Upstart Crow

I was fortunate enough to get a sniffy of this today that had just enough oil on the wand cap to test.

 

Orange goes on smelling exactly like what's on the tin: ripe, juicy oranges. As it dries down, the orange calms a little bit and I smell a rather tart floral. I'm thinking ylang ylang, which I usually don't like, but which works beautifully here.

 

This is a gorgeous blend that is perfect for orange and orange blossom lovers. It's such a pity that it's so hard to find .

I loathe honey as a note (I may well be the only person who doesn't like O, for example!) and so I was loathe to try any of the Rappaccini's Apiary scents, and probably wouldn't have, had my bottle of Sundew not come with a frimp of this scent. I get a very, very strong floral that smells like something in the lily family with just a hint of honey that makes it sweet. What little honey I can smell as it dries down isn't treachley or foody at all.

 

I need a bottle. Maybe multiples. WOW.

Alas! My decant of this smelled like grass with a hint of vanilla bean on me. It's so rare that i have any BPAL fragrance smell utterly gross on my skin (normally there are just some whose smells I don't much care for, but which smell just fine). Where are the old books and musty libraries??? LOL.

I had really high hopes for this one given how much I enjoyed Raven Moon, which also has peppers as an ingredient. Alas, the only thing I get from this is the red peppers which quickly fade to a bitter, nondescript scent and then to nothing on my skin.

 

Oh well. I always have my Raven Moon!

As many have said, this is a vibrant narcissus with BPAL's signature chilly/snow scent. It's just BEAUTIFUL! And perfect for people who liked Christmas Rose (2007 Yule) but thought the hellebore was a little too acrid. One of my two favorite scents released this season!

To recap: Godfather Death is my favorite fairy tale, and I love it to the point of obsession. I own bottles of all three scents (yes, unsniffed) and am ecstatic that I have the opportunity to review them first.

The Godfather's bestowing of his gift is another breathtaking moment in the story; it shows not only a profound (and unusual, given Death's role in our affairs), trusting relationship between godfather and godson, but gives us the unforgettable image of a life-giving herb--an herb which has haunted my imagination and filled my notebooks for years.

I had a lot of hopes for this one (despite having been put off a few of BPAL's more herbal blends in the past, such as Larentalia). They were not dashed at all. This is my favorite scent of the three.

In bottle: a beautiful, mysterious and strong floral sweetness. Like the herb itself, there's just no way I can describe this to do it justice. The closest I can come is to say it is like Desdemona, only with a little more depth. Desdemona grown up.

On me, wet: That same, floral sweetness and strength. There seems to be a hint of water, too--another symbol of life.

Drying down: I think that's the hyssop coming out? I don't know what life-everlasting smells like, so it could be that, too.I also begin smelling some herbs, similar to those in Larentalia, I think. But they don't overpower like they do in this blend.

Verdict: One of BPAL's most gorgeous florals ever! (Floral haters: you should probably refrain) Though it has herbs as an ingredient, don't be fooled: this is not an herbal perfume in the same way The Witch's Garden is.

As I said in my review of Godfather Death, the story upon which these scents are based is my favorite fairy tale. Thus, I ordered bottles of all three unsniffed knowing--or hoping--that they would all somehow work for me. Yes, I'm that obsessed with this story.

For those who have read it, the part of the tale that inspired this scent is the most arresting moment in the story. Given that I have had bad experiences with the beeswax the lab uses (ugh, Hanerot Halalu!) I must say I ordered this one more for completeness' sake than because the notes sounded great to me. I'm glad I did that.

Folks, Beth nailed this one. NAILED it. Knocked it out of the damn park. This smells exactly like living candles.

In the bottle: Something sugary sweet, and what smells to me like a hint of vanilla--the raw baker's kind, not the sweet kind. No wax.

On me, wet: A rush of that vanilla bean sweetness and the sweetness of bpal's beeswax note. Oh, oh, delicious! This is defnitely the smell of living candles--waxy and warm skin. I am sure there is some skin musk in this--another note I don't like so much, but which just works beautifully here.

