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I skipped straight to slapping this sucker on my skin aaand... leather? Anyone else get that? No one? *looks around* An hour later: Still leather. Later still: Yup. Leather. This one really hangs on too.

Chiming in ... Snow White and Snake Oil were #1 in '09 but they're scent opposites; I'd pick Snow White but it's iffy. For enabling purposes, I choose popular scents that also have quirky names, like Mouse's Long & Sad Tale and Embalming Fluid because it hooks their interest. I've given those to a couple of my sisters and they smell the same on them

Has Neptune been mentioned? That's an aquatic floral.

Is my nose broken?? I'm getting a snow note + Absinthe v7 - but it's faabulous Must. Hoard.

Smut 2010 Wow. This is great stuff. There is a little underlying sharpness, and it should have some cellaring time to smooth it out, but it's already a pretty amazing scent. I wore it, lightly applied (from experience), and I could smell it the next morning. Great longevity! Smut '06, which I also have, I picked up around 2007. It was still really sharp, even then. It didn't become really beautiful until it hit the 3-year mark, around 2009. '10 is going to get there much faster. It's well on the way already

I think this is the place to post this: What's the status of orders placed before paypal's latest (as usual inconvenient-to-users) rule change, re not giving the lab our emails? Will we not get a CnS? And does anyone know the date it took effect?

Libertine? OMG. I think it could survive a nuclear holocaust. But your best bet is a good facial scrub. I use Olay thermal dermabrasion. It's a two step kit, one is the orange scented scrubby crystals, and the other is the gel that makes it foam up. It's not cheap ($20-25 for the set) and I wouldn't buy it just for that, but I use it on my hands after I scrub my face if I've been testing, and it removes every trace of scent. I would guess any good scrubby facial cleanser would work pretty well.

