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BPAL Madness!

kajacana

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Everything posted by kajacana

  1. Gryffindor - The Lion Slytherin - Snake Oil Hufflepuff - This one is tough... there's no badger scent... what about Satyr or something animalistic like that? Could potentially be badgery... Ravenclaw - The Raven or Night-Raven (yes, I know technically Ravenclaw's animal is an eagle, but there are no eagle scents in the GC that I know of!)
  2. kajacana

    'Pink' scents

    Another vote for High-Strung Daisies. Smells almost bubblegummy to me. In my review spreadsheet I also described Eve as a very pink-smelling floral - it's apple blossom, rose, ylang ylang, & golden honey - so your mileage may vary re: the rose, but might be worth a smell.
  3. kajacana

    The Queen's Croquet Ground

    Got a goblin squirt of this in a recent Post order. Woah, roses!! It's a very intense rose, and while it's true to the actual flower, it's almost like an exaggerated representation of the real thing - like EXTRA rosy, to the point where it borders on fake (but not in a bad way!). The whole thing just smells like springtime. I get hints of raindrops in a flower garden. Not really my thing, but glad I got to smell it! Might save this one for one of those days in spring when the windows are open for the first time and the house needs airing out.
  4. kajacana

    Satyr

    Start with Snake Oil. Subtract the weird note that goes powdery-strange (on me). Make it just a touch more masculine by adding a hint of the slightly smoky, almost cola-like element from Tombstone. And that's Satyr. I really, really like this. I don't know what civet smells like so I'm no help there, but it doesn't turn to animal smells (!) or pee (!!!) on my skin, so there's that. Everyone seems to think it's super masculine but I don't know, I'm a girl and I think I could wear this easily.
  5. kajacana

    Gingerbread Snake

    To echo Arylkin's post above, this is basically Gingerbread Poppet + Snake Oil on me. In the decant: I can smell both. Wet on skin: The gingerbread takes over. Gingerbread Poppet turns to cinnamon Red Hots candy on my skin, and so does Gingerbread Snake in the wet stage. Dry on skin: The Red Hots are gone and we're back to predominantly Snake Oil, only it's much more mellow than Snake Oil proper, with the faintest hint of gingerbread spice. I actually like this better than regular Snake Oil, which tends to go a bit cloying on me. The spices temper that nicely. I'm not a fan of the wet stage, but it's thankfully brief.
  6. kajacana

    Snow Angel Atmosphere Spray

    The overall scent reminds me of a fruit slushy - but NOT the processed, neon kind from a machine - more like a homemade one, made with fresh squeezed juices and fresh snow from outside. It's light and sugary and will still be awesome in warmer weather. Love it! (Also my very first atmo spray!!)
  7. kajacana

    The Lion

    I ordered an imp of The Lion for two reasons: 1. I am recently obsessed with the amber-y Hesiod's Phoenix and wanted to try a GC amber blend, and 2. I'm a zookeeper and I work with lions... enough said! Well, I'm 2 for 2 with amber blends. They really smell lovely on me, not powdery at all (I've heard that's a problem for some people). The Lion is: -not sweet at all -dry and warm -subtly spiced (though I'm not smelling the cinnamon others have mentioned) -light, with very little throw If you subtract the sweetness and vanilla from Hesiod's Phoenix, you basically get The Lion. I like Hesiod better, but I really like The Lion as well. I think I'd wear The Lion more for quieter times. It's kind of a cozy scent; ideal for reading a book on a cold day, meeting a friend for coffee, watching a movie with a significant other, things like that. And in case anyone is wondering... as someone who regularly spends a lot of quality time with 10 lions, I can assure you that this blend smells nothing like the real thing - for which I am very grateful!
  8. kajacana

    Elf

    I'm surprised by all the negative reviews because on me this is so pretty! I get a LOT of aspen from the bottle. On my skin, it's like sweet berries with the faintest background of violet, all over top of something that smells like a forest in late spring. It's light and ethereal and just really gorgeous. I don't think it smells soapy as others have said, but it is a very clean smell. Kind of reminds me of the scent that's left behind after you've washed your hair with some kind of fruity/floral shampoo.
  9. kajacana

    The recurring Yules

    Thanks so much Shirel & IceMaiden!! I know they're all pretty similar... just trying to figure out if I want to stock up on backups of Lick It Now 2013 or search out some of the earlier versions.
  10. kajacana

