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Gaidig

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Blog Entries posted by Gaidig

  1. Gaidig

    Skin Impacts Scent

    By Gaidig,

    I have several concerns with scent usage, as follows:
     
    1) I have rather dry skin, and I am afraid that I will need to be a slatherer. I would like to have good unscented lotion that I can use to couteract this, but I don't know what to look for. There was a thread, but I lost track of it. I am alergic to some things, so I have to look for a number of options, just in case. Right now, I am using 100% Cocoa Butter, which -- logically -- makes me smell faintly of chocolate.
     
    On the other hand, I had good staying power in the past with just a few drops of Planitary Perfumes on the pulse points.
     
    2) I would like to find (or make) good unscented moisturizing soap, shampoo & conditioner that would work well, and also not conflict with my BPAL scents. For reference, currently, I use Oil of Olay bar soap with shea butter, Aussie Moist shampoo, Garnier Nutrisse Sleek & Shine conditioner. I also use leave in conditioner. My favorite is Sheer Blonde spray in, but I am now using Garnier Nutrisse, or Sheer Blonde detangler & shine gel. Some of this should become unnessisary after I cut a good two feet off of my hair, but I'm not sure how soon that will happen.
  2. Gaidig

    Whys & Wherefores

    By Gaidig,

    Here's the grouping I expect them to fall into:
     
    Woodsy:
     
    Anne Bonny - A scent several people recommended for Zoe -- woodsy & sexy to boot!
    Tintagel - ancient magical forest!
    Hamadrayd - I remember fiddledragon especially liking this one - deciduous forest.
     
     
    Aquatic:
    Sea of Glass - it sounds so clean & makes me think of Ys. Also recommended by zankoku_zen.
    Neo-Tokyo - Recommended for Serenity & Steam Punk, according to zankoku_zen.
    Prague - After all the raves on Danube on the Aquatics post, people said this was the river version of the saltier Danube.
     
    Sexy:
    Blood Kiss - debated between this and Blood Rose for all the reviews, went with zankoku_zen's rec.
    O - "defiled utterly" sounds more my style than "sugared with vanilla".
    Lust - Lust in a bottle & highly recommended in the sexy stuff thread & by zankoku_zen.
    - Slinky subset:
    Swank - Pommegranate (my favorite fruit) that doesn't sound too sweet like Persephone. Recs in sexy thread.
    Sin - Described as slinky in a dark blue dress.
    - Exotic subset:
    Scherezade - Exotic, highly recommended on the sexy thread & by zankoku_zen.
  3. Gaidig

    O - First BPAL

    By Gaidig,

    I decided to try O first. Here goes:
     
    "The scent of sexual obsession, slavery to sensual pleasure, and the undercurrent of innocence defiled utterly. Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla."
     
    Note: Early in the cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: This is much sweeter than I expected! Something sharp... but not in a bad way, more bright. I don't know why I didn't expect it to be sweet, looking at the description "Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla." The honey is shouting out here, with a sort of Sweet-Tart-ish tang.
     
    On me: A little mellower, less sweet. The amber is coming out more. The vanilla is just giving it an extra zing. I'm not sure I put enough on to really get a wet stage and a drydown stage. My skin kind of soaked it up before I had a chance to order my thoughts.
     
    1 hour+ later: It still has throw, despite the fact that I only applied a little. I was smelling it a tiny bit as I went about my tasks around the house, without having to sniff at my wrists. It isn't what I expected from other reviews. On me now, it is like warm, aching desire. I'm glad it has morphed into this. Here I go to put a little more on.
  4. Gaidig

    Aquatics

    By Gaidig,

    According to the General Recommendations Post , folks recommend the following aquatics:
     
