naeelah

This one is really lovely. It's feminine, womanly and girly at the same time. Grounded and confident, and a little bit flirty. The first things I smell are the fruit notes with the red musk and I think the heliotrope, which have a prickly, sweet, slightly husky quality. As it dries, the amber comes out and balances things a bit better, adding a soft and grounding element. The amber is very warm. After it has dried, I get just a touch of the vanilla, which blends well with the amber. I love amber because it's one of the few earthy bottom notes that smells good on me and doesn't get amped totally out of proportion. Unfortunately, my skin seems to eat the lab's amber or something, because this fades really, really fast on me. Almost all amber based scents go pretty soft, and I tend to like things with greater throw and strength. In less than hour, I can only smell it right under nose. The good news is that, even though amber is the main note, I can still smell all of the other notes in pretty good measure. It would be a winner if it didn't fade so much. Boo. This one reminds me of John Seward and Blood Countess, for the mixture of musky/smoky and sweet qualities. Although the notes are fairly different between them, the overall character is somewhat similar, on my skin. (YMMV) Hollywood Babylon is definitely the softest and warmest of those three.

This one has remained very consistent on me, wet and through the last hour. It's certainly very amber-y. It's warm, rich, powdery, glowing amber, sweetened and lightened by the florals. They blend very well, and the character is definitely resinous rather than floral. This is really beautiful. It's pretty light and stays close to the skin, but my skin tends to eat amber, so perhaps it's just me. I didn't expect it to last long, but in the last hour it isn't gotten lighter at all, so that bodes well. It's not one I'm moved to buy 5ml of, but if you favor amber, don't miss it!

I don't necessarily go for foody scents, but this is wooooonderfulll! I'm so glad I got two bottles of this. (I'd say shh, but the lab already knows. I got the second bottle fair and square, damnit.) In the bottle, it's very buttery. On the dry down, I think other people's descriptions of it smelling just like pie crust are perfect. It's like a black currant tart with a graham cracker crust. Buttery, sugary, with a touch of dark fruit. I guess it's the black currant that really helps to darken this blend and keep it from being overwhelmingly bright and sugary. It doesn't necessarily smell fruity, it's just rich. Dry, the currant fades a bit, and I'm left with something resembling caramelized sugar. It lasts for a good long while and has pretty good throw, especially early in the dry down. Love!

I asked Beth what the notes are, and she rattled off a long list. I can't remember them all, but I know it included black musk, teakwood, oak moss, spanish moss, and kelp. There was also some kind of root, I think, and red (?) sandalwood... Wet, it has a very sharp scent, I think from the mosses. Dry, it's, well, very dry. A little bit dank and musty, a little bit spicy, a little bit woody, a little bit musky. There's a quality that reminds me a bit of sea air. It's not at all sharp or cologney, as you might expect from the mosses or the musk. More than anything, the musk seems to deepen the scent and make it more like a perfume and less like Eau de Basement, but on my skin the musk does become more and more prominent as the scent dries. It has been different every time I tried it. The first day, it was very sharp and dry. The second day, much sweeter, almost with an unusual floral quality. Today, it seems much truer to the notes. It's that root that I can't remember the name of that changes, I think. Beth said it can go either very dry or fairly sweet, depending on your skin chemistry. It's certainly very evocative of the tunnels, in a wonderful way. If you're a fan of dry, earthy or woody scents, then definitely give this one a try! It's very gender neutral. I think it's equally at home on men and women, but it's probably the most masculine of the convergence blends.

My review will more or less sound like sistinas'. In the bottle, this is very strong on the rose. As it dries, the bouquet opens a little, but nothing stands out, other than the rose. The other floral notes seem to serve more to provide a rich backdrop to the rose, which is appropriate. Everything is very soft, and the throw is light. It has been about an hour, and already the scent is very soft on my skin. [ETA: here it is a month or so later, and today the throw is very strong. I go through scent-eating horomonal stages, so perhaps I was in one at the time of my initial review.] It smells like a bouquet of flowers containing many roses on a nearby table. It's noticeable but not strong. The blend is pretty much purely floral, but with a slight woody quality to ground it. It's a very pretty, feminine scent. It reminds me a lot of Lady Luck Blues, but without the sweetness. It's really nice, I just wish it didn't fade so quickly. ETA: Now, it doesn't fade nearly as quickly. That's a good sign! Since it's lasting much longer this month, I can smell more of the differences as it morphs. After about an hour, it's still just as strong, but either the rose has faded or the other notes have begun to take over. The rose is still dominant, but now the light, wood-like quality is much stronger. I tend to amp wood notes, but I can definitely smell some of the other leaves and flowers in the mix.

