, my skin has recently become a lot drier so I have a feeling this might explain the lack of throw.) A perfectly nice combo, but I prefer Snake Oil and O on their own.

When I tried my decant of Anactoria back when it came out (2008 version), I remember being shocked at how very different it was from my expectations.

For all the talk of sultriness and promise of glorious resins, I ended up with a very clean unisex fragrance, composed of a high-pitched soapy note and a very light musk base without much substance or depth to it. Hmph.

 

Fast forward a couple of years, and I'm glad to say things have vastly improved. For some reason, the wet stage seems very floral to me - white flowers more specifically, maybe even white rose. Quite elegant and almost airy (a quality I often associate with Arabian musk), yet grounded by the honey and amber.

 

As Anactoria dries down, the sweeter and heavier notes become more pronounced, and for a while I am getting that sexy vibe other reviewers have been talking about.

 

After complete drydown however, Anactoria sort of reverts to its 2008 self - thin, clear musk with a slight soapiness. At least this time I got a hint of what other forumites love about it!

In the imp, the ginger, cardamom and rum predominate strongly - very strongly! I cannot smell the chocolate or coconut at all, and these are usually not shy retiring notes...

 

Once applied, the milk chocolate shows up, and unfortunately it brings with it a stale, almost rancid undertone. I agree with milo who compared the wet stage to the smell of rum balls, only to me this is like having to sit right next to a huge pile of rum balls after having already eaten too many - the scent is a bit too much, even if you love all the components in it.

 

The rancid note dies down after 30 minutes or so, thankfully, leaving a light spicy chocolate scent that lingers for a while. The drydown is rather nice, but it's not enough to make up for the chaotic early stages. Off to swaps with this one.

This review is for a well-aged decant (probably over 2 years old), which makes for a fairly mellow Temple Viper: it's pretty much a sweeter version of Snake Oil, with the merest hint of incense in the background. Very wearable and not at all overwhelming.

 

From the description I was expecting something more robust and resiny, but Temple Viper is really lovely nonetheless. It smells rather similar to Asp Viper, now that I think about it.

I usually don't fare well with this kind of scent, but I have to say Thanatos is much nicer than I expected. It's a fairly elegant woodsy / floral that tends toward the masculine side of unisex, but not overwhemingly so.

 

After drydown, the sandalwood, incense and myrrh become more prominent, and relegate the rose and moss to the background. This makes for a drier, thinner scent that still retains its sophistication and layers beautifully with sugary or buttery scents - so far I've paired it with a number of Snake Oil- and pumpkin-based oils, and the result is always stunning.

When I first tried Pumpkin I, it was nice but too sweet for my taste, so I put it up for swaps. Luckily, it never found a taker, because I have just tried it again, and a whole year of aging has really worked wonders.

 

All the components now combine harmoniously into a soft, buttery, eminently wearable cake-like scent. Gourmand perfume at its finest!

 

I may not hunt down a full bottle because there are only so many pumpkin scents I can wear, but I am certainly adding it to my fragrant cucurbitaceae arsenal.

Like other reviewers before me, I cannot seem to be able to smell Bijoux Y'ha-nthlei at all, be it in the imp or on my skin.

 

Given the description, I was imagining something fairly rich and lush, but... nothing. Maybe a whisp of musk if I sniff really hard. Strangely proportioned indeed!

This is lovely in the imp and wet on the skin: fresh, bright, unisex. There is indeed a metallic edge to it, but nothing overwhelming. I can detect the basil note quite clearly and I am enjoying it very much.

 

Iron Phoenix turns spicier and more masculine as it dries, but it remains very wearable for a woman, as it retains a certain sophistication and freshness throughout drydown. Had I not read the notes, I would never have guessed there was any dragon's blood in here - strange considering that dragon's blood is usually a pretty assertive note.

 

I can't say Iron Phoenix will become a staple as I think I'd have to be in a specific mood to wear it, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys spicy, masculine scents.

What an interesting scent! A little sweet, a little peppery, definitely woodsy and herbal... it reminds me of a more masculine version of my beloved Tarot: The World.

 

I can see where the curry / Indian food comparisons are coming from, yet I don't find this unpleasant at all. During drydown, Godfather Death turns dustier and thinner, almost brittle like hkhm said above. After a while, I am left with an unusual medley of herbs and twigs, reminiscent of some Chinese herbal remedies.

 

This could have great layering potential, to cut through the sweetness of some fruity/spicy blends - must experiment!

Oh hello ginger! So nice to have you here, especially when you are surrounded by fruity, sweet, utterly delicious companions such as plum and cassis. This smells like a wonderful tea-based hot beverage - I'd love to wrap my hands around a steaming mug of it!

 

This is a remarkably true gingerroot note: bright and fresh, but not at all sharp nor astringent. The plum and quince soften the ginger beautifully, while the cassis sort of lingers at the periphery. All the components are very well balanced and harmonious.

