VetchVesper

At first whiff, this reminds me of Joy and Fear, but with prominent red oud and more complexity.  There's nothing funky about this oud.  It's woody and a bit sour/acidic. Red oud insn't a note I particularly care for, but I actually like what it's doing here.  I smell a hint of rose and vetiver, but the overall effect is of dark, ruddy wood over incense.  I'm liking it more as it wears and the oud becomes less ferociously center stage.  This will probably come into full glory with a bit of aging.

If you liked the rose/sandalwood combo in Joy and Fear or The Little Wooden Doll, or you like red oudh, this will be up your alley.  

Wanted to give this one a quick revisit before I sent her on her way.  The Queen of Sheba and I do not get along.  She's almondy, warm, and a bit earthy, far less sweet than I expected her to be, and far more bitter. I think something in the spices is what's giving it an herbal sharpness that smells bitter and almost savory to me.  Queen of Sheba kinda smells like opening a can of spicy, gourmand nuts.  Not the candied kind. 

Hopefully, she will bestow more grace upon her next wearer.   

It's sooo puh-retty.   This reminds me of an older Shunga, Comparison of Celebrated Beauties, but the sandalwood and hay lend a bit of grit and incense underneath the sweet, creamy almond and mimosa. The almond blossom feels a little airier and less sticky-sweet than the in CofCB, and mingles gorgeously with the mimosa which is on full display here.  

CofCB, though lovely, was a bit disappointing for me b/c the almond and vanilla cream were the main notes. Here, the syrupy sweetness of the mimosa and almond blossom really meld to create something gorgeous.  I love mimosa and am happy it's getting a star role. 😍

This comes across as almost an herbal honey to me rather than candy. It was almost medicinal at first, like a lozenge for sore throats. It's calmed down and settled in now, and I like it better, but I still don't think I'd wear it much by itself. However, I think it might be really great as a layering note with florals and tea blends. I tested it on the same arm I had SN Bluebonnet on and the two were really pretty together. 

Honey Hard Candy reminds me of the honey note in Door, though I can't do a side by side comparison, so take that with a grain of salt. 

White, slightly sugary rose, with a delicate touch of what smells soapy to me, but may come across as dewy to others. It's like roses and bubbles. I'm fairly picky on my rose scents, and this one's not doing it for me, but it is pretty, and the bubbly smell (I'm guessing the opalescence) adds an interesting textural element. It's a bright, sparkly, girly rose. 

ETA: Ozone, mist, and dew descriptors usually become soapy on my skin. That's the vibe I get here when I say "soap." Just want to clarify as I don't get the typical aquatic soap or flowery soap smell that often goes with "soap" descriptions. 

Figure on the Bridge seems like it's changed a good bit since I decanted it a few months ago and noticed it being delicious.  Of course, my nose could have just been overrun with all the other yules at the time, so maybe it was my nose that needed to settle, not the perfume.    

Before, I got tons of deep floral and indigo musk.  Now, the first thing I become aware of is a snow note, mingling with floral.  It's a light, ozoney, minty snow, well balanced by indigo musk a slightly perfumey lilac. I don't recognize the other notes, but I can tell they're adding depth and interest to the lilac. The minty snow melts, but the ozone quality remains faintly, mingling with the opium and ever evolving lilac, with brief flashes of tart, sweet plum skin.  The longer this wears, the farther away from recognizable lilac this becomes, morphing into something darkly beautiful, complex, and elegantly perfumey.  There's still a touch of ozone/aquatic swirling in the mix, but it's wearing well for me. I was a bit worried this wasn't going to live up to my initial impressions when I smelled that snow note, but it does.  It's reminding me a little of the my newly purchased bottle of Rolling in the Deep, so I want to do a side by side comparison, but if they aren't super similar, Figure on the Bridge will swiftly be appearing in my cart.   

As a side note, this is pretty different from the other lilac offering this year, "Snow Covered Landscape."  Neither perfumes are super lilac-y, though the note is identifiable, but both are bottle worthy in my book.    This is pretty much the perfume equivalent to the line, "she walks in beauty like the night..."