I don't have much to say in depth about this one. Perhaps I'll have more to say after another try or two. Mainly, it reminded me a great deal of Bewitched, only it lasted much longer. So, that is a good thing. The main note is berries -- a bit tart, but also sweet -- with a rich but also somewhat dry and herbal backdrop, like sage. The spices here weren't spicy, on me. I can't recall noticing a lily note, so it seems that aspect blends with the other notes on my skin. Morphing on me is fairly minimal. All in all, very nice. I loved Bewitched but was sad at how quickly it morphed and faded on me. I'm happy that this is so similar, because, as I said, it had much better staying power on my skin. So, give it a try if you liked Bewitched and want something similar, or if you also had a problem with it fading quickly.

Oooh, this is nice. It's a pity I have to amp patchouli so much. For that reason, I don't think this one will work on me. I will edit this review a little later, when my sense of smell has returned [have a cold]. I just wanted to make some notes while I was wearing this. Wet, it's very strong on chocolate, with a dry, spicy earthy note -- must be the patchouli. As it dries, the cocoa fades a little and becomes more candy-like, as bpal's chocolate note seems to do for me. The patchouli is so strong on me that it overpowers the other notes, but I can detect hints of leather and something a little smoky, which must be the incense. The throw seems to be light, on me. Because of the cocoa note, it seems to be a little bit short lived on my skin, but that could also be the patchouli effect -- everything will fade right away, except for the patchouli, which will linger until the end of time. This one's a little bit different and very rich. The cocoa isn't foody here, it contributes to a rich and spicy texture. It's very nice, especially if you like incensey fragrances. If you amp patchouli, beware, because that may be the only note you get. It doesn't strike me as being masculine, but it is definitely gender neutral.

First, the caveat that I have a cold right now and my nose isn't entirely up to par. So I may edit this later. The first time I tried this, it was quite soapy and unpleasant. But it was "that" time of month, so I put it on hold to try again later. This time it's much more successful. Wet, this smells very strongly of dragon's blood. The sweetness fades as it dries, and the other notes come forward and balance. At first sniff it's leather and clean metallics -- the steel! -- with a hint of black pepper, and all united with a touch of sweet dragon's blood. As far as I can tell, it has light to moderate throw. I don't know about the life yet, but dragon's blood blends typically last a very long time on my skin. This is a very austere and gender neutral blend. Most of the notes are very dry, but the dragon's blood adds a succulent element and keeps it from being utterly bone dry. It would smell fantastic on a guy, but definitely works fine for a woman. It reminds me a lot of Aries '07, actually. It's quite nice, I think.

This is pretty much just what I was hoping for, with one exception: it fades sooo quickly. This is a sweet, pretty, and feminine floral blend. Wet, it smells like sweet roses against a light floral background. This is another where I can't pick out many notes. The most noticeable is rose, but it doesn't overwhelm the rest of the blend. It's sweet from the honey -- and I'm so happy the honey in this blend doesn't go all musty on me -- but I can also pick out the plum. Unfortunately, it fades so fast on me. It doesn't go powdery, but it does become quite light and faintly sweet. That's a shame, because I do like it. If I'd only gotten an imp, I probably wouldn't spring for a bottle, for that reason. As it is, I guess the bottle will just gt used up faster. This one reminds me of abhisarika, but without the cream note.

In the bottle and wet, this smells exactly like some chocolate rooibos that I have. It's heavenly! Unfortunately, it doesn't smell quite the same when it dries, but it's still nice. I just got my hopes up -- it's a tea I always made to enjoy the fragrance. It's a sweet cocoa with a light herbal tone. On the drydown, the cocoa recedes to the background and the character is predominantly dry herbs. It's hard for me to pick any notes out, but if I gave it a color, it would be sage green. The cocoa becomes very dark on the drydown. It's not at all candy-like. It's pure, bitter chocolate. Once dry, the sweetness of the cocoa (I suppose this must be the white chocolate) returns a little, and the chocolate and herbal notes are better balanced. It has pretty decent throw and pretty decent longevity. After about 4-5 hours it's still noticeable, but only under nose. I consider reapplying every 4 hours to be about average, so I'm satisfied with that aspect. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but I'm pleased with the results. I was hoping for a chocolatey fragrance that wouldn't be too sweet and candy-like (making it more versatile for me to wear), and that's what it is. It actually reminds me a lot of Carfax Abbey, only with cocoa instead of wood. It's dark, dry, and herbal. Perhaps not something I'll use the whole bottle of, but it's nice.

