ChupaChup

I have to agree with you t3andcrumpets, especially since we are comparing it to the same 2003 imp. My new Gingerbread poppet is much spicier, with less of the molasses and butter of the old version. It's still yummy gingerbread, but maybe the low fat, low carb version ?

Thanks to t3andcrumpets , I was lucky enough to try the 2003 version of Snow White last summer and the 2004 version seems to be exactly the same, just a little more intense as it is freshly made. Yowza, this is definitely in my top 1 of favorite BPAL oils. Since I wrote my review of the 2003 version, I have had the pleasure of sniffing Beth's single note coconut and now I recognize it in Snow White. It's not like any other coconut oil I have ever smelled, it's like fresh coconut cream, very rich but without that fake suntan oil bite that most other coconut oils have. Besides the wonderful coconut, which is round and warm, there is something else that is just slightly chilly in the blend. It must be the lily musk others have mentioned, but everytime I think I have a lock on it, the note runs away from me, so I can't say it's lily or any other flower, for that matter. The effect for me ends up being that of white chocolate. I hope Beth continues to make this every year !

After Snow White, I think Sugar Cookie is my favorite Yule LE . I get a big hit of nutmeg from this, it isn't until about an hour after application that some cinnamon comes out. It's a short burst of Red Hots and then the nutmeg reasserts itself. Underneath is an eggy vanilla aroma, it's more like raw dough than the baked cookie smell I was expecting (ala Jack). Actually, if I didn't also have a bottle of Egg Nog for comparison, I would have thought the lab accidentally put Egg Nog in my Sugar Cookie bottle. It fades to a second skin scent in about two hours, but I probably sucked a lot of it off my wrists from sniffing so much. I will so be carrying around a shortie of this for re-application, it's divine. ETA: When I was in high school, my best friend's mom, who was from Scotland, used to bake nutmeg cookies at Christmas. This smells exactly like them before she popped them in the oven, it brings back wonderful memories for me.

I was determined to love Centzon Totochtin because of the rabbits . It really smells like sweet coffee at first, a little buttery, and then the coffee transforms into bitter cocoa. Eventually the rum and red wine come through just a little to warm and sweeten it. I love it at this stage but then about 15 minutes later, a bitter under-note develops. It may be the wine curdling that jj_j mentions, but it's reminding me of vetiver, a note that often does not play nicely with my skin. Off to swaps!

Cerberus is a very mysterious scent to me. At first it is a gorgeous, almost citrus scent, somewhere between lemon and lime, soft and ethereal. After about five minutes on, it deepens and the chocolate, walnuts and something very spicy emerge. This is my favorite stage, it's quite strong and intoxicating. I love it for about half an hour more until too much fig comes out for my taste, still it's a wonderful, complex scent.

I got my wand caps from them, as I recall the shipping didn't end up being too much, under $5, but they do have that $5 handling charge for orders under $50 which is annoying. You could probably call them during the week to get an estimate on shipping.

I can't say that I get any grape from Tum. I'm really not sure what I'm getting from it, except for honey. And it's not a very sweet honey, not like the honey in Athens or Jezebel. It's much more waxy, so maybe it's just beeswax. There are definitely other notes but this blend is very confusing to my nose, I can't identify them. Not a favorite for me but not bad either, just kind of meh.

Kyoto has notes similar to Kabuki, the cherry blossom and star anise. But instead of red musk, it has white sandalwood. On me, it's a great improvement, the red musk in Kabuki just didn't work for me, it made the whole blend too sweet. But in Kyoto, the sandalwood really tones things down. This ends up being very delicate and quite feminine, but not girly at all. I like it

YES WE ARE! Thanks for the trout, I needed that

That proves nothing

Mercury (now discontinued) caused large, red areas wherever I placed it, I washed it off fairly quickly so I don't know if it would have eventually burned. It may have been the cinnamon but cinnamon hasn't bothered me in any other oils. Some of the mintier oils, like The Star, make me sneeze a lot, as do a few of the florals, but thankfully not many.

Queen Mab had been on my wishlist for ages and I was finally able to get it in a swap. I was interested in trying it because of the orchid, as well as all the rave reviews. It seemed lovely at first on me, but after a while, it became an overwhelming floral and the other notes drowned out the orchid. I think I'm not much of a floral person any more.

