eatingthesea

i'm a soil ho. i like ALL of the dirt recs here, but i must pump up the love for death of the gravedigger and the house (dark delicacies). not pure dirt, but not sweet, either, so maybe that helps a little? someone else mentioned depraved before...it really does smell like just plain ol' dirt being stirred up...but with that added fallen apricot. premature burial is probably the closest to a neutral dirt scent available thru BPAL, though i find it a litttttle too creamy...

It may not be because people aren't smelling the perfume, though, as much as they don't get BPAL as perfume. I was once waiting for people in a used-book store to tally up some books I'd brought in, and the employees started saying to each other, "Do you smell pot-pourri? I'm sure I smell pot-pourri!", and I'm quite sure it was actually ME! But we all agreed it must be the books. It was Tamamo-no Mae, which I don't think smells at ALL like pot-pourri! But I think the thing was that it doesn't smell at all like conventional perfume - no flowers or musk - or alcohol! - so it just didn't register as perfume them - it was some other kind of smell. So I think some people don't comment because BPAL is so unlike conventional dept-store perfumes, they don't associate it with something that people wear.

i had someone in my office tell me i smell like potpourri once, too, when i was wearing banded sea snake, one of my favorites if you haven't smelled banded sea snake, believe me, it is nowhere near potpourri-like! it's either my chemistry being wacky or that particular person's unsophisticated sense of smell. i tend toward the latter

hellfire belongs to that rare category of scents that so evoke a part of my history or memories that it's almost too special to wear, for fear i'll start getting misty-eyed. as to the scent itself, i was pleased to pick up on the ambergris...i didn't know it was in there beforehand but i had a pretty good feeling, and it was immensely comforting to find i was right about it. combined with the pipe tobacco, i find this scent more cozy overall than sexy...probably has something to do with its familiarity to captain black pipe tobacco...what my dad smoked each night as he helped me with my math homework. this scent just sits right with me...i really adore it. very special stuff.

my boyfriend remarked that this one smelled much like rice-a-roni. the san francisco treat. and he's disturbingly correct. much like the foody blends of bpal, i'd prefer not to smell like what i eat!

i think this is a very near-perfect rose scent -- not destined to take the place of my beloved rose red, but on those days when i feel too meek to handle the I'M HERE LOVE ME 'tude of the latter, london is a very good substitute. it lacks the greenness of rose red and definitely speaks of tea rose, but it's not cloying, as i normally find most tea rose scents. this is what a nicely scented rose in the garden really smells like...as opposed to say, again, rose red, which is what a rose in a florist's fridge smells like, only amplified by about 100. i interpret london as a fresh yellow rose tinged with pink. i'm so glad bpal's roses work on me. it makes me kinda giddy and feel girly and such.

anubis has fast become one of my favorites. looking at the notes, it seems suspiciously too herbal, but i was so pleasantly surprised to learn it worked on me. i have no idea how storax and balsam are supposed to smell, but all of it works together on me. and it lastssss a very long time -- a definite bonus, since i seem to have a problem retaining scent. i don't know how, but it ends up having a slightly "bittersweet" tinge -- that's one of the best adjectives i can think of to associate with anubis, bittersweet. like another reviewer said, this is very "egyptian" indeed. i also perceive it as a very dry scent, very desert-like. very similar, to me, to another egyptian scent i love, nefertiti. almost stoic, sophisticated...nothing playful about these. but then again, not stark. there is a lovely, soft and quiet brightness about this that a friend of mine says reminds her of the scent of candlelight. now, how wonderful is that, a blend that can "smell like" candlelight. i can't wait to upgrade to a bottle of anubis

i really like the way dian's bud smells in the imp, very springtimey and fresh. for some reason, as it dries down on my skin, it takes on a strong tea scent. i don't really have a problem with that, since i like tea in my scents, but i'm not sure i want a single-note tea scent to wear. just not entirely "me." i wish it had stayed true to its sniffed scent!

once again, i must say that i appreciate the opportunity to try these blends that i know ahead of time will not work because i'm getting to know how certain notes do or do not work with my chemistry. if i had seen the notes for melpomene, i would've probably turned down the opportunity to try it, but i went ahead and learned later that it contains citrus, lavender and geranium -- three of my big no-no's. so, as expected, it ended up smelling kinda B.O.-like/cat pee-like, just too sharp and bitter. the addition of passion flower is very intriguing, since i like it in cottonmouth, but it's not enough to save melpomene for me. and the cypress is completely washed out on my skin. bye bye, melpy.

this scent makes me sad it's almost 100% pure lime on me...what became of the amber, the coconut, the wisteria? i had such high hopes. i really do truly give up on citrus. it just dislikes me through and through. other than the lime in envy, i'm banning myself from the lot of it. poo.

