Failmingo

A quick note about holiday shipping! Just like last year, due to pandemic-induced nuisances (both foreseeable and otherwise), BPAL will not be able to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas. We'll still be running our usual Black Friday promo, adding exclusive free samples to every order made that weekend (11/26 through 11/29, more info TBA) but if it's extremely important that your order arrive before a particular date, we urge you to make those purchases as early as possible. And here's my first of many seasonal reminders that BPAL gift cards are available in any amount, and can be purchased right up until the holiday since they arrive in the form of an email. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/oddments/gift-certificate/ Thanks in advance for understanding, I know many retailers are offering similar caveats and it's greatly interfering with folks' ability to plan out their gift-giving. We promise to do our best, but in the meantime it's probably best to be realistic about how things are likely to go.

Just a note to the community informing you that Ted is likely to be out of commission for the next few days as he recovers from a (planned, non-emergency) medical procedure. So please press Pause on your expectation of prompt Customer Service replies, while our man gets his legs back under him. Many thanks!

How could anyone not click on a post with this title?? This is just to inform you today, October 32nd, is the day when our seasonal collection grew two scents larger: OCTOBER 32 "The scent of Eternal October: leaves fluttering against a thick wool sweater, the cool amber glow of an autumn sunset, dollops of thick cream swirling in black tea." https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/halloween-2021/october-32-perfume-oil/ EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN "Skin-warmed sandalwood and toasted pumpkin settle into a gentle blend suitable for all 365 days of Halloween." https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/halloween-2021/everyday-is-halloween-perfume-oil/ Just to keep the good times rolling as long as possible. Happy Halloween!

Hello! The recent Quicksilver Tongue series sold out almost immediately, but Kaitlin at Sphere + Sundry discovered a box of additional bottles, and those are now listed on her site! (Note that ILLUMINER is not restocked as a standalone product -- the only bottles left of that one have been set aside for those who purchase the whole trio.) https://sphereandsundry.com/offerings/the-bard-queen/ https://sphereandsundry.com/offerings/honey-quicksilver/ https://sphereandsundry.com/offerings/quicksilver-tongue-x-bpal-trio/

It looks like we're clear of yesterday's Big Problems, and the Weenie collection is ready to take off into the night skies! Enjoy, everyone. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/halloween-2021/

It looks like we're clear of yesterday's Big Problems, and the Weenie collection is ready to take off into the night skies! Enjoy, everyone. https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/halloween-2021/

Relive this dream sequence over and over again! Our newest scent for Haute Macabre is now available exclusively from their website. https://haute-macabre.myshopify.com/collections/shop-new/products/phantasmagoria-by-black-phoenix-alchemy-lab PHANTASMAGORIA "Sweet indigo labdanum, mugwort herb and oil, black rose petals, bitter clove, lavender buds, aged red patchouli, ink-black vegetal musk, myrrh, and dark, velvet-smooth spices."

We are breathlessly awaiting the new book release from Century Guild, BITTER BLOSSOMS: The Art of Der Orchideengarten Vol. 7. And yes, we've crafted a perfume to match! BITTER BLOSSOMS "A gust of white sandalwood and sweet amber incense poisoned by opium pod accord, hemlock leaf, and raw wild elderberries." Only available via Kickstarter!

Hiiiii so... remember how we're in the midst of like, an ongoing international crisis? Right, that. Well, please take note that any current order containing the Kobold Barista, Burnt Sugar & Blackberry Duet, or Jareth perfumes is held up temporarily as we're stuck waiting for components to arrive. We'll ship as soon as we're humanly able, promise! Just spreading word about this to head off unnecessary Customer Service queries. Thanks, and sorry for the extra wait!

