summer

I fell in love with Tushnamatay right away. Something about it just connected with the comfort/relaxation center in my brain! It is a smoooooooth, soft sandalwood that smells incensy, but somehow soft and light at the same time. It's not heady or overwhelming, surprisingly. Just smooth, like soft caramel-colored suede. Simply gorgeous.

This is one of my favorites. It's a simple scent to my nose -- a lush, velvety, red, red rose. The dragon's blood just seems to make the rose scent richer. It's not stem and leaves -- this one is all thick, velvety petals. A gorgeous rose scent. Whereas Persephone is a bright, sparkley rose scent, Blood Rose is a smoother, darker, more slowly-pulsating rose scent. I love them both, because neither are dry rose scents. Blood Rose is languid, while remaining true to it's roseiness. I wear it when I want feel especially feminine, and a little bit haughty.

This is so gorgeous. It's everything I hoped that Carnal would be. It's smooth, fruity, sweet, and spicy. Just perfect. I get mostly cherry-orange-cinnamon, with a touch of root-beery vanilla. For some reason, it just settles in perfectly with my skin chemistry and makes me feel warm, yummy, and good about myself. I can't wait to get a big bottle of this.

The first thing that came to mind was Blood Rose. If you like rose scents, that is. I thought of it because it has a Dragon's Blood base -- and Dragon's Blood really does seem to pulse with power. It's a very energetic, sexual, alive oil. The rose, however, gives it a darker, Victorian feel. I just love it.

Soooo autumnal. I don't know how, but Beth really has captured going for a long walk in the crisp autumn air after a rich Thanksgiving feast, smelling the woodsmoke rising from the houses along the road and crunching leaves underfoot. It smells like cool air, tinged by the fragrances of fire, leaves, apple pie, and a warm kitchen filled with feast smells. I just can't think of any better way to describe it. As a perfume, I don't like it as much as Harvest Moon, becuase it doesn't have that sweet buttery feel to it. It's crisper. But really, really lovely all the same. I'm wearing it today -- a gray autumn day, with the orange and red leaves just starting to fall off the branches. It goes brilliantly with my cozy brown sweater and with the air outside. Very glad to have a large bottle fo this. Edited to add: This goes a little bitter on me after a while. I wish it retained some of the apple-foodiness! It seems to get smokier and smokier with wear. Just like the evening after the feast I suppose . . .

Wow, this blend is extremely evocative. Almost too evocative. I don't know how to put this, but it smells . . . menstrual. Very heavy, and kind of skin-sweet in the same way as Dragon's Blood and Dragon's Heart, but darker, and almost overwhelming. I felt dirty wearing this, like I needed to have a purifying bath. An exquisitely blended oil, but very not "me."

This blend really does PULSE with warmth, strength, and vitality. To me, it has kind of an indistinct sweet, warm, round scent -- a bit of cherry, a bit of skin and sweat, and a bit of earthy spice. It is impossibly sexy. Blends in very well with my skin and just surrounds me with a vibrant aura. I like to put it on in the mornings before work, because it really does charge me up with a sense of sharpness and power. It gets my blood pumping, and makes me feel awake and alive -- very useful on winter mornings!

I am very committed to Kundalini Yoga, so when this oil came out I bought a big bottle right away. So far I've used it more ritually than as perfume. Before my last yoga session, I rubbed some oil into the base of my spine, and a little dab over my heart as well. The predominant scent is very, very earthy. The overall feeling is heat -- not spicy heat, but the heat generated by movement and friction. Almost a dry heat. I sat around for a while after I applied this, and I found that I felt kind of antsy . . . it was only when I began to really move around and get my energy flowing that this oil really came alive. Overall, BRAVO to Beth for creating an oil for this purpose. I will get a lot of use out of it. Thanks.

Lobban is lovely. I definitely smell some resemblance to Tushnamatay! It's a warm, grounded, sweet citrus, which, as it turns out, is the perfect type of citrus for me to wear. In line with it's use as a spiritual purification blend, I used it the other day after coming home from an absolutely revolting day at work. I just felt like I'd been dragged down by a lot of negative energy. I dabbed some Lobban on and mentally "let go" of all the bad stuff, did some yoga, and went to bed. It had a wonderfully calming, centering and, yes, purifying and refreshing effect on me. This is delicate and lovely as an unobtrusive room scent that doesn't take over the space, but just makes it smell fresh, warm, and inviting. I just ordered a 10ml, and I'm so glad to get some more of this before it's gone forever.

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet, as it's one of the first BPAL scents I fell in love with and got a big bottle of. It's the perfect, warm, crisp spicy scent. Just vibrates with warming cinnamon. I never want to run out of this. At first I used it mostly as a room scent; however, lately I've been wearing it as a perfume, and I can't stop sniffing myself when I do. It's perfect to layer, especially with the voodoo oils or some of the sweeter, fruity ones, to give them more bite and depth. However, it's gorgeous on it's own -- it makes me feel alert and fresh and warm, and gives a warm glow to my whole day.