this really is a sharp scent at first, but as it dries down, it reminds me of the other aquatic scents i love...especially thalassa. i get a salty note above the deep, blackish turquoise color of the blend. it's almost a little electric. i really like it a lot; however, i need to figure out its appropriateness. i can't see wearing it very often, as a few others reviewers have noted. maybe for sleepytime...would it evoke dreams or nightmares? who knows...that's this kind of scent.

eta: this scent has a lot of lasting power and after awhile turns very beautiful, almost a sparkling, soft aquatic. you do really need to be able to appreciate aquatics to like this one, i think, but it's one of those that once it's been around for awhile, it's less "exotic" and more palatable for those who get turned off by the mention of "algae" or "seaweed."

a new love it was pretty much a no-brainer when i finally sniffed this...i'm a big fan of all the dirty BPAL's and zombi is one of my favorites, so i wasn't shocked that i liked this...but i was so glad to find i LOVED it. it is very much like zombi but i really think the geranium and yew give it a *pow bang* element that zombi does not have (the latter being steadied by that deep, yummy rose). it is really a strong scent so if you prefer softer scents, maybe this one isn't for you. sharp, outdoorsy and while dirty, seems very fresh to me...must be the yew. yet another keeper!

My favorite anise scent (and one of my general favorites, at that) is Kabuki. It's not spicy, and there is no cinnamon, but it is rich, "deep red," and just oozes with lovely anise

The Smiling Spider and Vixen have to be my most favorite spicy scents in the catalog thus far. I'd be curious to see how the Spidey and Kabuki go together.

whoa, this scent goes through quite a few changes on my skin, most of them unpleasant and unsavory! i don't know why, but i had thought shattered was one of those mysterious, non-descriptive oils that didn't tell you which notes are in it...and those usually end up surprisingly good on me. so when i started smelling a combination of listerine mouthwash and cat pee on my skin during the wet and damp stages, i had to go look at the description...and there it be: grapefruit. ugh. at least i well know now that citrus of any type is just wrong on me. i suspect the "white champagne" bits are also guilty, as i normally do not have any love at all for the white wines. i like lotus sometimes and aquatic blooms all of the time, so this is a bit of a shame, but it really does make me relieved when some scents just plain don't work...helps to shave down the list of bpal loves for my bright, clean, "crisp" aquatic needs, i shall reach for tempest.

a frimp from the lab i am most grateful for. yet another unexpected hit from the ambergris library...i'm beginning to think it's a favorite note. i don't really get the whole eucalyptus thing. this ends up being a slightly sweet, creamy aquatic, definitely a little cool (unlike, say, a warm aquatic like bayou). i love these surprise blends that stay hidden behind the bpal curtains, letting all those LE's take the limelight...but then they pop out and take the cake, hehe like i said elsewhere in the forum, y'ha-nthlei reminds me a lot of selkie, and this is very much a good thing. i don't think it's too masculine...i'd call this one androgynous.

i'm dreading the stifling heat that will consume LA this summer, and i believe y'ha-nthlei (i love typing that) will help keep me cool and refreshed. definitely using up the imp and likely will be getting a bottle. yum.

i see envy's one of your favorites in your sig, as it is one of mine, so i'd recommend the passionate shepherd to his love...sweet green floral...though it does lack the mint. and highly appropriate as a love poem scent

Last Christmas I discovered their Aromatherapy Sandalwood Rose, just in time for it to be discontinued. It doesn't actually smell much like sandalwood or rose to my nose - more like patchouli, which is probably why I like it so much. The lotion lists sandalwood (white, not red, gauging by the species name), rose, patchouli, and frankincense oil...though they all come after fragrance in the list.

 

So, to anyone familiar with this blend, what should I try/layer to get this fragrance? I amp BPAL's rose notes, and when I tried Rakshasa, rose was all I got out of it; I expect that same result from Wanton. Namaste was too lemongrass-y and Fenris Wolf was too red musk-y. Maybe I could layer Anne Bonny with something?

i actually asked this question in the retail therapy thread for B&BW awhile back but never heard a response so i'll be watching this one here...i <3 B&BW's sandalwood rose!! i went searching for those exact ingredients (sandalwood, rose, patchouli, frankincense) in my BPAL spreadsheet and never really found an exact match...a few close ones...i agree, rakshasa doesn't do the trick. i haven't tried it yet, but it was one of my to-try's based on sandalwood rose...rose cross. maybe you can try that one? it's apparently just rose + frankincense. then just add a strong patchouli and/or sandalwood scent to layer? hmmm...

mmm...i love all grassy green notes...on their own or with flowers...

my faves in this category are garden path with chickens, dublin, envy, the apothecary, bayou and the passionate shepherd to his love. i smelled orpheus and mag mell at will call recently and they're awesome. rose red is also a good very green rose...but the rose is hardcore, so you must adore rose.

i hope to one day have all the green grassy BPAL blends, imp or otherwise. they're rather fantastic.