I've been sitting with these since they were in the prototype phase. It's been a unique journey because neither of these blends -- the other being THE LAST SYLLABLE, I'm gonna crosspost my review there -- are something I would normally reach for on its own, but layered together there is a strange effect that is intensely pleasant to me. In the bottle THE LAST SYLLABLE ("Photos pinned to cool plaster walls, discarded papers, a web of strings, a mirror, a doll, singed straw, scattered books, and unfurled magnetic tape") is musty, damp, papery, almost institutional. It truly smells like studio space in a loft or warehouse. To me that's an exciting and almost mystical scent, the potent combo of reference materials, art supplies, and empty space. Agree with others that this is more "new books" than "old books," although the humid plastery note really keeps this out of a comfy and cozy contemporary setting. Kind of like shoving your face into a cardboard box of newly-printed pamphlets that has been left in a crumbling old storage unit. (Incidentally, the little Cycladic babydolls featured on the label actually were formed out of plaster, painted to look like stone. So it's very fitting that they ended up repping this scent!) On the skin it all seems to calm down a bit, and that's when I start to get old paperbacks. I can't detect the singed straw, it must be a very minor component. I probably wouldn't think "mirror" at all, except when I compare it to some of the other BPAL blends that are "glassy" I can trace the continuity between them. This is an intense "sense of place" perfume that strikes me as both contemplative and kind of creatively energizing; it ultimately wears pretty close to the skin and isn't super long-lasting. It appears to have very little in common with 'TIS STRANGE, which also aspires to a "sense of place," namely the backdrop for the story of Macbeth. So it's time as well as place that separates them, and in the bottle 'TIS STRANGE kind of sets me back on my heels. It has a singed quality, definitely the incense smoke set aloft on the kind of bitter freshness that the moss imparts. The leather is trackable but kind of subdued. I'm a little surprised at how warm it seems, given the darkness in the description, but on the skin you get a sense of the inky, scorched darkness that's revealed as the smoke lifts, like descending a winding castle passageway lit by torches. The scent is definitely martial with a real melancholy and unease to it, and the incense isn't like a sacred church blend -- more like a funky pagan brew meant to expunge evil spirits. I get something almost spicy sweet, like cinnamon or dragon's blood? This one has a bigger throw of the two, for sure. Now's the part where I cross the streams, and layer them. It would seem these two don't belong anywhere near each other, but there is something about how the incense and leather IMMEDIATELY ages the paper in the book smell, and how the industrial studio space is IMMEDIATELY warmed and dried by the smoke and spice. Together, they create one of my favorite scent experiences in recent memory, blurring the Old World with the New World in a way that strikes me as distinctly occult. I can barely tell where one ends and the other begins, and that's a good layering experience, friends! In term of "sense of place" I'm now reminded of that kid in The Neverending Story hiding out with a book in the school's attic amidst all sorts of insane theatrical rubble. And of course, since I'm wearing twice as much perfume, it hangs around with me quite a bit longer. So that's my combo review. And here's a reminder that the show these are inspired by -- "The Last Syllable" by Independent Shakespeare Co. -- can be accessed for free right here: http://www.iscla.org/the-last-syllable

I've been sitting with these since they were in the prototype phase. It's been a unique journey because neither of these blends (the other being 'TIS STRANGE, I'm gonna crosspost my review there) are something I would normally reach for on its own, but layered together there is a strange effect that is intensely pleasant to me. In the bottle THE LAST SYLLABLE is musty, damp, papery, almost institutional. It truly smells like studio space in a loft or warehouse. To me that's an exciting and almost mystical scent, the potent combo of reference materials, art supplies, and empty space. Agree with others that this is more "new books" than "old books," although the humid plastery note really keeps this out of a comfy and cozy contemporary setting. Kind of like shoving your face into a cardboard box of newly-printed pamphlets that has been left in a crumbling old storage unit. (Incidentally, the little Cycladic babydolls featured on the label actually were formed out of plaster, painted to look like stone. So it's very fitting that they ended up repping this scent!) On the skin it all seems to calm down a bit, and that's when I start to get old paperbacks. I can't really detect the singed straw, it must be a very minor component. I probably wouldn't think "mirror" at all, except when I compare it to some of the other BPAL blends that are "glassy" I can trace the continuity between them. This is an intense "sense of place" perfume that strikes me as both contemplative and kind of creatively energizing; it ultimately wears pretty close to the skin and isn't super long-lasting. It appears to have very little in common with 'TIS STRANGE ("Both bog and castle, moor and battlefield, chivalry and nightmare: scarred leather armor, moss-covered stone, shadows upon shadows, and billows of black incense.") which also aspires to a "sense of place," namely the backdrop for the story of Macbeth. So it's time as well as place that separates them, and in the bottle 'TIS STRANGE kind of sets me back on my heels. It has a singed quality, definitely the incense smoke set aloft on the kind of bitter freshness that the moss imparts. The leather is trackable but kind of subdued. I'm a little surprised at how warm it seems, given the darkness in the description, but on the skin you get a sense of the inky, scorched darkness that's revealed as the smoke lifts, like descending a winding castle passageway lit by torches. The scent is definitely martial with a real melancholy and unease to it, and the incense isn't like a sacred church blend -- more like a funky pagan brew meant to expunge evil spirits. I get something almost spicy sweet, like cinnamon or dragon's blood? This one has a bigger throw of the two, for sure. Now's the part where I cross the streams, and layer them. It would seem these two don't belong anywhere near each other, but there is something about how the incense and leather IMMEDIATELY ages the paper in the book smell, and how the industrial studio space is IMMEDIATELY warmed and dried by the smoke and spice. Together, they create one of my favorite scent experiences in recent memory, blurring the Old World with the New World in a way that strikes me as distinctly occult. I can barely tell where one ends and the other begins, and that's a good layering experience, friends! In term of "sense of place" I'm now reminded of that kid in The Neverending Story hiding out with a book in the school's attic amidst all sorts of insane theatrical rubble. And of course, since I'm wearing twice as much perfume, it hangs around with me quite a bit longer. So that's my combo review. And here's a reminder that the show these are inspired by -- "The Last Syllable" by Independent Shakespeare Co. -- can be accessed for free right here: http://www.iscla.org/the-last-syllable

