inurbanus

This one was a total shocker -- out of all the CD decants I'm trying, I expected Agrat to smell the worst on me, because normally caramel and I don't get along. While the imp smells strongly of rich, buttery caramel, when I'm actually wearing this one, I can't smell any of it! All I get is some really beautiful apple blossom with a little bit of cream and honey. This is one of the sweetest BPAL scents I've ever tried, but I love sweet scents, so I'm not going to complain. This one feels really playful and girlish -- perfect for Spring. I think I'll have to get a bottle of this one. For lack of a better word, it's charming.

4/5

This is what I wanted Anactoria to smell like. It smells like amber with a little bit of vanilla mixed in. Out of all the ambery BPAL blends that I've tried, I think this one is my favorite. It's not quite as golden as I was expecting. It's darker...more autumnal. I tried this as soon as I got home from work, and even though I'm sitting here in my uniform with my make up rubbed off and my hair frizzy, I feel pretty, sophisticated, and relaxed. Very nice! The only problem I have with this is that it's too soft.

4/5

I got to smell this one in person at the Roswell Whole Foods, and I remember liking it, so I'm very grateful that the Lab frimped me this in my Hay / Mead Moon order.

Grapefruit and I have a rocky relationship. Sometimes it smells fabulous (Hungry Ghost Moon), and sometimes it smells weird and almost salty (Vampire Tears). The grapefruit in Cheshire Cat is ruby-red and juicy. It reminds me a little bit of the smell of blood-orange juice. I can't smell the currant, but I'm assuming that it's lending some of its depth to the grapefruit. A little bit of sweetness from the chamomile is also present. I'm disappointed that this fades so quickly on me -- it's such a perfect scent for Summer. I might just get a bottle of this anyway.

4/5

I've been wanting to try The Lion for a very long time, because I love amber. It did not turn out the way I was expecting -- it's a lot more powdery than I thought it would be. I guess I was expecting something majestic and fierce, but this is actually demure. I don't get any spices, just bland baby powder. I guess it wasn't meant to be.

1/5

Whoa -- this is strong! It immediately reminded me of Skuld out of the bottle, which kind of worried me, since that honey note was way too cloying for me. Mead Moon's honey note is very thick with a fruity undertone. I can smell the spices at the very beginning of this blend, but they disapper too quickly for me to really get a feel for them. That's a shame -- I would have really enjoyed this one had they remained. As it is, I'm not really "feeling" this one. I don't know how well honey ages, but I'll hold onto this and see what happens.

3/5

Hay Moon smells like it belongs in an Aveda store. My nose is registering it as a lemony-herbal scent, with a little bit of smokiness. This is warm and dry -- I can smell a little amber in the background, but it's not really noticeable. My mind is registering this as a yellowish green color. It's not quite golden, but it is evocative of Summer. I haven't really made up my mind about this one, to be honest. One minute I really like it, and the next I've decided it's just "okay". I'll have to keep this one for further investigation.

3.5/5

The Ghost's scent seems to thicken with age, which I'm very grateful for. The first time I tried this, I liked it, but wasn't especially taken with it. Trying it again has definitely helped me appreciate it more.

The description of this is dead on -- this is cold, thin floral which perfectly embodies the concept of a ghost. This isn't a huge garden or a bouquet brimming with flowers on me-- instead, its a subtle little cloud of fragrance. The floral component is sweet, which must be the lily, but there's a little hint of bitterness coming from the greenery. The green note reminds me of The Black Swan, for some reason.

I like this one, but even with aging its still very light. I don't know if I'll upgrade to a bottle or not, but this is nice to wear in the summer. It feels cool on my wrist, which is very refreshing.

4/5

I've never tried anything metallic by BPAL before, so I'm afraid that I can't identify the chrome in this -- that's not to say it's not there, just that I wouldn't know if it is or not.

