VetchVesper

Hm...  Smells a little bit like How Doth the Little Crocodile in the bottle, but it's brighter and fresher.  The tangerine and bergamot become prominent on my skin and the chocolate goes away completely.  I'm getting a soft citrus over mint.  Bright and relaxing.  Not having any trouble from the cedar, which I often do.  Herbal and sort of fuzzy, like a kitty in the sunshine.  I'm curious as to what it will do in a few hours.  

Half an hour later - this smells nothing like How Doth now.  It's soft orange bergamot and gentle mint.  It makes me think less of a hot cup of tea and more of cuddling up under a blanket with that cup of tea.  It's in the same vein as Lighting the Lantern but not nearly as piquant. 

Calming, herbal, and quite appropriate for cuddling with my own spotted kitty.  

Definitely getting that jasmine.  It's sweet and creamy, and similar to the one in "Women Copulating."  It's set against the pepper and amber, which give this a dusty undertone.  The neroli adds to the floral sweetness and adds a hint of candied orange.  The beeswax stays in the background for me, though I can tell it's in there.  

This reminds me of Alma Venus, though I think it's a bit sweeter and gentler.  It doesn't have those husky cedar undertones.  It's a lovely white floral, and I'm not getting anything harsh or soapy.  Very pretty.

As it wears, this is just becoming beautiful, creamy-sweet jasmine.  Really gorgeous.  

I'm getting a musky bergamot, mostly.  The citrus is prominent, but it's not bright and juicy.  I think it works well with the image of a low lit lantern's glow.  As this dries down, the cedar comes out a bit and the fragrance begins to smell almost mossy.  It only lasted a couple hours on me, but if you are a fan of bergamot, I imagine you'd enjoy this.  

Like Dark Alice, I get something "off" smelling fron the bottle. Sharp and bitter. Frankly, "rancid" springs to mind. 😕

But I've learned it's worth a skin test before dismissing BPAL blends, and sure enough, this becomes far more pleasant after a moment on my skin. 

I get something I can only describe as smelling like mushrooms over soft, powdery incense.  The only note I recognize is the orris root.  This is a weird one, though strangely pleasant in the dry down.

Dry, soft, gently earthy. Gender neutral. Worth braving a skin test. 

Hmmm... Well,  La Prostitution et la Folie Dominent le Monde is actually exactly what came to mind when I smelled this.  This doesn't have the anise, of course, but they're strikingly similar to my nose.  The same creamy sweet, vanilla mingling with jasmine.  

I liked La Prostitution, but it went a bit harsh on me.  I think the sandalwood addition makes Two Women smoother and softer.  I like it a bit more.  It doesn't seem to have quite as much staying power as La Prostitution though - or maybe the fragrance just isn't as brash, and I'm not noticing it as much in the dry down.

Ether way, it's a very pretty vanilla cream jasmine blend.

I'm not much for salty aquatics, but this one is interesting.  Though there's an undercurrent of the standard soapiness I get from most sea blends, there's an intriguing darkness and depth to it that makes me want to keep sniffing.  It's very well blended and it's hard for me to pick apart the separate notes.  Definitely salty, and I think I'm catching hints of sweetness from the bourbon vanilla.  Maybe a hint of crimson musk as it dries down?  The soapiness also becomes less pronounced.  Everything runs together.  This makes me think of deep, murky, night waters.

I'm guessing if you like dark aquatics, this is win.  I'd enjoy smelling this on a guy, though I think anyone could wear it. 

Tart peach and a sharp woodiness are my first impressions.  Not getting any poop from the agarwood.  Yay!

The notes start to individuate themselves, and the sandalwood and moss start to stand out with the peach.  This makes me think of dry, lichen covered sticks.  The peach is still present, but it's balanced by the other notes, so overall, this isn't what I'd call a fruity blend.  It's dry and has only the faintest hint of sweetness.  Sort of a tart peach over a chypre, with subtle swirls of champaca.  It's unusual, and I could see this being worn by a man or a woman.  

I would imagine if you amplify sweetness though, this would be more feminine.  It also seems like the type of fragrance that will smooth out and improve with aging.  

This smells aqua! 

