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BPAL Madness!

norsowideasachurchdoor

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About norsowideasachurchdoor

  • Rank
    evil enabler
  • Birthday May 27

Location

  • Location
    High Altitude, Mountain Time
  • Country
    United States

BPAL

  • BPAL of the Day
    Diamond Star
  • Favorite Scents
    Pungent spices. Sweet resins. Sour woods.

Profile Information

  • Interests
    Music: Anaïs Mitchell's Hadestown (especially the original concept album). Cowboy Junkies' Renmin Park.

    Books: Russell Hoban's The Mouse and His Child. C. S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces. Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell trilogy.

    Films: Blade Runner. The Spirit of the Beehive.

    Food: Sambhar. Soft-boiled eggs.

    Sweets: Chocolate as dark as it comes. Gajar ka halwa. Rice pudding.
  • Mood
    slowly, surely

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  1. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Harvest Moon: Corn Husk and Nutmeg

    In bottle: A lot sweeter and more gourmand than my expectations. I get an impression of steamed corn pudding, not so much a dryness from the husk. Nutmeg warms it in a friendly way. Unsophisticated, casual, cute. Suitable for ugly-sweater weather and its feasts.
  2. norsowideasachurchdoor

    ouai north bondi dupe?

    What are the scent notes that stand out to you about it--the ones that jump out at first, and the ones that stick around so nicely?
  3. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Your most evocative Halloween/Autumn scents 🎃

    I'd agree with a couple posts in the attached thread below about Zombi (spooky rose), Plunder (spiced tea), and Black Annis (witchy oak)! Hopefully you can find some more good ideas within:
  4. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Amber & Cardamom

    At first: cardamom bursts forth like an aromatic jackfruit. But then: the spice beckons you deeper into its market stall. After time: the memory of that resin-breathed afternoon lingers on. In comparison: This is the Christmas cousin of The Curtain of the Temple was Torn in Two, the BPAL who hooked me and after whose relatives I’ve long sought. To conclude: if you tried the above great American eclipse blend a few years back and actually liked it, or have been searching fruitlessly for a spiced amber without unsettling food vibes, give this one a whirl. Wear this: to peaceably settle an old grievance over a pot of tea.
  5. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Bath oil

    No one's come to your aid, touting their favorite Black Phoenix bath oils? Myself such a neophyte to the medium, I can only direct you to the excellent conversations and recommendations on the relevant thread!
  6. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Chocolate and Cocoa, in every combination possible

    Tlazolteotl presents probably even darker a scent than what you have, from my experience of the GC: Excolo blend, but the floral/chocolate combination you describe reminded me of its notes: chapapote and black copal with cacao, black honey, maize, and cotton blossoms.
  7. norsowideasachurchdoor

    BPTP (Hair Gloss, Atmo, Bath Oil) to BPAL Similarities/Reccs

    I don't know the blend personally; what notes stand out to you? (Original description: Marshmallow mint and a drop of lemon sugar.)
  8. norsowideasachurchdoor

    What are your favorite GC BPAL scents (IE: Recs for New Collectors!)

    Zombi tends to evoke strong opinions, so I think everyone should try it to find out where they land. To me, the earth and lichen notes deepen the dried roses into a nostalgic memory. To some others, the scent arouses acute melancholy. Plunder is my runner-up, right now, because the tea-and-spices blend is perfect for the upcoming season, with a hot mug of cider in one hand, while the other hand defends me against woeful pirate bugs.
  9. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Bravery, Courage, Confidence, Intimidation, Power

    Anathema lasts all day on me, so I know I can rely on it. Wrath and The Great Sword of War are great mind-steelers, even if it's all in the name. I recently wore Very, Very Dreadfully Nervous hair gloss with Manhattan perfume when I felt underprepared for a social night out on the town. Bluebonnet and Flor de Maga are inoffensive but bolstering, for quiet courage.
  10. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Lush to BPAL scent comparisons (BNever included too)

    Not floral, not fruity (and I'm not familiar with the washcard in question), but Plunder is a whole boatful of mulling spices: "The scent of a pirates bumboat, overflowing with stolen wares: tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg." Plunder came unbidden in my first order, and it was churchdoor's autumn companion whilst sipping hot apple cider on the patio and going mad from pirate bugs. One I haven't tried, yet, is Jack, which would bring in some fruit: "The scent of warm, glowing jack olanterns on a warm autumn night: true Halloween pumpkin, spiced with nutmeg, glowing peach and murky clove." Reviews tend to mention a distinct buttery component in Jack, as well.
  11. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Very, Very Dreadfully Nervous Hair Gloss

    Flash review! This is churchdoor's first bay rum scent, first hair gloss, first Trading Post product, and first test after this dreadful cold, and the effects of that last first are still mildly haranguing the senses. The first time I tried this was on dry, unwashed hair, but I could barely make out the clove; during the time of this review, my hair was washed and damp before application. At first To quote alt-J, "Do not spray into eyes. / I have sprayed you into my eyes." N.b., the spray-into-hand-and-smooth-in method is preferable for those with no sense of aim. But then (I.e., when one pays attention once more to one's nose again rather than to one's eye.) If bay rum = spices marching in with clove on the front lines, then this is bay rum, by Meg, Jack, and Gum! (That's but a minced oath, not referring to any purveyor of bay rum, fine or otherwise.) After (just a little) time The troops brought limes as pack animals, the scent of which evokes the sweet aromatic spices and lime leaves sauteing before a dashing good curry. Thematic Analysis The gloss does move from foot to foot for a bit before the clove yields to reveal the lime; if there are shards of madness, they only serve to clear my sinuses for a moment on behalf of the main foci. Overall Very, Very Dreadfully Nervous was a great introduction to hair gloss and the BPTP itself, presenting a clean scent slowly shifting through its notes.
  12. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Scent to match book thread!

    I've tried Moscow and liked it, despite its not being as deep or complex as I'd imagined, settling into a similar sweet lily+orange to that of Belle Epoque. As for my own recommendation, I'll put in a plug for Pulcinella and Teresina of the Carnaval Diabolique, who for me turn from a curious wine vinegar in the bottle to a sweet, rich wood blended with rose nectar on the skin.
  13. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Rosewood, anyone?

    [...] Also be on the look out for bois de rose as well, while I have seen some maintain that they reference two different trees I have mostly seen the term interchangeably. Some scents listing bois de rose that might be good are Endymion and Spirit Board [...] Thanks for the tip about the bois de rose. That's super helpful! Not that this has the desired fruit or musk, but I just spotted a new bois de rose blend in the Exquisite Corpse chapter opening this afternoon: BRIAR ROSE Thorny red roses swirled with mandrake accord, bois de rose, ambrette seed, and khus.
  14. norsowideasachurchdoor

    Help fix this scent! Feat. layering!

    I'll totally throw in a Mouse's Long And Sad Tale imp into your package. Hurrah for you and your thorough research! I'll make certain to report back how well it plays with wily old Heart Song.
  15. norsowideasachurchdoor

    BPAL at work?

    I'm a neophyte around these parts as well as to the intentionally-scented-self, so I don't have any specific recommendations. However, I did spot a relevant recommendations thread. As for the situation itself, stay in communication with your coworker on the matter, so that you have her go-ahead and clear feedback in what works or not. Also consider limiting how often you test, so that it's not the uncertainty-of-the-day in her life. If you find something that works, don't necessarily stick to that one thing all the time, especially if she's prone to developing new sensitivities to products. I have a sensitive-skinned friend who buys travel sizes of body products and rotates through them to try to keep abreast of negative reactions, so talk to your coworker about whether a similar practice might be helpful or if she prefers consistency.
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