VetchVesper

This is one of those lusty, sexy scents that verges on dirty.  I dig it.  The primary notes I get are the tobacco and red musk, but there's definitely a sticky sweetness to the tobacco from the honey and an undertone of funkiness from the oudh.  It reads more as sex to me though than poo, if that makes sense.  Overall, it's a nice balance of notes.  I ordered a full bottle and will wear it when feeling naughty.    This one lasts a while on me as well, and I have a feeling it will age really well.

 

So.... a big bottle of this is on it's way to my house.    Generally, I get a dark, woody plum.  It reminds me a bit of Black Moths, though it's not quite THAT dark, but a similar vibe for me.  I tend to have a love - hate relationship with oudh.  It's behaving here, as it has in all the Red Death blends I've tried so far, and lends a deep, woody, incensey base to the fragrance of perfumey plum tempered by a hint of violet.  This one also sticks around for more than 24 hours on me, which I love, but be aware, it has some oomph.  

 

If you like dark scents and plum, this one gets a big, fat thumbs up.  

Suuuper bright tangerine/orange.  It doesn't smell like a cleaner or anything, but I'm a little saddened by the lack of complexity.  I thought the other notes might come out in the dry down, but they don't really.  At least, not on me.  This pretty much stays a slightly sweetened citrus orange on me till it fades.  To the swapmobile!

I think age has mellowed and mingled this one to its benefit.  Soceraphobia is still very acrid at first.  The vetiver is dark and smoky, and the coffee is bitter and black.  It's sharp and unpleasant at first, but then the vanilla starts to work it's way in, warm things up, and calm things down a bit, and the blend sort of works.  It's like that one family member that's the peacemaker who manages to keep everyone else from screaming at each other at the family gatherings, b/c they're just so nice to everyone, and they brought really good pie.  I dunno, it's an odd blend, but definitely interesting.  A lovely take on the smell of dysfunction.  

This one's actually rather nice for an aquatic.  It reminds me a lot of The Night Bridge in the Neverwhere scents, but it's more in your face and, I think, leans more masculine.  If The Night Bridge is stone in nighttime coolness, this is stone in a blustery, frigid winter storm.  I get anise, a slightly sweet mint, cologne, and stone.  I don't have a problem with it going soapy on me, which is unusual, and why I've kept this imp around for a couple years.  Icy, energizing, bracing stone. 

 

This is feminine and posh.  Very floral to my nose, and leaning a bit into the girly, froofy, fancy floral I'm usually not too into.  This one is unique and interesting enough that I will use it though when I'm in the right mood.  My mom absolutely adored it.   I get a fruity orchid scent with a sort of effervescent/ozoney note underlying it that's intriguing.  Dark Alice mentioned mint, and I get that, but I think it's the geranium.  It gives the fragrance a  bright and airy quality and a coolness that would fit well in an upscale, modern boutique or salon.  Not something I need a big bottle of, but I'll keep it around for when I want to feel froofy. 

 

This reminds me a lot of BPAL's "Cabbage White" perfume.  I'm guessing it's the mix of lily of the valley with vanilla over a bed of dusty softness, though in Cabbage White it's from the orris, and here it's from the sandalwood.  It's nice, vaguely sweet, and a bit powdery and feminine.  It's not overpoweringly floral or prim, and I think the wood notes keep from going too fussy.  A gentle cedar comes out on my blankies that I squirted down. It actually makes me think more of the color lavender than white, sort of soft and muted.  

 

This is a gentle, warm, dark, wood blend.  There's a mellow patchouli up front, and something sort of sweet like berries in the dry down.  I have no idea what's giving me that vibe.  It still smells masculine to me, just... with dark berries or something.    Mahogany can be acrid with my chemistry, but this is behaving itself.  This lasts a while on me, leaving a soft dusting of sandalwood.  I think this would be really lovely on a man.  Sort of understated but refined.  I think a woman could easily pull it off too, but it's not really the kind of scent I wear.  Glad I got to dry it though.  

Bright, crisp, dry champagne with a fruity citrus feel.  The ginger has a bite and reminds me of grapefruit.  I keep swinging back and forth on this one b/c sometimes it just seems harsh on me, and sometimes it's sparkling and fun.  This is in the wheel house of Bon Vivant, so if you like your champagne note front and center, give it a go.  If you don't - skip this one.  

