artoria

I just bought a partial bottle of this and, wow, the morph this scent does is something else! In the bottle and wet on the skin, I get white florals - a little soapy, a little screamy - with what I assume is a bit of sandalwood. As it dries down and has time to morph, the darker notes come out and it changes entirely; it’s still detectably floral, but darker, spicier, sexier, while still remaining classy. It has a slight dusty quality, and there’s definitely smoke. The closest scent I can think of (on my skin, anyway) is The Perfumed Garden, which is more floral and heady than Mina, which is much darker and more subdued and hazier. Mina feels very Victorian, but dark and in the gothic romance sort of way, which is perfect for her.

I got a whiff of something quite awful initially, which is definitely the agarwood. It's almost like poudh; however, it dies down quickly to a nice woody smell, as agarwood tends to do. Then a sort of sweetness comes out. Balsam is very present, as is pine. Not a Christmas pine, but a the scent of a forest after rain. There's a warmth to it. Probably the musk, which is likely where that sweet quality comes from. Like wearing a sweater on a lonely walk in the woods as it's getting dark out. I tend to associate pine with winter, but this has a quality that would make it a nice fall scent as well, in my opinion. Overall, if you like woodsy, foresty scents, this is a very wearable one, provided you can get past the wet agarwood stage. I think I'll wear this an awful lot when the weather cools, but maybe I'll feel particularly foresty one night this spring.

I wore this one the other day and really adore it. It's spicy and dark and sexy. The black pepper is very prominent with my skin chemistry, but it doesn't overwhelm the other notes. There's a bit of sweetness, and it's smoky. It smells like a new age shop, with added pepper, to me. I feel like my boyfriend would really like this one for himself, but I like it, too!

I don't know how old my imp of this is, but I'd guestimate roughly 2018. In the imp: Strong and heavy musk, tobacco, and leather. Incense smoke is detectable. It's a bit sweet. Wet, on my skin: Initially, I detected something almost... smoked chocolatey about it? Very odd. Dry, on my skin: As it dried down and settled, the ambergris came to the forefront. (Do I amp ambergris, possibly? A consideration.) I do smell each component, individually, if I'm looking for them, but they meld together and create a sweet, smoky scent; the ambergris is most prominent for me, and it's and grounded by the tobacco, leather, and musk. I absolutely smell the incense, almost like opium incense. It's warm, sexy, sophisticated, devilish -- a smoking room in a dark Victorian manor. Absolutely perfect. I regret not giving this a shot sooner; I assumed it would be much too masculine for me for the longest time, but I feel like it's solidly unisex. It's catapulted itself from the "not sure if this is for me" pile to one of my top GCs. Moderate throw, and it hasn't faded over the course of 6 hours, remaining fairly consistently the same strength after drydown. When I finish off my frimp, I'm getting a full bottle. Edit: I layered this with just a touch of aged Bloodlust the other day, and it was absolutely divine; the added spice melded very well with Hellfire's notes, in my opinion. My friend asked me what I was wearing, even. Give it a shot!

I cracked open an imp of this that's at least 5 years old today. Old imp label artwork and all. I remember this was a bit too strong for me when I first got into BPAL, but my tastes have changed. In the imp: Wet, as strong and heavy as I remember, very red. Something cherry-wet about it. Red musk. Dragon's blood. Spice. Patchouli earthiness bolstering it. My initial impression is that I'm going to smell strongly of the notes competing for the spotlight all day. It's a little overwhelming. Wet, on my skin: Still getting something syrupy wet cherry about it, but not unpleasant. Red musk and dragon's blood at the forefront. I like it at this stage. It's not as potent as it was in the imp. Dry, after 4 hours: Well, this certainly died down. It's not nearly as strong as it was earlier, drying down to a mild, subtle, warm rush of sweet red musk and dragon's blood and something very lightly spiced playing in the background. Patchouli isn't what I smell immediately, but it's playing in the background, making itself known as sort of an incense, so it's there. Red musk is the star here. Luckily, I really like red musk, and I really like how this is sweet and not overpowering. Maybe it's the age, but it's a very smooth scent. Comforting. Sexy. Very glad it worked out; I do like all of these notes, so I'm glad they played nice together in this blend!!

This is a sexy one. It's warm, incensed, earthy, spicy. I agree that the amber and fig serve to create a warmth, a smoothness, to this. The cloves and patchouli stand out most to me. Appropriately vampy for this Hallowench. I need a full bottle, and need to exercise restraint to not hoard it.