We done did it! Here's the link: https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/lilith-2021/ Loving thanks to the team for all their hard work! TB

The time is almost nigh! When the links arrive, we'll be sharing them in the caption of our announcement vid on YouTube. Tick tock, tick tock!

It's here! The true beginning of fall heralds the opening of Independent Shakespeare Co.'s scintillating online production "the last syllable" — an adaptation of the Scottish play, presented via a series of interactive maps and videos. To begin exploring, first register here: http://www.iscla.org/the-last-syllable BPAL has created a pair of perfume oils intended to enhance your journey, which remain available at the link below. Proceeds benefit our friends at IndyShakes! https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/collaborations/independent-shakespeare-company/the-last-syllable/ THE LAST SYLLABLE "Photos pinned to cool plaster walls, discarded papers, a web of strings, a mirror, a doll, singed straw, scattered books, and unfurled magnetic tape." 'TIS STRANGE "Both bog and castle, moor and battlefield, chivalry and nightmare: scarred leather armor, moss-covered stone, shadows upon shadows, and billows of black incense." On a personal note, I contributed a lot of artwork and design to this production, and am STUPID EXCITED to see how it all looks on the screen. Truly hope you enjoy it! [image credit: Dana Shihadah]

Just wanna say how excited I am to find these reviews, having just noticed that this blend is still not included in the collection on the BPAL site. Gonna see if I can change that! At first sniff it seemed like some kind of dark vanilla/cedar goo, but on the skin I'm getting that mysterious tart fruit note (cherry? currant? prune?) and a hint of anise amidst this backdrop of swirling resins. The oil is almost gummy on the skin, how decadent!

Pretend we're telling you all this in person! As of this moment, our convention weekend products are LIVE! This includes: 💥 Seven peach-themed perfumes, in the tradition of our Atlanta appearances 💥 A series of Duets specifically crafted to raise funds helping those affected by Hurricane Ida 💥 Our long-awaited August Lunacy offerings—which means double Duets, darlings! All can be found lumped together here: https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-tag/august-2021/ Please note that we'll be dedicating a portion of all the "con exclusive" sales to help with disaster relief, via the same orgs: The Cajun Navy, Imagine Water Works, and House of Tulip. We began sending donations earlier this week, ahead of the actual sales. (If you'd prefer to donate to these orgs directly, that is a perfectly valid and useful option!) https://cajunrelief.org/ https://www.imaginewaterworks.org/ https://houseoftulip.org/ Meanwhile, we've got to do something with all the bits of free swag you'd normally get from shopping at the BPAL booth, which is currently piling up around our ears. So let it be known that while supplies last, we'll be cramming some of that loot into every order received this weekend, from now until 5pm (EST) on Monday. Thanks again for all the love and support in the past weeks re: our con cancellation. It turns out this week would have been a very spicy time to travel anyway, and we're very happy to have the home-turf advantage as we look for ways to help with the current spate of disasters. So many hugs to be given right now, especially to our friends in Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, New York, and Philly. Basically, all the places!

BPAL is very excited to contribute to the Kickstarter for the gorgeous new Rosebud Tarot, in the form of a perfume that's impossible to obtain any other way: BUDDING REALIZATION "Receptivity and acuity united in purpose: damask rose, olibanum, red sandalwood, pink peppercorn, honey amber, and clove bud."