Hmmm.... it would seem that The Duke has a taste for.... gummy candies??  O_o  My friends specified "sour gummy candies." 

 

This smells bright, sweet, and citrusy on me at first, with the mandarin front and center backed by an odd melange of I'm not sure what.  I don't really get laudanum, opium, leather, or absinthe from this, which is what I bought this one for.  I might get a hint of coolness from the star anise in the dry down backed by a tinge of dustiness.  This one doesn't last very long on me.  Two hours tops.  

 

For me this is a miss, but given how many notes it has, and how those are likely to play with different chemistries, I'm curious to see other reviews.  It might be more to my liking with a bit of age.  We shall see....   

Sweeter than I was expecting.  I guess it's the rum that's dominant on me.  

 

On initial sniffage, I get something acrid mixing with black currant and a brown, sticky sweetness.  I get an undercurrent of black musk on my skin as kind of a dusty, lurking backdrop for the black currant, and the bitterness fades.  The bourbon vetiver comes out more in the dry down and it gets more boozy, though never foody.  This one is interesting.    It makes me think of treacle for some reason.  Like... someone wearing a wool coat and eating treacle. (There's my weird sensory imagery for the day O_O )  Anyways, I think I'd like it better on a man than I like it on myself, but it's probably pretty unisex.  I'd put it in the same family as the Marquis de Carabas.  - Not that they smell the same.  Just that they'd hang out in some of the same places and like each other's coats.    Musty, sweet, boozy, and unisex.

Very nice. This lavender and licorice combo reminds me quite a bit of Baku, but the resins darken this up and give it a hint of sophistication. It's not very long lasting on my skin though. 😕

ETA - This has settled a bit, and it feels much darker than it did originally.   Still a bit of Baku, but definitely a heavier, dark feel from those resins.  Very moody.

This smells of sweet ozone and cologne to me at first. Not what I was expecting, but pleasant. Once it warms up on my skin, the fragrance deepens. I smell hints of vanilla and ambergris, though I'm not sure if that's in the perfume. It has a fresh, citrus, sweetness akin to white tea, but different, and though the cologne edge of the scent gives it a coolness, there is an underlying warmth, like shafts of sunlight on a chilly autumn day. It's a light scent, but it seems to be wearing well, as I've had it on for several hours. The ozone I smelled in the beginning isn't making this go soapy. It's very pleasant. Not something I'd wear enough to warrant a bottle, but I'll enjoy my imp. If you like white tea or airy wild flower scents, check this one out.

So I was up late last night, huffing the crook of my arm in bed instead of sleeping, because this little beauty is just delicious. Pumpkin blends tend to be too foody and cinnamon heavy for me, but in this one, the pumpkin seems a lot more squash and a lot less pie. The tobacco is chewy and has a caramel quality, and there's a butteriness in the dry down that I suspect is coming from the bourbon that makes this fragrance delicious, but not quite food. The three notes balance each other well, and the dry down is a glorious blend of chewy, caramelly, buttery, spicey, woody, gourdy pumpkin on me, but I think it would be just as glorious on a man. I will be slathering my imp liberally until my bottle gets here, and I think this one will age marvelously.

 

This is the only BPAL pumpkin blend, besides Hoggle, that I could see myself wearing regularly.

My mother would say, "Quick, quick, like a bunny," and here I am to give the first review.

This one is soft, and sweet, and green. The honeysuckle is what I notice first, and then the carrot, which i haven't ever experienced as a perfume note before, but it's nice. Fresh, and gently sweet like a cup of fancy carrot juice. I'm guessing dandelion adds to the general sweet, green feel. A teeeensy bit of herbal spice starts to peek out in the dry down, but mostly, I think the herbal notes balance Hare and keep it from being too floral. Honeysuckle can smell very wet and sappy to me, but this is dryer and creamier.

A fresh, tempered floral that wears close to the skin. I could see a baby smelling like this, or a pretty, shy woman peeking over a book and drinking her tea, or a fluffy brown bunny nibbling clover. Lovely.

 

Purely for time killing, entertainment purposes. Pile on your LE and seasonal suggestions.

 

And yes, I could see Bayou working for Froppy, especially if she was trying to be fancy. :_

Sure thing! Here’s some ideas of various sorts:

 

GC/Currently Available:

Midnight- Whip (black leather and damp red rose) Nuff said, though something from the Somnium category could also be good, if a little on the nose.