I was really curious about Vinland because of all the reviews. It smelled really beautiful at first, kind of a frozen tundra thing going on. But the loganberries are berries (duh), I don't know why but I wasn't suspicious of them, even knowing I don't do well with fruits. And those darn little berries pack a punch and keep on punching, at least on my skin I'm sure it will smell glorious on the right person.

I had high hopes for Black Pearl because of the coconut. I was worried about the Florentine iris, which on me is very similar to orris and violet. When I first put on Black Pearl, it smelled wonderful, the coconut and hazelnut were so creamy and delicious. But then the iris came through and kept getting stronger until the point I had to wash it off. I think it's a scent I would love to smell on someone else, but on me for an extended period of time it's headache-inducing.

The vetiver ruined Blood Kiss for me too. I was so anxious to try this, all the notes except the vetiver really appeal to me. I was hoping it would be like another favorite of mine, Voodoo, that has vetiver, but just a touch. At first I got a strong hit of honey and was in heaven, but within a few minutes, the vetiver reared it's head and just kept getting stronger and stronger. I did get the lovely cherry/vanilla aroma but the vetiver was overpowering on me.

Aw, I'm so sorry you are heartbroken, it's the worst feeling ever. Good for you for reaching out. Lots of and and for you, darling.

Yes!!!! I used to be able to get that oil at Wild Oats then they stopped selling it. Try Haunted, it's very similar (but better, of course!).

Ra was a gift from the lab included in my last order and boy, am I loving it Funny, we seem to be all over the place trying to figure out what this smells like To me, it has elements of Haunted, the soft citrus and ambergris, without the musk to darken it. I don't think there is any amber in this, I'm guessing that because my skin usually eats up amber scents and Ra lasts a good long time on me. But it's hard to tell because ambergris can smell a little like amber sometimes. I also don't get any green from it, just a cool morning sunshiney color. It's great!

The lab kindly gifted me with an imp of The Coiled Serpent, thank you for letting me try it! This is a very interesting blend, I can detect patchouli and I suspect that it is the black variety, there is that "dirt" smell that makes my nose wrinkle. Seems like there is also frankincense in this blend, giving it a little bit of sweetness and an ethereal quality. I can see using this in an oil burner for meditation more than using it as a perfume.

Sadly, I am not one who can appreciate Morgause. With the violets and fruits, it never stood a chance. I'm glad to hear others enjoy it because it sure sounds lovely to me.

I ordered Nemesis because the description sounded so good. I should have been leery of the fig since I don't do well with fruits, but Intrigue worked on me, somehow the cedar and cocoa in that toned the fig down. But sadly, the fig in Nemesis, at least on me, is the strongest note, it overwhelms even the patchouli and I never got a hint of the tonka. A little bit of the ginger comes out but it's not enough to reign in the fig. Dang, wish I could do fruits

I love most of Beth's almond blends so I had high hopes for Salome. Immediately from the vial, I get the fresh burst of almond, that cherry cola smell, but it lasts only seconds. Still, for a while, Salome smells very nice, I get a little bit of spice and muskiness. But the jasmine starts to take over, gets stronger and stronger, to the point where I get a headache. Too bad, I really wanted to like this one

The lovely lab rats gifted me with an imp of Dracul in my last order. Thank you so much, it was on my wishlist and has been an instant hit in our house . I only got to try a little bit when my boy came over and said, "What IS that?" He grabbed it and told me to get a 5ml in my next order This is someone who used to whenever I tried to get him to smell some BPAL but I've got him hooked now Wow, this is so hot! I can pick out all the notes except the balsam of peru (because I don't know what that smells like). Black musk, tobacco, fir, cumin, clove, mint, and orange blossom, all blended together perfectly. We'll both be wearing it

I thought I was going to like Rage since I love dragon's blood and black amber. But for some reason, this turns to instant soap on my skin. And not the nice kind of expensive guest soap, just Dial.

Nyarlathotep is nothing like I expected it to be. I thought it would be a dark, ashy, burnt kind of scent but it's really lovely. Definitely citrus at first (bergamot?), the incense is there but it's not overwhelming. As it dries down, the citrus abates and the ozone appears. Definitely would smell great on a guy