P.S.  My cat even likes it.  There ya go.  Couldn't give it higher praise.  😸

Not to be confused with - The Sun Rising from the 2020 Lupers! 😅 Tunisian amber, French beeswax, jasmine grandiflorum, golden peppercorn, myrrh smoke, and neroli 

Dang it. I'm wanting this to work, because I can tell this wants to be beautiful... on someone else.    In the bottle, citrus, indolic sweetness, and herbal bite are well balanced and promising, but when it hits my skin, something goes screechy hairspray and citrus cleaner.  Something in Alleviate the Frenzy did this to me too though, and no one else seemed to have problems, so I'm probably just cursed.  Or my skin doesn't like this particular amber? (I'm gonna go with cursed. ) 

I'm guessing, on the right chemistry this is sweet citrus and orange blossom, fuzzed by amber and warmed by saffron, sophisticated and a bit perfumey. That's what Sun Rising flaunts right before it decides to hate me. It does seem to hate me slightly less than when I first got it though, so I might let my partial sit for a couple months and hope a miracle happens.  Anywho, good luck everybody!  

I'm not sure what to think about this one.    I'm not sure I like or would ever wear it, yet my nostrils are intrigued. In the bottle, it smells pretty much how I expected it to - like a slightly sweet, bready, cakey sort of scent with just a touch of anise.  On the skin though, it becomes something decidedly unique.  Yeasty!  Salty!  BREAD!!!  Warm rolls with a touch of anise floating over the top.  I get very little amaretto or almond.  I like anise quite a bit, but it doesn't quite jive for me here, and I'm not sure if I like smelling so much like a bakery item.

Luckily, the anise fades after about 15 mins, and I'm now getting a salty, buttery, rice note.  This is all sticky rice bun now, and that's pretty much where it stays for the rest of its wear length. 

Unsubtle Euphemism is fun, whimsical, and weird.  It's also kinda crazy realistic.  (I just realized how long it's been since i've had steamed pork buns!)  Some folks are probably gonna go gaga for this one, but I don't think it's "me."  If you're a foody though, or you like rice notes, definitely check it out, for the novelty, if nothing else.  

Tart, fruity floral in the bottle.  It smell juicy, and the apple is decidedly green.    It does NOT smell like cucumber or celery, but it has that sort of fresh, watery crispness to it at first. The florals are very present and well blended.  No stinky jasmine, and the bois de rose and sandalwood are staying in the background, just adding support and depth.  The tea is not real obvious, but I can tell it's there. The florals get a little creamy and sugared in the dry down, and I think it's the sandalwood coming out a tiiiiny bit more, lending a touch of astringency to the overall fragrance.  This is very pretty, very spring, and seems easy to wear.  Very floral but bright, happy, and youthful. 

I'm discovering that me and the lab's "indigo" descriptor jive. I'm also getting along better with their more recent aquatics, though their older aquatic scents still give me trouble. (Soap!) I decided to be adventurous and blind bottle Asleep in the Deep. I'm still weighing that decision. 🙂

The fragrance smells salty in the bottle but the note quickly dissipates on my skin. I'm left with something that smells like good bubble bath with dark, murky resins beneath it. There's a subtle spice and heaviness from the opium that mixes with the cool brine of the thinner aquatic notes that really does make me think of sinking deep into abyssal waters. Indigo musk and hints of plum become more prominent in the dry down, but the plum never smells fruity. I got no dryer sheets, thank goodness.

This is unlike anything else in my collection. Though I don't know that I LOVE it, I'm rather intrigued. I'll be keeping it around a while to see if it really grows on me. I think other reviewers are correct - this will age very well, and I want to sniff that process.

Cherry sours. Yummy, but a little young.  I'm hoping it will evolve.  

...And it quickly starts too.   This is becoming creamy and hazy in texture -- much less in your face. It still smells quite pink and girly, but it's more like a skin scent now, like I've had a pink bubble batch and slathered on some cherry cream.  Oh NOSE!  It's disappearing.  😕  Cherry is a note I like, but it rarely sticks around. I'm hoping this cherry will have a come back. It's been less than 10 minutes. ...Putting more on to help it out some.  🤞  Now I smell like maraschino syrup.    Not complaining.  That moss really does creep in and add a lot of character.  Creamy, pink cherry haze again, and...