The two most predominant notes in this are the white tea and gardenia -- the two meld beautifully together, resulting in something subtle but gorgeous. I'm surprised by how much I like this, but I do tend to like things that are more "commercial" smelling, and this definitely smells like it could be purchased at a department store. It strikes me as very bridal, not a harsh bridezilla scent, but very laid-back and elegant. If you like clean scents, you must check this out -- it's certainly refreshing, but the gardenia really raises its sophistication. This would be perfect for an evening party in the summer. I think I'm going to have to grab a bottle of this.

4.5/5

I'm glad to see that Mag Mell is becoming more well-known, at least on the forum. It is truly a one of a kind scent, and one of my favorites. I'm not really a fan of citrus, but Mag Mell doesn't smell citrusy at all to me -- it's got a deep, sweet herbal smell.

I saw someone describe Mag Mell as "golden green", and I think that's a very apt description. It's one of the warmest BPAL oils I've tried -- it's almost humid, and when combined with the rain note, it produces an effect similar to standing outside after a storm has passed. The grass, sage, and ginger aren't immediately detectable, but all enhance the rain note, giving it depth. The amber isn't the sexy va-va-voom amber that I think of when it comes to BPAL. It's in the background, adding a little bit of warmth. Truly, wearing this is like being touched by the rays of the sun. It immediately conjures up summer for me.

5/5

I've been discovering that lilac is one of my problem notes -- when I wear it, it overpowers everything else in a blend. It's not surprising, then, that when I applied from my decant of Ashlultum, I was hit by out-of-control lilac. What is surprising is how quickly it calmed down and cooperated with the other notes.

Ashlultum is one of those scents that's difficult to review because everything blends so well together, and it's hard to pick out individual notes. While I can't directly smell the coconut and the vanilla tea, there's a definite sweetness that's cushioning the lilac, making it something more intriguing than your standard floral. There's a very heady quality to this, which I think comes from musk and maybe the tobacco as well, that's intriguing. Overall, the best way I could descibe this would be "lovely." It's delicate without being wimpy, and refined without being dowdy. It's like a warm blanket of scent.

4/5

What goes into blood musk? I assumed it was dragon's blood, but I can't smell any in this. Maybe red musk? Whatever it is, it's lovely. I adore the Lab's coconut note -- it's so creamy and delicious, but it was nice to experience a subtler, more subdued coconut. You can definitely smell it's presence in this, but it's not The Coconut Show, if that makes any sense.

This is very floral in the imp, but if you don't like florals, don't let this scare you. The floral component disappears after about an hour, revealing the musky coconut. I have to say, I like the floral component of this -- I wasn't really expecting it, but it works very well with the other notes and it held my interest. As for the musk and the coconut, they play well off each other. I like the idea of dressed up coconut -- this isn't really "go to the beach and frolic coconut." In all, I'm really glad I tried this one. I don't think I would have if it hadn't been a frimp (thanks, Lab), but it's always fun when something turns out to be pleasantly surprising.

4/5

I don't really care for minty perfumes, but this was a frimp, so I gave it a chance. This is an old imp, so I'm wondering if the scent does not age well, since the mint smells old and dusty. The actual scent reminds me of 2 things: 1) the smell of simple syrup with mint added to it, and 2) Aveda products. Yes, this is a sugary mint with an herbal background. I'm just not feeling this one, since there are so many other BPAL fish in the sea.

2.5/5

Sea of Glass is somewhere between the ozone scents and the citrus ones, putting it in the company of Tempest, Lightning, Embalming Fluid, and Ether. Actually, this smells almost exactly the same as Ether did on me. It's very refreshing, but there's not a whole lot of depth here. Not to mention, it doesn't last very long. This is probably the most accessible of the ozone blends -- it's not harsh or overpowering at all, just clean and pure. Sea of Glass would be good for those who like fresh scents.

