VelvetSky

Several with black amber...my favorite!

 

Roadhouse sounds intriguing....

 

Thanks for giving us a preview.

 

Velvet

Wow, this is a truly gorgeous floral. Think drenched blossoms after a rainstorm.

The sweet pea really rules this fragrance to me, at least until the drydown is complete. The carnation at the base is fresh and green. I'm not picking up the water lily as a separate note, but I'm sure that's where the overall 'wetness' of this scent is coming from.

 

When it first came out of the vial, I was afraid that it would turn powdery on me, but nope...not a hint of dryness here.

 

This is virginal, pure, clean. If Spring were a scent, this would be it. So pretty.

 

Velvet

These two notes meld together perfectly, counterbalancing each other with almost spooky precision. The amber morphs and twists into the musk seamlessly and vice-versa. There are no 'phantom' notes or impressions of anything other than amber and musk...it is what it is. No flowers lurking in the background. No herbs, wood or citrus. I believe it takes real artistry for a perfumer to blend two scents so skillfully. Brava Elizabeth.

 

I adore amber, but musk is something that my chemistry generally fends off, and this is indeed a potent musk.

 

Any musk-lovers out there...you must try this.

 

Velvet

 

ADDED June 5:

 

Just have to add....when I first wore and reviewed Haunted, I didn't pick up any citrus at all. Just tried it again this morning, and....weird....it's all lemony and tangy and lovely. It's drying down and the amber/musk thing is pushing forward to warm everything up.

 

By the way, everyone is so right about this being potent. A tiny swipe of the imp and I'm deluged with scent.

 

Hmmm...might have to get a big bottle of this.

I can appreciate the subtle beauty of Maiden, but I think this one is just to Yin for me...my system seems to crave the balance of Yang scents. I mean, I have to put my nose right next to my skin to detect it. I LOVE what I'm getting, but I'm just not getting enough, if that makes sense.

The rose combined with the carnation is soapy in a nice way...the tea leaf is definitely there, and to me it's almost lemony.

This will smell exquisite on someone who's chemistry loves quiet scents. I'm going to use some of this in my oil burner and see how it does.

Velvet

Testing this today. I can't stop smelling myself. Lots of the smokey-incensey thing going on here, but sweet also in that great head-shop way. I've decided that I just adore the amber/resin notes in Beth's creations. I'm not picking up much of the cinnamon, but that's a note that typically fades into the background on my skin.

For some reason I'm also getting candle wax on the drydown (yum).

I MUST purchase a bigger bottle of this.

 

Velvet

I'm not sure where to post this question, but....I'm soon purchasing a few 5 ml bottles, and I'm just trying to get an idea of how long you guys are finding they last.

I know that we all tend to use scent in different amounts on our skin (some of us are teeny dabbers, some drench ourselves). But just on average, if you wear a particular scent a few times a week, how long can I expect the bottle to last?

I'm getting both Tombstone and Ann Bonny by the way.

I tend to just use scent on pulse points.

Thnx

 

Velvet

There is nothing that I could possibly add about Snake Oil that hasn't been said. I wore it yesterday for the first time and received compliments all day long.

It's fab.

 

Velvet

I love this. LOVE it. This is what I wish mainstream mens' cologne smelled like, and never does. But Titus is also something that I wouldn't hesitate to wear myself, and I will.

 

Freshly applied, I'm getting the bergamot's citrus-y freshness, with the mellowness of the black amber coming through after the initial drydown. Oh how I love black amber! I don't get the neroli or the sandalwood until I hit the very bottom of the scent, and they definitely temper and sweeten the strong top notes.

 

I'd love more BPAL fragrances with black amber. ;

 

Velvet

I love this...and it loves me back. Wood, salt, smoke, even the tang of gunpowder (although I'm sure that's my imagination thanks to Elizabeth's awesome imagery). I'm picking up something sweet underneath the whole pirate ship thing...probably the red patchouli, although my imagination again wants to think casks of rum in the ship's hold.

 

No sandalwood at all until the very end....

Who would have ever thought that Sex comes in a teeny little Imp's Ear? When I first dabbed this on and sniffed, I had an "Oh My God" moment. O is an extremely sexy combination of smells, impressions, memories, and naughty naughty thoughts creeping up into my medulla oblongata!

 

Amber as a top note, which is sexy enough by itself, melded perfectly with red clover, perfectly balanced. Eventually the clover morphs into sweet, sticky honey (which inspires even more hot fantasies).

 

I'm also getting that 'after sex' smell...there's a thin, sharp, sexy muskiness on the drydown.

 

Niiiiiiice....

 

Velvet

Intimidating at first, Tombstone just hollers "masculine" when sniffed straight from the Imp and cautiously applied. The vanilla jumps right out...not a dainty, soothing vanilla but a heavy, brooding vanilla that's downright evil (in a good way!). The vanilla tempers the pungency of the cedar...hell, this isn't just cedar wood, this is sap!