Yeah... that's a weird description, but it's what pops up in my brain.  This isn't something I normally would have ordered, but it smells really nice.  Very fresh and frothy.  I'm getting the juniper/evergreen vibe, but it's light and sweet, and yes - berryish.  There's a bright fruitiness at play.  There's something that borders on soapy, but never gets there, and just gives this a clean, cool feel.  It actually feels chilly on my skin and would be perfect for summer. 

Some people are really going to dig this.  I'm not sure I'd wear it as a perfume, but I would love it as a room scent.  Breezy, refreshing, playful, and not aquatic, as far as I can tell.  Not quiiite a green scent.  - Aqua.   

Lemon drops!  That's what first springs to mind.  Sweet, bright lemon.  There's more complexity though as the fragrance blossoms.  The honey musk is becoming more obvious on my skin.  It's a sweet, light golden sort of honey and hot tea drinks come to mind, though there's no actual tea note.  The muskiness is light and just keeps this from smelling like strait up lemon candy.  The beeswax is extremely faint on me, and the maple leaves seem to be creating a subtle cologne vibe in the background. 

As it dries down, the lemon blossom is receding, and beeswax is starting to stand out.  The cologne vibe is also fading.  It's more of a soft, glowing candle vibe now, albeit a lemon candle.   

This is not my type of blend, but it's nice.  A pretty, bright scent for those who like something lighter.  Also, a nice variant of beeswax that I haven't smelled.  Nice for summer.  

In the bottle, this smells like a lot of the darker BPAL red musk scents - nice, but pretty standard.  But once I put it on, I get a big ol' thrust of pepper right up the nostrils.  

Ok, I'm actually kind of digg'n it.  The sandalwood starts to come out once the pepper calms the heck down and there's a smoky quality to the whole thing.  Predominately though, this is a dark red musk blend with a pepper note that sticks around.  I bet it will age well.

Musk is the first thing I pick up.  It's not high pitched or soapy.  "Furry" is a good descriptor.  It's sheer and gently lived in, maybe akin to skin musk?  I can smell either clove or carnation (since sometimes they smell similar) but it's very light.  I was worried with both notes it would be overpoweringly "cloved," but the spiciness stays gentle.  There's a bit of sweetness from the florals, and a very sheer vanilla.

Diaphanous is a good word for this one.  A demure, feminine skin scent that's not overly floral and only slightly vanillic.  It's very pretty, and I'm curious to see if it will darken and intensify with age.  

My first impressions from the bottle are of horchata.  It's a creamy, watery smell with a very mellow cinnamon. 

On my skin, a tinge of watery floral starts to emerge.  I can smell the frankincense.  It's a nice combo with the cassia cinnamon, and the two notes smell dry and fuzzy together.  I'm pretty much loving this.  It's unusual and it's morphing quite a bit, but I'm enjoying all the stages.  This somehow smells watery without being aquatic, incensey without being heavy.  It smells tranquil and regal.  I'm thinking of ancient pleasure boats on the NIle.

10 minutes in, I'm starting to get the barest hint of cardamom, but it's not making things too cologney like it can sometimes for me.  Everything is just beautifully balanced and smooth.   It's a little more obviously aquatic now and dipping one toe in soapy.  I'm still liking it though, so it needs to just stop right there.

Ok.  It's behaving itself.  Good.  For me, this is bottle worth and would be fantastic in the summer.  Light incense and spice notes over a watery, creamy back drop.  Rather unusual.  

It actually sounds like you've kind of got a scent profile down.  I was about to recommend The Apothecary and Eat Me before I looked at what had worked for you, so that makes me think I'm on the right track.  Our senses of smell differ, so your mileage may vary, but I would recommend trying - 

Green, sweet, fruity, mossy scents for daily wear

Cheshire Cat, Envy, Machu Pichu, Mad Hatter (Mossy mint w/Black Musk), Maenad, Pele, Tenochtitlan, Titania, Verdandi 

These are a little different from what you listed, but you might also like - Alice's Evidence (if you like cinnamon), Arcana, Baba Yaga, Cairo, Nephilim, Queen Alice, The Isle of Demons, Tweedledum

Something that smells like the California coast with a lot of greenery (sea air, sagebrush?)

I love Santa Eularia Des Riu for this.  It's not an aquatic smell, but for some reason, it really reminds me of the coast.  It's out of stock right now.  Hopefully, they will bring it back.  Ranger and Rome are very nice foresty scents.  Ogygia reminds some of the seaside.  To me, it's a bit soapy, but not bad.  I'd recommend 51 except for the white musk and amber.  You might keep it in mind though.

