Poenari

I love Beth's dragon's blood, but honey is iffy on me. I don't think I have any bpals with copal, though, so when offered a partial bottle in a swap, I was game! The dragon's blood is the opener, in the bottle and on my skin. Then the honey shows up to play! This is a thick sweet honey note and it mixes well with the dragon's blood! Hooray! After a while, the two mellow out and I detect a sweet bright muskiness that must be coming from the copal. What a lovely trio! This something I will wear when I need a scent that is "me" but not overwhelming to those around me. It's a lovely sweet resinous scent - perfect for a bright sunny autumn to winter day!

First sniff and I'm hooked! This now has to be one of my favorite Snake Oil variants. I'm very happy that the Snake Oil is definitely there... it's up front and center. But it only takes a minute for the apples to show up... a spicy apple, nothing fresh or green about it, as if it's been simmering on the stove and cooked down to softness. It blends into the Snake Oil and now I have a spicy apple Snake Oil, exactly what I had hoped for. I had a decant of Coral Snake way back in the early days of the CD release, and while nice, it wasn't enough to warrant a bottle. This one is deserving of backups, if it ever returns. Oh I hope so, but in the meantime, I'm delighted that I was able to swap for this and will cherish it!

Sweet patchouli, reminiscent of Banshee Beat/RR but sweeter. The patch is the same. Then HELLO HONEYSUCKLE! Lovely scent, and I'm glad I got to test this, but fortunately I have a lot of other patchouli scents in my arsenal and won't have to stalk for this.

Sweet wine and tart pomegranate. Sweeter than I expected, and not nearly as dark! Dries down to a slight spicy fruity pomegranate wine. This is lovely. Reminds me of Seven Word Story: Lust in many ways. If you like that one, you should like this one too. And they are different enough to need both!

Oh this is just wonderful. At first sniff, it reminds me of my beloved Autumn Leaves and Haitian Patchouli hair gloss! Wet, the patchouli note is right there, sweet but dry, and very grassy. It's one of my very favorite of all Beth's patchouli notes. As it dries down, the bay comes out, blending a spiciness into the patch. The tobacco is the glue that holds it all together. It's not distinct, so not a specifically chewy tobacco. After drydown, there is a real blending of the notes and it remains a warm, dry, and grassy blend... Like tall dry pampas grass, not lawns, but patchouli dominant. This puts me in mind of Puddin's Gourd of Deprivation atmo spray... Not the same, of course, but in the same family. I just looked back through the reviews, and the 2014 Halloweenies from the Lab and Trading Post included both of the scents I am reminded of here! That was one of my very favorite years for Weenies and I broke the bank on buying that year. If you have any favorites from that collection that includes patchouli (Tricksy too!) get this one! The vibe of this trio is very similar. Backup bottle for sure!

Being a sweet coconut and patchouli, I'm surprised that no one has compared this to Goblin! The red patch is gentler and sweeter but the coconut is a similar note. Not as sweet as Silkybat, but a similar vibe. This is lovely!

Oh I love this so much! This has the same leaves note as in my beloved Dead Leaves, Red Musk, & Neroli. I never would have dreamed of blending that note with Snake Oil and Dorian, but that's why Beth is the perfuming genius and I'm not. I can definitely detect the Snake Oil this, but not so much the Dorian or lavender. I really hope that Beth can blend more when the BIG MOVE is completed. I had intended to order a bottle but it sold out before I could do so. At least I was able to order a decant! In the meantime, I'm going to try layering my own Snake Oil and Dorian with SN Pile of Fallen Leaves to hold me over. I know I can't replicate this beauty, but perhaps I can find a way to placate myself until this returns.

Lovely wildflower honey and vanilla, with the red labdanum adding a sweet musky note to this. It's not complicated, it's very pretty and brighter than I expected. Decent throw and wear length.

Yes! And it's excellent!

