jarvenpa

The lovely Golden Priapus came as an gift imp from a generous forumite. What can I say? I think if you put vanilla in anything I am going to love it, and this is no exception. Lots of vanilla, and then a sense of...trees? and a certain sharpness (amost citric, but when I check the actual notes as opposed to the supposed notes-in-my-head I guess that what I smell as lemonish may be the juniper). And pine, yes. I let my daughter smell it: she responds, "It doesn't smell like a gold p*nis!" (to which I mildly enquire "but, my dear, when would you have smelled such a thing?" and she makes a face at me and sashays off) I let my youngest son try a bit on his wrists. (gently sharing the BPAL joy with the family, I am). He thinks it's cool. (and it smells very nice on him) I don't care if it's for Manly Energy and all...I like it. And I kind of look forward to the "what are you wearing?" questions. I think it might be nice to wear to one of my more staid board meetings.

I have an odd nose and/or chemistry, but Queen Mab is like masses of lovely flowers; I don't get anything green here (but you might read the reviews and see if green pops up for others) Desdemona breaks my heart because I have an overwhelming emotional reaction (a sad one) to it, but it is truly a beautiful floral. Euphronsyne (which might be not spelled right) reminds me of a pure gardenia How are you with musk? Lots of people seem to think of Zephyr as flowers and all; on me it is mostly a gentle light and beautiful musk scent. Asphodel is beautiful--but maybe it does have a touch of green with all those white and ghostly flowers; not sure.

Gee, I can't wait for my imp of Dublin to get here. (*sighs*) I love Cairo, which is beautifully exotic and Glasgow Very new to the Wanderlust series, but suspecting I am going to find more favorites here (Gomorrah is also dark and sweet). Versailles, alas, didn't work for me--but for those for whom it works it is I guess wonderful (*pouts*)

Shango was a gift from a generous forumite, and I put it on in blind trust, without checking the notes, greedily grabbing it from its package. Omigod. Apples, juicy sweetness, tart and sparkly. (yes, later I would check the notes and find out the fruit was more than apple--but I wouldn't have guessed the mix). It smells bright: a shimmer of red and orange. I thought I got a hint of tobacco, once the burst of juicy loveliness started to soften down: odd nostalgic sensory memories of my grandparent's home: his sweet pipe tobacco, her bowls of fruit picked fresh from the trees in the magical Southern California garden. And just a hint of old fashioned canned fruit cocktail. Well, okay. I'm usually not into fruit fragrances much (my daughter loves them) but Shango is exceptional. It fades into a gentle sweetness, clinging close (the initial apple exuberance is pretty powerful). Doesn't seem to last all that long--an hour or so later there is only a sweet memory. But I love the initial burst of delight in this one, very fun.

unless, of course, your skin turns it immediately to the fragrance of cat litter box, which mine sadly did. And amped very very well, and stayed very very long. Jazz Funeral has a whiff of something boozy in it, very complex and interesting scent.

imp was a gift from Olympia301, the lovely and generous. As usual (I am stumbling into the BPAL universe like the trusting soul I am--these days I don't even bother to smell something in the imp before trying it. I'm going to try it, no matter what it smells like, so why bother)--I simply slashed some on my wrists. I had no preconceptions of what Haunted might smell like (vague memories that other ghostly scents seemed to rush away from me, trailing vapor) Immediate hit: oh, lovely fresh lemons. What a surprise! Lemons? Yep, lemons, and flowery smells of delight and meadows and dancing. This is far from a sad scent, at least as it opens: it is all about joy. Perhaps remembered joy. The fragrance deepens, and wafts. I find myself thinking of my mother, who loved the color yellow, who was quite the vamp, who died too long ago (had she lived she'd be 80 this June). There's soul stirring sweetness here, and it definitely reminds me of playing with my mother's perfumes and makeup as quite a little girl, spilling things everywhere, peering at my reflection in the mirror, hoping to catch a bit of her beauty. I think flowers and vanilla (later, checking the notes, I figure what I smell as vanilla may be the amber). It's seductive. While I wear all sorts of BPAL in my bookstore, normally the bookish types don't say much about the fragrances (possibly the overwhelming scent of nice doggies and kitties interferes). This afternoon a young guy came in. We chatted religion and politics. We introduced ourselves. As he left, he turned and said "I just have to say--there's something magic here". Now, I noticed he was inhaling the lovely fragrant air...I think it was the Haunted effect. This one is likely to go into my list of things I will buy when I teach my dogs to live on air (or, maybe well before that). It is truly delicious (maybe a faint memory of Shalimar??)

