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Akurarei
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Posts posted by Akurarei
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Golletes
Smells like a cream-less Beaver Moon 2007 in the bottle.
then I put it on & I get sweet juicy cherries, sugar & something faint in the background...maybe the 'pastries; but I can't really tell.
After a few hours its cherries dipped in sugar.
really simple & beautiful foody scent!
10 of 10 Ranking!
this years releases that work are doing very well on me!
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Odd Portents
I don't smell much of anything, in any stage, except myrrh.
which isn't playing nice on my skin this time
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Tombeur
I was really worried about the patchouli & clove; neither really suit me.
In the Bottle:
Musk, Vanilla & something kind of dry
On my Skin, Wet:
Patchouli! NOOO!!
after a couple of minutes, the patchouli goes away to be replaced with red musk, deep dark vanilla, and extra sugary Snake Oil!
On my Skin, Dry:
no patchouli anywhere, just that glorious musk, vanilla & SO combo.
this is great! I don't even detect the questionable clove which tends to appear in the dry phase.
Verdict:
a wonderful scent - I really love it!
buying one or more backups prior to 2011
10 of 10 Ranking!
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A Howl in the Darkness
In the Bottle:
Minty with something underneath; not dissernable to my poor nose.
On my Skin, Wet:
A blast of musk, then a blast of vanilla, then both settle down onto a sweet & cool mint base
On my Skin, Dry:
this is like a musky version of Tokyo Stomp.
I like this a lot!
very interesting, though it doesn't remind me of being in the woods, sadly.
great scent for the fall & cooler weather.
8 of 10 Ranking
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Pumpkin Latte
In the Bottle:
little to no scent, but the little bit that is there smells buttery
on my Skin, Wet:
Cinnamon! everywhere!
really strong cinnamon too - took me by surprise!
after about 10 minutes of CINNAMON!!!! it starts to smell like El Dia de Reyes with some coffee & cocoa notes
On my Skin, Dry:
smells much more like Gluttony now.
Heavy chocolate, cream & other decadent sweets.
then, after 2 hours, it smells like Gluttony plus sweet pumpkin pie.
Verdict:
pretty strong cinnamon note, then some good coffee & hot chocolate, then some deadly sin with dessert on the side.
probably the most evocative of the fall scents I've tried this release so far.
I'm hoping that all the others are equally interesting.
8 of 10 ranking!
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So is anything backordered that just hasn't been updated to the Backordered thread?
With the Weenies in progress, Anniversaries & Yules all coming up, maybe there just hasn't been a thread update?
I placed my order 8/23/2010, the funds were taken on 9/1/2010 & still no CnS
ETA: of course shortly after I post this I get an email from customer service about the status of my order!
::egg on face::
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Lotus Moon 2010
In the Bottle:
Resin & Dark Fruits - not specific
On my Skin, Wet::
blossoming dark fruits, lotus, & deep resins. Very 'morning dew' impression to me.
the dark fruit could be pomegranate, but to my nose it could also be black cherry or very dark red raspberries.
the lotus seems dewy at this stage - not bubblegum.
I can't specify any resins at this stage
On my Skin, Dry:
not a dewy fresh fragrance anymore.
this has become rather dry - almost parched of all gentle welcoming scents.
the resin has turned to incense
the lotus is now a potpourri
and the fruits have turned to dried versions of their former lush selves.
not a bad smell, but the dryness of it is a little bizarre
Verdict:
pretty but not something that holds my attention
4 of 10 ranking
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Common Jezebel
In the Bottle:
Vetiver, Sugar & airy fruits
On my Skin, Wet:
A blast of sugary fruits, then the smoky vetiver.
it smells dark but clean to me.
On my Skin, Dry:
Vetiver dominates in this stage, but I am getting wafts of lemons & a touch of sugar.
it has an overall 'juicy' impression - which can be the apricot & red currants from other blends I have tried that have those notes.
Still kind of a strange dark but clean impression but now with a slightly smoky undertone.
Verdict:
interesting blend - I love the initial blast of sugary fruits with the undertone of the vetiver when I first apply this, but I'm not sure how I like the role reversal once dry.
as far as aging goes, I suspect this blend will eventually be all vetiver all the time.
if it turns out to be anything other than vetiver I'll be pleasantly surprised.