Gourmand - I want to smell like dessert without it being cloying

Strait up baked goods and candy - Bliss, Blood (cherry candy), Cockaigne, Miskatonic University, Shango (Fruit smoothie or fruit candy), Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat (Sprite and Midori) 

These are not strait up dessert smells, but they have that quality to them. - Chimera (cinnamon bun incense), Eclipse (Almond/Amaretto), Eden (Warm creamy sandalwood and fig), Hollywood Babylon (red musk strawberry milkshake), How Doth the Little Crocodile (if you like cedar), Shub-Niggurath (gingerbread incense)

A sidenote - "Musk" covers a LOT of territory.  By looking at the list of things that didn't work for you, it seems like you don't like "white musk, and white musk tends to be one that can go soapy on people. 

Perfumeries use all sorts of different "musks" with secret house blends and all-what-not.  Musk is sort of the "curry" of perfumes.  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is not always great about telling you exactly which musk they're using.  Sometimes they get inventive, (My favorite is "ornery hedgehog musk.")  but you should definitely check out their "red" and "black" musks.  These two are BPAL staples, and they smell completely different. 

Also, just because a note doesn't work for you once, or even twice, doesn't mean it never will.  Notes can be created in different ways and/or come from different sources.  Vanilla, for example, can be a dark, rich, heady smell, or it can be light, sweet and powdery.  It depends on what type of vanilla is being used in the fragrance.  You'll start to figure out which versions of things you like.  Sometimes the lab will actually tell you "dark rich vanilla" and make it easy, but looking at people's reviews on the forum is very helpful when you aren't sure.

Anywho, good luck and happy sniffing! 

This smells exactly like it should.    Banana pudd'n and chocolate.  A fun gourmand given the rarity of banana perfume.  I do smell all three notes, but the banana is the stand out here.  It smells real to me, but leans far more into super ripe, squished with sugar banana vs. a fresh tropical banana.

ETA:  Alas, I would have kept my partial for novelties sake and my nostalgia towards banana pudding, but apparently my skin soaks it up like nothin'.  Gone in half an hour for me.  😕  Swaps!

This is a gentle, comforting skin scent.  The rice flower is actually what stands out to me the most and makes this unique.  There's a starchiness to the fragrance, but it's less rich than what I get from the basmati blends.  I keep thinking of taro root.  The vanilla is light and creamy vs. rich and dark.  Overall, this isn't nearly as gourmand as I was expecting.  It's a bit tame for my tastes, but I can't see anyone really being offended by it, and I can see why others like it.

I really love this.     I like foresty notes, but I need other stuff mixed in or I start to feel like a lumberjack.  This is playful, complex and beautiful.  I almost get a berry note from the florals.  The evergreen notes are gentle and blend seamlessly with a hint of rich earth in the dry down  EThere are no hard edges or sharpness.  A properly fuzzy, sweet scent, and raccoons wrestling amorously in green, blossoming underbrush comes easily to mind.  Raccoon Moon befits its concept delightfully, and I will enjoy having this in my collection.  

So, when I was in high school, there was a magic shop that used to sell all sorts of pagan, Wiccan, and occult stuff.  I used to love to go in, and they had a "Cancer" perfume oil that smelled aaaamaaaazing.  I never knew what was in it, but it smelled a LOT like this does in the bottle.  I guess it makes sense that the mysterious "Cancer" perfume had roses in it.  This is more obviously rosy though.

On my skin - oh dear.  😕 The lemon balm is very prominent on me at first, along with the jasmine.  Lemon balm frequently goes wacky with my chemistry, so others' mileage may vary.  The rose has taken a back seat.  I guess with the butter, vanilla, and honey, I was expecting something a bit foodier, but this is all floral on me. 

I might be getting a hint of natural strawberry as this dries down, and the rose is reappearing.  Ok -- it's circling back to something like what I smelled in the bottle.  Nice.  I do get a hint of powdery vanilla.  It's not bad on me, but not something I'd wear often.  Very floral and reminds me of the Conjure Bag blends, especially at first.  I'm interested to see how this works on others since it has so many notes. 

Beautiful.  Delicate, fresh white floral.  Without looking at the notes, I guessed lilac, gardenia, lily of the valley, something sweetly fruity, (I thought maybe tangerine) and something spicy.  So... not too bad with my guessing.   