Kyoka- Little Sister is Watching You (electric, aldehydic cherry blossom) It’s mostly stuff like the “voice in the air” description that made me think of her for this. Haven’t tried it, so I don’t know how it differs from other cherry blossom stuff.

Froppy- Plague of Frogs (rubbery, wet, and warty) This one’s mostly a joke, especially since I have no idea what it would smell like.

Bakugou- Streets of Detroit (black musk accord, Ethiopian myrrh, and motor oil) Haven’t tried it, but people love it and it sounds a tad edgy.

Deku- Druid (a woolen robe infused with the scent of a vast, primordial forest: ancient trees, fertile soil, wild herbs, spring grasses, and burgundy pitch incense) I guess it’s the green hair, but I think of something cozy and forest-y.

Kaminari- Lightning (lightning slashing the midnight skies over the endless reaches of the ocean. The electric tang of ozone, marine notes, and a drop of sharp rain) Another one I’m mostly suggesting out of theme, especially since it’s another I haven’t tried.

 

Charity (also still available, I think):

Todoroki- Fuck this Heat (slivers of ice to cool things down, lavender and hops flower to soothe the nerves) Partially a joke, but he’d probably like a cool and refreshing scent anyway.

All Might- Spiced Rum Buttercream Coffee (coffee and rum laced with allspice, nutmeg, clove, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon gently whipped into buttercream) I don’t know why I think he’d like it, but it smells great. Plus, hey, the proceeds go to good stuff.

 

Shunga Lupercalias:

Momo- Courtesan with Secret Lover (green tea, plum blossom, white musk, jasmine blossom honey, and lemon peel) It smells very proper to me.

Uravity- A View of Cascading Cherry Blossoms (cherry blossoms, white musk, and crushed strawberries) Another sweet and relatively simple one. It matches well with the Kamisuki hair gloss (cherry blossoms, white tea, vanilla orchid, and a drop of strawberry).

Iida- Hoîru (bourbon vanilla and suede leather, tonka and patchouli, pale amber and blackened tea leaf, coconut husk and cashmere) It sounds proper and kind of fancy. I have a bottle, but I’m still getting used to it so it’s tough for me to pin it down.

 

Couldn’t think of as many actually unavailable ones that I think suit different characters but, unless I’ve said otherwise, I’ve at least tried all of these.

 

Kezzie, I love your suggestions! I'm going to add Djinn for Endeavor and The Chapel for Tomura b/c it just seems so dark, brooding, and unsettling. I suppose something cool and clammy smelling could work too, but The Chapel just has a blood smell that seems character appropriate.

 

Any My Hero Academia fans out there?

I haven’t tried this one, but Bayou sounds like a good thematic match for Froppy.

 

Sadly, most of the stuff I have so far are limited editions or seasonal, so I feel like a lot of my suggestions based on stuff I’ve tried will lead to disappointment. Even so, I could imagine Uravity going for something simple, sweet, and summery, so I might lean Single Note: Wild Honeysuckle for her.

 

Purely for time killing, entertainment purposes. Pile on your LE and seasonal suggestions.

 

And yes, I could see Bayou working for Froppy, especially if she was trying to be fancy. :_

I picked this one up b/c, a few years ago, the lab did a Dead Leaves and Tobacco perfume, and I quite liked it, so I was curious what the addition of the tea would do for the fragrance.

 

This is somewhat reminiscent of Dead Leaves & Tobacco, but the sweet, black tea tempers the sharpness of the dry leaves, and makes this a gentler and less masculine perfume. The black tea is the variety that smells licoricey, which I love, and is the dominant smell on my skin. This reminds me of NAVA's Egyptian Licorice Tea, but is a little darker. Something in the background comes across to me as a light vanilla. Very pleasant. Sort of fresh, but with a titch of darkness appropriate for winter. Comfortable and work appropriate.

I can already tell this one's going to be a crowd-pleaser. Dead Leaves? Check. Vanilla? Dry, light, and musky. Check. Incense? Check, but with a gentle touch that non hippies can enjoy.

 

If this one sounds lovely to you, get some. This one is exactly what it says it is and executed well. It's a bit generic for my tastes, but in the way that it's hard not to like it. It's pretty unisex too.