Halfway down, the sassafras appears...think root beer, but more primal and rugged than anything A&W ever bottled. Almost liquor-like in it's impact it causes the cedar to pull back and ease up a bit.

I smell dry grasses here (tumbleweed)?

By the time Tombstone hits bottom, the vanilla has morphed into a mellow smoothness; the sassafras still tickles your nose and the resulting epitaph on this Tombstone is: subtle richness.

I'd definitely wear this myself as a Power scent when I'm feeling (or feeling the need to be) confident and strong.

 

Velvet

This scent is well named for Mab, Queen of the Fae who had the ability to lead humans astray. Out of the Imp, this is deceitfully pretty and ladylike, the floral sweetness will have you sniffing your wrist and smiling, feeling confident that you know which way this scent is going to lead you.

 

However, when it starts to dry down, something twists this floral around. I detect a soapy greenness coming through, and the innocence of the flowers starts to turn into something else not-quite-so-innocent. The faint sandalwood rises to the surface and the Chinese musk comes out of hiding, blooming on the skin gradually. The floral notes turn dark and heavier, and there's something else I'm picking up at the very bottom of the mix...honey? Cream?

 

Long Live The Queen.

 

Velvet

On first sniff, this is powerful in-your-face wood; yes, definitely the scent of polished pews and choir stalls in an old church.... The sharpness of the cedar gradually mellows and I start to catch the faint smoky notes of incense and the sweet lustrous fragrance of beeswax.
There is almost a buttery softness in the dry-down of Cathedral that, perversely, makes this seem like a distinctly un-Holy place.
This is an extremely well crafted perfume...it starts out sharp, dry and cold on my skin and develops into something warm, sweet and wicked.

Velvet

Incredibly sweet straight out of the Imp, but not a "nice" kind of sweet....images of ambrosial lotus flowers slowly decaying on a cold stone altar in some dark, dusty temple. One tiny dab on my wrist permeates the air around me.

 

The drydown conjures thoughts of incense drifting through and mixing with the scent of the lotus; I can almost hear the chants of the temple priests. The amber and myrrh eventually show themselves, with only the lightness of the sandalwood relieving the gloom (well almost).

 

This has the distinction of being the very first BPAL fragrance I've ever experienced, and I'm enthralled!

 

As undeniably sweet as Black Lotus is, it is indeed a corrupt sweetness. Worthy of Set, the god of disorder and chaos.

 

Velvet

Omigosh! I'm so excited! I received my order today (it was placed on 1 May). I ordered 7 imps and Elizabeth threw in some extras....I'm so blown away by this generosity. Can't wait to test, and I'll post my thoughts.

I'd suggested something called Fractionated Coconut Oil. It can be purchased here:

 

http://www.aromathyme.com/carrier.html The cost is $6.50 for 4 oz.

 

 

Here is the description...sounds like an ideal carrier oil:

 

Fractionated Coconut Oil

 

The great thing about using this carrier oil is it does not stain sheets or clothing. Massage Therapists love this unscented base oil. It has a nice glide, absorbs well, is not sticky. Leaves your skin smooth as silk. Suitable for all skin types, especially dry, mature or sensitive skin.

 

 

Never goes rancid. The oil has essentially an infinite shelf life.

Because its consists completely of saturated fatty acid side chains its more like animal fat and absorbs more readily into the skin making it ideal for massage therapy.

Washes out of your sheets very easily with no staining.

An ideal product for natural perfumers who don't want to use alcohol as a carrier. Because its the lightest of all the carrier oils, it will spray through a pump sprayer with ease. This is also makes it handy for massage therapists as they can spray their massage blends using FC right on the customer.

Leaves your skin feeling silky smooth without that greasy feeling.

Cost effective, one of least expensive carrier oils.

Completely soluble with all essential oils and compatible with soaps.

Great for use as a single carrier or in combination with other, more expensive carrier oils to get the cost down and to improve the shelf life of the final product.

Colorless, odorless and Kosher/Food Grade

Cool! I'm making progress! Thanks actress....

 

Velvet

 

Please help me to understand how the shipping from BPAL works before I get too excited. I just looked up my order on the CCNow site, and it indicates that my order was shipped. Does that mean that the order is actually in the mail? Or that Elizabeth has pulled the order from the website and it's now being made up? Before I start checking my mailbox, I just want to know what to expect.

 

Thnx.

Name: Mary

 

URL: http://hometown.aol.com/velvetsky2

 

Photo: On my page

 

Sin of choice: Lust

 

Virtue: Loyalty

 

Astrological Info: Gemini

 

How you found out about BPAL: Link from another message board.

 

Comments: I'm a BPAL Virgin (still waiting for my first order), but I dearly love the beautiful layout of this website and the friendliness of everyone on the boards.

Thanks very much....interesting. How do I use them in a practical sense with BPAL oils?

Hi, can someone explain what the carrier oils are used for? (In the Etcetera section.)

Thanks!