Uploaded through 9/17 (answered questions in bold; updated q's in red) Questions duplicative of questionnaire deleted Crafting ~ For the crafty people out there: would you prefer something crafted or crafting supplies? What kind? knitting needles, yarn, amazing fabric, pinking shears, cool thimbles or pincushins, jewelery making supplies, beads, etc.? NOT crafty Who are your favorite artists/illustrators/art periods? So, who has a store or ETSY shop or knows of a shop of a fellow BPALer that everybody needs to check out? N/A What If ~ If you had the funds to comission an original painting for yourself, what would it be of? What would it be like- colors, size, style? What fictional character do you most identify with and why? Super power? Go back in time What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"? Phobos, Eclipse, Bordello (to age) Are there any childhood shows/movies/games/books/etc. that still hold a really special place in your heart? Do you believe we control our destiny, or does our destiny control us? We control What one thing that is missing from your life would you like to have above all else? RL friends What was your favouritest job ever, and why? My first paralegal job; I was so enthusiastic, and I had a terrific boss, very sweet guy Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator? answered on-thread An anonymous benefactor gives you $500 (or an equivalent amount of money in your currency of choice) with the following stipulations. You must spend all of it within a week: any money left unspent must be returned. You must spend at least half of the money on yourself. You may not use it to pay off debts or bills of any kind. What do you do with the money? This is how the world ends... zombie apocalypse, robot uprising, alien invasion, return of the elder gods... which doomsday scenario do you prefer (or make your own!)? We might get a little mercy from the elder gods! In the year 2525... if man is still alive... what sort of future do you imagine? I suspect we'll be around, but struggling for survival due to our stupidity and failure to take care of the earth If you found the puzzle box from Hellraiser, what would you do with it? (and would you be able to resist playing with it?) I had to research this, never having heard of the movie - not surprising considering I detest horror flicks. That said, I'd try to solve it ONLY if I didn't know what was inside. But my chances wouldn't be that good, I'm much better with mental puzzles. Describe your ideal picnic lunch. Where would you go? Who (if anyone, and yes there can be multiple people) would accompany you? What sort of food would you take? I adore picnics! We used to go on them when I was growing up, all the time in the summer. The food is unimportant, it's the company. Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put any number of items in the box that symbolize who you are. The items can be may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but they must fit within the box. Which items do you choose? You're given the opportunity to apprentice at any trade (or craft) of your choosing for the period of one year. Your mentor may be any currently living person. Which field of study would you choose, and who would be your mentor? Which of the seven deadly sins is most likely to be your undoing? Sloth, no question. Greed would be a runner up. If Beth made a perfume called "switch witch" what notes would be in it? Food etc. ~ What's your stance on cranberries? in all forms You're at home, or out, and you want a snack. Something that will get you through to the next meal, or through to the end of school or what ever. What do you grab? microwave popcorn What is your favorite Candy? What candy do you hate? fruit gumdrops, good caramels; I detest black licorice What kind of coffee do you like? not picky, but I like flavored & drink it with cream For those of us who like chocolate, do you like anything /in/ your chocolate, like fruit, nuts, or for the more daring among us, chilies? If I send you whole spices or coffee beans, would you be able to grind them or would you prefer them preground for your convenience? I have a coffee grinder but not a spice grinder For the tea and coffee drinkers: Opinion on tea- and/or coffee-related accessories/etc? (Teaware, sugar crystals, infusers, tea chests, etc) How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar? Coffee with cream only. Tea plain, only in cold weather or when I'm sick. Restaurants you'd like a gift certificate to on Restaurant.com? Anything in San Antonio; we don't go out to dinner much. Helping out the kids, y'know. In your perfect world it is chocolate and...? What's your favorite dessert treat? Ice cream? Cake? Pie? Fudge brownie cake with pie flavored ice cream on top? I adore custard or flan but rarely get it. Second best is vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries. Any cooks? Could you use anything cooking related? Aprons? Cookbooks? Measuring Cups? Recipes? Herb/Spice containers? Fancy Spices? Dish Towels? Cocktail napkins? Amazing Beaded Pot Holders? Something else? What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween? You're in the kitchen at the end of a pay period and groceries are pretty scarce. Do you take the five ingredients you find first and make something fabulous, or do you order take out? Takeout's not an option where I live, LOL. We usually go the lazy route, sadly, and everyone fends for themselves. Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what? Pumpkin seeds I've had haven't been very good; chex mix is ok but caramel apples are best Whats your burger preference? Veggie,meat or ???? Grilled beef or venison burger w/onions, tomatoes, ketchup & maybe pickles, mmm What other hot beverages everyone likes for fall? Cider if I run across some, but never make it myself What sort of odd or regional foods do you crave? I REALLY miss lemon curd, lime curd too (harder to find). And turkey jerky (I keep trying make it, but it's tricky).Do you mind artificial colors in your food? Are there any foreign food products that you'd love to get or to try? Tea lovers, loose or bag? What are your favorite fruits? What is your favorite cookie type? Beliefs ~ Does anyone have any symbols they consider to be personally significant or talismanic? sorry, no Are there any Gods, Goddess, or other mythological figures of whom you're particularly fond? How do you feel about Dia de los Muertos? Are you interested in sugar skulls? Catrina (or other) skeleton figurines? I think this is a wonderful holiday; I've never even SEEN a sugar skull, would love to get some! Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you? I believe in miracles, more or less the same. If I were your witch, and I wanted to make you a spell or mojo bag, would you be into that? And, if you were, would you want it for something like love, prosperity or luck? Or would you want it for a certain element? Or would you want it for something more personal- and what might that be? Favorites n Wishes ~ Do you have a favorite poem or poet? Poetry's not my thing, HS kinda ruined it for me Can you use pill boxes, a hard ID case, coin purse, etc? no Any songs you are desperately into at the moment? not right now, but PLEASE feel free to expand my horizons! What's your favorite product(s) at Trader Joe's? never been to one Any Amy Brown art fans? How do you feel about Halloween music? (mix CDs, what have you) LOVE it Who else is reeeeeally looking forward to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? Is there a store that you love which does not have a location near you (but that has a physical presence somewhere, not just online? Why do you love it so much? Could you use a 'travel' imp case? How many should it hold? have one, wait, two What kind of socks? NOT toe socks, bleah, and not a real fan of wool, otherwise love 'em all May I help you fill out your costuming wardrobe (assuming you costume)? Are there articles you are seeking to enhance your a) Halloween costume, Renfest attire, c) Cosplay, d) Steampunk accouterment? Do you mind receiving used (in good condition, of course) CDs or DVDs? oh yeah! Do you have a crush on anyone famous? Do you have a crush on any literary characters? Would you like fanfiction or fan art based on this/these people? no fanfic or fan art pls Are there any decants from the Halloweenies, Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly, or Hellboy that you would be interested in receiving? see WL Do you have any objections to receiving downloads? Is your internet connection fast enough for you to download large files like music easily? no & not really Are there any songs, albums, movies, or TV shows that you can't find/haven't been released that you want? yes, I don't have cable; TV: Vampire Diaries, Warehouse 13. Movies: ? (will update). Songs: (?) How do you scent your home: tarts, reed diffusers, BPAL, candles? tarts mostly, generally from Alternative Breeding, he's an artist with mixing scents Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.? no Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so? not me Who likes coloring books? meh Do you like pinup art/images? YES! see WL Is anyone playing this round of SW into ABJ? (asian ball jointed dolls) A beginner's interest, tried to join the forum but couldn't Any other steampunk fans/lovers? yup, but don't think I can carry it off, maybe I'd do better w/victorian flavored? I like that a lot too, maybe a bit more If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them? My cat loves catnip (and he's fat so anything that gets him moving is GREAT) Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most? a lap robe or throw kind of thing? A shawl would be cool too, but I wouldn't use it as much Interested in locally produced products? Food, skincare or both?Olive oil? Lavender oils or soaps? YESYESYES to all but lavender anything Does anyone in here wear a lot of dangly earrings or collect pendants of all kinds?? How about hair clips or pony tail band things? Would a "gift" donation to one of the organizations/causes you support be a great gift, or a lame gift? Do you like Villainess soaps? What are your favorite scents? tried 2, they didn't work very well for me Who wants hair pretties?(headbands, barrettes, pony-o's, scrunchies, bobby pins, hair clips, etc) If you were my witchee, would you like any of the scents/sizes that are available on clearance (candles)? I am on an origami crane kick recently, so I wonder if anyone will be interested in origami crane earrings, origami crane in a glass vial (~1.2cm wide) phone charm/pendant or just a container filled with cranes of different sizes. not really (I really like paper stars, but even with detailed directions I can't make them!!) How do you feel about clothing/accessories made from animals? Anti-fur, leather, shells, etc.? Does even faux wig you out? see thread Who is musically inclined? What instruments (voice counts) do you play? Would you enjoy sheet music? not me Anyone want a nickname and embroidered headband from PandaBite? nope I have seen a lot of yankee candles haters...... do you or don't you, and if not, what candles do you like? this assumes you like candles. otherwise, what specific home fragrance do you use? Not my fave co., their stuff is sort of...single note? Though I'd use it happily if I got it! Do you wear lip gloss/lip balm? If so, what flavors/scents? Random ~ What's autumn like in your neck of the woods? What do you love and/or hate about it? There isn't any. It just gradually gets cooler. And that's what I hate. I miss autumn. If your witch were to either write something for you or put together a collection of ghost stories, would you rather have it in writing, recorded as an oral telling, or both? Either would be a lovely personal gift What's something you're really looking forward to in the semi-near future? What is your favorite creepy folk story or legend? Lolcats....yea or nay? the site is good for a laugh. The language = baby talk As a witchee, would you prefer to have many little packages sent to you throughout the round with a not-so-big final package or fewer things throughout the round with one huge final package to seal the sweetness? What is your idea of the perfect evening at home? How often do you update your wishlist? every week or so? Do you have a favorite bpal bottle art? nope, I'm into the contents Do you have a Blu-Ray player? nope Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.? not really Do sounds make you happy? What ambient noises make you smile? What's your favorite pain-relief remedy or ritual? When you receive your SW packages...do you like receiving things that are individually wrapped inside? or unwrapped? or both? wrapped makes me happy, but whatever works for my witch! Of course, we're all going to be grateful no matter what our witches give us, but for the record, what is your anti-present? Tell us something that you think your future witch might give you that you absolutely, unequivocally DO. NOT. WANT. see thread What BPAL scent have you never tried but always wanted to? What scent have you tried and LOVED, and haven't been able to get more of and why? I know we're all scent sensitive here. What are your favorite non-perfume smells? Day in the life stuff? What are your phobias? What is your favourite flower (or plant)? If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it? Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for? Vikings but not rabid. They do need all the fans they can get though. What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.) What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions? None yet. We used to hand out candy but we live so remote now that we don't get trick or treaters Who are your BPAL forum buddies? You know, people I could conspire with to Witch you! see thread What is your favorite Halloween icon? Lots - bats, black cats Whats your favorite childhood toy? paper dolls Do you Tweet? What is your Twitter name? northpolejo but I don't really use it & you don't want to know my unvarnished opinion Are you on Ravelry? What is your Ravelry name? nope Are you involved in any long-term, ambitious project? something like decorating your house or saving for a trip to the other end of the world, for example. What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to? Hocus Pocus is an annual tradition; I really liked Nightmare Corpse Bride (don't have it). Edit: Oops! I've never seen Nightmare! HP & Practical Magic are the only ones I have & Practical Magic isn't that good. How do you feel about ghost stories? I like ghost stories, but I don't seek them out Did you order anything from the most recent update? Poes & cakes Vampires or Werewolves? Or some other monster? nah Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG? no How do you deal with stress? What's your favorite way to unwind? I cry. Take a bath. Favorite musicals? Paint Your Wagon, Seven Brides...lots. I'd love to see new ones though. I've never seen Wicked, Rent. Would you object to anonomous postcards (real ones) from your witch before the big reveal??? Do you like to find out there's a package on the way or to receive a tracking number to stalk, or do you prefer surprise packages? Do you drink alcohol? Wine, beer or liquor? What is your favorite wine/beer/mixed drink? What is one thing you constantly keep with you that you constantly lose? see thread