I'm just getting around to trying my Lupercalia scents, and "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love" reminds me a lot of Envy. "Shepherd" is a bit sweeter and more floral, but the herbals are definitely similar.

 

And speaking of Envy, I also find it to be a decent replacement for "The Oblation". It doesn't have the fruitiness or quite the hit of lavender, but again, the herbals are similar.

 

Oddly, I don't find "The Passionate Shepherd" and "Oblation" to have much in common at all. "Shepherd" is much more subtle and sweet in a floral way where "Oblation" is fruity and sharp.

i love both passionate shepherd and envy. i think another suitable replacement for passionate shepherd in the GC may be garden path with chickens. the shep has a more floral greenness whereas the path is more like a spicy herbal greenness, but they're definitely in the same family...green, fresh, happy outdoors

i went to will call recently to check out the lupercalias but when i got there, what i was really blown away by was thalassa. if this mermaid doesn't completely sell me on bpal's aquatics, i don't know what could. this is absolutely perfect in combining the saltiness of the ocean and the florals that might grow nearby. it's also a very clean scent and while i usually don't go for those, this is definitely a scent i'll be reaching for time and time again. i'm amazed at the near-perfection of thalassa. an immediate addition to my top bpal's ever

wow...i just got an imp of y'ha-nthlei and to my nose, it is selkie's GC sister. both soft, slightly sweet aquatics. though i still have some selkie left, i'm definitely upgrading to a bottle of y'ha-nthlei in the near future...after i'm finished wiping clean my bank account with the next big update

this is gorgeous. it's not my "usual" type of scent, but one that i've imagined in my head over and over in the past. it's one that evokes almost a sense of deja vu or dream sense. it's certainly "oriental-smelling" and even reminds me a bit of sweet, fresh laundry...very comforting...so almost like bpal's dirty in a way. i don't believe the sweetness of hanami has the capability of becoming cloying. i definitely catch the cherry blossom, which has sold me on the note and maybe even to the extent of overshadowing of bpal's straight cherry note (which i adore). this is a very light scent, almost faint, but i think if it were stronger, it wouldn't be the same scent. it's meant to be light and breezy, yet sweet and "ripe." this is also a very sophisticated scent, and very "quiet." (am i using too many quotation marks in this review?) i imagine hanami is an excellent choice for those occasions when one needs/wants to feel pretty and demure. it's definitely not for those who dislike floral blends, but it's not so floral that it is prissy. i'm so very glad i bought a bottle unsniffed. beautiful.

oh my word, this is amazinggg on the SO...a dab of this on his neck in the morning was still sniffable at 10:00 pm. all soft cedar-y smoke. very sexy. it also reminds me of childhood a bit, wet rainy days with my dad's pipe tobacco wafting through the air as he sits back and watches the fire...and something to do with hope chests. very comforting, beautiful...not for me, but definitely for the manchild. i love to smell how his skin interprets scents that aren't really "me." they usually end up right.

i only get the cream part when it's wet on my skin but dry, this is all peach, lily and grape on me. i think my skin lurves the peach...which is alright, but i like it more when it's tempered by something spicy/earthy instead of coupled with other sweet things. so this ends up being peach hard candy. i was really hoping for "peaches n' cream," but alas. pretty, but not distinctive enough for me to seek out anything bigger than a decant...

mm, this is very nice. i wasn't too fond of the wet stage/whiff from the decant, it seemed too cologne-y for my tastes, but this dries down beautifully. i think this is the first scent in which i can really discern the characteristics of ambergris. and i do believe i like this element; i'm glad to finally make the determination, as i was iffy before. anyway, dry this is mostly honey and ambergris. it doesn't really have the "bite" of mint as i'd hoped (a good, obviously ambergris/mint combo is the GC scent cathode -- but this scent is far sweeter) but that's okay. i was just about to say this is definitely an aquatic scent yet its muskiness sets it apart from most aquatics, when i noticed a recent reviewer calling it a "musky aquatic"! so yes, that is definitely its classification, imo. the seaweed bit kinda sits in the background, which i'm glad about, as i'm not entirely sure i want to smell like a strangled mermaid, and this is just altogether a gorgeous, highly individual scent that really evokes the painting. i think the "mint" part symbolizes the dream world, honey the lustiness. nice and engaging. very long-lasting! i have yet to figure out whether i'll go for a big bottle because i'm not sure this is "me," but i sure appreciate it wholeheartedly as an art piece, and it's given me pause to reflect upon ambergris, which i never cared about previously

omg...EAU DE BODY ODOR. once in a blue moon i come across a blend that smells nothing more and nothing less than putrid on my skin. it baffles me that something could go that wonky with my chemistry, but it does happen. then i look at the notes. duh. verbena. neroli. lavender. rosemary. the frankincense is just not enough to save this diaper mess on my skin shame, because i loved the idea of this one. but arcana is just poo on me.