Drying down: More of that sweet waxiness, and the skin musk comes out even stronger.

verdict: An absolutely beautiful blend, specifically for those who were disappointed in Hanerot Halalu last year. This is definitely a good late fall/winter scent, just as Godfather Death is a winter's tale.

I literally screamed with joy when I learned that BPAL had released three scents inspired by Godfather Death. it is my favorite all-time fairy tale, and one that has inspired not only a long poem, but an in-progress novel. I ordered a bottle of each scent untried and am overjoyed that I'm the first to review each.

Let's start with the Godfather himself.

Whenever I think of Godfather Death, I think of earth, woods, stone and perhaps the lightest hint of a dry, hearty flower such as moss rose. I was therefore surprised and intrigued to see that Beth had chosen Olibanum, elemi, Bulgarian rose and oppoponax for her interpretation. Given yew's meaning in Celtic tree lore, I was surprised to see this ingredient for entirely different reasons, but let that be .

In bottle: Godfather Death smells dark as the tomb. I definitely smell the oppoponax and rose and possibly the yew.

Applied wet: The rose and oppoponax sharpen into something that smells a bit like pickles at an Indian restaurant. Given that I love pickles, this is not entirely unpleasant -- just unexpected. When I think of Godfather Death I think of the sharpness, perhaps, but certainly not food!

Drying: The rose comes out and battles with the pickle smell. It's no briney exactly but it's certainly sharp.

Dry: Still astringent, but softening a little. I can detect the rose.

Overall: I like this, though it isn't what I thought it would be. I'll try him again later and see what he's like.

Tried an imp of this about 8 months ago and honestly? This is the first and so far only BPAL I've ever tried that made me want to vomit. I got it because it's a rose scent (and I wrote a novella about Rumpelstilskin titled The Tale of the Miller's Daughter), but the yellow rose was completely crushed down and choked by wet straw and the most unappealing salt I've ever smelled in a scent (and I am a huge fan of salty scents like Mary Read). If anything, the smell just got stronger when it touched my skin, and wouldn't wash off no matter what I did.

 

I swapped it away and have decided to avoid all straw blends in the future . This really broke my heart, too. I really wanted it to work.

You know, usually I don't smell the poetic descriptions Beth and Co. write into the scent blurbs, but this time I do. Oh, how I do.

 

In the bottle, Raven moon is very, very dark. I can smell the musk, the benzoin and the myrrh right away, and I immediately think, "feathers?" Yes, there is a softness to this scent that I can't describe in any way but feathers, which may remind some BPALers of the "soft fur" feel that Ivanushka gave off.

 

On me, the scent lightens not at all, but takes on more dimensions. I can smell The patchouli, nutmeg and chili distinctly-- the latter of which gives this blend a slight spicy feel that is by no means overpowering (if you've ever eaten Dagoba's chocolate with chilis, you'll get a good sense of how the chili note fits). I can smell the smoke and vanilla, too! Really, this is one of the only blends I've ever been able to pick individual notes out of.

 

As it dries, the vanilla comes out strongly with the chili and myrrh -- which is great, because I love vanilla! This is a slightly more foody vanilla than Antique Lace, please note.

 

This is one of my favorite Lunacies so far!

I was really looking forward to this one! Sadly, it's just very busy and kind of bland. I get a very sharp sweetness when it's wet (which I am guessing is the opoponax and labdanum -- I have never smelled agarwood). It mellows after a few minutes and I can smell the patchouli. Those saying it is a bit like Samhain are correct. Sadly, however, it's far busier than Samhain on me and not the dreamy, wet, leaves and rain and oakmoss I hoped for . Selling my bottle.

 

 

Yes, this is a surprisingly wintery scent for a Halloween line, as the first reviewer said. Then again, given that the character in "Dracula's Guest" does encounter snow and hail, this is a great representation of the story.

 

In the imp I definitely smell the ozone and something bitter and sharp, which I suspect is the olibanum. On me, the scent starts out as the lab's winter snow note with a hint of wood that comes out stronger and stronger as it dries. It also has a hint of something vegetably that I can't quite place; perhaps it is the interaction of the olibanum and wood? This is definitely something you'll like if you enjoyed The Christmas Rose, Archangel Winter and woodier blends. It's also a beautiful rendition of the moment in "Dracula's Guest" that served as its inspiration.