Yay!  An hour later, It has stayed put. This one just needs a bit of extra slathering. Fun, girly, and surprisingly subtle after it dries down.  If it last a few more hours, I'll enjoy having this one in my collection.  

My first impression is of bright, living evergreen. There's a tiny bit of wood in the background, but this quickly fades on my skin, replaced by a prominent stone note.  There's a watery, fresh air feel to this without it being aquatic, and it wonderfully captures the sense of cold, rushing streams over mountain rocks. There are evergreens near the water, but not a forest of them. The bergamot is the last note to appear, adding a touch of tartness to the overall fragrance. I could actually do without this change, but the fragrance remains pleasant.   

This reminds me quite a bit of Vial of Holy Water from the RPG's, but this is prettier.  VoHW is more astringent to my nose, while this is sweetened by the juniper berries and feels softer.  The juniper berry is also reminding me of last year's Cooling Breeze. Overall, the scents are quite different, but they have a similar mood to them -- clean, airy, delightfully fresh.  Though this doesn't strike me as a sexy scent, I could see a nice roll in the pine needles smelling like this.  😜 

To me, this smells like sweat at first, but sans funk or B.O.  It's very salty and a little off putting, but it has a clean, freshly-showered undertone that keeps it from being gross. It's also an aquatic that doesn't turn strait into soap on my skin, which is unusual. The burst of salt water fades after a bit, and the other notes emerge  Mostly, I smell oakmoss, warmed a touch by vetiver and gently sweetened and spiced by carnation.  The sweat impression is gone.  Now, it smells like resting in a shaded meadow after a long bike ride.   

That first sweat impression is a little much for me, but I really love how the fragrance changes and how well it works with the Shunga concept. If last year's aquatics worked for you, this one probably will too. If you like salt and mossy notes, this one is fun.  If you're hoping for tons of carnation, you might be disappointed.  

Bright, fruity-floral green tea. My nose reads the combination of lychee and tuberose as orchid. The peony is present in the bottle, but not as strong as I'd expected. It becomes creamy and a bit more prominent on my skin, but it's still balanced by the other notes.  The notes shift around a bit in strength, but overall, this stays a very fresh, watery, and green blend of well balanced floral and green tea. It's very appropriate for summer, and seems like something you might drink iced and a fancy garden party.  

My first impression of this was vetiver, something sort of vanilla-but-not-vanilla cream (I'm guessing the licorice root) and something a tad floral I couldn't identify.  Basically, vetiver and mysterious MYSTERIES.  

It's sort of metro-masculine, clean without being aquatic, a little sweet, and very nice. It shifts around a lot before settling into a bright vetiver with a touch of spice from the black tea and a hint of wood. I love all things licorice, but I'm not recognizing it here, though it's probably lending the fragrance it's cool, clean vibe, along with some sweetness.  I don't get anything remotely lemon peel.  I really like this, and I enjoyed all the different phases as it settled in.  While the vetiver is the most prominent note to my nose, I wouldn't describe it as a particularly harsh or heavy vetiver. I'd say, if you like spicy black tea and vetiver, go for it!  

My initial impression of Balancing the Sake Cup was of sticky honey and ginger, or possibly wasabi.  The ginger has an earthy bite to it.  It's not quite fresh, but not quite dry spice either, giving it a texture that makes me think of wasabi paste. Honey isn't listed as a note, but my brain really wants to put it there. Perhaps the "candied" bit contains undeclared honey, or perhaps my tricksy nose is registering the sweet, stickiness of orange blossom and adding honey by itself.  Either way, in the bottle, this smells like it could almost be some sort of sweet, oriental sauce.  

It changes drastically on my skin, immediately becoming far less sweet, and FAR more spicy.  The ginger pops right out, along with a bit of clove, giving this a delightful warmth.  At this point, it's no longer what I'd call feminine.  I don't really smell honey anymore either.  This faze lasts about an hours on me, though it fades in strength and becomes closer to the skin.  It's not like any ginger I've smelled in other BPAL's, so if you're a fan of that note - definitely check this one out.  

The sweetness reappears, after an hour or so, as almost a bubblegum-honey, threading its way through the sillage.  When I sniff close, the scent is still all earthy ginger dusted by clove. This was very much a surprise winner for me.   

I highly recommend this one for ginger lovers.  Spice lovers and orange-blossom lovers might also take note.  

