Mountaingrrl00

I would love to find some lighthearted, clever, unexpected fragrances. Unusual notes or combinations of notes and complex development would be nice. Have any BPAL oils made you feel amused? (Not the description or backstory, but the way it smells.)

Oddly enough, I'm really liking Snow Bunny and Rose Red for early Spring. They both have a freshness about them.

For that kind of luck, I'd go with Horn of Plenty.

Sed Non Satiata and Smut for rich red-browns. Jacob's Ladder for warm gold. Greed for cool gold.

Greed has that wonderful copal smell in common with Xiuhtecuhtli, though Greed is darker and mossier.

Titania is like ultra-fruity candy (and seems like a good choice for someone with Faerie in her screen name!) Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo is like candy-sugar essence.

I agree on Moxie, if you're able to spring for a bottle. Aizen-Myoo's got a similar citrus kick, if you want to try an imp. Jailbait's got a minty-cinnamon-gum kick to it that's amusing as well as invigorating. I also like Bengal to get me moving on a cold day.

Hollywood Babylon is sweet, sweet cherry-strawberry, and Horn of Plenty is cherry-almondy.

This is one of the few oils I can wear when I have a bad headache. It actually helps. The smell is pleasant and well-blended; the lavender in it is much softer than in the Somnium blends I've tried. It smells herbal with a hint of floral. I think I detect thyme in here. It softens and loosens me - not in a knock-you-out kind of way, just in an aaaah kind of way. Pleasant, soothing, and highly recommended.

Along the lines of darklorelei's suggestion, I like to wear Aizen-Myoo to clubs when I want to stand out. I think a strong spice scent could also work to cut the smoke - maybe Bengal, or Three Witches if you have it?

Looks like I will have to order a bottle or two (or more) of this rich, unique oil. The earth scent really is wet - wetter than the earth note in Zombi, Jazz Funeral, etc. I think the patchouli contributes to the vibe of earthiness and the hint of decay, while the cypress gives it freshness. I held off on ordering this because of the orchid, but I needn't have feared: the floral element does not overwhelm or go wrong, just adds a subtle dimension of sweetness. More prominent is the teakwood, which is dry and sophisticated and very true. I love this note, and it's so well-framed in this blend. Thanks to Astburygrrl for the decant. You were right, this one is definitely for me.

I've always found Intrigue grounding and comforting. From your profile I see that you like woods and figs, so it might be just the thing.

This is one of three BPAL oils that I've sniffed and wouldn't even try on. There is an overpowering vinegar note in the bottle. It's almost like ammonia! Not a reflection on the Stations of the Sun, as I'm quite fond of Ra - just can't do Tum at all.

I liked this initially because of the cocoa, but I'm put off by the buttery note which I think is the rum. I also don't do wine scents well, so that's two strikes against Centzon. There is something honey-like in here that's quite appealing, and a hint of cinnamon. Makes me wish the booze wasn't there.

The wintergreen/birch/cola/root beer topnote that has put me off a couple of "dry wood" oils is present here, but there's enough softer wood peeking through right away that I'm able to get past the initial turn-off. The sharpness doesn't last long, and it's worth waiting a little while for the much longer phase of true wood and incense. The blend becomes lightly sweet, in a woodsy kind of way, with a spicy incense that's unusual and very beautiful. This really works well as a Wanderlust blend. It takes me to a totally new place.

I didn't get much berry from this one. To me it smells like soap - elegant soap, to be sure, but soap nonetheless. I expected heather to smell more herbal, when I think it's actually more of a floral note here. I don't usually have a problem with Beth's rose oils, so I'm going to say it's the heather with that soapy/powdery quality.

This perfume is an interpretation of the Hanging Gardens by night, based on further accounts of its fruit and flora: date palm, ebony, fir, pomegranate, plum, two pears, quince, fig, and grapevine with plumeria, three gardenias and dry rose. I can tell there are some lovely fruit and wood scents in here. The deeper smells - fig and palm in particular - hold their own, while other fruit smells are less distinct. I have a hard time with multi-florals, though. They just smell too perfumey. I think I would love this oil without the florals, but with them, I will need to swap this imp.

I'm partial to BPAL's ambers, and this is no exception. This is warm without being cloying, and the apple adds a bright/tart dimension. The herbs keep it from smelling too much like standard apple-spice. I find it very wearable for everyday.

This is a little heavy for my taste. I think it's the tobacco leaf that's overpowering the other elements. Otherwise I'd like it - it has the rum smell I like so much in Jazz Funeral. Or maybe it's the flowers? It does feel quite masculine to me, even with the flowers. There's an underlying bitterness and seriousness to this scent.

The incense in this is so beautiful, resiny-spicy and smoking through the cocoa and leather. If there's wine in here, I'd be surprised, as every other wine scent has gone bad on me. Maybe a touch of rich fruit - currant? The overall effect is strong, sexy and comforting. It's not a loud scent, but it is enveloping, with lots of lasting base notes. I have to keep sniffing my wrist and other application areas when I wear this. It would probably be an excellent seduction scent.

An olfactory serenede. A somber, contemplative scent -- dreamy and subdued. Deepest violet touched with lilac and tuberose. I'm not usually crazy about florals, but Nocturne is a definite exception. These are three of my very favorite floral notes, blended to perfection. Bitter violet, creamy tuberose, and airy lilac balance each other so beautifully. I love this violet most of all. I love this to wear on a rainy day or to bed. There's something earthy here too, as well as the wistfulness many have mentioned. For a scent with just three notes I can identify, this has a lot of depth. Yet it's not heavy. It's just right, and among my favorites of about 100 BPALs I've tried so far.

This one falls into the category of "scents that broke your heart" for me. I was so intrigued by the dry woods, herbs and ash in the description. There is a note in here that I think is also in Vinland - something high-pitched that sort of reminds me of wintergreen. I have a visceral reaction to that note. I couldn't even try this on. So there's a full imp for someone this will work on.

This is a sandalwood-patchouli scent that makes me feel strong and grounded. It's understated and unisex, not perfumey or cologney at all. It's like a really good Indian incense without the smoke. Just pure, high-quality oils. One of my favorites.

This really appealed to me in the bottle - very light and airy. It smells just as it's described on the Lab's website. Unfortunately, when I put it on I got a headache, so I'll need to swap this to someone who doesn't share my sensitivity to what's probably an ozone or aquatic note.

This is a pretty, light, soft gingery scent. From the description, I was hoping for something more unusual, with some additional spices. Sudha Segara is nice enough, but doesn't wow me like I thought it would. I'll keep the imp for adding a touch of a spicy layer to other scents - but it won't last long, as I need to slather and re-apply to get any effect from this.