Yes, what they all said, and don't worry, these are NOT the best years of your life!! Gets much, much, much better. But, gee, wish BPAL had been around to scent my young days!

Hot, humid, exhausting day here, up at dawn for a noble but boring meeting at my clinic, and then hours & hours of randomness, and then PACKAGE IN MAIL..lovely gifties from Olympia301 Without even looking through the generous assortment I take the first imp out and slather it on my wrists, and it is ULTRAVIOLET!!! and boy is it. I would never have ordered this one on my own because a couple of the violet scents I thought I should have adored (I thought I loved violets before trying any) were total disasters for my skin. First rush is sweet mint and flowers, very cool, with lots of throw. It is like being splashed with cool mint scented water. My soul revives. (also I smell pretty good). It dries down to a floral that yes, is violet in nature, though not violets as they grow in my garden--more sugared violets, or the tiny pastilles I used to buy in Paris. I can almost taste them, the lavender crunch, the tiny aniseed at the core. Heavy flashbacks of spring in Paris when I was so young, so in love, so innocent. Well, you can't beat that. Nice stuff.

I think this one was a generous bestowal from Scylla... Preconceptions: none at all (except "duh, I should know about Skuld. What is it? Who is it??? " I checked after trying the fragrance.) Put some on. SWEETNESS is kind of SHOUTING throughout the bookstore. I feel as if someone has just poured about a gallon of honey over me, but I'm not sticky. A bit skeptical. Not sure about going around smelling like a hive. It settles into a paler sweetness (thank heaven), with something flowerish going on that I can't figure out (ylang-ylang, it would seem, from the Lab's notes). (a relief that it stays modestly behind the Great Wall of Honey, since I have past issues with ylang-ylang. Granted, not Beth's ylang-ylang). fades off into powdery sweetness (sort of crystallized honey on toast). I'm not sure I want to be toast. Editing, because try # 2 of Skuld was much different than the first round. Just grabbed it from the imp box today and kind of absentmindedly put it on (I think I was really intending to use my lovely bit of Skadi). This was the result: "hmmm, how odd, tropical sunset? from a blend named Skuld? That's one of the Norns, I'm sure--Mercury retro is destroying my short term memory today." I speculate on pineapple, apricots and something else (it's probably the elusive ylang ylang)--and, burnt sugar, like the carmelized sugar on flan. And I quite like it. Very odd.

a kind gift from a forumite (thanks, my dear) Preconceptions: very few, and I didn't read the Lab's description before trying it (had Romeo and Juliet in my mind, however, the great mad speech by Mercutio). A thin, drifting, very sweet fragrance, with a note that reminds me of Desdemona but doesn't, thank heaven, make me wish to burst into sobs...jasmine perhaps? And it deepens, still very sweet, as if there were a whole train of wafting flowers (there is a picture by Arthur Rackham of the Queen of the Faeries in the woods, this is the sense I have of this fragrance). I wish I had enough skill to tell what I'm smelling: flowers, lots of them, all very twining and flowing, little flowers, little sparkles. Pretty. All floats away from me in a hour or so--or perhaps I just grow used to her. She seems quite harmless, this lovely Queen Mab (I have read the Lab's description now). Fierceness is not at all what I get. If anything, it's a sort of supreme insouciance--just kind of beautifully floating by, not really caring what anyone thinks, very confident.

Tezcatlipoca arrived as a gift imp from the generous Scylla (thank you!) Preconceptions: none whatsoever; not being able to pronounce or spell the scent's name I think I kind of glided over it. Thought "um, maybe it will have an Aztec or Mayan smell? And, er, what would that be???" Upon putting it on my wrists I am reminded of Velvet, but a gentler initial Velvet (I love Velvet, but my first impression of Velvet was peanutbutter and vomit). Thus, I think wisely "must be cocoa in here--and gee, Velvet had sandalwood, is that sandalwood??" Cocoa moves away (I don't think Cocoa likes me much, it doesn't like to stay) and I get sweet incensey loveliness. Well, now, this is very nice. Seems long lasting on me (except of course that first chocolately burst), settling into flowers and incense. When I check the actual notes (whose flowers? scary name with X in it??) I am surprised to see patchouli listed. Patchouli in my mind is that overpowering fragrance of the late 60's and the grateful dead crowd (some of whom are probably in their early 60's now, come to think of it. My, time flies.). Not my favorite. But here, all the notes blend so exquisitely, into something sort of lazily seductive. I like it a lot.