    Amsterdam
    Apothecary
    Bayou
    Black Pearl
    Blue Moon
    City in the Sea
    Cold Moon
    Cthulhu
    Danube
    Desdemona
    Dragon's Tears
    Dublin
    Empyreal Mist
    Glasgow
    House of Mirrors
    Hurricane
    Jolly Roger
    La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente
    Lightning
    Lurid
    Mock Turtle's Lessons
    Neo-Tokyo
    Niflheim
    Obatala
    Old Glasgow
    Ophelia.
    Paris
    Penthus
    Prague
    R'lyeh
    Sea of Glass
    Shattered
    Szepassony
    Tarot:Temperance
    Tears
    The Isle of Demons
    The Lady of Shallot
    The Pool of Tears
    The Unicorn
    Two, Five & Seven
    Ulalume
    Undertow
    Virgo/Harlot
    Water of Notre Dame
    Yemaya
    Zephyr
     
    Some sound more floral, etc. I will need to see how my skin reacts. From the descriptions there, the most appealing look to be:
     
    Danube
    Empyreal Mist
    Jolly Roger
    Neo-Tokyo
    Niflheim
    Prague
    R'lyeh
    Sea of Glass
  5. Gaidig

    "Sexy"

    By Gaidig,

    Ok, I've gone through the Sexy, Smutty, Seductive, Proactive thread about as much as I can stand -- 15 pages. I was looking for specific categories, and of course it all depends on what makes you feel good about yourself, but:
     
    13
    #20 Love Oil
    Aizen-Myoo
    Alice
    Anne Bonny
    Antique Lace
    Antony
    Arachne
    Aureus
    Baghdad
    Baobhan Sith
    Bastet
    Bathsheba
    Bathsheba
    Bearded Lady
    Beaver Moon
    Bengal
    Bewitched
    Bewitched
    Black Dahlia
    Black Lotus
    Black Opal
    Black Opal
    Black Phoenix
    Bliss
    Blood Amber
    Blood Amber
    Blood Countess
    Blood Kiss
    Blood Lotus
    Blood Rose
    Bordello
    Brisingamen
    Carnal
    Carnivale
    Casanova
    Cerebus
    Chaste Moon
    Chimera
    Coiled Serpent
    Come To Me
    Crucible of Courage
    Dana O'Shee
    Debauchery
    Depraved
    Desire
    Dia de los Muertos
    Dirty
    Dorian
    Dragon's Heart
    Dragon's Milk
    Elegba
    Embalming Fluid
    Eve
    Fae
    Faustus
    Fenris Wolf
    Fire of Love
    Follow Me Boy
    Formula 54
    Freak Show
    French Creole
    Frost Moon
    Glasya
    Gluttony
    Golden Priapus
    Grog
    Harlot
    Haunted
    Hecate
    Hellcat
    Hellfire
    Hell's Belle
    Hetairae
    Hollywood Babylon
    House of Night
    Hunger
    Hunter Moon
    Incantation
    Jack
    Jailbait
    Juliet
    Kali
    La Belle Au Bois Dormant
    La Belle Dame Sans Merci
    La Petite Mort
    Lampades
    Laudanum
    Lenore
    Lilith
    Lolita
    Love Me
    Loviatar
    Lust
    Malic
    Marquise de Merteuil
    Masquerade
    Mata Hari
    Midnight
    Mi-Go
    Morgause
    Morgause
    Morocco
    Nemesis
    New Orleans
    Noir
    O
    Old Athens
    Old Morocco
    Old Port Au Prince
    Old Scratch
    Old Shanghai
    Old Sybaris
    Omen
    Othello
    Persephone
    Perversion
    Pink Moon
    Psyche
    Queen
    Queen Mab
    Queen of Hearts
    Queen of Sheba
    Rakshasa
    Rapture
    Ravenous
    Red Devil
    Red Moon
    Regan
    Rose Red
    Sacred Whore of Babylon
    Salome
    Samhain
    Scherezade
    Seraglio
    Silentium Amoris
    Sin
    Siren
    Snake Charmer
    Snake Oil
    Snow Bunny
    Snow White
    Snow White
    Spanked
    Spellbound
    Spooky
    Storm Moon
    Succubus
    Sudha Segara
    Sugar Skull
    Swank
    Tarot: Temperance
    Tarot: the Empress
    Tempest
    The Lion
    The Star
    The Unicorn
    Three Witches
    Tombstone
    Tzadikim Nistarim
    Undertow
    Urd
    Veil
    Velvet
    Venom
    Vixen
    Voodoo
    Wanda
    Wanton
    Water of Notre Dame
    Whip
    Wicked
    Xiuhtecuhtli
    Yog Sothoth
    Zombi
     
