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BPAL Madness!

shadith

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Everything posted by shadith

  1. shadith

    The Maltese Cross of Sanctus Germanus

    For the first few minutes this reminds me of a gorgeous oil I had for my oil burner- a somewhat christmasey orange blend. Unfortunately my skin chemistry turns the lilac into soap and amps it up, so that's it for me.
  2. shadith

    Tabula Smaragdina

    I love rose, and I love incense- so I ordered a bottle of this unsniffed. Unfortunately my skin turns this into soap right away, and it doesn't get better over time
  3. shadith

    Pickled Imp

    I'm so sorry that I have to say this, but Pickled Imp just screams YUCK to me as soon as it hits my skin. Usually I love the notes which are listed (well, I don't know about the pine sap), but this one somehow reminds me of sitting in a car while feeling a strange sickness in the back of your throat, one of those little vanilla tree air refresheners are dangling from the rearview mirror, and you can't open a window which makes all worse. I think it's the intense creaminess that doesn't work for me there
  4. During summer I like to wear: Aizen-Myoo: Yuzu, kaki, and mikan with cherry blossom and black tea. Absinthe: An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon. They both are light and fresh and work for me even when it's hot and humid, when other scents feel too heavy easily. I also like to wear Kabuki: a luxuriant, exotic blend of cherry, red musk, and star anise when I like it a bit more fruity- the anise keeps it from being sticky sweet; and Perversion: Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka- which smells light and somewhat coconutty on me (with lots more going on underneath, but the feeling fits). They're all from the GC btw.
  5. shadith

    Happiness

    For me it's also Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo that always makes me smile when I put it on. Ironically, Xanthe, The Weeping Clown does that too But just in the initial stages, because it smells very similar to ACJM on my skin then- after a few minutes it goes bad, so I don't know about the drydown for others. It's LE, but you can still get it from the Lab atm. ETA: I completely forgot about Bewitched (smells like a bush full of sweet wild berries on me) it lifts my spirits immediately upon application.
  6. shadith

    White and "Light" Musk Recommendations

    I can second the recommendation for Katharina: it's white musk with apricot and smells so lovely. The musk in it has quite a throw too.
  7. shadith

    Cathode

    The first impression is minty and a little like vinegar-based cleanser Wow, I expected something completely different. Despite the mint it is more soft and round than sharp or stingy. A bit like a well chewn mint chewing gum. The sourly smell gets lighter after a while, but it keeps floating around. I don't like this one, it keeps reminding me of cleansers. Too bad
  8. shadith

    Al-Shairan

    I had high hopes for this, I love all the notes that are listed and the reviews sounded so great, but somehow it didn't work for me. From the first sniff on I have an aversion to it. On closer inspection it's a very hot blend, I get the cinnamon, clove, peach and something dark underneath I can't define (which also is the smell that I don't like I guess). The first time I tried it it was summer so I thought I'd give it one more try when it's cold outside (it feels like it's more for the colder months), but it didn't work. It feels so /wrong/ to me, I could never wear this.
  9. shadith

    Brass Balls

    I can only agree with the others about the scent- there is something sharp and unpleasing about it. I noticed this too late and put on a little too much- the next time I know that a few tiny dots will be enough of this oil. But damn, it worked so fine that I even didn't care that maybe anybody else may smell this oil on me Usually I'm so paranoid about bothering others with my smell, especially if it's a little off-putting like this oil. I additionally put a BPAL-blend on as my perfume, but of course it couldn't mask the smell of the TAL. The reason I tried this oil was an event where I knew I'm usually nervous. I'm shy and always afraid of meeting new people- especially if it's a big group where my friend knows everybody and the only person I know is my friend. I have fears of not knowing about what to talk, and usually just stay in the background and wish there was a big black hole that would swallow me. I was not sure whether to put on Charisma or Brass Balls, but I decided to go with Brass Balls since I thought I'd need an oil that has an effect on me and my confidence instead of giving the others a different perception of me (and me still feeling unsure). And this is the third TAL where I can say 'hell, it worked damn fine'. I was not nervous, I said hi to everybody and smiled, I felt at ease even when I just sat there and didn't say anything, and didn't have the feeling that I'm invisible. I laughed with the others, joined conversation and sometimes said a few things myself to the whole group. I was able to look everybody straight into the eye and show my interest instead of hoping for a black hole, averting my eyes and staring at the ground. I had a great time this afternoon and felt very confident with myself, all the things I usually worry about were not so important (and those are a lot since I have many hang-ups and tend to feel low about myself). This is a great oil if you need some help in situations you're usually afraid of.
  10. shadith