3/5

I tend to associate scents that contain rum or caramel with each other, so in my mind, Elegba is categorized along with Grog, Gluttony, Red Lantern, and Upa Upa. Out of all of these, Elegba is my favorite. I think it's the inclusion of the coconut that places it above and beyond everything else -- or maybe because the rum in this is sweeter and thinner than in Grog and Upa Upa, so it's not so overwhelming? Whatever the case is, I really love this, and it's a shame that Eden usually dominates my thoughts when it comes to coconut scents, because this is so good.

Normally I don't care for scents with tobacco (that's starting to change, though), because it seems to dry everything out. Luckily Elegba stays nice and moist, like a party drink. It's so sweet, decadent, and irresistable -- I want to eat myself when I wear this, and that doesn't happen very often with foody things. It's very playful and laid back -- I love that this one is so easy to wear. I don't have to worry about chemistry and morphing with this one; it's good to go when I put it on.

My first (and luckily only so far!) leak occurred with my imp of Elegba, and I have to say, I couldn't have picked a better scent to get on everything! If you're into coconut or any of the scents I listed in my first paragraph, you must try this.

4.5/5

In the imp, this smelled like Big Red gum (which I happen to like the smell of), but as soon as I put it on it blossomed into tangy fruit sprinkled with spice. I'm happy to say that the red musk behaved itself. (I can't detect it anywhere in this.)

I've been looking for some good spicy scents, and this one definitely qualifies. The cassia is very noticeable, and I wouldn't attempt this one if you have sensitive skin. What I really like about this, though, is the way the mango and the cassia interact with each other -- they come together and form something very vibrant and rich. This reminds me of a pomander -- I could easily see this perfuming someone's house. I know I've said it elsewhere, but I'm really starting to believe that the best scents for me are the ones that keep it simple. While spicy fruit might not seem very groundbreaking, the masterful way this is blended ensures its ability to surprise.

4/5

Why is it that the scents I want to try the most turn out to smell the worst on me? It's not fair! All I got out of Bien Loin D'ici was dirty diapers. I'm not sure if this is because the perfume was interacting poorly with my floral shower gel, or there is a mystery problem note lurking in it. The second theory disturbs me a great deal, since I thought I'd already identified all the notes that don't work on me. I'm gonna try this in my oil burner, since the description is so gorgeous that I can't give up hope on this quite yet.

1/5

I was expecting something deep and heavy, based on The Illustrated Woman's notes, but this is soft, smooth, and very unique -- I don't think I've ever smelled anything like this. Wait! Actually I have -- in a weird way this reminds me of Black Lace. It has the same smoky vanilla note that I love.

In the bottle, this smells heavily of tobacco, but if that's a problem note for you, don't be afraid. The two scariest notes in this, patchouli and tobacco, disappeared after 10 minutes of wear, leaving behind a musky vanilla with a hint of resin. It's a lot sweeter than I was expecting, but I love sweet smells, so I can't say that I mind. I don't want to slander this by saying it reminds me of soap, but it does. Not the cheap, cloying floral smell that's usually associated with soap, but the high end luxury stuff that you pay an exorbitant amount at Saks for. It just smells like something you want to envelop yourself in. I'm captivated by this in a way I haven't been in awhile. Definitely a must try!

4.5/5

Antique Lace is a pretty, sugar cookie vanilla. It reminded me immediately of a less musky Morocco. While this isn't very complex, it's one of those scents that you can't stop smelling just because it smells so nice. I don't know if I need a bottle of this, but it is very appealing. If the Trading Post made an Antique Lace soap I would be on it in a heartbeat.

4/5

Athens is one of the first GC I ever bought, so I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to review it. I tend to go back and forth on it -- sometimes it's a bit mustier (maybe because of the flowers?) than others, but today it's the purest I've ever smelled it, so I think it's a good time to write a review.