Wet, this is very strong on neroli. Dry, the neroli calms down a little. I can actually smell all three notes, pretty equally balanced. There's a bitter, slightly citrusy quality from the neroli, an almost spicy woody quality from the sandalwood, and a sweeter quality that I guess is the ylang-ylang. (I'm not so familiar with ylang-ylang). The overall quality is light and a little bit musky. Not quite sweet, not quite bitter. Everything balances so well that it strikes me as a more traditional perfume, because it's not overwhelmingly floral, or woody, or fruity. (Actually, the neroli is quite bitter and not so fruity.) It has light throw and light longevity. It has only been a couple of hours, but it's quite soft now. It's a nice women's perfume, but the neroli is so predominant on me that it's pretty gender neutral. As it smells on my skin, I could imagine it in a man. It's not bad, but it's not for me.

The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin. In the bottle, it smells like cooked pumpkin. Wet, it smells a lot like the pumpkin bread my ex-boyfriend's mom made. The citrus notes quickly come to the front, though, and makes the fragrance much richer. On my skin I don't get so much amber. It's mostly warm pumpkin that's enriched with warm spices, and sweetened by bright mandarin. It's very sweet and foody on me. It's a wee bit thick and heavy, but it's not so strong and the throw is moderate. On me, the longevity is only moderate. After about 3 hours it had faded considerably, but even after 7 hours it continues to linger on my skin. It's just a sweet aroma that you can only detect directly under nose. All in all, a lovely, rich, warm foody scent that will be great when I want something sweet in the autumn.

This is amazing, simply because it 1) lasts FOREVER, 2) doesn't morph a bit the whole time. I'm actually surprised to see the notes in this. To me, it smells like dragon's blood and frankincense (or a similarly almost-warmly-spicy resin). In the bottle, it smells bit... medicinal. I think it must be the musks. It's definitely a bit off-putting, but luckily, I know better than to think the scent in the bottle will be the scent on skin! Once dry, and throughout the entire time I wore it, it smells like I've already said: the warm, resiny base of dragon's blood, with a lurking hint of something fruity (I think the black currant blends with the natural red fruit like note of the dragon's blood), and a warm, softly spicy edge, like rich incense. I don't seem to get any fig, so if it's there, it's blending very well. After at least 4 or 5 hours, this was just as true and strong and rich as it was when I first applied it. Amazing. Dragon's blood seems to be a very successful note on my skin. This one has very good throw on me, and just a single wand's worth lasted me all day.

Ha, am I the only person who just applies straight from bottle to wrist? Most of my scents aren't so strong, so the "dose" tends to be about right. In the strongest cases, it's just strong enough to notice from a couple feet away -- in a light, "ooh, I smell something" fashion -- as far as I know. (I'm sensitive to fragrance and make myself sick if I put on too much. So as long as I don't feel overwhelmed, I feel pretty confident it's not too much!) I press my wrist over the bottle opening, flip it over, and then flip it back. Usually I wait a few seconds for the oil to drain a little, and I try to scrape my wrist a bit with the bottle lip, so that I don't leave too much. Then, I dab my wrists together (up and down the insides of my arms) and against my neck. (I find that's the best way to apply to my neck, because a whole wand stroke can be a bit too much for my nose.) I've also used clean drinking straws or other plastic stick-like objects as wands. That works well, especially for stronger scents, as it gives you a bit more control.

I received this as a frimp. I'd been thinking about trying it but wasn't sure if I'd like it, so I was happy to get it for free! It's all white florals, no doubt about it. It's nice, but it goes on very strong. I put on the usual smearing from the imp wand, and it was probably too much, so use a light hand with this one. The florals blend together very well and I wasn't able to pick out anything in particular. There is something in this that reminds me of the gardenia note in some other blends (highway man came to mind). These florals are pure perfume, there is no sweetness. This one doesn't seem to morph so much on me, so it seems the notes all remain well-blended. It also doesn't fade fast. I had to wash it off because it was making me feel faintly ill, and I'd decided I didn't like it. I might try it again with a lighter application, but I think this is one that just won't work for me. Use a light hand, and if you're a fan of light florals, this one should be right up your alley!