    The recurring Yules

    Hey all- Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I was wondering if anyone could give me a concise side-by-side comparison of all (or even most) of the Lick It scents? I bought Lick It Now this year, it's the first one I've tried and I really like it. I've tried reading through the review threads for the various versions, but it's hard to tell what the differences really are. Are some more vanilla-y than others? Sharper peppermint? More foody? I would love to know, so if anyone has several different versions and is willing to explain your take on their differences, I'd appreciate it!
  11. kajacana

    Progressus

    This scent is very warm... it smells golden (Lab magic strikes again!). I get cedar, and something metallic. When it dries on my skin, it's all polished wood with a subtle background of spice (I can detect the saffron if I concentrate). Reminds me a lot of the wood note in Bezoar, only Progressus smells lower-pitched to my nose, if that makes sense. It's a masculine scent to my nose (though I wouldn't hesitate to wear it myself... I'm just saying, I bet this would smell incredible on a guy!). Really happy I got to try this one!
  12. kajacana

    Fairy Bites

    So lovely! In the bottle: Lots of mint, with a subtle background of lavender. (I don't usually like lavender, but this somehow works for me. It's soft, not at all sharp or medicinal - like a whisper of lavender.) I think I can smell the chamomile in there, too. Wet on skin: Sweet, light, herbal. The mint mostly fades until it's only there as a subtle supporting role - it lends coolness to the blend, but the honey and raspberry are the standout notes. Drydown: There's the honeysuckle. Still sweet. Kind of cool and refreshing - would be great for summer. It's VERY light; I have to put my nose right up against my arm to smell it. Will have to try slathering and see what happens! Verdict: I really like it! Got a bottle as a Christmas present, had never tried it before but was pretty sure I'd like it. Glad I was right
  13. kajacana

    Purple Snowballs

    This is one of those scents that's hard to break down - it needs to be experienced as a whole. In the bottle: EXTREMELY soapy, with a hint of cough syrup. I was worried! Wet on skin: There's the fruit! It's very sweet, and juicy purple. The soapy quality is still there - I assume that's the snow? - but it fades to the background pretty quickly. I hardly get any cardamom, which is sad, as cardamom is one of my favorite notes. Drydown: It's sweet (but not overwhelmingly so - the snow balances the sweetness); and very clean smelling. The extreme soapiness dies down considerably. It's hard to describe, but definitely good. Kind of gives off a "just took a shower with berry shower gel and now I'm taking a walk in the snow" vibe. My roommate sniffed the bottle and said it smelled like old lady perfume, and then sniffed my neck and said it smelled delicious. Take that for what it's worth!
  14. kajacana

    Lick It Now

    This is the first Lick It I've tried, and I love it! In the bottle and when initially applied to my skin, this is pure, strong, cold, candy peppermint. That stage doesn't last very long though - after about 10 minutes it turns into this delicious, soft vanilla. It's a very foody vanilla, like the vanilla flavor you'd find in cake or ice cream. This one is a keeper - the initial minty stage is an awesome headache remedy, and the drydown is a lovely, comforting winter scent to fall asleep to.
  15. kajacana

    Gingerbread Poppet

    (2010 version) In the bottle I smell sweet, buttery gingerbread. Wet on my skin it changes to cinnamon Red Hots candy. After drydown there's a slight morph back in the gingerbread spice direction - the sharpness of the cinnamon fades and the scent becomes a little more rich, but I still get the Red Hots. There's not much throw and it doesn't last very long. All that being said... I like it! I wish it stayed more true to the bottle scent while on my skin, but I don't really mind the amped cinnamon. I've been wearing it to sleep and it makes me feel all cozy and Christmassy. I can't wait to try this one in my oil burner, I bet it's a wonderful room scent!
  16. kajacana

    How do you apply your BPAL oils?

    I use Dixie stir straws. They come in boxes of 1000. I cut them in half and keep 2 cups in the cabinet with my oils: one full of clean straws and one to hold the used ones. The used straws fill the cabinet with the most delicious scent. I dip an unused straw to the bottom of the 5mL. When I lift it out of the bottle, it retains about 2-3 mm of oil plus a thin coating on the outside of the straw. After dabbing behind my ears, I blow the rest out onto my wrist. Enough for a moderate application without double-dipping or bottle contamination. Edited b/c applying "2-3 mL" of oil would be a pretty bad idea, I think. I use plastic toothpicks. I found some that are spear-shaped, and the little plastic triangle on the end is perfect for applying a drop of oil at a time.
  17. kajacana

    The Perfect Lavender

    If you want to give it a try, I'm pretty sure you could find a goblin squirt of Erebos for sale on the forum (or post an ISO) Ooh that sounds good as well! Maybe I'll try to find some. I've actually never tried the atmo sprays but I'm curious!
  18. kajacana

    The Perfect Lavender

    Thanks for the suggestions everyone!! After a lot of research (i.e. review-reading), I decided to go with Temple of Dreams. It sounds the closest to what I was aiming for. Hopefully roomie will like it! And yeah, totally going to have to warn her to only use a tiny bit at a time in the burner. I learned that lesson myself the hard way the first time I burned BPAL - it was Miskatonic University... so, a delicious mistake, but a mistake nonetheless!
  19. kajacana

    Searching for the Perfect Vanilla?