Oh my. Juniperus kindly gifted me with a bit of Othello. Given that I find Desdemona beautiful but too sad to wear (no, I'm not sure why, and yes, it is about the fragrance, not my Shakespearan knowledge) I was curious as to how I'd react to Othello. Very unexpected. I think the only way to explain this one is that it smells in three or more dimensions--you know, like those Magic Eye pictures where if you cross your eyes or something suddenly there is depth and you are looking at--dolphins--where there was just a pattern before. The various parts of this fragrance--something sweet, something spicey, and yes, definitely musk (I must really love musk, go figure) all come up fairly quickly and instead of blending (as most scents seem to) they stay in this odd but lovely whole, but in almost tangible layers. It's as if one scent is clinging close and the others, at the same time, are wafting slightly away from your body, in a few bands of fragrance. Well, that's an experience! And--yes, the fragrance is lovely. (I wouldn't have called it rosey, though--the roses just lurk somewhere and don't come out shouting "HEY! IT"S ME!!!"). Doomed, doomed piggy bank. Doomed grocery list. (*can she feed her family lots and lots of..mac and cheese? ponders darkly*)

Dominant, passionate, devastating. Dragon’s blood and five deep musks. Gift imp from Juniperus I. (thank you!) After trying and saying bad, bad things about the red musk in Spellbound, I must retract the slur. Cause, if there's red musk in this one (and there are evidently 5 musks?)...well, more power to it. Slathered it on this evening. Okay, I'm dressed in sweats, rounding up youngest kid to go to the grocery store for the exciting task of picking out stuff for dinner. I don't think I combed my hair today. Or yesterday. (it's short, I kind of shove it into place). Suddenly!! OMIGOD. It's not so much the fragrance (which is lovely: sweet dragon's whatever and musk, very sweet and spicey) as the effect. Suddenly I am seriously contemplating seducing strangers. I do not walk, I sort of slither (well, in my mind) to the store. In my mind I am wearing something impossibly sexy and I am about 20 pounds lighter and probably a decade or two younger and I'm in high high high heels (and, miraculously I can walk in them. Never ever could.). Oh, I feel sooooo sexy. Now, it must be admitted that random strangers did not come up and whisper sweet nothings into my ears in the produce section, and no one suddenly stopped in his or her tracks overwhelmed by seductive me. And I rationally managed to buy lettuce and dog food and stuff. But it's a great feeling. The scent holds pretty close to my skin, but lasts very well. Just for that rush of juicy lascivious power I think I'd better get a bigger bottle of Dragon's Musk.

Perfectly enchanting! An irresistibly sexual, utterly rapturous blend of three roses, radiant amber, and sensual red musk. Juniperus Intrepidus, bless her, just sent me a few tantalizing imps because she is kind and dear I recently posted a request for recommendations on dark, intense scents, and Spellbound came up a few times with raves. Thus, oh goody! I squealed, seeing Juniperus had sent along a imp of this. Preconceptions: well, figured it would be along the lines of what I claim to love and be searching for: dark, spicy, lovely, intense. Slathered on wrists and took rescued pitbull off for a walk. Okay, then. Someone has wandered into a headshop with a bunch of dying roses. Well, it's, um, not bad. Dying roses, lots of incense (I wrongly believe I smell patchouli in this blend--perhaps it was the red musk. I speculate on ambergris, which I hate, and maybe this is the red musk. I like white musk and pale musk. Should check out some more red musks and see if that's the scent that is making me dizzy, and not with delight). Oddly, I get a very clear mental picture of the person who is supposed to be wearing Spellbound: she is around 35 and is wearing lots of velvet and used to follow the Grateful Dead (hmmm, is she old enough? maybe she was a toddler) and she has wild curly black long hair and piercings and lots and lots of jewelry that glitters and clangs (I want to say "clangles"). She smiles and drifts off. She is not me. But I'll try it again and see...the scent continued to smell like roses plus headshop for a while, but not a long while. Which was--alas, sort of a relief. (edited to add lab's description, since it seems I start off page 8 here)

Gomorrah is indeed fig (plus a whole bunch of other exotic things). Similar, but I like it better, is Cairo (but I'm not at all certain if it has fig in it?? Smells to me like it does). But it isn't Fig Straight Up. More Fig Seduced by Other Things, And Loving It.