4 of 10 ranking
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#369
In the bottle:
there's definitely vanilla in the bottle and it generally smells like I'm standing between a bakery (which happens to use gallons of vanilla) and a florist shop.
On my Skin, Wet:
still the same smell from the bottle, just AMPED - because I amp vanilla
On my Skin, Dry:
now this is interesting!
It's a swirl of vanilla, floral (nose is telling me carnation since the Lab's carnation makes me sneezy for a bit), and a vague 'cakey' smell. It almost smells like warm cupcakes waiting to be frosted, and the frosting is being made nearby.
There *might* be amber in this blend as well. Once in a while I get a resin whiff for a brief instant.
After More Time:
Vanilla, Carnation, 'bakery smells' & Amber or Golden Musk
Verdict:
for a Chaos blend, I couldn't be happier with the outcome!
aside from the carnation (which makes me sneezy) I probably would have made this scent myself!
I love the vanilla base and the ambery-golden musk makes a nice balance to the sugary baked goods smells.
this is great! certainly makes up for my poor Edge of Chaos bottle!
6 of 10!
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WitchBlade: WitchBlade
All the notes sound good!
(even the ones that I've never heard of!)
In the Bottle:
Rich red musk! and Amber!
it smells like a clean & warm red musk - I'll attribute the 'sacred metal' as the clean portion of the mixture.
On my Skin, Wet:
A burst of potent red musk - slowly softening with the metal note(s) and the amber just keeps this blend kind of warm and cozy.
On my Skin, Dry:
Red musk, sacred metal and a very small trace of the warm amber.
This is my favorite blend with red musk ever!
I love the intensity of the red musk but not the 'muskiness' of it for more than a couple of hours.
This blend is a clean version of red musk, and I can wear it all day long without having that muskiness take over after a while.
Verdict:
Outstanding! Gorgeous!
This does layer well with WB: Sara Pezzini - completely complementary & seamless.
I have been wearing this blend alone as well, and I just can't go wrong with it! (even running a little in my hair just before bed- it's just that gorgeous!)
10 of 10 Ranking!!
Great job Beth & Labbies!
Thank you so much for not only creating this series of scents, but also making it a charitable effort!
you guys are the best!
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GOBLIN
I tried this one yesterday from a Lab frimp.
I definitely like the black coconut & benzoin components from this one - but alas the patchouli was too much for me after about an hour.
I kept it on for an additional 2 or 3 hours even though I *hate* patchouli to see if the coconut & benzoin do something interesting that drown out the patchouli.
They did not so Goblin is definitely not a winner in my book
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Witchblade: Sara Pezzini
I love this comic and was tremendously excited to see BPAL making these scents!
In the bottle:
leather & muskiness/sweat...
I have to say that the idea of wearing something that smells like sweat isn't too appealing.
On my skin, Wet:
Sweat & Leather.
I haven't had any luck with the Lab's leather note to date - they always go soapy on me.
This one seems to be grounded by the sweat and is smelling like oiled leather to my nose.
On my skin, Dry:
Leather, honey & skin <-- (that looks really morbid & strange, but it's not bad at all!)
hooray! a BPAL leather that does *not* turn to soap for me!
::happy dance!::
honey tends to amp on me so it's not really a surprise that this note appears in the dry phase.
the sweat note dissipated to a 'skin' note; unusual to say the least, but it's actually kindof comforting.
it smells like sun warmed skin - if that makes sense.
Verdict:
This scent was a gamble, but it just shows that gambles can pay off once in a while!
I don't think I'll be wearing this scent by itself, the leather note and sweat at the beginning is a little bit sharp - but I do love it layered with the Witchblade scent.
on it's own, I'll rate this one 6 of 10
with the Witchblade scent it gets an 8 of 10 ranking
thank you BPAL for making a line of scents to go with this comic!
::love::
ETA (5.24.2010): This just keeps growing on me and I think I'm bumping this rating from a 6 to a 10 out of 10.
In addition, I have been wearing this alone and I get nothing but compliments.
Plus, since this is the only leather note that has worked on my skin I'm really enjoying what I've been missing from other blends with leather like Loviatar, DeSade,
Depraved, Whip, etc.ETA (5.25.2010): Depraved has patchouli, not leather - oops!
Definitely buying more bottles of Sara Pezzini!
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Naughty!
I get the cream note, the golden musk and a berrylicious tea
no chocolate or cake for me!