    Hesiod (Hesoid? It's spelled differently on the site vs. bottle, it's been driving me nuts) is the BOMB DIGGITY. Such a beautiful variation on typical vanilla. I get a really pure, vanilla-bean impression from it (as opposed to a foody baked goods thing).
  20. kajacana

    The Perfect Lavender

    Cool, thank you! Good to know someone has had positive results burning Paris (er... you know what I mean! ) Anyone else have any thoughts? TKO seems to get mixed reviews - some people get heavy lavender, others don't. See, this is precisely why I should try harder to sniff blends that I don't necessarily think I'll want for myself! Sigh.
  21. kajacana

    The Perfect Lavender

    Hey there! Resurrecting this thread to ask for help buying my roommate a Christmas gift. She usually has cheap lavender-scented candles and wall plug-ins in her bedroom. I want to buy her an oil burner along with a bottle of lavender BPAL so she can upgrade to a nicer type of room scent! I need something GC (because it's a gift and I don't want to have to go on any wild goose chases for something potentially used). I've never tried any lavender-dominant blends, and I need something that will smell good in an oil burner. I was considering Paris. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
  22. kajacana

    Floral Haters Gonna Hate

    I also love citrus - some of my favorites are: Night-Gaunt (Yuzu, white grapefruit, and kumquat mixed with snow-dusted flowers) Baobhan Sith (Grapefruit, white tea, apple blossom and ginger) Whitechapel (White musk, lime, lilac and citron) Lolita (Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena) Out of those, the only one that turns floral at all is Lolita, but even then it's very subtle. Lolita and Whitechapel are similar, but I find Whitechapel to be a bit more tart, while Lolita is almost sugared. Night-Gaunt and Baobhan Sith both wear like pure grapefruit on me, with the minor caveat that Baobhan Sith doesn't last very long and goes ever so slightly soapy on drydown. So out of the above list, Night-Gaunt is the winner for me. I have a 5ml that gets a lot of love And as for foody scents, I'm also going to throw in a vote for Shub-Niggurath, which is like ginger cookies on me and is almost absurdly delicious.
  23. kajacana

    Chuparosa

    Got this as a frimp - it screams lilac to my nose. The instant I put it on, I was reminded of the lilac bushes that grew in the backyard of the house where I grew up. It's a bright, intense, fresh floral - I'm also detecting some honeysuckle, but no rose. It stays the same through drydown. Honestly, I'm not a floral fan and would probably never wear this, but it is a ridiculously pretty blend. Would be great for an oil burner in springtime (and, now that I think about it, it smells a lot like the Bath & Body Works candle called Spring). If you like florals, you need some Chuparosa in your life.
  24. kajacana

    How Doth the Little Crocodile

    Finally ordered an imp of this one after being curious about it for ages! In the imp: Mint chocolate, but lacking sweetness. Wet on skin: I can really smell the mint at first, but it disappears quickly. Then the chocolate is strongest for a short time. Drydown: Oakmoss takes over almost completely. I can smell the chocolate fading... fading... until it's merely background noise keeping the oakmoss from reaching its absolute full strength. Not getting any vanilla or pistachio at all. There's a hint of cedar, but it's definitely only a hint - like a woodsy backup dancer in the oakmoss show. I really wish this one stayed more mint chocolate. However, I will say that in terms of concept, this blend is spot on - it truly does smell like a sneaky, cartoonish crocodile! You know the part of the Disney cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland, where the Caterpillar makes smoke "rings" of the Crocodile while reciting this poem? I can totally imagine that smoke smelling like this blend. So cool!
  25. kajacana

    Shub-Niggurath

    Sweet, warm, foody ginger. There's definitely a sharpness to it as well, but overall it's like gingery baked goods. Really delicious! It has respectable lasting power, too. Just a bit from the imp and I'm still smelling it a few hours later.
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