 

Overall, I will treasure the imp but I don't think I need a bottle, since the Lab's winter blends aren't my favorite.

This is the more naturalistic Autumn to Passionate Shepherd's stylized Spring. (Looking at the notes, no surprise there... must be the ivy and heather.) A dark murky ivy green, a touch metallic from the sage, with bits of fresh-cut grass and snapped branches, and something dark and just a bit acrid. I can't quite place it... could be smoldering peat or wet leather. Can't pick out the anise, which is a relief. It smells like Scotland. Or at least how I imagine the Scottish Highlands would smell, anyway, on a misty still morning getting on toward winter. This is surprisingly wearable! I love "planty" scents, but often they don't love my skin...whatever the dark note is, it's grounding the fragrance just enough to keep it from going soapy. It should be nice in the oil burner as well, though.

 

GhillieDhu is right on the mark! I, too, thought that Carlin was an autumnal companion to The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, and I agree that it is the ivy and the heather. I've had some mixed results with heather as it ages, however, so I hope that this will age as well as Passionate Shepherd has. In the bottle I can smell the gorse, anise and sage the strongest. On me the heather and ivy come out the strongest, with the anise and what I think is the fumitory or thistle as a pleasant backdrop. I can't pick out the snapdragon.

It's quite a lovely scent, and one that I'll probably use a half bottle of, but not a full.

I have the 2009 version.

 

This is seriously one of the most beautiful Halloween BPALs I've ever tried, and one of the most complex blends. One moment I get sharp florals, the next I get chocolate and tobacco, the next I get honey.

 

Reviewers who have said this smells very much like Samhain 2008 are right on the mark, I think. It has that same autumnal sweetness. What a beautiful scent! So glad I swapped for a bottle!

Very smokey and lovely; I love brimstone, smoke, clove and metalic notes, and they're all blended so well here that I can smell each of them individually. None of them dominate, and the blend is by no means as overpowering as The Death of Autumn and Chant d'Autumn, of which it is reminiscent.

Oh, boo! I took a chance with this one because I do rather enjoy BPAL's apple note. Unfortunately, it smells exactly like Poison Apple on me with a hint of milk and spices instead of the brash, wonderful florals.

 

I really, really hoped it would be the delicious apple pie/spice/mulled cider scent everyone else praised it as, but no luck

 

OK, I tried it again because I'm stubborn like that . And I don't know what was up earlier, except that maybe I tried too many imps at once. The apple is still the same note in Poison Apple, but it's a lot less dominant now -- I'm definitely getting the spices, the apple pie and the milk. It's a gorgeous scent, and makes me wonder if I will actually appreciate autumnal foody scents!

 

Think I'm gonna need a bottle

The description the Lab provided is really unfortunate, I think, in the same way that its description of The Chilling Cellar in 2007's Halloween line was unfortunate. Julia Stone is a beautiful scent -- impeccably blended and rich, and it's one of the best scents I've tried all year.

 

In bottle: very green and earthy. Think of working in the garden on a day when you have to tear out a bunch of weeds and you pretty much have the idea.

 

On me: When wet, I get a very strong 'papery' note that reminds me very much of the papery note in Lurid Library. As it dries, the green comes out prominently, but not overwhelmingly. I get a *lot* of garden smells here, but nothing I can identify (no cucumber, though). I really think that fans of Planting Moon, Lurid Library and more vegetably scents like Squirting Cucumber will love this. For people who don't like greenery so much, this blend will also work for you. It's very subtle, and very sophisticated.

 

Verdict: An enthusiastic 5/5!!! And I'm getting a back up bottle, I think.

O.M.Gee! YES! I get to be the first reviewer on a scent! Hehe, sorry. I've just been wanting to do this since 2007. Hope I do this right.

OK, my bottle just arrived this afternoon, and here are my impressions:

In bottle : Sweet, a little powdery, ethereal. I can definitely smell the tang of the "blood" note, and I assume the sweetness is the heliotrope. The dirt note is there, but not as strong as in, say, Graveyard Dirt 2008, Premature Burial or Zombi.