    The ones I am most interested in trying based on the comments are:
     
    Blood Kiss
    Blood Rose
    Love Me
    Loviatar
    Lust
    Morocco
    O
    Scherezade
    Silentium Amoris
    Sin
    Snake Charmer
    Snake Oil
    Spellbound
    Sudha Segara
    Swank
    The Lion
    Vixen
  6. Gaidig

    Anne Bonny

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #4: Anne Bonny
     
    "A blend of Indonesian red patchouli, red sandalwood, and frankincense."
     
    Note: Mid cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: It smells like salt-water soaked teak, the smell of a sailing ship!
     
    On me: Knocked back a little -- mellowed. More feminine. Less patchouli. I like this red patchouli much better than the patchouli in Lust. I still get a whiff of the salt spray. It doesn't seem to have changed much at all, in general.
     
    1 hour+ later: Same as when I first put it on. I like this very much, especially since I enjoy sailing.
     
    [Edit] Anne Bonny has proven to me that it is entirely possible to have too much of a good thing. After liking it so much I applied more so that it wouldn't be just on my wrists, and OMG strong & headachey! It took a while to calm down, but by the end of the night it was back to happy pirateishness.
  7. Gaidig

    First Order arrived!

    By Gaidig,

    I just received my first order from the lab, and I can't wait to try it out! Of course, it's something I will do better to avoid, since I am about to go out and join friends, and I have no idea of my body chemestry. Still, I will try one tomorrow morning.
     
    I received my order: Anne Bonny, Blood Kiss, Hamadrayd, Scherezade, Swank, O, Lust, Sea of Glass, Sin, Neo-Tokyo, Prague, and Tintagel.
     
    Plus, I received two free imps:
    Seraglio
    The Bow and Crown of Conquest
     
    Funnily enough, the package smelled a lot like stepping into Raven's Nest Herbals. From that, I really feel that true oils were used.
  8. Gaidig

    Lust

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #2: Lust
     
    "red musk, patchouli, ylang ylang and myrrh."
     
    Note: Early in the cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: This smells rather perfumey to me. And red. Like Red Door? Or is that just a totally dissociated scent memory?
     
    On me: The "perfuminess" is starting to mellow. I'm not sure what it is I don't like. Is it the patchouli? Is it the ylang ylang? I'm not sure I've ever smelled red musk or myrrh.
     
    1 hour+ later: This has mellowed down to a light incensy scent, like old books in a sacred library, or the library at Hogwarts, yes, I think this is a Hermione Granger scent -- at least on me. It isn't the lust I was looking for, though. *tear*
  9. Gaidig

    Sea of Glass

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #5: Sea of Glass
     
    "Upon the Sea of Glass, glowing with the perfection of spiritual union and the radiance of true wisdom, rests the throne of God. A scent of inimitable purity, crystalline grace, and limitless light."
     
    Note: Mid cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: Pleasantly citrus and... lily? Gardenia? Very fresh. Somewhat as I would imagine the edge of the sea in Narnia with Reepicheep sailing away. "Where the waves grow sweet...There is utter east."
     
    On me: Wet, I get a lemony fresh almost cleaning product smell, but that goes away fairly quickly. On drydown, I have a fresh, gentle floral aquatic.
     
