blackrayne

Just got this one today for Chris, and I am so incredibly glad I ordered an Imp of it! I *will* be needing a 10ml of this one!

Our first thoughts... it is very similar to Drakkar, but better. Why better? First... because I'm not sneezing like I do when I smell Drakkar (and other commercially-produced perfumes). And second... while Drakkar does have swoon-inducing properties, multiply those by 1000 and you have Beth's divine creation. Just seconds after applying it to Chris, I wanted to pounce on him. And I think the best reason... Beth doesn't use artificial fragrances to make hers.

My most recent one went to the email address I use for PayPal...and the subject was:

Click-N-Ship Notification

I hope that helps!

(and semi-related... my most recent email regarding an order being shipped was on Saturday, and the package arrived today - from LA, CA to bumfuck, PA that FAST!!!) *bounce*

Peachy. With a hint of light musk. Soft and playful yet very serious all at the same time. Definitely a keeper!

Love, love, love Fae!

Hate, hate, hate my sensitivity to bergamot!!!

I *MUST* find a way to use this without actually wearing it on my skin...possibly as a spray to infuse the scent on my clothes, possibly in an oil burner.

I am just loving how light and ethereal this smells...to the point where I may just suffer through the burning, tingly sensation it is giving my arm where I applied it.

It could be that I've barely eaten anything today, but Glitter is making me want to bite my arm off!

I am not getting the bubble gum smell that others have...to me it is sweet and seductive all in one. Very light, great for summer.

JUNE GLOOM

Wow.

From the bottle... fresh, light flowers of the mixed summery variety, with the crisp freshness of a summer rain.

When first applied... this is just so amazingly relaxing and cheerful to me...though as a lover of summer rains, I didn't expect anything else. Smells the same as in the bottle, may dry down a bit differently, but I will have to wait a little while to find out.

Stay tuned for a small update when this does dry down on me.

ETA - dry down... this still smells divine! The flowers have become a bit lighter, as has the crisp wetness, it is as if I went from being in the middle of the rain and dew covered flower bed to about 10 yards away from it. Still beautifully gloomy, though.

*squish*

DRAGON'S BLOOD

I have, over the years, smelled countless different dragon's blood oils, but none have come close to Beth's.

My husband and I once tried to explain Dragon's Blood to someone, and came up with it being somewhere between a rose and a cherry scent, though with a hint of earthy ruggedness mixed in. That's what I am getting from BPAL's version as well, but smoother. Creamier. More sensual. Somewhat exotic. Definitely sexy.

I have yet to use this as a ritual oil, but I bet it would be simply divine!

Could they be quite moisturising soaps, with soya milk and stuff? There's no point me using them if they dry me out and make my rashes flare up.

I have made milk soaps before, but for the ones for BPAL, most likely I will use my basic non-milk recipe...it is very moisturizing, though, as there's lots of cocoa and shea butters in it, as well as quite a few different oils that are great for dry skin. My skin tends to lean toward the dry and sensitive side, which is part of the reason I started making soap...I just couldn't deal with all the crap in commercial bars, and couldn't find the perfect one from all the different smaller soapmakers I tried.

I think what you are smelling is just a blend of all the oils in that box/order. They will vary depending on what is ordered.

They do smell divine when they arrive, don't they?

Is there any chance your collaboration would lead to Beth doing a perfume version of the Sweet Earth soap?  It is such a delicious and relaxing fragrance I think it would make a most excellent sleeping potion. It knocked me out last night.

Hmmmmmm...very interesting idea!

I will ask Beth about it, just in case she doesn't see this again for a while.

And my personal picks for BPAL soap ideas...

O

Dragon's Milk

Queen Mab

I do have a custom scent from Elizabeth...it is positively divine too!

I worked with Elizabeth through emails to describe the type of scent I wanted, and from there, she made a few different samples which I then picked from for my scent.

Her custom scents are wonderful and I highly recommend them!

One day I will actually get a chance to dig up the emails on the old computer that have an ingredient list (I can't recall the blend offhand) so I can post it here.

I have an appointment with our accountant next Thursday. We may be able to bypass having to go through PayPal, too, and actually get our own in-house charge system running. I can't tell you what a relief that will be.

Good luck!

*crosses fingers and toes for you*

It would be wonderful if you got your own cc-processing system running!

Hi, Nella!

I don't really have a particular scent for each season, but yesterday I reviewd Swank, putting it into my "like but will doubtful ever wear" category, and now today, with it being 75+ degrees and sunny outside, I am wearing it and loving it.

Most of my favorites are light, crisp, fruity or lightly floral scents, which seem to feel more spring/summery though, but I'll wear them in the winter anyway. I haven't worn Samhain since last fall, though...it's just definitely too much of a fall scent.

Very crisp. Light. Refreshing. Juicy, yet slightly sour, as if the sweetness was cut with a hint of lemon or lime.

I really like this. It is not the slightest bit me, though. While it's yummy, I can't see myself wearing it more than once in a blue moon. I think I will keep the imp I have, though, just to be on the safe side...I may decide it's more me than I think it is.

First impressions...very wet, freshly dug earth. Decay. Dead, crushed roses. Damp mossiness.

I feel like I should be walking through an ancient cemetery after a cool fall rain, with freshly unearthed coffins surrounding me and decay everywhere.

I think Beth definitely got this one dead on...it's amazing how she can evoke such imagery from a blend of scents.

Bad news? Where?

Elizabeth, darling...UPS and FedEx are more expensive because they are more reliable. In the long run, you'll end up saving money on shipping, as you won't be reshipping packages they have gone astray in transit. I used to have a few online packaging suppliers bookmarked, but they are no more, but you can find great deals on boxes in bulk, so you won't be spending too much on packing supplies either.

As for price increases...they are necessary on occasion, and as others have said, I doubt anyone will have a problem paying a little more for your divine creations. I know we certainly won't.

I second the Dawn, but I personally pre-treat tons of stains (thanks to two kids) with Zout and it almost always gets everything out...it works especially great on oily stains.

At first this was a little too juicy for me, but after about half an hour, it dries down to perfection...sweet pomegranate, with just the right amount of rose mixed in. I think I have found another favorite!

Tropical flowers mixed with decay and a dab of a very ancient power. Didn't smell or feel the cinnamon at first, but now that it's been on my wrist for a few minutes I am getting the oh-too-familiar burning that is a definite warning sign for me.

I will surely be keeping this one, though it is unwearable for me - it's going in an oil burner once I finally invest in one.

I just searched for it here and at the lab's site, and found...*nothing*...rather odd, I say!

I happen to have an imp's ear of it sitting here, sniffed twice, but never worn. I'll never wear it, Chris claims he will, but I don't believe him. I may just have to put it in the "to be swapped" bowl.

Of all the Mad Tea Party scents I have smelled, this is the only one that agrees with my body chemistry. Very bold, agressive floral. I *love* it.

Yummy apricot smell from the bottle! Didn't notice the clove on the first sniff, but now I can smell it alot.

I do have to say that I haven't yet tried this on my skin, nor will I, as I am far from a fan of clove, but it is a very unique scent, and the apricot works great with the clove. Time to go search for other apricot based scents that I can wear!

Definitely smelling the grapefruit in this one...as well as the roman chamomile (though that could be because I was using some roman chamomile earlier for bath bombs), with a floraly aftertone. It's certainly a unique scent, though not one I will wear...the dark musk is going on my personal bad list of scents.