In the bottle: Mostly Dead Leaves. I also get some sweetness from the vanilla. Wet, on skin: Hello, incense. The longer this stays on me, the more the incense takes over. I'm definitely amping the incense notes. I usually amp vanilla, but.. okay, I guess! I'm lot mad. It's sweet and smoky, with a tinge of DL. Dry, on skin: Sweet incense with leaves. The longer it stays on my skin, the more I can pick up the leaves, but I'm definitely amping the incense, because that's the main scent I'm picking out for sure. It's somewhat reminiscent of Fame by Lady Gaga, actually. Throw is decent. Longevity is decent. I really like this one. Definitely one of my top DL blends by far.

The cold earth slept below, Above the cold sky shone; And all around, with a chilling sound, From caves of ice and fields of snow, The breath of night like death did flow Beneath the sinking moon. The wintry hedge was black, The green grass was not seen, The birds did rest on the bare thorn's breast, Whose roots, beside the pathway track, Had bound their folds o'er many a crack Which the frost had made between. Thine eyes glowed in the glare Of the moon's dying light; As a fen-fire's beam on a sluggish stream Gleams dimly, so the moon shone there, And it yellowed the strings of thy raven hair, That shook in the wind of night. The moon made thy lips pale, beloved— The wind made thy bosom chill— The night did shed on thy dear head Its frozen dew, and thou didst lie Where the bitter breath of the naked sky Might visit thee at will. - Percy Bysshe Shelley The moon’s dying light: cypress boughs and yew, death-cold beams of white musk, white thyme, marbled orris, Spanish moss, grave soil, and a sprig of rosemary. In the bottle: Herbaceous, with white musk in the background. The white musk has a familiarity to it, and it strikes me that this is one of the musks used in Dorian. However, the herbs are the forefront of it; the musk just sort of ties everything together. The herbal scent is STRONG, mind you. This makes me think of a frozen landscape, just on the edge of an evergreen-laden forest. Wet, on skin: Still herbal, but with something deeper. Is this the cypress and yew? The musk comes out more strongly on me here. I also smell a bit of the grave soil, but the dirt smell isn't too overpowering. This smells sharp and clean, but it has an underlying softness and darkness to it. Drydown: The sharpness of the herbs starts to die down as this dries, and the musk and moss and wood come out more, and the notes balance each other out better. I'm not sure what marbled orris smells like, so I can't speak on that. However, to me, this smells clean and soft and herbal, with just the slightest tinge of something sharp, and a very faint sweetness that grows as it wears. It's not too terribly soapy on me, likely thanks to the soil and musk and yew. I find this scent to be very unisex. I can't stop smelling my wrist! I really do love herbal scents, though! I'm glad I grabbed a bottle of this. It's really lovely.

In the bottle: Sweet musk and what seems to be the oakmoss Wet, on the skin: Rooibos! I definitely get that red tea note! There's a beautiful background of earthy musk. This is sweet, but not cloying. Leafy, but not bitter. Earth, but light. Dry, on the skin: Much the same, but the oakmoss comes out. This is light, sweet, and a very "natural" smell, but it smells expensive to me after it wears on my skin a bit, like a high end perfume with earthier notes that I can't quite place. This dirt is a different kind of dirt than any other BPAL I've tried; it's not as heavy, not as deep. A gorgeous lighter take on leaf and earth! I love it!

Sweet, sugary rose! The rose and vanilla are the strongest components of this to me, but the honey and sugar are definitely responsible for making this as sweet as it is. It's far from cloying, though. I really love this one! I need a full bottle!

In the imp: Mmm, hello, moss and fig! Very green, herbal, fruity. It reminds me very much of Hallow-e'en, 1914, but lighter, with tea and a smidge of citrus brightening it. Wet on the skin: Mostly moss and fig and herbs for me still. The tea is stronger than in the imp. Dry on the skin: Ahh, here's the tea in the spotlight at last! Very distinctly a black tea, too. The citrus quality is stronger as well. Those green, herbaceous, mossy notes and the fig step back a bit... They're still there, but to provide depth and complexity. This reminds me of a blackberry sage iced black tea I've had once; while the notes aren't the same, it's the idea of an herby black tea with dark fruit: refreshing, complex, and witchy. Mmm. Overall thoughts: The Apothecary is the brighter cousin of Hallow-e'en, 1914. They have some VERY similar notes, but differ enough to be very distinct, especially as they dry down! If Hallow-e'en, 1914, was too heavy and brooding for you, or if you want a warm weather friendly equivalent, give this a shot! If you disliked the moss and fig combo, those notes are present here, so keep that in mind. The black tea note is stellar in this and is amazing when it comes into its own. Good wear length. Bottle worthy. I love it!

I received this one recently from someone selling it and used it twice now. I really love this one! I'm generally not much of a tobacco person, but I think the white tobacco might be a bit softer than the regular tobacco note. It just adds smokiness to the ambergris and woods. It's a really lovely scent, soft and comforting -- mostly woods and musk to me, with some sweetness, and a whisper of spice. I agree it's very understated, but it's beautiful, and it has good longevity. It also makes my hair feel like silk, which is much needed this winter~.