ECCLESIASTICAL EXCESSES Hark, Ambrosio, while I unveil your crimes! You have shed the blood of two innocents; Antonia and Elvira perished by your hand. That Antonia whom you violated, was your Sister! That Elvira whom you murdered, gave you birth! Tremble, abandoned Hypocrite! Inhuman Parricide! Incestuous Ravisher! Tremble at the extent of your offences! And you it was who thought yourself proof against temptation, absolved from human frailties, and free from error and vice! Is pride then a virtue? Is inhumanity no fault? Know, vain Man! That I long have marked you for my prey: I watched the movements of your heart; I saw that you were virtuous from vanity, not principle, and I seized the fit moment of seduction. I observed your blind idolatry of the Madonna's picture. I bade a subordinate but crafty spirit assume a similar form, and you eagerly yielded to the blandishments of Matilda. Your pride was gratified by her flattery; Your lust only needed an opportunity to break forth; You ran into the snare blindly, and scrupled not to commit a crime which you blamed in another with unfeeling severity. It was I who threw Matilda in your way; It was I who gave you entrance to Antonia's chamber; It was I who caused the dagger to be given you which pierced your Sister's bosom; and it was I who warned Elvira in dreams of your designs upon her Daughter, and thus, by preventing your profiting by her sleep, compelled you to add rape as well as incest to the catalogue of your crimes. Hear, hear, Ambrosio! Had you resisted me one minute longer, you had saved your body and soul. The guards whom you heard at your prison door came to signify your pardon. But I had already triumphed: My plots had already succeeded. Scarcely could I propose crimes so quick as you performed them. You are mine, and Heaven itself cannot rescue you from my power. Hope not that your penitence will make void our contract. Here is your bond signed with your blood; You have given up your claim to mercy, and nothing can restore to you the rights which you have foolishly resigned. Believe you that your secret thoughts escaped me? No, no, I read them all! You trusted that you should still have time for repentance. I saw your artifice, knew its falsity, and rejoiced in deceiving the deceiver! You are mine beyond reprieve: I burn to possess my right, and alive you quit not these mountains. —The Monk, MG Lewis Faustian depravity: daemonorops, rose-infused frankincense, vetiver, mate absolute, and clove bud. I really hoped that since this has so many notes of WIN for me (daemondrops, vetiver, clove, frankincense) that Ecclesiastical Excesses would be a spicy incense perfume with just a hint of rose. Once again, rose takes over everything else and amps to !SOAP! After the drydown, it has mellowed to a frankincense-rose blend, but nothing more. Disappointed.

I thought I reviewed this years ago but apparently not. I recently received a new imp of this and wanted to compare to my original thoughts. Once upon a time, when I was a wee bpal noob, I tried many varieties of rose scents. I found that they always turned to soap in my nose and on my skin. Rose Moon (2007) was my birthday moon and was happily the first rose that I could wear. I later found Zombi and fell in love - the dirt note kept the rose in check from turning to soap. Clermont became another favorite because the opium works so well on my skin with the rose. Fast forward 15 years, and my skin chemistry hasn't changed but my nose certainly has! I have finally learned to discern that tea roses and pink roses are best on me when they are the main notes; darker roses when matched with strong spice and incense notes; thus leading me to a new understanding of Beth's lovely rose blends and how I can now wear a wider variety of them! This is pink and sweet and innocent until fully dried down. Then it slowly blooms with a slightly powdery finish as the spices rise. Lucy's Kiss is another win for me! I'm so happy to find another lovely rose blend that I can wear.

Metallic bronze musk, indeed! This is amazing. The initial scent is a metallic and musky blast. Fortunately, the rest of the notes come in a whoosh of scent after the dry down, keeping this from going screechy in my nose. Patch, amber, and oakmoss- check! I do not get cumin from the green cardamom, thankfully, as I don't care for cumin as scent or seasoning. The tonka rounds it out with a sweetness. This is a prettier scent than I had expected!

I don't typically even try scents with strawberry as a note, but decided to get a decant and see what all the fuss is about. Well, this is delightful! Sweet ripe strawberries, indeed! It dries down to a greenness as the strawberry fades. It's a lovely scent, very fresh and pretty. I'm glad I tried this!

Oh this is beautiful! Upon application, this scent swirls around me with the myrrh most prominent, but quickly combined with the other notes to make a glorious scent evocative of ancient times. I get the same vibe from this that I do from OLLA Eve... Something ancient and mysterious, with the swirling spices, patchouli, and rose. This wears beautifully on me .. good throw and long lasting. Backup bottle worthy!

I guess I forgot to review this one! Now that it's aged a few years, I'm reviewing it as it smells currently. Basically this is a sheer skin musk on my skin. I get hints of an aquatic note, not specifically discernable, and no frankincense. I can see why this is a great layering scent. Layering perfumes isn't really my thing, but it's perfectly lovely on it's own. This is the kind of scent that I would have worn to work on our early morning meeting days, where I sat elbow to elbow with coworkers around a conference table. Pretty and inoffensive.

I never reviewed my bottle because my early impressions weren't that great. I pulled it out to wear today, and now that it is well aged, I really like this! It's a gorgeous vanilla marshmallow cake batter, with the cardamom keeping it from going cloyingly sweet on me. Wears close to my skin, although I can catch wafts of it. This falls in the realm of some of the other foodie scents that I don't wear often, such as Stekk, Boo, and even Eat Me! Nice when I need to wear something inoffensive to others, outside of my usual wheelhouse. I'm really happy that I'm a hoarder and don't let my scents go. This bottle's a keeper.