    1 hour+ later: Stays fairly true to original drydown. It is rather lovely, not an annoying floral, but it is floral none the less. I don't know how much I will wear it.
  10. Gaidig

    Scherezade

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #8: Scherezade
     
    "Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk."
     
    Note: End of cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: Definitely smells like insense. Do I detect the dreaded patchouli? Musky as well, I think.
     
    On me: I definitely get what I would define as a perfumey feel out of this. Perhaps that is the reaction I have to red musk. I can't seem to pick out individual notes.
     
    1 hour+ later: I am catching the spices & I think I can identify the saffron, though it is not as bitter as the mehndi on my left hand. At this point, a few hours later, I have lost the throw, but I like the scent.
  11. Gaidig

    And so it begins

    By Gaidig,

    I am new to BPAL. Yes, I have been signed up for quite a while, but I agonized over what I would choose for my first order. Then I got laid off, concentrated on a new job, etc., etc. Now, I'm still overwhelmed by the vast selection and my lack of olfactory knowledge, and a large dose of perfectionism.
     
    I had narrowed it down quite a bit, but now I can't remember my conclusions. So, I had the (not so) revolutionary idea of chronicling my search here. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll even get some input from more knowledgeable noses.
     
    My known preferences: I am not a girly girl. I do not like flowery perfumes or fruity or sweet scents. The prospect of smelling like food scares me; I am not a snack! I like the smell of the woods after rain. I am drawn to nature, and I plant flowers and vegetables; knit, spin, and dye yarn; make candles, bake from scratch, and have intentions of making soap from scratch as well. I also paint watercolors, draw with conte crayon, sculpt clay, sew, make chain mail and venetian masks. I am drawn to Native American traditions, medieval knights, & the exoticism of the Marrakesh Market or the holy Ganges. But I also like steampunk. I like the simplicity, asymmetry, and elegence of ikebana. I ride bikes a lot and hang out with indie hipsters. If that makes any sense to you, then you are starting to develop an idea of me.
     
    I wish to first develop a framework to hang my further explorations of BPAL on. I plan to start by trying some musky scents, some earthy scents, some aquatic scents, some exotic scents, and some bohemian scents. This blog will chronicle my plans & reactions to the scents.
  12. Gaidig

    Firefly

    By Gaidig,

    The Firefly thread might be useful.
     
    I'd follow the pattern of Zoe or Inara. According to the thread, that would give me:
     
    Zoe:
     
    O
    Snake Oil
    Dead Man's Hand + Bastet or The Lion
    Anne Bonny
    Dirty
    Dragon's Heart
    Loviatar
     
    Inara:
     
    Kurukulla
    Silk Road
    Lust
    Scherezade
    Snake Charmer
    Queen of Clubs
    Seraglio
    Hetairae
    F'54
    Aglaea
  13. Gaidig

    Tolkein

    By Gaidig,

    Unlike the Firefly post, there are few suggestions in the Tolkein post for what actually exists. I am trying to revive the thread & steer it that way, though.
  14. Gaidig

    Woodsy

    By Gaidig,

    Also according to the General Recommendations Post, here are woodsy scents:
     
    Anne Bonny
    Aquarius
    Belladonna
    Black Forest
    Burial
    Capricorn
    Darkness
    Golden Priapus
    Hamadryad
    Intrigue
    Jabberwocky
    Kweku Anansi
    Loup Garou
    Omen
    Seance
    The Hesperides
    Tintagel
    Tombstone
    Ulalume
    Umbra
    Val Sans Retour
    Wolfsbane
     
    I am most interestedin more hardwoods type forrests, with dirt & leaves, and mosses... the following look most promising based simply on that post:
     
    Burial
    Hamadryad
    Kweku Anansi
    Tintagel
    Val Sans Retour
     
    Ok, well Val Sans Retour wasn't in that post, and it isn't even out yet, but I had to read the reviews earlier. After all, it's the Val Sans Retour, in Broceliande, Breizh.
  15. Gaidig
    Thanks for your help, zankoku_zen.
     