Just an update on the Dragon Con event exclusive products, which (per our recent announcement) will all be sold on our website: they'll go live on our site at 10am (EST) Friday, September 3rd, and will vanish at 5pm the following Monday! That list of products again: 🍑 VANILLA WAFERS AND PEACH CREAM 🍑 FUZZY PEACH SWEATER AND A MUG OF LONDON FOG 🍑 GEORGIA PEACH, OAKMOSS, SAGE, AND VETIVER 🍑 PEACH AND SUGARED ORANGE SLICES 🍑 WORKING TITLE: THIS IS A PERFUME ABOUT MY DOG SMELLING WEIRDLY LIKE PEACHES 🍑 PEACH BRANDY SNAKE OIL 🍑 POMEGRANATE, SPICY GERANIUM, BLACK MUSK, AND PEACH PULP PS, Most of these are reviewed in our recent "Sneak Peach" preview.

The basics, and then the gossip: • Regretfully, due to health concerns, BPAL is pulling out of Dragon Con • Instead, we will be releasing this year's convention exclusive products online • If you had been planning to attend the con to pick up for others, please email Customer Service (if you have someone picking up for you, please let THEM be the point of contact with the Lab) Yesterday, amidst the rising tide of Delta variant Covid-19 cases, Dragon Con announced that proof of vaccination (or negative test results) would be required for entry at this year's convention. We salute them for taking this responsible precaution, which will surely save lives. However, when BPAL originally committed to attending, the Delta variant and breakthrough cases were not a concern as they are now. Also, due to the region's rising level of infection, we cannot count on receiving adequate medical care in the event of ANY illness or injury. As a family business this is deeply concerning and we've decided we cannot expose ourselves or our employees to this level of risk. As a result, we feel we have no choice but to withdraw. We recognize this will be a terrific disappointment to many of our customers. It's a loss for us as well, in terms of our reservation fee and the event sales which are part of our annual budget, not to mention the chance to reunite with those we haven't seen in far too long. We extend our sympathies to loyal customers as well as the Dragon Con team, all of whom have been stuck similarly weighing difficult decisions related to their own safety as well as others'. To help lessen the sting, we have decided to make all of our 2021 Con Exclusive products available online, so that no one misses out on a particular scent they had been planning to buy; more on this release will be forthcoming ASAP. If you were planning to serve as a BPAL "fairy" (i.e. picking up products to distribute to others), please reach out to Ted: answers@blackphoenixalchemylab.com. We are asking that ONLY those individuals reach out, to lessen the strain on Customer Service as we sort all this out. If you have already paid someone to pick up products for you, please make sure they see this announcement, and let them serve as your point of contact with the Lab. If you have additional questions, please reach out to me (tom@blackphoenixalchemylab.com). You're welcome to message me with questions here, which I'll answer if I'm able. Thanks in advance for rolling with these changes, folks. We knew we were already offering a reduced, compromised version of the BPAL experience (sampling through masks, etc.). As exciting as it was to see how many were game to go on that adventure with us, we're certain this is the best way to go.

Tomorrow will be the last Friday the 13th until next May. Plan ahead with our latest batch of "13," a lucky amulet in the form of an exquisite perfume oil. Available only through 8/15! https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/friday-the-13th/13-august-2021/ "Thirteen herbs to stave off the plague, coated with chocolate and delivered with a spoonful of sugar: butterburr, fennel, marigold, borage, rosemary, wood sorrel, clove pink, self-heal, yarrow, lemon balm, sweet cicely, rue, and masterwort." [This perfume doesn’t really stave off any diseases. In order to actually keep viruses at bay, please get vaccinated if you are able, mask up diligently, and wash your hands!]

The announcement of our Dragon Con 2021 exclusive scents has arrived in the form of a special video preview — a "sneak peach," if you will. Embedded below! The following perfumes will ONLY be available to those attending the convention: 🍑 VANILLA WAFERS AND PEACH CREAM 🍑 FUZZY PEACH SWEATER AND A MUG OF LONDON FOG 🍑 GEORGIA PEACH, OAKMOSS, SAGE, AND VETIVER 🍑 PEACH AND SUGARED ORANGE SLICES 🍑 POMEGRANATE, SPICY GERANIUM, BLACK MUSK, AND PEACH PULP Plus these two, which will *also* be available to those shopping from home: 🍑 WORKING TITLE: THIS IS A PERFUME ABOUT MY DOG SMELLING WEIRDLY LIKE PEACHES 🍑 PEACH BRANDY SNAKE OIL $28 apiece, available while supplies last! Here's where you can find the latest updates from Dragon Con about their health and safety standards for the event: https://www.dragoncon.org/updates/ Your shopping experience at the BPAL booth will be significantly different this year, in the following ways: • Customers will not be allowed to handle anything at the table. Staff members will happily provide you with test blotters for any fragrances you'd like to try. This will take a little more time than the usual grab-n'-sniff process, but also the capacity of the building will be reduced, so hopefully it will all even out. • Masks will be required at our booth AT ALL TIMES. Regardless of vaccination status, your nose and mouth must remain covered, even while smelling the test blotters. (No vented masks, no bandanas.) We know having a barrier of any kind between you and a scent you're sampling is a strange inconvenience, but the venue itself is enforcing a strict "masks at all times" policy and we don't want to end up being a problem area where people feel they have an excuse to break that rule. Thanks in advance for rolling with these cumbersome changes, we are truly doing our best to conduct ourselves safely while still showing up for our friends and fans on the other side of the country.