    Charisma

    I tried this oil a couple of times now. I wore it to job interviews and while I'm not sure if it worked there I had an experience that convinced me of its effect. I went to a concert with a friend and her acquaintance. This acquaintance usually doesn't like me at all- I don't know what I've done to her, it seems she even didn't like me before we met the first time since she ignores me and tries to avoid talking to me since I first saw her. I've always been friendly to her and I'm sure I gave her no reason for her behaviour. My friend said that this person just doesn't like some people and is generally a little cool and often keeps a distance. So I thought I'd put on charisma. I could use the 'help' for a social situation like concerts alone since I'm a little shy, and I wanted to see if it had any 'side-effects' on the acquaintance. It had. When she joined my friend and me she didn't greet me as always although I send Hello to her (but ok, I'm used to that), but the longer we were together the friendlier she got. She even reacted when I said something to the whole group (usually she doesn't feel spoken to), and she joined in when I joked about something. Of course we weren't the best friends but spending the evening with her was much easier than the times before. Even my friend commented the day after that me and her acquaintance seemed to be getting along way better that evening. I'm almost sure that I can ascribe this effect to the oil, since I didn't act any different than usual. Maybe it only had an effect on me, put me more on ease and made me more confident (that's how I feel everytime I wear this) so that I came across differently instead of the oil directly having an effect on the other person, but whatever it was, it helps getting others a more positive perception of you I'll definitely get a bottle of this and continue wearing it in situations where I can need a little help with my charisma or when it's important to leave a positive impression (as in job interviews etc), since it also has a positive effect on how I see myself and I immediately feel more present, open and approachable when I wear it.
  11. shadith

    White Light

    Scent-wise I really like this- soft sandalwood sticks out on me accompanied by a fresher scent, I would not describe it as a floral. And it works. I had a really hard week, every time I went to bed chaotic thoughts went through my head and so many things were going through my mind that I could not focus on getting some rest and lay awake for hours before falling into sleep. The night before a job interview I decided I couldn't take this any longer and needed some rest for the next day, so I tried White Light. I applied it immediately before going to bed, and when I lay down I noticed that there were no thoughts rushing through my mind, I just lay there, felt very comfortable and at ease and fell asleep soon. I love this oil. I only get it out for the really bad cases, I used it about three times in the six months I have it now. I'm going to buy a bottle of it nonetheless, it is simply invaluable if you feel that you can't cope with a cluttered mind, worries and anxieties by yourself anymore and need a 'time out' to get some rest.
  12. shadith

    Aeval

    On application this smells wonderful.. I get white musk and sweet pea. Almost immediately it turns a little soapy on me, but it's not one of those unpleasant loud soap smells that I get when one note goes wrong on me. After a while it gets more clean-powdry (the sweet pea almost vanished), light and unobtrusive but comforting, actually it smells like I wished Enraged Bunny Musk would have been based on the reviews (but it had gone horribly wrong on me). The throw of Aeval is quite strong, I applied a little of it on my wrist and can smell it wafting up while I'm typing something on the keyboard. Actually the scent is quite beautiful (although I have the impression it does not smell on me like it was intended to be), but there is one little note floating around in the background that puts me off. I can't pinpoint it, can't describe it, but I don't like it. Additionally the blend doesn't suit me- as nice as it smells (without the weird note), I think I can give this one away.
  13. shadith

    Honey and Beeswax scents

    I can second the recommendations for Hetairae. Athens smells a bit of honey too, although it's more of an aromatic honey mead and it's very green at the same time. Delphi is honey along with a bitter green note on me. Chimera had honey on me too, although more of a milk with honey in it. It kind of reminded me of O, but a bit lighter and more cozy than dirty and sweaty
  14. shadith

    Wicked

    Initially this smells sour, but it turns fast majorly into Myrrh, I don't get much else for a while. After a few minutes the slightly sour smell returns, I can recognize the rose this time. I feared the jasmine since I don't like it usually, but here it's only wafting around in the background, and never has the chance to get up my nose. I have the impression that this is a very womanly smell, very mature. It wouldn't suit me and my appearance, but I imagine it to be very good on the right type of woman.
  15. shadith

    Vice

    My initial impression is fruity/orange blossom with a little cocoa underneath. Unfortunately my skin does what it always does to cocoa (I so hope I find an exception one day)- it turns it to plastic within minutes. So no more detailed review, sorry
  16. shadith

    Hunger

    Usually my skin totally amps up vanilla (in some blends to the point that I can wash and scrub my skin until it's red and wait three days and still can smell it), but here I get mostly orange blossoms and the narcissus. After a few minutes it all melds together and the vanilla comes into play, but it stays subdued and seems to hold the other scents together. Overall it does smell really good, but orange blossoms tend to get up my nose (I had an 'overdose' once and since then I tend to don't like them anymore ), so it's nothing for me.
  17. shadith

    search engine stuff

    I noticed that many new scents don't show up when using the search engine for specific notes or names (eg The Salon, new GCs,..). I'm not sure since which update the scents are not integrated anymore, but it's been a while now. Just wanted to ask if they are going to be included soon? Thanks
  18. shadith