Lily of the valley tends to veer into nose-tickling soap territory for me, but the note behaves beautifully here.  In the air, this is all sweet, lush floral, but sprayed on my blankets, the pepper becomes a lot more prominent, and I do get a little more of the nose tickle I associate with lily of the valley.  Still, it's pleasant - fuzzy.    I'm really liking the room sprays this year.

I really like this.    The bamboo and fig give it a very fresh, green feel.  The fig is sweet, falling somewhere between a floral sweetness and a vegetal one.  It reminds me a little of snapped snow peas.  Last year's Tales from the Brushwood Fence had a similar greeness, but that one smelled soapy to me.  I think the other notes in Wooden Puppetry ground it and keep that from happening.  After a bit, the vanilla, patchouli, and oak start to emerge and it develops a gentle woodiness under the sweet fig and bamboo.  This feels bright and uplifting.  Glad to keep a decant. 

As a side note, it's doing a very good job of covering up the stench my foul (but beloved) cat beast made in his litter box, so, I'm officially impressed.    

Lilacs and green grass is what I get.  I'm not really picking out any berry.  It's a pretty, fresh, and floral scent, befitting of a butterfly.

On 2/9/2020 at 7:54 PM, DiZZysTARdust said:

Reviving this post with a question for sandalwood vets:

 

As a sandalwood newb, i'm trying to track down a sandalwood sn with which to layer my scents and i see at least three: austrailian, red mysore, and white. Is there any opinions on which is the best option for layering?

I can sort of answer your question, but I'm also asking one of my own. 

It's really up to your preference.  "Sandalwood" is a classification that covers a variety of different trees.  Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) comes from a different plant than Indian/Mysore sandalwood (Santalum album).  I thought that red sandalwood was just harvested from older Indian sandalwood trees than white sandalwood, but it looks like they might actually be different species too.  I'll have to do more research!  Red sandalwood definitely takes more time to develop than white sandalwood though.  Also, fun fact, all the varieties seem to improve with aging. 

To my nose, Australian sandalwood has almost a buttery, baby powder smell to it, while white Indian sandalwood smells drier, woodier, and sometimes almost medicinal.  Red sandalwood smells huskier/earthier to me.  I love white Indian sandalwood.  I like red Indian sandalwood.  Australian I can take or leave, depending on the notes its with.  The White Rider is an excellent example of white sandalwood.

On to my question - Has anyone tried the Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, and Vanilla Absolute menage a trois?  I'm waffling on whether to buy it and reviews are rather thin.

Sweet and complex is my first thought.  My brain has to search for the notes, and I'm a bit stuffy atm, so take my review with a grain of salt... or maybe some allergy medicine.  

This has an effervescent quality at first.  The musk is not one of the typical BPAL musks that I'm familiar with.  If you're afraid of white musk or skin musk, fear not.  I do get vanilla, but it's not a foody or dark vanilla.  I get sort of syrupy, resinous smell early on, (the benzoin) that with the effervesce and vanilla, reminds me of sarsaparilla.  I never get any soap, but the fragrance does go a bit powdery in the dry down.  I get a vibe like Love's Baby Soft or China Rain.  It's pretty, gentle, sweet, and feminine. Very unobtrusive.   

I mostly get clove with maybe a bit of the woody mahogany.  For a perfume with such punchy notes, it's tamer than I'd expect. This is from an older decant though, so maybe it's faded with time. I do get a soapy edge, which made me guess at nag champa initially, but maybe it's just the clove.  I think I prefer Hunter though for my gender neutral clove scent.  

Very bright, lush floral. A nice alternative to white florals. The orchid and daffodils are most prominent to me. I like this one, but it can be a bit cloying if not used sparingly. Very nice for spring though. 

I get the  plumeria references, but am not familiar enough with the note to know if it's here for certain, or there's just a similar vibe.  

This is a husky, non-foody coconut on me at first. Then the richness of the macadamia and cream come out, but the gentle, golden amber keeps the fragrance from turning full gourmand. It's beautiful in this phase, though Very much a skin scent on me. 

As it continues to dry down, the marshmallow note takes over, and this becomes less appealing to me. It's still a lovely, creamy blend though.  Just too foody for my tastes.  It reminds me of the white chocolate blends.