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BPAL Madness!

Monster

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Everything posted by Monster

  1. Monster

    TP46

    TP46 - [no description] In the bottle this smells like dark and smoky vetiver. Could this be a prototype for Moai? It smells very smililar. I'm already in love with this On my skin this is vetiver, patchouli (?? maybe the slightest amount), and a powdery note (possibly amber or orris??). "Powdery vetiver" is the first thing that comes to mind as I'm sniffing this on on arm. 10 minutes dry and the powder note amps up on my skin while the vetiver quiets down a bit. After about an hour dry what's left is a very strange, dirty powder scent. This is where TP46 goes wrong. It's still very similar to Moai (just without the "green" notes I detected in that one). I really loved this when it was wet on my skin and just dried. It was such a nice, rich vetiver scent (and boy do I love vetiver!) I'm gonna keep this around for a while and see how it ages. Maybe if I layer it with something else the final drydown won't smell so wonky on me.
  2. Monster

    Black Silk

    This truly smells like black silk, it's smooth, dark and sexy. For the note listing, this is surprisingly light and understated. It's not the type of scent that fills a room, rather, it hugs the skin in a sensual way. Like a black silk slip, it's not meant to be shared with just anyone. The dry down is a smooth, vanilla cream with ambergris and only lasts about 30 minutes before it fades. Hopefully with some age, it'll deepen and stick around a bit longer. While it's there though, Black Silk is gorgeous. <3 I'm so happy to have a bottle.
  3. Monster

    Mouse Circus

    This starts out caramel popcorn and peanuts. As it dries, the fresh, pink cotton candy notes comes out. In the final dry down I have a dominant cotton candy, supported by caramel popcorn and a small amount of dry wood in the background. This is FANTASTIC! Mouse Circus sort of reminds me of the Trading Posts Midway Plaisance Atmosphere Spray (without the apple note). This is such a wearable scent perfect for every day, work, anywhere. I just love this. I can see why it's such a popular scent.
  4. Monster

    Chocolate Stout Cupcake

    My experience was a lot like Numanoid's. Chocolate Stout Cupcake starts out as a boozy cupcake and dries to a dark chocolate buttercream frosting. Sometimes chocolate scents can be stomach turning and for some reason, turn to a weird cheese-like note on my skin. Not CSC. While it's 150% foody, it's not cloying, fake smelling and never turns sour on my skin. The chocolate in this is deep, (it's even a little dry and woody smelling after a while) and has just enough sweetness to make you crave cupcakes. I agree it's a less toothsome version of Bliss, a little more grown up and entirely different than many of the Lab's chocolate scents I've tried in past years. I can't stop huffing my wrist.
  5. Monster

    So Below

    I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet! So Below has to be one of Beth's most gorgeous creations. Anything with her black coconut note in it ends up working out so well on my skin. I love coconut in all it's many shapes and forms, but black coconut has a drier, woody quality. It doesn't read as sun tan lotion but rather, gives you the impression of fresh coconut water spilled over the outer, sun-scorched husk. So Below is that perfect black coconut note against a well-balanced bed of amber/patchouli/copal. The cardamon really ties everything together in the dry phase. It lightens the resins up and gives it a warm, green tropical sort of feel. I get the impression of burning incense on the beach at sunset. It's smoky, golden, lush and green. I wore this scent all summer and don't think I can wear it any other time of the year, it's a perfume for hot days and bare shoulders. Sniffing this now in the wintertime is making me long for summer. I've since purchased multiple back-ups and will continue to give HM my money for a zillion bottles of this stuff. <3 I sort of wish we still had the option to purchase 10mls. I go through this stuff so fast.
  6. Monster

    The White Witch

    Oh White Witch, how I love you! This has to be the very best scent from the entire 'Weenie release. In the bottle I get resins with red musk and a kiss of vetiver. When I apply it to my skin, the wet stage is a gentle red musk sweetened by pomegranate and smoky resins. As it dries, the rose blossoms on my skin (I amp rose). In final dry down, it's an almost edible rose petal with a well-behaved red musk and balanced resins. White Witch can be summed up as sugared rose petal incense! Even though I amp rose, the floral component never dominates in this perfume. If you're afraid of rose, don't let that scare you away. This is mostly a resin blend to my nose. I can totally see this comparison too! (minus the dirt note from QoC)
  7. Monster