Mmmmmm.... this is nice. The lab's coffee note always smells a bit sweetened to me, like sugared coffee, with a touch of cream. This is no exception. It's not quite as dark and earthy as I was expecting, but it's not super sweet either. The coffee works surprisingly well with the dead leaves note, which I am loving this year. If you like their coffee notes, this is a nice departure from the typical foodie mix-ins. I don't need a bottle, but I'll be hanging on to my imp!

Hmmm.... GC's I'd recommend. Defutata - b/c you like cinnamon, musk, honey, and white florals (gardenia) and it's just lovely. Plunder is ALL THE SPICES. Bit too much for me, but if you are spice serious....Bengal is another ALL THE SPICES smell. Seraglio is a very pretty. With the nutmeg, clove, and orange, it smells a bit like one of those lovely pomanders made with real oranges, but the florals in it take it out of the craft section and make it a beautiful perfume.

So if you want something to go with your Honey Maple Hot Toddy HG, this is it. I think I like this a bit better though.

 

I'm initially blasted with butterscotch caramel. It's sweeeeet sweet sweet but pretty yummy. A little later, something like a hint of apple starts to emerge. This reminds me of caramel apples on the breeze more than funnel cake. The last faze of this is the one I like the best. The hay comes out, and there's a mellow, airy patch that makes this less tooth ache inducing and grounds things. The hay and the patch is where this becomes officially Renn Fair and less Country Fair. This is a bit too foody for me, but it's a fun scent. I'd love it as a fall candle.

Hmmmmm.... I think it does the inspiration justice, but I'm not sure that I love this one. Skin musk and dry cotton is definitely the vibe I get from this. It has the smell of someone just coming in from outside. Clean, but a little sweaty/salty. I can smell the lavender too, but this is less about the lavender's perfume, and more about the smell of something comfortable, lived in, and well cuddled. I could see how this could be a great comfort scent for some folks, but I am not a fan of that smell unless it's on someone I know intimately, and this is a little too literal for my tastes. If you are one of those folks who likes the smell of sun warmed skin and fresh babies though, check this one out.

This smells, at first, like it has a good dose of pepper in it, thought I'm guessing that's the galangal's sharp, gingery bite. The dragon's blood is also very prominent, more resinous smelling, and less floral. The frankincense starts to peek through after a few minutes of wear. This is a nice, dragon's blood/ resin smell with a touch of heat to it. It reminds me of a lot of the "fiery" BPAL smells, like Sword of Surtur, The Sun in Anger Swore, and Aries, but isn't complex enough to set it apart for me.

Sooo... has anyone smelled anything similar from BPAL that smells like Jo Malone’s Pomegranate Noir?

 

Ruby-rich juices of pomegranate, raspberry and plum are spiked with pink pepper and laced with Casablanca lily and spicy woods. Dark and enigmatic.

 

I have Mme Moriarty and Dionysia but JM is different... more spicey...

 

I haven't tried Pomegranite Noir, but I have tried Mme Moriarty and Dionysia. Based on what you and Forspecial Plate said, I might suggest

 

Abduction of Proserpine - White sandalwood, black currant, and pomegranate. I remember it being a dark, woody pomegranate.

 

The Robe of Pomegranates is still in stock, and I would think the carnation might give you a spice similar to pink pepper, and the honey might be sweet enough to give a lily like vibe. Just a guess though. RofP notes are - ripe red pomegranate and bakhoor oudh, honeyed incense, fig and ambrette seed, sandalwood and carnation. I haven't tried this one though.

 

Perhaps 2006: Fruit Phoenix? Snake Oil with Schwarzer Mond’s terebinth, a swish of Krampus’ switches, black currant, pomelo, and chthonic black pomegranate. It was very pomegranity on me, and there was some dark woodiness and patch from the SO.

 

The Fruit of Paradise - The Fruit of Paradise, the Nectar of Death: bittersweet pomegranate. This was the most strait up fruity on me, but was still a darker version of pomegranate.

 

These are all dark, pomegranate heavy scents.

 

Pepper is lovely, but I would say it's a fresh floral. Not much fruit. Red is very bright and sort of dry/effervescent fruit punchy. Of course, your experience b/c of chemistry may vary.

 

P.S. There have been some pomegranate releases, much like the pumpkin patch and bobbing for apples during previous weenie seasons. You might look through those for similar notes. Some of them might even be on the Etsy website. I think some were a while back.