In the Bottle: Sort of aquatic or ozoney. Wet: Citrus (lemon & ?) but not strong, a wood note too. Drydown: As it dries, the lemon strengthens, but there's something definitely wintry, perhaps the juniper or fir mentioned. In just minutes, the juniper-or-whatever drowns out the citrus The wood hangs in, though. This fades really fast, but would be worth trying in a locket.

Another one I picked up at Dark Del on a whim In the Bottle: Cherry! Wet: Cherry is one of my favorite notes, I'm loving this. A touch of ...cinnamon? Really good. Drydown: It went to something herbally and generic fruit? WTF? I may have to retest, because this was soo good in the early stages.

I picked this up at the trunk show because it sounded like such an interesting scent, and I wanted to try it In the Bottle: Just plain raw smelling. Has to be the civet, clobbering the florals. Wet: Definitely not my thing. This would have to smooth out a lot for me to love it. Drydown: I was pretty surprised, actually. It smooths out and softens, but it's still not a great scent for me. It did turn out much prettier than I expected, though, and it's very wearable

In the Bottle: Something indefinably interesting. No idea of the notes. Wet: Reminds me of sitting beside a fireplace with a cuppa. An autumn scent. Drydown: It goes to powdered sugar, very pretty. But then later...musk. Really. Fabulous. Elegant. Musk. Must hoard many bottles.... *scuttles off*

In the Bottle: Spices! Lots of different spices. Some ginger. This reminds me most of Jingo-Kogo. Wet: Terrific depth, and not so much like J-K on the skin (drat). Lots of dry spices here. I can't decide whether I like it in this stage or not... Drydown: This is Jingo-Kogo's rough-and-tumble older cousin. Definitely some rough edges. I don't think it's for me, though.