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PEACH MOON
In the Bottle:
Peachy goodness - it smells like freshly sliced sweet peaches
On my Skin, Wet:
Peaches and Sugary Blossoms!
It's like peach slices served with candied rose petals or candied lilies (which don't actually exist IIRC); all while sitting under a blossoming tree warmed by the sun on an early Spring day.
On my Skin, Dry:
Fades quite a bit, but the scent doesn't morph very much.
The dewey-ness from the wet stage goes away but I still smell like fresh peaches with a hint of sugary florals.
Verdict:
One of the most delicate & juiciest blends I've ever tried from BPAL.
8 of 10 Ranking (only because of the drastic fade - probably solved in a scent locket)
This was a beautiful & suprising December Lunacy; I'm very pleased!
Thank you Labbies & Beth for the peachy treat
ETA: In the bottle this reminds me very strongly of a heavily peached Holiday Moon; could be the tea note that I missed earlier.
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In the bottle this doesn't smell much different to me than Fruit Moon.
On, it's almost identical to Fruit Moon but with a sprig of Juniper.
Both are really good scents on me though, so that's a plus
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Boo
in Halloweenie
BOO 2009
(I'll do a proper review later)
I put this on a while ago, and initially it was all sugar.
now that a couple of hours have past, it smells very soft, creamy, and clean.
it's a very comforting scent.
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BLACK BUTTERFLY MOON
Sister of the first-born light,
Type of sorrowing gentleness!
Quivering mists in silv'ry dress
Float around thy features bright;
When thy gentle foot is heard,
From the day-closed caverns then
Wake the mournful ghosts of men,
I, too, wake, and each night-bird.
O'er a field of boundless span
Looks thy gaze both far and wide.
Raise me upwards to thy side!
Grant this to a raving man!
And to heights of rapture raised,
Let the knight so crafty peep
At his maiden while asleep,
Through her lattice-window glazed.
Soon the bliss of this sweet view,
Pangs by distance caused allays;
And I gather all thy rays,
And my look I sharpen too.
Round her unveil'd limbs I see
Brighter still become the glow,
And she draws me down below,
As Endymion once drew thee.
Soft, deep, and luminous: Lady of the Night orchid, benzoin, opopponax, currant, black chypre, white gardenia, ambergris, damp, wooded mosses, and black lily.
Initial thought:
Based on the notes I imagined this lunacy to be very faint and delicate, almost un-noticeable.
In the Bottle:
Quite strong and surprisingly dark and eerie!
I smell lots of resins, and they are *very* dark and menacing. I smell the mosses in the bottle as well. They are earthy and wet all at the same time. The mosses I find hard to describe, they seem to be there and yet disappear behind the resins. very odd.
On my Skin, Wet:
Potent and deliciously dark!
I am blown away by how strong this blend is! It it beginning to remind me of Venom's evil twin - very evil!
This butterfly is poisonous, bewitching and completely enveloping. She lures you in with her golden and dark resinous eyes, comforts you with her soft moss covered body and delights you with her dark lily wings.
On my Skin, Dry:
Yes! there is the black lily! and it's the most gorgeous lily I've ever encounted in BPAL
deep, luscious, intoxicating and even somewhat menacing.
She offers up a plate of almost black currants at this stage - and I gladly accept and delight in the sweetness of them! Yes, you can flutter about me all day and all night, you wonderfully dark shadow!
Verdict:
Fabulous!
This is the equivalent of a sultry lounge singer concealing a poisoned dagger.
tempts you, teases you, intoxicates you and pierces your heart - and you couldn't be happier about it!
I suspect that the orchid deepens all the other notes, and does so in supreme grace; as there is not a hint of dustiness with this orchid.
great job Beth!
10 of 10 Ranking! -
Fire Phoenix: Anniversary Blend
In the Bottle:
Very musky, I think I was expecting lots of smoke & cinnamon, but there's definitely neither one of those notes present.
For a 'fire' scent, it's very calm and borderline cool smelling. Maybe it's just my nose?
On my Skin, Wet:
SPICY & MUSKY! yeow! that's pungent! I don't like scents that envelop me this much.
It's almost all musk with the kitchen cabinet full of spices, like all the spice bottles are open and being fanned into my face.
On my Skin, Dry:
Musky still but not nearly as intense, thank goodness!