    Czernobog

    Wet: There's something that gets into my nose.. at first I thought it was eucalyptus, but I'm sure it's not, it just has the same clearing effect on the sinuses. There's something beneath, bitter, sharp and dark- this is the note that completely repelled me the first time I smelled this (and it was one of my first BPAL blends too to top it off). Drying: It's a solid and rough smell, it reminds me of a lumberjack kind of guy, big, hairy and as manly as it can get, with the corresponding flannel shirt I'm not sure if this is something I want to smell on me or a friend, but for itself I quite like it. Overall: This is one of the blends that I completely disliked at first and even had to wash it off, but when I smelled it months later suddenly I found it rather good. Unfortunately there's this one note I'm not sure of.. it's ok when I only catch a waft, but when I come close to where I applied it it's too intense- it's so brute and wild. I guess that's the civet that disturbs me a little, but I have to say I expected it to be way worse from a few discussions I read before. I think on the right type of guy with the right skin chemistry Czernobog could be awesome.
  19. shadith

    Siren

    Wet: Apricot and sharp ginger. Dry: Jasmine comes into play and everything blends together very well, it smells summery and cheery (I know that's not what the description says lol). Overall: Since I'm not a big fan of jasmine this is nothing for me.. it's one of the rare blends where it doesn't get up my nose or reminds me of dung, but it's noticeably there and when I get a whiff of this after a while my first reaction is to wrinkle my nose. I'm just not the type for this.
  20. shadith

    Bliss

    A very short review since there are only few foody scents that my skin chemistry doesn't screw up.. At the beginning it smells of hot chocolate which quickly turns to chocolate cake. Five minutes later it's burnt plastic- that's it No chocolate for me.
  21. shadith

    Grog

    Arrr! Avast ye, matey! This be the scent of pirate rum! At first this is sweet and buttery liqueur. A few minutes later it smells even more creamy and a little less alcoholic- absolutely lovely.. if it would stay this way. Unfortunately it doesn't agree at all with my skin chemistry, after ten minutes it goes all play doh. What a shame ETA description of the scent as my post is on a new page
  22. shadith

    Chaos Theory III: Strange Attractors

    Ok, these are very short reviews for the ones I received in a decant circle, because I suck in identifying notes, especially when I don't have a description to hold on to LVIII: it smells clean and powdery, a little like laundry detergent- not sharp, only very clean. It reminds me a little of Enraged Bunny Musk (at least how that turned out on me, and I have a feeling that's not how it was intended). CVIII: lemony or lemongrass; it's fresh and unfortunately reminds me of cleansers (which usually most of the scents with lemon do, so it's not necessarily a bad thing for others people who smell this) (Previously reviewed by GypsyRoseRed.) CXXXV: it's sharp and fresh and reminds me of something, but I can't pinpoint it.. not much help there (Previously reviewed by GypsyRoseRed.) CLXXXVII: sweet, a little foody, and citrus again.. on me this smells like lemon-frosting on a cake (Last reviewed by phedre.) CCLXXIV: again sweet, I get cherry and there's something more creamy underneath.. I think it's vanilla. Nice in the beginning, but unfortunately it doesn't work out with my skin chemistry. (Previously reviewed by GypsyRoseRed.) edited because of the review for LVIII- I came to realize I've been completely wrong with this one when I tried it again today.
  23. shadith

    Mars

    This is so light, despite that it smells bright orange-red. I get cinammon and some resins, I think it's dragon's blood. When I first smelled it it reminded me of Red Phoenix, but I compared them and Mars is nothing the like. This blend is really good, but I'll for sure have an imp for touch ups with me when I wear it.
  24. shadith

    Uranus

    To me this is cinnamon, clove, and something underneath that I can't quite identify- it smells somewhat dark and alcoholic. It's a dry, spicy and hot scent, not foody at all. On me this is very light, does not have much throw and fades quickly (after an hour there's nearly nothing left). This will be great for winter!
  25. shadith

    Dragon Moon 2006

    I'm not sure of the notes- the first thing I get is something green, juicy, and a little sharp, maybe the bamboo? After a few minutes it is milder, but I'm still not getting any other notes. About an hour later a little of the dragon's blood comes out and everything smells even more rounded and sweeter now. I really like Dragon Moon in this stage, but during the previous hour the major note I got was just 'green' to which I can't relate to at all.
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