Athens is a mixture of wine, honey, and myrrh. None of the notes dominate the oil -- instead they blend smoothly together into one gorgeous scent. It's very sweet, but has a smoky edge that makes this one of the sexiest fruit blends I've tried. What I really like Athens is that it defies categorization -- it's very unique. I think it's seductive, but still appropriate for day. I usually wear it when I need to get things done. As for color association, I always think of carmine. Try Kali if you're a fan of this.

4.5/5

Whoa! This is heavy. When I hold my wrist up to my nose, it's hard to breathe because this is so strong. Despite this, I like Lust more than I thought I would. It's composed of notes that I tend to amp, but they meld together without too much clashing.

The most predominant note in this is the red musk, but it's not the harsh, almost plasticky red musk that I've become afraid of. It's definitely lush and full, but there's a softness to it -- probably due to the influence of the ylang ylalng. I can't smell the patchouli directly, so it's definitely behaving, which is good. I can smell the myrrh, with its sweet, powdery note.

I don't think I could wear this casually -- it seems too heady for everyday. But it's always fun to be surprised by scents.

4/5

I'm not familiar with Stardust (book or movie), so my desire to try this came solely from the notes. I'm glad to say that I was not disappointed -- this is a gorgeous blend.

The first thing I get out of the decant is the wet grass, with a little bit of bluebell. While their combination was lovely to smell (very fresh and true to life smelling), I was hoping for more complexity, and luckily the lavender and sugar came to join the party. I adore the sugar note in this -- it adds just the right amount of sweetness without being cloying. The lavender also behaved -- I usually find it too herbal smelling, but it really brought the depth I was looking for. I'm afraid I can't smell the golden incense, but it's probably holding all the other notes together.

This is one of those blends where everything just syncs perfectly. I've noticed that I'm getting harder to please when it comes to blends, but I have no complaint with this. It's something anyone who loves florals must try. Intoxicating.

4.5/5

Since I've heard such great things about Tamora, not to mention the description contained some of my favorite notes, I was so eager to try this. It didn't work out, though.

There was something "off" about the peach that made Tamora unpalatable. It was musty, and I'm wondering if this one isn't a particularly good ager. Or, maybe the sandalwood threw it off? I definitely think my skin chemistry had a role in it not working, since it has so many favorable reviews. I guess I'll have to stick with Fae for my peach needs.

2/5

This has jasmine in it. I've been having good luck with jasmine lately, but unfortunately the variation in Forbidden Fruit is the kind that turns the whole blend rancid. It's a shame, because I can smell good things going on -- there's some lush, juicy fruit in the background, but the jasmine funk is too overpowering to consider wearing this. Isn't skin chemistry awesome?

1/5

This one is hard for me to describe, as it manages to fall into several different scent categories -- it's floral, spicy, and foody. I like that it manages to stay focused, though. While it might have several disparate elements, they come together into something very unusual, but also cohesive and yummy.

This smells a lot like apple pie to me, but not in a literal way. It brings to mind the image of the pie sitting on a table on a deck, with the breeze wafting the smell of flowers around it. It's a very light scent, but I agree that it's reminiscent of a sachet. I would love to put this in my oil burner -- it would make my bedroom smell fabulous. Queen Alice is very comforting, and while I don't think I need a bottle of it, my imp of this will definitely be used.

4/5

To put it simply, this is exquisite. I don't have a good track record with Ars Amatoria scents, but as soon as I put this on, I knew it was going to be amazing. I've begun to notice that I do better with scents that have fewer notes.

In the case of Bathsheba, the power of the blend comes from the richness of the plum, the spice of the carnation, and the smokiness of the Arabian musk. While it might seem that any scent resulting from this combination would be flat or bland, the depth of Bathsheba is incredible. It's a truly decadent blend, and I haven't smelled anything this sensual in a long time. What I really like about this is that while it is sexy, it leaves a lot "unsaid." It's not over-the-top or in your face. It embodies the idea of leaving things to the imagination.

I think I'm going to have to upgrade this to a bottle. I'm pretty picky about my General Catalogue bottles, so that's a big deal, at least for me.

4.5/5