Child Blessing has been my favorite TAL oil to use since my grandson was born in 2015. I used it to annoint his crib and now bed, his car seat in my car, and his play areas. I always wear it in my Gemini scent locket, which I always wear when I'm with him. Both he and I are Gemini and he knows that this is "our" scent locket and he loves to sniff it. The scent is a sweet herbal. Wonderful TAL.

So I thought I reviewed this last autumn after I got it, but don't see my review! I am wearing this again today, so my review is based on my now 6+ month aged scent. I didn't and still don't get actual pumpkin, toasted or not, from this. On my skin, it's a warm, cozy, slightly spiced sandalwood with a hint of powder. It's really lovely and most definitely wearable all year round. The spice is not identifiable, not as a "pumpkin spice" blend, kind of a dusty cinnamon stick, but not that strong. Whatever this is, it is very pretty and wears close to my skin. I love it.

Very pretty sweet Bulgarian rose. No soapiness on my skin, hooray! Very heady, with a strong throw, and is basically a single note rose on my skin. The resin keeps it from going sharp and the honey doesn't turn it to the mustiness that sometimes happens with my chemistry. This is a win for days that I feel like wearing pretty roses, without the dirt of Zombi nor the opium of Clermont. Lovely and not mentioned nearly enough by rose lovers!

I love red musk and have many many BPAL blends that are red musk dominant. The Red Ribbon does not disappoint! Smooth sweet red musk, and the vanilla and goat's milk combine to make this just perfect for me. Dare I say it - this reminds me a lot of The Infernal Lover! I never had the version of TIF that somehow went out lacking the red musk, so obviously that would differ. Definitely upgrading my decant to a bottle (or two!) Long lasting and good throw, too!

I was in the mood for a spring hair gloss, and I thought I would like this based on the notes, but somehow the fruity floral combination goes screechy on me. I love the Lab's peach and plum notes, but their respective blossoms just don't work out the same way. I'm disappointed, but very glad that I tried with a decant.

Sweet pink flowers, just a hint of pink rose, and a touch of light sandalwood on the drydown. This is pretty and would be perfect for a young person to start out with. Not too strong, very inoffensive. Glad I tried a decant but I don't need a big bottle of this one.

I don't recall why I ordered a decant of this, but I am so glad that I did! Typically I pass on Shungas... They only rarely have been "me" scents, so I have probably only tried a handful over the years. This one is delightful! First of all, the hinoki wood - hello there! This note is one I really like. It is a high note to me, goes up my nose and amazingly not in a sinus headache inducing way! This note puts me in mind of the note I love in We Wear The Mask... All this time I assumed it was the carrot seed in that one. Could it actually be one of the main "dry woods" mentioned there? Because it is so specific to my nose, and that's the only other scent I have that has that similarity. On drydown, that stays present, but the rest of the notes don't stand out individually to me. I love how blended they are, and the sum is greater than the parts. I am really enjoying this decant. Long lasting and decent throw, too!

Very very fizzy ginger ale. Bpal honey often turns musty in a bad way on me, but not here. The fizzy ginger overrides all. I mean, it almost tickles my nose the way a freshly poured glass of ginger ale does! Glad I got to try a decant, but I'm not a fan of this one at all. I guess they can't all be hits.

I'm cautious about any florals that I order and wear. It's taken a long time for me to find rose scents that don't turn soapy, and white florals tend to screech into my sinuses and cause instant headaches. But I'm immediately drawn in when I see lilac as a note. It's always been one of my favorite flowering trees/bushes, and I adore the scent. Lucille's Room perfume and atmo spray is my #1. Wisteria Blossoms has entered the room, and is a strong contender to bump LR! On my skin (please note that I slathered my decant with abandon) this is a blast of sweet spring blossoms... TBH I have never smelled wisteria, only seen it in photos. This scent is just gorgeous, all soft sweet purple lavender blooms. I can detect the lilac, but agree with someone above who mentioned magnolias... It does remind me of them too. The musk anchors this and keeps it away from my sinuses, and all together this is blended together and melds in a way that works so perfectly. Ok, addressing the "old lady" references made above, which I hate. I'm literally a senior citizen... An old lady, if you will. And no matter which BPAL I wear, I smell fucking fabulous. It really does bother me that people use that term as a negative connotation, even the way it's used elsewhere... As if the fact that this doesn't smell old ladyish is a compliment. If wearing Wisteria Blossoms makes me smell even more like an old lady, then good for me! 💖