La Petite Mort is just beautiful. It's what I wear when I want an unabashedly sensual scent. Warm, sweet, and honey-ish, but still distinctively grown-up, rather than cloying. The ylang ylang manages not to smell floral -- rather, it just smells smoooooth and warm. This is a gorgeous "come closer and smell my skin" perfume. It is slightly less heady and sweet than O, but slightly more warm and sexual than Tiger Lily. Just perfect.

I really like this. The orange note is very true, fresh, and orange juicey, which is unusual in a perfume, but I've been looking for a truly ORANGY scent for a long time, and this one hits the mark. However, the tartness and sweetness of the orange is warmed up and fuzzed out around the edges by heady, musky patchouli. If I apply too much of this blend, I smell just exactly like a head shop, but if I'm careful, a small dab melds into my skin and just smells sweet and sexual and alive. Gorgeous. It actually reminds me a bit of Lush's Karma, but it's a more vibrant, alive version.

This is absolutely stunning. Upon first sniff, I was overwhemled by an impression of the ocean -- not so much the smell of the ocean, but its feel. The feel of calm and clarity looking out over the ocean at the horizon. This is fresh, sharp, smooth, clear . . . never has a name so well evoked the fragrance! I usually don't care for aquatic scents, but I had such a strong emotional reaction to this one that I'm planning to get a big bottle for summertime. I have no idea what's in it -- this is one of those fragrances that's so well-blended it just smells like itself. Beautiful.

You need to get Lush's Whipstick lipbalm. Honestly, it smells and tastes just like you've smeared pure milk chocolate sauce all over your lips. *drool*

CuddleyBosoms my pet, I have no idea what's in Aunt C.'s Joy Mojo, but it definitely smells bubblegummy, somewhat like Rockstar. Another option might be Regan -- it's not fruity, but it's delicate & vanillary. Or Hollywood Babylon, which is strawberries and vanilla. Then there's always Gluttony, which doesn't smell like Rock Star to me, but is so sweet and foody that it might appeal to someone who likes Rock Star's sweetness. I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but Flying Fox shower gel and The Caterpillar are a match made in jasmine heaven. Really, the most complimentary Lush/BPAL combo I've tried yet!!

I think that Tarot: Justice is kind of similar!

Booooo, no Samhain. I was hoping it would arrive yesterday! So today . . . I am feeling like Harvest Moon. I want to enjoy it as much as possible while it's still autumn!

Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo

Gorgeous jasminey scents: -The Caterpillar (jasmine & incence) -Muse (jasmine & lime) -Twilight (round, lush jasmine) -Old New Orleans -Old Venice Jasmine is one of those notes that really comes alive on me, and Beth is an absolute artist with it! Edited to add: Oh sorry, I didn't realize you wanted reviews on those specific scents. Yes, in that case, best to go to the Reviews section of the forum and just look them up!

If I don't get Samhain in time, I'll probably slather on some combination of Jack, Three Witches, and Bruja.

This fragrance makes me want to breathe deeply, and slowly, and let my body return to its natural rhythms. If you're looking for a color association, this is deep, dark violetty blue. It's surprisingly lush and complex -- I was expecting a more streightforward lavender scent, but this is much, much deeper and richer. The lavender is there, but it seems to be wrapped in a lush, jasminey spice. It smells like night air -- when you really stop to inhale it . . . deeply. Absolutely stunning. I wear it to sleep at night, and it sends me off feeling fresh, clear-headed, relaxed, and even protected, somehow. I can't say it's had any effect on my dreams -- rather, just deep, restful sleep.

This is a round, pink floral, with something that reminds me of sandalwood making it more grounded; more sturdy. Something about it reminds me of Old Venice . . . something rich and lush. There is a bit of cinnamon here, but it's so anchored to the floral that I hardly even smell it -- it just makes the floral warm, and round. I really, really love this.

Arcana Envy Namaste I'll add more as I think of them! But really, Arcana is the most surprisingly beautiful fresh, calming scent. I'd really reccomend trying it.

I also found this to be a very warm, throbbing scent. People have said that O and Le Petit Mort smell like sex -- I never thought so. To me, they smell sweet/foody/floral. Dragon's Heart, on the other hand, smells like SEX to me. Like skin and sweat and hormones. It starts out sort of cherry-sweet (although not cloyingly so), and gets muskier throughout the day. It really is a thick, gorgeous scent, but I must say, I wore yesterday, and I felt like I needed to take a shower all day. Way too post-coital to wear to work again!

Hm, this shower theory is interesting! I usually shower at night and apply my BPAL in the morning, which would explain why I normally don't have problems. However, on the night in question, it's quite possible that I was fresh from the shower when I applied . . . Interesting.