In the bottle: Another desert scent. How does she DO that? Wet: This is similar to Nigredo at this stage. I'm getting a muddle of notes. Drydown: What a surprise - sweet sugar!

In the Bottle: This was a tough one. My husband guessed lilac. Wet: Floral, with a slight bakery note. Drydown: In the early drydown, this is like sitting under a purple lilac bush. You sense someone walking by more than actually seeing them, because you catch a whiff of their croissant as they pass The bakery note disappears as the person goes on down the street, and you just inhale the lilacs.

I knew this had to be jasmine or gardenia, and I see from the other reviews it is gardenia. I pick up zero peach, and wouldn't you know it, gardenia being my nemesis, this has absolutely fabulous throw. I suspect it will have incredible wearlength too. Sigh.

It's been forever since I've tried the original. I'll amend if I get around to doing a side-by-side comparison. In the Bottle: Incense. This surprised me. I expected fruit and spice, which is what it smelled like (to me) at DD. Wet: There it is. Very pronounced fruit, must be the plum, and cinnamon, which doesn't usually cause me problems, thankfully. I like this a lot so far. Drydown: The incensey vibe comes back and takes over the plum note, then it goes to mostly cinnamon. This would be a terrific fall/winter scent. Medium throw, still going strong at the one hour mark.

In the Bottle: Lime sugar, like you could drink the bottle Wet: Lime juice and rind. This is really really good. Drydown: The lime evaporates, and it goes vaguely sweet and foody. Cake? Not very long lasting, as others have noted, but would probably do really well in a locket

In the Bottle: Pink candy and a teeny hint of smoke or brimstone, something like that. Wet: This reminds me of a bagful of some sort of candy, but I can't quite recall what kind... There's a hint of cinnamon, just a wee bit. Drydown: Oh. My. God. A bit of almond, pink candy, and brimstone. Then it goes to pure divinity. No, not the candy (but that, too). As in Webster's: the state of being divine I am so hoarding this.

In the Bottle: Elusive. Can't pin it down. Wet: Wintry. Reminds me very slightly of Tomoe Gozen, though TG is quite a bit softer. Drydown: A wintry floral, then it just goes soapy on me. Aw

In the Bottle: Foody! Smells like cookies Wet: Same, but with anise, and they smell like they should have been taken out a few minutes sooner. Drydown: Still cookies. This stays very true. I had my son smell it & he said little kids would be chewing my arm off

Maybe my nose is broken?? See below review. In the Bottle: Lemon sugar. Srsly. Wet: Lemon rind, pure lemon rind (and I know what it smells like)! Drydown: Morphs to floral soapiness. Woe May try this in a locket...

My experience was totally different In the bottle: Very aquatic, with a dash of something tangy. Wet: A dirty, murky aquatic. A little bit of vetiver might be giving it that 'dirty' feel, but my nose isn't that good, so possibly something else. Salt, definitely. And dirty stuff, like you'd find on the shore. The different notes elbow to the front and then lose their place. Drydown: Suntan lotion! I'd call this one Beach in a Bottle

I couldn't wait to try this one because there was so much interest already In the bottle: Definitely not foody, maybe a little mint way down in there? Very hard to tell what's going on Wet: Hmm, this stuff is thin, that may not be a good sign for lasting power. Nose clearing!! Something sharp, one of my unfavorite florals? Drydown: There's some citrus in here, orange maybe? Yup, definitely orange. And then a light musk comes in. Not terribly long lasting but beautiful. I'd like to try this one in a locket and see what happens Coconut? Lemongrass? I didn't get either one of those

I'm always amazed how much these oils vary from person to person In the Bottle: V. citrusy. Sharp grapefruit in there. Wet: Sharp to the point of sinus-clearing on me, prob. the grapefruit (keep in mind gfruit is not my friend) Drydown: Softening down to be kind of generic, can't pick out the gfruit nearly as clearly. Something else is grounding the blend, but my nose isn't sophisticated enough to tell you whether it's musk or not. An hour in, there doesn't seem to be much scent left, but the wearer isn't the best judge of wearlength and no one is around to tell me