    I am now placing my first order for the following imps:
     
    Bewitching Brews:
     
    Anne Bonny
    Blood Kiss
    Hamadrayd
    Scherezade
    Swank
     
    Love Potions:
     
    O
     
    Sin & Salvation:
     
    Lust
    Sea of Glass
    Sin
     
    Wanderlust:
     
    Neo-Tokyo
    Prague
    Tintagel
  16. Gaidig
    Order from littleone101701's for sale.
     
    Bewitching Brews
    Aeval
    Penny Dreadful
     
    Diabolus
    Djinn
     
    Excolo
    Pannychis
    Queen Mab
     
    Funereal Oils
    Dance of Death
     
    Limited Editions
    Beltane
     
    Love Potions
    Whip
     
    The Muses
    Melpomene
     
    Sin & Salvation
    Tzadikim Nistarim
     
    Wanderlust
    Athens
    Delphi
     
    [Edit:] Received today 1/20/07.
  17. Gaidig
    I finally realized that there was something in the swaps forum for me, even before I got my first order -- the sales area.
     
    From fruitycake's sales:
     
    Bewitching Brews
    Eclipse
    Ouija
    Séance
     
    Diabolus
    Black Phoenix
    Phantom
     
    Love Potions
    Libertine
    Salomé
     
    Somnium
    Temple of Dreams
     
    Wanderlust
    Florence
     
    [Edit]Received 1/12/07.
  18. Gaidig

    Neo-Tokyo

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #3: Neo-Tokyo
     
    Note: Mid cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    "Urban metallics and an ozone-tinged breath of electric light mingled with reedy bamboo, crisp mountain air, cherry blossoms, delicate orchid and a splash of playful, wet fruits."
     
    In the bottle: This smells like French double milled soap! (In a good way.) The cherry is coming out a lot in it. I am getting the metallic, too. Like wet, fruity, finely milled soap on the side of a steel wash tub, in the cold mountain air, where you poar fresh water over your head from a pitcher.
     
    On me: Cherry is moving back on drydown. Yay! (Why does my right wrist smell totally different from my left? It's cherry +5.)
     
    1 hour+ later: Clean, metalic. I think that clean sharpness is the ozone. The fruit is gone, except maybe as the faintest hint of sweetness. This is a very clean scent on me. Not what I was expecting, but I think it will be good for work wear. Also, it's very light.
  19. Gaidig
    Bewitching Brews
    Aeval
    Anne Bonny
    Blood Kiss
    Eclipse
    Hamadrayd
    Ouija
    Penny Dreadful
    Scherezade
    Séance
    Swank
     
    Diabolus
    Black Phoenix
    Djinn
    Phantom
     
    Excolo
    Pannychis
    Queen Mab
     
    Funereal Oils
    Dance of Death
     
    Limited Editions
    Beltane
     
    Love Potions
    Libertine
    O
    Salomé
    Seraglio
    Whip
     
    The Muses
    Melpomene
     
    Sin & Salvation:
    The Bow & Crown of Conquest
    Lust
    Sea of Glass
    Sin
    Tzadikim Nistarim
     
    Somnium
    Temple of Dreams
     
    Wanderlust
    Athens
    Delphi
    Florence
    Neo-Tokyo
    Prague
    Tintagel
  20. Gaidig

    Hamadryad

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #6: Hamadryad
     
    "Seven dry woods with mossy lichen and a gentle breeze of forest flowers."
     
    Note: Mid cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: Faint and hard to capture. Sweet, mossy...
     
    On me: Licorice! OMG LICORICE!
     
    1 hour+ later: The licorice has gone away, and it is now a mild, vaguely spicy, unitentifiable second skin scent. I like it, but I'm afraid to put much on and have to wait out the initial stage.
  21. Gaidig

    Prague

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #7: Prague
     
    "Crocus with snowdrop and three lilies."
     