Beautiful.  Fruity, golden, floral honey was my first impression.  The fruitiness made me think of warm, glowing peaches, but that wasn't quite right.  Looking at the notes, I realize what I'm smelling is olive blossom, the same note found in Defutata.  I'm also getting a touch of the skin musk, which, for once, is playing nice with me.  I don't get sandalwood or vanilla cedar, but perhaps those notes will strengthen once the blend settles in and ages some.  If you're worried about powdery orris, don't be.  Golden, sultry, sexy, and slinky close to the skin.

I actually find Ranger and all 3 Riders to be quite sexy. 😄 

Warm, smooth patch and lavender in the imp.  I don't smell the lemongrass, but something is lifting this a bit, making it brighter.  On my skin, the patchouli takes over.  It's a nice patchouli though.  Very grounding, with just a bit of sweetness. I detect a faint trace of cedar in the background, giving a hint of raspy texture.  

15 minutes later, I'm getting more obvious honey notes.  This is very pretty.  The cedar comes out more as the hours pass, but it stays well behaved.  This lasted about 8 hours on me.  

16 hours ago, Moonbell said:

Sorry if anyone's already asked for this but I couldn't find it - anything similar to In Omnibus Caritas? I love that one so much and would love a full size bottle of it but for now I'll take anything that resembles it!

That one smells similar to some of the past vulvas in the Lupercalia line, sort of musky, creamy, sweet.  So maybe check out the notes of those and see if you can find some imps in the swaps thread.

You might also try The Mouse’s Long and Sad Tale, O, and Vasillisa, which are GC fragrances, or Alisz from the Carnival Diabolique line. 

^ Those all seem like good recs. I'd add Moscow, The Caterpillar, and Nyx, and Veil for consideration. 

I also really enjoy violet, though I don't get much of it from Fallen. The resins and what I suspect is jasmine come out strongest on me, but noses and chemistries vary, and my imp is quite old. You might try a few darker, resinous jasmine blends though, to see if those strike your fancy. Happy sniffing!

Smooth, dark, and woody. The patch is prominent, but complicated by the other notes. There's something in the blend that gives it some alcohol burn, and the chamomile is coming through. No discernable berries or rose for me.

Oh wait, maybe a titch of rose in the dry down. 

This is interesting, but probably not something I would wear much. I'll agree with @Casablanca that it's reminiscent of Earth Mother. The same family, but also distinct. Like a mature dryad giving you a hug! Very glad I got to try it.

Light, lemony hay and musk.  Bright, tart, and fruity.  It smells a bit like a musky, white tea blend.  Something goes a little sour on my skin though, and this seems to fade very quickly.  I'm not really getting any carnation.  If it's in there, it's not the spicier version.  Pretty for spring and summer, but not me. 

I really ended up loving this one more than I'd expected. The berries are bright and tart, almost plummy. They are backed by plush evergreenery and a snowy sweetness. The musk adds a soft, fuzziness, and I swear I get a little bit of light vanilla in the dry down. This actually reminds me a lot of The Magpie, one of my winter favorites. A winner in my book, just don't ask me to spell it!

On 3/22/2021 at 10:40 AM, Hesper said:

I just discovered Fallen was discontinued, and my heart is absolutely broken. I love that scent on me: it truly is regal desolation, the barren luminous throne. Any similar oils out there?

@ziggystardust13

Are you familiar with Elizabeth Arden's "Red Door?" It came to my mind when I smelled Fallen, and has the same notes, along with a bunch of other stuff crammed in there.  Heady, floral, deep. I think Fallen is a little woodier and less sweet maybe? I'm guessing it shares some of those "imperial florals" as well.  Probably jasmine and lily, in the very least.   

I can't think of a BPAL analogue of the top of my head.

Red Door by Elizabeth Arden is a Amber Floral fragrance for women. Red Door was launched in 1989. The nose behind this fragrance is Carlos Benaim. Top notes are Rose, Orange Blossom, Plum, Violet, Peach and Anise; middle notes are Honey, Carnation, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Lily, Freesia, Lily-of-the-Valley and Orchid; base notes are Sandalwood, Amber, Benzoin, Musk, Heliotrope, Vetiver and Cedar.