    Visions of Autumn VII

    This is by far one of the best of the 2014 Halloweenies. <3 Visions of Autumn VII opens with a thick and sticky French Tobacco single note. As it settles into my skin, it becomes more complex with dark resins and has the barest kiss of pepper. This is a rich, black, multi-faceted scent. It's sophisticated, smoldering and unisex. If you liked the French Tobacco single note or scents like Minotaur, you NEED to purchse a bottle before it comes down. I may need a back up, I've been wearing this for the past couple of days and have already received a compliment. A true beauty. <3
  8. Monster

    Shiny Furball Hair Gloss

    I don't know why I waited so long for this one, it's probably my favorite HG scent so far. This is the perfect wintertime outdoor scent. It starts out with a woody cedar. Moments later, the clove comes through along with a very Hellhound On My Trail vanilla. I smell like I just ran through the woods with my hair down, catching the wind and bits of balsam fir and pine needles. I just love this so much <3
  9. Monster

    Eris

    Starts out with strong mimosa which almost reads as yang yang on my skin. The floral and the spices blend so seamlessly into this it's hard to decipher individual notes. There's an almost commercial perfume quality to this along and it even reminds me of a more grown-up jester. It's a shame this one was discontinued, I feel like it's one of those hidden gems.
  10. Monster

    Paramatman

    This is almost pure nag champa incense with a kiss of sweetness from the orange blossom. I'm only getting a little bit of sandalwood as the champaca overpowers it. I smell like I was just in a hippie/Indian gift shop!
  11. Monster

    Twilight

    This starts out with A LOT of lavender and dries to an extremely feminine blend of jasmine and honeysuckle. Unfortunately, the jasmine in this isn't one I can wear, it has that band-aids/diaper thing going on. If you love delicate girly scents, this one is for you!
  12. Monster

    India Ink

    Wow, this is spot on. On first application, it's a sharp, chemical-like inky note. After only a few moments, the paper start to come through giving me the impression of multiple black and white copies being spat out of a photocopier. I've never smelled india ink before, but I'm guessing it smells like copy toner. There's also something about this that reminds me of wood polish. In the final dry down the ink dissipates leaving behind sappy resin. There must be a ton of olibanum in this, it smells very similar to the single note when it's dry. Incredibly bizarre!
  13. Monster

    Pumpkin Spice Everything

    This is what I wanted Three Witches to smell like! Don't get me wrong, I adore my bottle of Three Witches but this is a much better blend of spices. I don't get any pumpkin at all, just warm, pumpkin pie spices. I get less allspice in the perfume oil than I do the hair gloss. It's mostly cinnamon and clove on my skin. LOVE!
  14. Monster

    Autumn Cider

    2014 version Autumn Cider smells less like cider and more of a mulled punch with tart cranberries. I do get an apple note, however, the cranberry is dominant. I'm with Allumina, I can't decide if this is too candle-like to wear on the skin as a perfume. I really love the way this smells, it reminds me of Thanksgiving and the cranberry chutney I make every year. I grew up next to cranberry bogs and used to pillage them illegally as a teen just for my special holiday condiment. I'm going to keep this for nostalgia and also try it in my oil warmer.
  15. Monster

    Visions of Autumn III

    I get the comparisons to Banshee Beat, patch + vanilla, check! However, the sweetness in this blend comes more from the honey note. To me, this is more like Feed Me and Fill Me with Pleasure, with an added spicy kick of cinnamon. I skin tested this only moments after receiving it in the mail, I'll need to do a side-by-side comparison with Feed Me...but I'm pretty sure they're almost identical. I'll be back with an update!
  16. Monster

    Tweedledum

    This smells exactly like bubblegum and Silky Bat. The fruit notes amp as it dries with a bit of sugared Silky Bat patchouli. Fruit notes work so well with patchouli, it's one of my favorite combinations. I'm really enjoying this but I don't think its bottle worthy. My imp will do!
  17. Monster

    Bonfire Smoke Atmosphere Spray

    This is everything I'd hope it would be and a little more. My experience was similar to Poenari's. The first spray is sharp, it's all wood and ozone. After a few moments, more of the smokey, bonfire notes come through. This isn't a flickering, hot flames bonfire but rather heaps of ashen dust from a fire that has been smoldering for hours. I get strong wood, dry leaf notes, grey ash and a breeze of outdoor air. This gives me the impression of a dying fire, smoking wood and delicate bits of snow-like ash fluttering upward and disappearing into an ink blue night sky. You need this now!
  18. Monster

    Cold weather suggestions?