It's developing a nice soda-ish undertone that is fizzy and jubilant. I guess that's the sasparilla
I don't smell the spices as much anymore, though I keep smelling something that reminds me of coriander.
I wish that the tobacco would appear as I love the Lab's tobacco note (strangely enough!)
Cubeb berry, what & where are you? I would like to meet you! Please!?
Verdict:
A very nice & unexpected interpretation of 'fire'
I don't care much for the initial wet phase, it's *really* strong.
the dry down is very soothing and really rather comforting.
6 of 10 rating!
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Wood Phoenix: BPAL Anniversary 2008
In the Bottle:
Woods and a deep purple berry - but it's definitely heavy on the woods
On my Skin, Wet:
Woods and the fig are prominent - I don't think I've ever tried anything with a walnut note in it, so I can't tell if it's playing some part in amping the woods.
The woods are not dry though, so maybe the walnut 'oil' (as in real life nut oil) makes the woods extra lush instead of that generic "processed pine/lumber" feel to some of the lab's wood notes.
On my Skin, Dry:
Surprisingly faint - I tend to amp cedar all over creation, so I guess there is either no cedar in this or something else is eating the cedar up entirely.
The fig smells very much like Acai Berry to me once it's dry. That's a first - normally fig smells bitter or sour to me, but not this time...just sweet and subtle.
In the Scent Locket:
OH MY!! Wood Phoenix definitely belongs in the scent locket for me!
It's become Australian Copperhead + deep, dark, lushious woods!
LOVE IT!!
Buying another bottle!! HOORAY!
10 of 10 Ranking!! GORGEOUS!
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dry: this dries to soft, spiced woods on my skin. this puts me in mind of the kodama forest in the film mononoke hime.Moon of Small Spirits: What hkhm said, exactly
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Sybaris
I finally tried this one last night.
And it was awful on my skin!
The violets were soggy and dead - very putred.
and they were mixed with spices.
very disappointing
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Lady Lilith: Forum Only
In the Bottle:
Smells very much like Beaver Moon 2007 to me - I guess I smell the vanilla cream the most.
On my Skin, Wet:
Like a mandarin Beaver Moon 2007!
Cream! Vanilla! Mandarin!
oh, wait - there's a hint of musk peeking out - I can't tell if it's the red or white variety though.
On my Skin, Dry:
Still very creamy vanilla.
the mandarin has subsided somewhat, and the rose is coming out now.
still vaguely musky - but I don't know my musks well enough to tell you whether it's the red or white one.
maybe both? so - it's pink musk!
Verdict:
I LOVE that this starts out like a mandarin Beaver Moon 2007!
it becomes more complex as it wears, and luckily for me the notes are gorgeous!
9 of 10 Ranking!
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Sturgeon Moon 2008
In the Bottle:
Clean water with a single white bloom
On my Skin, Wet:
SWEET WATER! amazing! Beth is truly an artist!
This sweet water has a pale green impression to me, and is rimmed with a single white bloom, very faint, but just enough to give it s little dimension.
On my Skin, Dry:
GLOWING sweet water - it's a beautiful bright day, where all the colors are paler from the immense white light, and I'm sitting next to THE cleanest little pond in existance!
A gentle breeze takes the scent of the pond and it's tiny white flowers to me and I take a deep breath and just feel refreshed!
Verdict:
incapsulated imagery!
this is the most amazingly evocative scent in my collection - I adore it!
10 of 10 ranking!
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Lune Noir
In the Bottle:
very similar to Black Moon IMO....I smell citrus and orchid florals
On my Skin, Wet:
Very clean and bright - bubbly - not at all dark and ominous!
I smell delicate lemon florals and clean aloe like qualitities....strange.
On my Skin, Dry:
Still very clean.
The lemon scent I am getting is still there but the aloe scent I was getting is replaced with a "water pear" - it's the strangest pear incarnation I've ever some across!
I really like it though! very unique lemon/pear scent!
Verdict:
strange morphology going on but the delicate water lemon pear outcome is very unique and quite compelling!
not much throw, which is the only sad note.
6 of 10 Ranking!
Halloween: San Francisco
in Halloweenie
Posted · Report reply
Halloween in San Francisco
Salty, rainy & overcast - in a bottle!
this scent encapsulates a rainy, dreary day beautifully!
I don't smell any greenery/leaves...just salty rain.