a gift from urbanruralferal. Preconceptions: (without reading the Lab's description) "I'm up for a scent orgy, sure! Sounds great" Slathered on wrists: Okay, the orgy ended sometime ago. I smell...a fireplace where the ashes have lain cold and dank for a while, and..licorice? But that's all right, I'll be patient. Very medicinal smell, and odd. something burnt. Ah, it is reminding me of that strange head shop incense you can get that's black and maleable and you tear off little bits and light it. And...maybe cedar? And maybe a dark vetiver (later when I read the notes this is the only moment at which I come vaguely close to what's really in the fragrance). Also, an unmistakeable whiff of Band-aids. And ashes. Well, that must have been some orgy! Not for me. I am wondering if violets hate me? This is a fragrance note--violet--that I would have sworn worked for me before BPAL, but I am finding most of the violet blends turn strange. (except Faustus. Faustus is wonderful, but smells nothing like violets on my skin)

another gift imp from urbanruralferal, who knew I was looking for "dark, spicy" fragrances. First smell: okay, Dr. Pepper! Or maybe Cherry Coke (and not Pepsi). I expect to find sticky cola stuck to my skin. It's not a bad fragrance, but...do I want to smell like a soft drink? A few moments later (I didn't check the notes: must Do It Myself, else how will I learn???): HELLO VETIVER!!!. Actually, I love vetiver. I wish my partner were around though, to see what he thinks, because back in the day when I slathered myself with lovely vetiver straight on, he, and all my children, believed I smelled like kerosene. Now, I thought I smelled lovely. (*looks around bookstore seeking unwary customer to casually stroll by. If they choke and ask about kerosene I will know that vetiver doesn't love me, though I love it*) (went and coralled youngest son. He didn't flinch, and agreed mommie smells nice. Didn't mention kerosene.) Ummm, nice. Softer, sweeter, sort of powdery scent wafting now. I still get the vetiver, but with something else. Maybe amber? Amber makes nice powdery sweetness for me. Or possibly some light musk??? For me it's kind of a head shop type smell (nothing wrong with that); makes me think maybe I should change out of my blue crinkled silk top and black homespun-ish pants into tie dye. But I don't have any tie dye handy. Actually, I'm liking this more the longer it's on; it's settling into a just slightly exotic sweetness. Thanks, urbanruralferal!

Glasgow arrived yesterday (a Sunday! What was happening with my post office??) in a box from my original BPAL enabler, urbanruralferal (*waves across the miles to her*), quite unexpectedly. Always up for a new scent experience I put some on late at night before walking the dogs. Didn't check scent notes (it feels like cheating to me; I someday want to be able to just miraculously pick out fragrances because, gosh my nose is so brilliant...oh dear, sounds like Rudolph...) So, off into the night, thinking random thoughts of the city and my past (Glasgow in jarvenpa's past: a few nights, the cold, the fog, a sale of old books in a church basement, a very drunk workman singing loudly and staggering against me in the street, my distracted lover-of-the-time, my fear of pregnancy, the tangled sheets). I'm sure it was before most of the forumites were born. Well, the scent at my wrists didn't smell like all that (except, perhaps, a touch of wine): initial smell of mist, fruit, then...salt air? rosemary? flowers, I know these flowers (later when I did check the notes I thought, yes, heather is right). It's a strong and complex sort of fragrance of the sort I like a great deal. Something in it reminds me of The Sleeper, which is very strange (certainly wouldn't associate the two fragrances otherwise). Maybe rosemary? Sniffing onward (the dogs are smelling the dew-wet grass in the vacant lot, and the air smells of sweetbriar--and Glasgow). As usual my nose just surrenders to "oh, this is really lovely, who cares what's in it?" Complex, dark, and the scent of rain or sea air or something keeps darting through it. After sometime...more than a half hour later--I think "where is that fragrance coming from?" It has changed, it smells like...jam?? But that's nice too (I guess, later checking the notes, this is the Assertion of the Blackberries). Glasgow goes on my still not written down but engraved on my heart list of "someday I need a bigger bottle of this one"

What?? I didn't review Velvet??? (just looked through the thread for my review...maybe it vanished in the great Mercury retrograde disaster? Or maybe I just thought I'd reviewed it). Velvet was one of the most interesting BPAL experiences yet. I ordered an imp in my very first order of imps, smelled it in the imp, went "gawk! vomit and peanut butter!" and put it aside for a long while. And then, one brave day, I thought--well, should try it. It still, in the imp, smelled of vomit and peanut butter. On my wrists, a brief (very brief) hint of darkest cocoa, and then a sweet sandalwood. I loved it. I layered it with Zephyr, and liked it that way too. I ordered a 5ml bottle (and have used most of it up). On me it is mostly sandalwood with something vaguely in the background, not very foodie or chocolatey, very warm, and luxurious (writing this had to slather wrists with Velvet--this time there is a deeper burst of chocolatey goodness; perhaps aging the oil intensifies it). Anyway, one of my favorites, must have around, always. Yum.