In the bottle, it smells like thick, cooked cherries and strawberries, with a creamy base. Wet, it becomes much sharper, like sour cherry candy. As with most scents, it seems, the sharpness gradually fades as it dries and as the scent morphs. Dry, it smells like tart cherries, nestled in a creamy base. From a distance, I catch a waft of vanilla carrying tart cherry. The cherry scent itself isn't so sweet, so it balances the sweet cream well. The throw is light. I don't know about the longevity yet, but I think it's one that will have short to average staying power. I tried this on before eating dinner, and it really didn't help! A nice fruity and foody scent, but not overwhelmingly so. I'm not sure how many occasions I'll have to wear it, but I'm glad I got it! It might be perfect for certain EGL outfits.

If anyone happens to be looking for a similar GC scent to Dr. John Seward, try Blood Countess. On me, they were almost identical, except that Blood Countess contains fruit notes and Dr. Seward doesn't. However, Seward has a very sweet character starting out, so it's similar effect. The other difference is that, on me, Seward was much headier. Blood Countess is a bit more delicate -- but it can be slathered!

I thought I had reviewed this, but I guess not! I bought this just to see what it was like, because the notes were unfamiliar to me. As many other people have said, this one is much more feminine than you'd expect, probably due to the floral aspect. This doesn't morph so much on me. Wet through all the stages of drydown, the scent is primarily smoky, with rich, sweet flowers and just a hint of spice. The only change, as with many scents on my skin, is that it starts out very sweet, gradually becoming less sweet and more smoky. The overall balance and character remains the same. It has moderate throw and good longevity. I recently tried Blood Countess, and the two are very similar. Both are heavy on the poppy smoke. Dr. Seward contains no fruit, but he is very sweet, so the fragrance is different from the Countess, but the character is quite similar. The main difference, apart from the fruit/no fruit, is that Blood Countess is a lot lighter than this, I think. Dr. Seward is much headier and lasts longer, which isn't at all a bad thing. Blood Countess is a bit lighter but perhaps more mysterious; John Seward wants to languish in his office. I never get much of the spice, but I keep hoping! (I'll probably try layering with a trace of La Morte Qui Danse, to bring back the pepper and ginger.) I don't know if this exactly makes me think of Dr. Seward, but it certainly captures the languid feeling of thick, hazy, opium smoke. It's very nice, and I'll hunt down 5 ml of it!

In the bottle: It smells sharp. Wet: fruit fruit fruit! It's very sweet, lots of berries and plum, with a smoky backdrop. I'm sure there are florals in there, but it's all overshadowed by the fruit. Dry: This morphs only a little. The sweetness and strength of the fruit has faded, allowing the other notes to come through, and so it's much better balanced. I smell fruit, light florals, and light smoke. It's hard to pick out single notes on the florals, they all blend together well. Later: Still the same character, but the fruits are continuing to soften. Now a light smoky note is on top. This one seems to be fading fast, but it's really lovely. The predominant character is fruity, but the florals and smoke balance this out. Unlike many smoky fragrances, this one is very light and gentle. Moderate throw at best. From a distance, I mostly get light smoke and florals, with a hint of sweetness. I'm actually surprised at how light it is. I thought the countess would be much heavier and more dangerous. For summer I love fruity and smoky scents. This one fits that bill perfectly, and because it's light, I think it will be excellent for summer. I'll definitely consider 5 ml of this. Recommended for anyone who wants to try a smoky scent that isn't so heady, dark or heavy, or for anyone who likes fruit.

Wet, it smells mostly like red cinnamon candies and it's way strong. On the initial dry down , the patchouli comes way out (amped as usual) and the cinnamon softens more to the background. There's also a rich smoky haze around the patchouli, which must be the incense. It's definitely fiery and strong, but it's dissipating quickly. I don't get any of the orange. Dry, it smells very similar. I wouldn't call it bright or fiery, but it's thick and powerful. It's a rich incense-y blend. The throw is moderate. Longevity is average, it seems. It's getting a little lighter every hour (the spice is the first to go), so I'd expect to reapply it a couple times a day, which seems to be par for the course with me and most bpal. I was hoping that the fruit would come out as it dried, but unfortunately I never get any peach or orange. I just tried the Dodo yesterday, and this reminds me very much of the Dodo. For me personally, I have to say I prefer this scent, and I think it's due to the incense. With the Dodo, it was all cinnamon and wood, which isn't me, but the incense in this blend makes it more interesting to my nose. I probably won't keep this imp, because of how I amp the patchouli, but it's very nice. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes scents that have a moderate cinnamon candy spiciness, but don't want cinnamon as the primary note. On me, at least, the cinnamon here is well blended.