I'm about to share the July Lunacy announcement more widely, and wanted to make sure to circulate info about down dates as well! Firstly, this Lunacy update is accompanied by two bonus collections: a pair of scents tying in with an upcoming interactive program launched by our Shakespeare buddies, and also a new set of RPG scents. As for what's coming down: we lose all the Lupers on August 16th. No Lunacy scents are being taken down this month, but next month the Double Lunacy stuff will vanish. So there ya go!

Dragon Con is still a month away, but they have already begun issuing formal safety guidelines for the event. Sounds like a good time to start helping folks know what to expect at the BPAL booth! https://www.dragoncon.org/updates/ For starters, customers will not be allowed to handle anything at the table. Staff members will happily provide you with test blotters for any fragrances you'd like to try. It will take a little more time than the usual grab-n'-sniff process, so please be patient and understanding as we adapt to this odd new way of doing things. Also, masks will be required at our booth AT ALL TIMES. Regardless of vaccination status, your nose and mouth must remain covered, even while smelling the test blotters. (No vented masks, no bandanas.) We know having a barrier of any kind between you and a scent you're sampling is a strange inconvenience, but the venue itself is enforcing a strict "masks at all times" policy and we don't want to end up being the kind of problem booth where people feel they have an excuse to break that rule. (On the more cheerful side, there WILL be con exclusive scents, and those will be announced soon!) None of this is ideal for anyone, but we are very excited to trot our vaccinated asses out there and safely see as many folks as we can. More info as we know it!

New Sphere + Sundry drop! We've contributed four talismanic oils crafted to harness the magic and majesty of Jupiter in Pisces. Available in limited quantity, and part of a truly dazzling range of useful products. https://sphereandsundry.com/product-category/series/jupiters-empyreal-vantage/ OUTFLOW BOUNDARY "The rush of cool air as a thunderstorm moves overhead; this boundary lifts moist, warm air and may cause new thunderstorms to appear. An oil of prolific, generative creativity – ideas coalesce in a swirl of mist and lightning. This oil can be used alone as an all-purpose inspiration blend or combined with other oils to amplify its focus, whether it be inspiration in the arts, problem solving, engineering, philosophy, theology, or academia." TURBULENT FLOW "Continuously undergoing change. An oil of the Philosopher Queen, Turbulent Flow is the ordered chaos at the intersection of philosophy, faith, introspection, and knowledge. This is an oil of evolution and change, but the focus is on the evolution of your worldview, values, and belief system, enabling you to shake off the shackles of ideas that no longer serve you." MULTIPLE STORM INTERACTION "When cyclones move towards one another, they may either circle around one another or spiral into each other’s central point and merge. An oil of the convergence of ideas and philosophies, of finding companionship and friendship with those who uplift and enrich your life and whose lives you can improve in return. This is an oil of connection, empathy, intuition, and mutual healing, and an attraction oil that focuses on drawing kind, wise, and loving people into your sphere." THE EYE "Within the Eye, you are shielded from the surrounding storm. A kingdom at peace requires a sovereign at peace. This is an oil of finding serenity, invoking the peace of mind necessary to make prudent choices. The Eye facilitates achieving and maintaining a level head, and crafting the equilibrium necessary to govern yourself, your life, and your kingdom with calm, mercy, and wisdom."

Heads up! A couple of new perfumes that are exclusively available as rewards on the Century Guild's latest book Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/centuryguild/alphonse-mucha-expanded-edition-lost-art-nouveau-masterpiece LE PATER "Wild black plum and dried berries deepened by blackened vanilla husk, 3-year aged patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, Mysore sandalwood, and black leather." LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL "Catarratto bianco comune and Airén grapes dappled with fossilized white amber, life everlasting, and tabac." Available at the $79 and $103 pledge levels, each bottle of perfume is full size (5 mL) and presented in an amber glass apothecary vial.