    Lilith Victoria is my #1 cold weather scent. It's just so snuggly!
  19. Monster

    Eve

    Out of the bottle this is a complex blend of incense and pale rose petals. On my skin, I'm getting dust, resin with the memory of rose. I usually amp rose but the floral component in this is very tame on my skin. Unfortunately for me, the final dry down reads as baby powder. I wasn't expecting this. :/ In the bottle and when first applied, this is heartachingly gorgeous, it's just not working with my skin. I can see why this scent is so immensely popular, but it looks like I'll be rehoming Eve to someone who will wear and love this beauty. So sad.
  20. Monster

    Okiya Atmosphere Spray

    First spritz, this is a fresh burst of green tea and sake. As it lingers in the air for a couple minutes a gorgeous cherry blossom comes through. It's light, fresh and gently floral. I never used to like the smell of cherry blossom until I discovered BPAL. The labs cherry blossom note is absolutely gorgeous. This is so different from what I normally reach for, I think I may need to pick up a large bottle. I would also wear this as a perfume if it was ever released in oil form.
  21. Monster

    Pralines and Powdered Sugar

    Out of the bottle this smells like pecan ice cream. When I apply it to my skin it's buttery, nutty and smells like I just stuck my hand in a bag of candied pecans. I'm also detecting the faintest bit of the Labs rum note, the one that almost reads as coconut to my nose. As it dries, this becomes more sugar-dusted. I'm left with a whisper of sweet pecans, a sprinkle of coconut-scented sugar. This has an incredibly light throw, hugs the skin and would probably layer incredibly well with many other foody scents.
  22. Monster

    Pumpkin Spice Everything Hair Gloss

    Pumpkin Spice Everything is ALLLLLLLL of the spices that go into the pumpkin pie. If there's a note of actual pumpkin in here, I'm not getting it. This could be pumpkin spice cookies, cake, actual pumpkin pie itself, marshmallows, anything! I guess that's the beauty of pumpkin pie spices, you can toss them in just about anything and they'll create autumnal magic. In my hair, the pumpkin spice is mostly cinnamon and allspice. They smell freshly ground, rich and warm. The throw is amazing (especially with my 3-foot long ponytail *whip*!) and it lasts all day. As with all of the TPs glosses, this stuff smooths and tames like no other. Love! All spice and foody scent lovers, and those of you who are just nuts about fall need this one. It's pure happiness in a bottle. Maybe next year we'll get Apple Spice Everything? Yes?!
  23. Monster

    Lips of Flame and Heart of Stone

    When first applied, this is my beloved red musk with juicy red apple. Sadly, the red musk and the apple compete with each other and don't seem to work. I love a red musk/strawberry combo but there's just something off-putting about red musk/apple, it's almost sickly sweet. As it dries, the khus comes out a bit more taming the sweetness (and a beautiful papery khus it is!). In the final dry stage, I amp clove giving the apple an almost mulled quality. Unfortunately, even with the khus and clove coming into to play, the apple still clashes with the red musk on my skin. So sad! This was full of win notes yet it just doesn't work on me.
  24. Monster

    Midway Plaisance Atmosphere Spray

    I bought a bottle of this off Etsy a while back and I wish I had purchased two. This is a foodies dream atmosphere spray, it's like Midway but with more popcorn and cotton candy. You really can smell every.single.note. This is a lot lighter than some of the other sprays I have so I've started spraying it on the sheer panels on my windows and the throw pillows on my couch to make it scent last a bit longer. I absolutely adore this and hope I can find a back-up bottle.
  25. Monster

    Down the Rabbit Hole Atmosphere Spray

    I get a very pale, sweet orange and a wood note. Not much dirt or daisies. The orange reminds me of the one from Kunstkammer. This is a lot lighter than many of the Trading Posts Atmosphere sprays. It's pretty but I don't need a bottle of this.
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