On me, wet: At first I get a burst of sweetness, almost like honey. Not exactly cloying, but definitely very nectar-y. After a moment, the sweetness becomes powdery, almost talcum. This must be the heliotrope. If I sniff really hard, I can almost smell the dirt.

dry down: Sweet and light, almost pure heliotrope (I'm guessing). The dirt is still very, very light, but comes out a little stronger as the scent dries further. A very, very dusty light floral.

verdict: I'm a little disappointed. I had really hoped that this one would be earthy and bloody, but it's sweet and effervescent -- kind of what I thought The Girl would be. Fans of Heliotrope and skin musk (which isn't one of the ingredients, but which mimics it perfectly on me) will probably love this one. People who are cautious around dirt scents probably don't have a lot to worry about.

ETA: Wow. On second thought, I think this may just be a scent that I need to put on in larger quantities. When I dabbed on a little more, I found that I liked it better. It's definitely a soft and very weird scent for me, but that's not really a bad thing. Not really sure if I'll ever try another perfume with a heliotrope top note, though, since I think this floral may not be my thing.

Throw is average to a little below average on me, and I'm guessing it's wear-length will be short to average. Not sure if I want to keep this one yet.

What a beautiful spring floral scent!

 

In the imp, I get strong daffodils, greens and what smells to me like orchid (probably the cala lily, which is in the orchid family). There's a certain sharpness to this that definitely has to be the dandelion, too.

 

On my skin, the daffodils really come out, and so does the lily. It reminds me of my grandma's garden in April, which is a very good thing.

 

This is definitely a good one for floral lovers, especially for those who like their florals medium strength. It seems to have a decent throw and lasts a good few hours.

Vetivert is one of my favorite notes, as is loam, so I knew this scent would be dreamy on me. And it is!

 

In the bottle, I'm hit most strongly with the cedar bark and vetivert--it's a very dark brown/black scent, if that makes sense. In bottle I also get a sweetness that reminds me of very expensive dark chocolate. It must be the grass note (which typically smells sweet to me), because there's no chocolate in this blend.

 

On my skin, the cedar fades to texture, and the vetivert and loam dominate, with a little of the grass' sweetness. I love this scent because it reminds me of a heavier cousin to Hessian of the Hollow, which is my ultimate vetivert blend, but where Hessian is sweeter and spicier, vetivert is musky and heavy like the tomb.

 

Definitely worth a bottle! Though I think vetivert haters and agnostics would do well to avoid this one.

I got a decant of this scent because I found, much to my surprise, that I really enjoyed Bonfire Night last year, which was also a scent with beer. I was a little worried, but this turned out to be delicious. In the bottle I smell something sweet - not bitter like beer, and not cloying like sugar. The barely comes out very strong, too.

 

On my skin, the sweetness softens and the barley comes out even stronger. A very delicious scent. I may need a bottle.

The 2008 version is so light on me that I can barely smell it And when I can, I get more of a loamy smell than a dirt smell. Still, I'm going to hang on to my bottle to see how it ages, or maybe to wear on a day when I want a dirt scent that isn't as strong and rich as Worm Moon or Premature Burial.

I have clinical depression and dysthymia (high level incapaciating depression AND lower grade depression that is pretty much a daily thing), generalized anxiety disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (non-combat related), as well as mild Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

 

This blend is so successful in helping me through those that I have added it into my treatment regimen and informed my therapist of its efficacy. I will also tell my psychiatrist about it at our next appointment this month.

 

- Jo

Has anyone else had the following reaction to Death of Autumn:

 

Mild nausea

mild headache (not migraine level, but just a general foggy feeling)

numb lips (?! I swear I wasn't trying to eat it LOL)

Mildly itchy eyes

 

If so, have you been able to determine what ingredient caused it? I know it wasn't the kus, because I've worn vetivert before and it has never bothered me. Nor is it the autumn leaves and amber, because Ephemera and Antony don't make me ill. Could it be that I just sniffed the darn thing too long and too close? I really like this one, too!

It's nice and smokey and pungent, but I think that it's the scent that gave me a mild hedache, a slightly queasy tummy and a numb lower lip (?!? i wasn't eating it, I swear!)

 

Has anyone else had this kind of reaction? Could it be the clove?