 

The cassis and rum assert themselves a little more after drydown, making Alice's Evidence less gourmand and more cosy / comforting.

 

If you like the other components but rum gives you pause, don't be afraid to try Alice's Evidence - the rum in it is very well behaved and it never comes across as alcohol, more like an added layer of bright fruitiness.

 

A new cold-weather favourite, highly recommended to those who enjoy spicy/fruity scents.

Hrm. This is not working very well on me, sadly. I get a fleeting hint of dark chocolate and lime right after applying. Then in a matter of seconds, the chocolate and line are gone and all I am left with is a plasticky cream/vanilla note strangely reminiscent of... artificial strawberry?

 

After complete drydown, the plastic note thankfully disappears. The sweet creamy scent that ultimately remains is by no means unpleasant, if a little generic-smelling.

At first, all I can detect in Pink Mood is etheral anise and soft violet leaf. Very pretty and airy.

The vanilla only comes through after complete drydown, helping warm up the blend a little.

This is a perfectly lovely scent, unobtrusive and girly. However, for a Lupercalia blend, I was expecting a little (or even a lot) more oomph and sensuality. As it is, Pink Moon reminds me of a toned-down, innocuous version of my beloved Aquarius '09.

If you like anise and violet but find these notes too sharp in most other scents, definitely give this a try.

Rose and lychee in the same blend meant that I had to get some Thouros no matter what - I love both notes, and I actually find them rather similar, so I was sure they would combine harmoniously.

 

And indeed, Thouros is a soft, well-rounded yet suprisingly complex scent. The interaction between the rose and the lychee is quite interesting; there is something dynamic about it, for lack of a better word. The last time I experienced something comparable, it was with Delirium, another deceptively simple fragrance with a lot going on.

 

If you like lychee and/or rose, give this a try!

But Men Loved Darkness is a strange beast, at least to my nose. One day I love it, and the next day I find it almost offputting.

 

When it's good, it's amazing: warm, deep, rich, spicy yet surprisingly sweet given the components listed. It's a rather unusual scent, in an "alluring and interesting" sort of way.

 

When it doesn't play nice, there is a smokey and rather sour note that I cannot pinpoint exactly, but that I don't enjoy at all.

 

I probably won't go through my entire bottle + decant - now the question is, how much is enough to keep, since it can be stunning on a good day...

It seems like everyone is getting very different impressions of Autumn Moon depending on their skin chemistry, and I am no exception. From application to complete drydown, what I get from this blend is amber and... peach. Where the peach note comes from I have no idea, but there it is, and quite true at that.

 

After drydown, the honey finally comes out to play. It is reminiscent of the honey note in O, but much, much tamer and softer. Only after several hours do I get the merest hint of cognac and tobacco - surprising, as these are usually very assertive notes.

 

Autumn Moon is a warm, bright and golden scent, layered but not overly complicated. If I had to pick a single word to describe it, I'd say comfortable, although this does not do justice to the fact that it is also quite beautiful.

I almost didn't order Hermia, as the pink pepper was giving me pause. I don't do well with pepper at all, although I love spicy scents. However, the other notes looked to good to pass up - and since pink pepper technically isn't pepper, maybe it will play nice on my skin?

 

In the imp, this is a very rich scent: warm, ripe and well-rounded. It is far deeper than I would have expected, and it also tends toward the gourmand end of the spectrum, whereas I was expecting something quite floral.

 

On my skin, a high, almost sharp note develops, which I assume is the pink pepper. Thankfully, the amber and honeysuckle make for a very mellow, almost buttery background that proves quite effective at grounding this higher note.

 

After drydown, Hermia completely loses this slightly dissonant note and settles into a rich sweet floral with a hint of foodiness. A lovely girly-yet-spirited blend with an edge - quite a fitting homage to Hermia!

On me, Asp Viper is straight almond Snake Oil... which is a good thing, because almond Snake Oil turns out to be downright scrumptious.

 

Although mandarin and myrrh are listed as components, they never really make their presence known. I imagine that a lot of the warmth in Asp Viper probably comes from the myrrh, but I cannot smell myrrh as a distinct note. As for the mandarin, it's completely MIA.

 

The almond component is quite obvious in this blend, yet it never becomes overpowering or sharp as is sometimes the case in other scents.

 

After complete drydown, Asp Viper fades to a sweeter version of Snake Oil that is good enough to eat.

In the same vein as BPAL's other Chinese New Year blends: light, fruity, crisp, and a little sweet.

 

I can distinctly smell the pine resin and the cypress, but there is nothing sharp about them. If anything, they reinforce the airiness and the crispness of Metal Tiger, especially when paired with the freshness of the bamboo.

 

If at first the citrus and peach make their presence known, after drydown it is the lychee and the plum that come to the forefront. The dragon's blood warms up the scent while the peach softens it, adding roundness and juiciness to the blend.

 

In my palmares of Asian-inspired BPALs, I rate Metal Tiger a very close second to Fire Pig.