I bought an imp because I was hoping it would be a delightful blend of sugary fruits and musk with woody and spicy undertones. Unfortunately, it's the other way around. Wet, it's almost all bright, hot cinnamon candy, with a touch of wood and something a bit tart (the lemon) in the background. After about 15 minutes the cinnamon calms way, way down, and I smell mostly wood with a spicy background, and maybe a touch of musk. (My skin amps wood and earthy notes like woah.) During the drydown I can smell a bit of the lemon and sugar, but once it's dry, I can't find any of the fruit or sweetness. At first this has great throw, but once dry, it's quite soft with only light throw. I think that's probably typical of my skin chemistry. I amp wood at the expense of all other notes, but wood is pretty soft on my skin. It's a nice scent, I think, but not for me. I'd recommend trying it if you're a fan of cinnamon and wood. Avoid it if, like me, you're hoping for musky sugared fruits.

I think this is the first BPAL I've tried that I really don't like. This one definitely isn't for me. Wet, it smells like the "winter mint" gum that my friend chews obsessively. I don't like the flavor, and I definitely don't like the scent. This persists for a good while. Once dry, the woods come out with the faintest touch of flowers, and a persisting wintergreen note in the background. It's an extremely light scent with no throw, so it seems to fade quickly. The next morning I can smell faint traces of woods on my skin. The wood notes are nice, but I have to say I hate the touch of wintergreen. This is definitely not one I'll be keeping. If you want a a scent that will be all wood or woods and flowers, I suggest looking elsewhere.

I just received a decant of this, so I suppose by now mine is reasonably well aged. In the bottle it's very medicinal and not so pleasant, Wet, at first it smells completely unlike what I expected. Not like evergreen or "wintergreen" or anything like that, but exotic and a bit fruity. The bright, strong fruity note fades and reveals a scent smells like stone and a forest. Very fresh, like so many flowers and plants on a strong breeze, and a strong, bright, austere note, which makes me think of stone. I don't know what the actual note is, but perhaps it's the lichen (guessing from Hamadryad, which I was trying at the same time on the other arm). Evertything in this is very well blended, so I don't think I could really pick out single notes, even if I knew what to look for. It remains light and, yes, mountainy for another hour or so. Once it has settled in, the exotic fruity note returns, although not nearly as strong as it was initially. I kept sniffing it because it seemed familiar but I couldn't put a finger on it. Seeing the notes, it must be the currant, but at the time I thought perhaps it was juniper berry. It's a little sweet and a little tart. The final effect is a dense and lush forest in the mountains, somehow familiar but also otherworldly. Definitely a fine interpretation of Dracula's homeland! I was afraid this would be piney and fresh (not an effect I usually go for), but this is very much unlike any other evergreen forest scent and not at all what you might expect. It's still not the type of thing I usually wear, but I like it. It's definitely unique. It has light throw, but this lasted very well on me. After about 4 hours it smelled almost as strong as it was when I put it on, and morphed little after the final drydown. The following morning I could still smells a lingering trace of evergreen on my skin.

Another freebie. At first I smell mostly the myrrh, which is sweetened by the violet. As it dries it's softened with the lily, juniper, and cypress (what the heck is cajeput?), adding some levity and crispness to the rich, smoky myrrh. In the end, it's a soft, resinous effect, that fades very quickly on me. Very nice, but not something I'll buy. I'm glad it was put in my order, though, because more and more I'm learning that I like the blends that feature resins and incense. I'm keeping it to see how I like it in the future.

This was a freebie with my last order. This one smells just like the description. Weedy, with a slight breezy earthy quality, and something like dark rum -- alcoholic and sweet. The alcoholic quality isn't such that you smell like you spilled liquor on yourself, it just balances the sweetness. I think I get more of the sharpness of the weeds while wet, but generally this one is pretty consistent, with little morphing. This one is interesting and pretty nice, but I've learned that I really don't like weedy scents on myself. Weediness is the reason Highwayman ultimately doesn't work for me, and it's also a big reason that this scent isn't for me. I would like it on someone else.