    Note: End of cycle. Imp fresh from the Lab.
     
    In the bottle: Very sweet. I think the crocus and perhaps the snowdrop are coming out the most. It smells very much like the taste of honeysuckle nectar.
     
    On me: The sweetness dies back some & I get more of what I would deem an aquatic feel. The crocus is definitely still speaking up, but the rest more smooth & unidentifiable.
     
    1 hour+ later: I think it sweetened back up a little, but crocus stays as the top note. It doesn't have a ton of staying power, but it does get a little more throw than it has initially. Still doesn't have tons of throw, though.
  22. Gaidig

    Sin

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #30: Sin
     
    "Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon."
     
    Note: Middle of cycle. Imp from direct from the lab, but it's been sitting here a while.
     
    In the bottle: Sandalwood comes out first, but I can detect the other scents as well, in a smooth flow. Warm, round, and a little spicy, this feels like a wintery scent to me.
     
    On me: Amber and cinnamon dominate, while the sandalwood and patchouli fade into background supporting notes. It is somewhat foody, but also sensual. The black patchouli does not give the strong hippy patchouli note I feared. As it dries more, it is becoming more woodsy.
     
    1 hour+ later: The scent has not really changed. It is still a delectable warm, spicy scent, with a woody background.
  23. Gaidig

    Blood Kiss

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #10: Blood Kiss
     
    "Lush, creamy vanilla and the honey of the sweetest kiss smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk."
     
    Note: Late in cycle. Imp straight from the Lab, but about eleven months old.
     
    In the bottle: I am not sure what vetiver smells like, but I am getting something green, and musk, and poppy, I think. Cherries.
     
    On me: There's the honey & vanilla. They're all I smell now. I didn't smell them in the bottle. At this point, it seems like it could become too sweet before long. I have yet to smell the clove, or the wine, really. As I type, the honey is already backing off. I am smelling a green sharpness, now. The cherries are gone, I think. It seems to be going light & crisp.
     
    1 hour+ later: Now I've got the honey & vanilla, plus some green crispness, and a faint hint of musk. These last two keep it from being too cloying. It doesn't have a ton of throw -- or I've just gotten used to the throw -- and it isn't as dark as I expected. It's rather mild, and personally I like it, though it wasn't what I was expecting.
     
    Edit: This has major staying power. I can still smell it after17 hours!
  24. Gaidig

    Tintagel

    By Gaidig,

    Imp #9: Tintagel
     
    "Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin."
     
    Note: Late in cycle. Imp straight from the Lab, but about three months old.
     
    In the bottle: Dragon's blood, bayberry, & juniper jump out at me. I don't get the leather, though there is a brightness. It is rather potpourri like at this stage.
     
    On me: I think that the leather & hawthorn are coming out. I have no good way of identifying the blackthorn. I'm getting a slightly forresty mulled cider effect. The metal has gotten sharper.
     
    1 hour+ later: It had decent throw for a little while, but now most of it is gone. Now it is mostly dragon's blood again, I think, with a little leather and metal. Not terribly exciting, but nice and clean in a woodsy sort of way, like a wood maintained by a forrester, not a rolling around in the dirt sort of way.
  25. Gaidig
    Imp #12: The Bow and Crown of Conquest
     
    "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
     
    Nobility and haughtiness befitting the Antichrist: sage, carnation and cedar with lavender, vanilla, white musk and leather."
     
    Note: End of cycle. Imp straight from the Lab, but about eleven months old.
     
    In the bottle: I get vanilla and somewhat peppery carnation, maybe sage.
     
    On me: This pretty much disappeared on me/became a second skin with no distinguishable notes. I can tell that it's there, but it's only a tiny bit more vanilla and maybe musk on the right hand and carnation on the left hand than my actual skin.
     
    1 hour+ later: Slightly sweeter & muskier second skin. Still there. For some reason it sticks around longer on my left hand than the right. Go figure.
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