2017 version: Sweet in the bottle, lightly incensed, and the red musk is very apparent. The incense grows more prominent on the skin, but the sweetness doesn't die down. Instead, a bit of something metallic, ever so slight, creeps in. The incense mixed with red musk is very pleasant and comforting. I's really different than Midnight Mass and Cathedral: smokey, identifiably incense, but soft -- not too spiced or pungent. The red musk has quite a bit of stamina, clinging onto my skin more than any other note in this as it wears throughout the day -- which is good, because I seem to really love red musk with my skin chemistry.

This is for the 2017 version. It's very sweet in the bottle, with a bit of smokiness. When it hits the skin, that's when it turns to the church incense I remember from my Catholic upbringing. It's still sweet, but that familiar spiciness comes out, and it's really dead-on. I just wish it was stronger! It's not as powerful as Cathedral. The throw isn't fantastic and it doesn't last nearly as long as I'd like, but I still really love it, despite the fact that it needs reapplication. I've been looking for a scent that mimics Roman Catholic incense for some time, and this is really it!

2017 version: Green in the bottle, very strong. Definitely not for everyone. It's heavy on the ivy and leaves and grave dirt, like you went to an old, overgrown, wooded cemetery and shoved your face in the ivy growing on the trees and stones there. You really need to like the smell of leaves, green and dead alike. I find that sweetened fig does come out on my skin a bit, but it's still rich and heady and brooding. BPAL's grave dirt note pulls sweet and incensey on me, and it just adds this dark, earthy haze to everything. This is no exception, but it's not as strong as the maple and ivy leaf notes in it, so it just plays things up in the background a bit more. I agree with the former review that this is a heavy scent, and that you need to really love earth and leaves for it. A lot. I personally love it, but I'd recommend a decant if you're not sure; it's really not for everyone, so it's risky going in blind on a bottle of it. This one is strong, with good throw and wear time, too.

In no particular order, here's some ones I've been reaching for a lot lately... Dead Leaves, Violet Candy, and Sugar Crystals Graveyard Dirt SN Spellbound The Cracked Bell Reapers Gonna Reap

This stuff is bizarre. It's sweet and floral, with some smokiness. I smell the beeswax and cocoa. I smell the tobacco more as it dries down, but it just adds smoke and spice to the blend in an inoffensive way, not overpowering the scent at all, but lending to it... Wow, this is just too good. I want to eat my arm, and that's problematic...

Oh my god, this is incredible. In the imp: Roses and what may be the musk or amber. The roses are especially strong in this stage, but are mellowed out by the other notes. Wet, on the skin: Very rich roses, a bit of spice, a bit of sweetness. It has an almost patchouli kind of quality here for a little bit, but it's faint. After immediate drydown: My coworker said I smelled of roses and citrus, like lemon, and sweet. At this point, on me, it wasn't dissimilar from Lush's Rose Jam. While not exactly alike, that was my immediate thought. There's just something sharp and clean here with the rose, perhaps even the rose itself. Dry, over time: As this dries, the roses linger, but don't get powedery at all on me! They blend exceptionally well with the amber and red musk, and it all comes together to create something sweet (but not cloying), warm, deep, and creamy. It's almost a strong vanilla, but with that touch of spice that elevates it, and it keeps the roses from smelling too elderly. The "lemon" scent disappeared. It's absolutely delicious, very inviting, and rather sensual. To me, it smells "expensive." The smell is still strong after 6 hours. I love this one and my skin chemistry loves it, too. It completely warrants a full bottle.

This is violet candy on me! There's something grounding all the sugar, though -- probably the dead leaves. Sweet, but not too sweet. Floral (but not sickening) and a little woodsy. My friend calls this an "enchanted forest" scent, and she's not wrong. It's faerie candy. I love this.

No one has discussed this single note this year, which makes me sad, because I consider it the darkhorse of my Weenies this year. I got it because I tend to enjoy scents that contain graveyard dirt; I didn't expect what the single was going to actually be like. In the bottle: Dirt. Straight, fresh, deep earth, like you've been gardening in fertile soil. Has a bit of.. acid, I suppose? That kind of sharp smell. On the skin, wet: Still dirt! You can detect something a bit herbal... Dry: This morphs on me into something beautiful. The acidic quality of the the dirt goes away and the entire thing becomes sweet and rich. I have incense that smells like this. Everyone who smells it on me says it's incense. Earth kissed by lingering incense and a few flower petals left behind. It smells like grave in the hours after a funerary service. I love this one so much.