To me, Versailles smelled like Constant Comment Tea (but I think I have a strange nose)...oranges and spice.

(aw, jenleigh, wish I could help but I haven't the faintest...) and I have a similar desperate question. A very kind forumite sent me an imp of The Sleeper. Oh, wow. I love the way it blooms all strangely and beautifully vastly perfumey after a little time has passed. This is amazing. I am, however, so new to all this I don't even know what notes are doing this...opium poppies??? oakmoss???what? The jasmine (I think) comes in early but then goes off into this cloud of intensity. So--anyone, is there a similar GC scent? Or, failing that, anyone have a clue as to which note it is that I am liking so much?

A generous forumite gifted me with an imp of June Gloom. (I am feeling ever so exclusive, since she gifted me with a few LC's and I am such a newbie) This one was unique in my limited experience of BPAL in that it smelled in the imp, on first slash, and for as long as it lasted (a couple hours) quite unchanging and one note-ish. And that note is lemon geranium. I happen to be very fond of the scented-leaf geraniums, which bloom with tiny flowers but whose leaves, when pressed or stroked, release sharp, pure fragrance. Rose geranium is my favorite, but lemon geranium is a close second. Since lemon geranium has a faint citronella scent (or is kind of like those candles one burns to keep the bugs away) there is a summery note/association. But really, lemon geranium. Very bright, very hot day in the garden. And remarkably nice.

A lovely forumite sent me an imp of The Sleeper (along with some other now unavailable imps, making me sigh as I find some I love. What was I thinking, not to wish only for GC scents????) So, this morning, I curiously opened the imp, sniffed, and put some on my wrists. First hit--sharp and then sweet, and the faintest sense of..the dread cat pee. Oh please, I thought, not another one (Had this reaction with Montresor). Ah, a quick change, cat pee has gone away. Now it was white flowers in the moonlight. Reminded me a bit of Desdemona, one of the loveliest scents I know, but without the heart break that makes me regret wearing it when I put it on. I know Desdemona has sweet peas, doesn't it? Is this sweet peas? No...gardenia? jasmine? banks of flowers?? White ones. White. Sweet. And then, as I went about my business, an unexpected twist. I was shelving books before the shop opened. "Hmm, what's that lovely, dark perfume?" I look around. I think. I sniff...oh, it's me. Reminds me of the perfumes my mother wore when I was a child (she wore Tigress a lot, and I can't remember what it smelled like, but I am getting visuals of her very elegant dressing table, and beautiful bottles filled with dark amber colored perfumes). It is really beautiful at this stage. And when I went out for coffee the guy at the counter said "oh, you smell beautiful--thank you for brightening my day!"

a gift from a forumite; I assume it is Hearth 2005, but I wouldn't be able to tell if it weren't. Put it on with no preconceptions other than "oh, Hearth, should be warm, right?" and therefore didn't expect the first reaction, which was for my mouth to start watering, and for visions of slabs of toast slathered with butter and some red jam (not strawberry though, maybe raspberry) dripping on my fingers to start dancing in my mind. The foody, warm sort of smell lasted a bit, then dried down to...the papery smell of dried everlasting flowers beside the dusty road in summer (yeah, I know, strange.) Those flowers always smell a bit like butterscotch to me (pearly everlastings, know the ones I mean?) so it could be a butterscotchy fragrance I'm smelling, but my mind persists with the pearly everlastings, very dry, a bit scratchy, not much throw. But, omigod, that delicious start!

An imp of Skadi (and a bunch of other intriguing and delicious imps) arrived as a generous bestowal from MichelleM. ("surprise me" said I, and she did). I had no idea what Skadi was (having not heard of it, hey, I'm newish). But the name intrigued me. So on it went last night. First hit: something bright...sweet, oh--there's pine, I think. But fresh air, and starlight. I had the sensation of mountain air, actually, and flashed to an area east of where I live where there are pines and flowers and the air smells like heaven should. Then there were spicy undertones. And it played back and forth in a complicated sort of dance. I went to search for this unknown scent (because I want more, I do) and was chastened to find it is...not all that available. It lasted a long time on me, had quite a nice throw. I wouldn't have picked up cranberry as a note (but I'm not good on the berries; and maybe I should have known because when my daughter, who adores things like Jester, smelled it, she was all "oooh, nice!!!"). I would never have thought of pine as a note I'd like much either. But somehow this one is like a dance in the fresh mountain air. So, so, lovely.