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This is a beautiful, mysterious, well balanced, autumnal apple with bitter herbs and smoky opium haze, and I absolutely love it. I wish it lasted longer, but it's nice getting that fresh apple hit every time I reapply. It's out of stock on the web site right now but it's on my full bottle list should it ever return. 

I had to take this off of my sales page after I tried it again yesterday. It's so good. The smoke is more like fireplace soot or the remnants of a campfire, tempered by a sweet soft watery jasmine. The night-blooming variety is not as heady and indolic as sambac or absolute -- it's more of a clear, light, Elvin note (think Galadriel from LOTR). Mostly the scent was the interplay between the smoke and jasmine. Maybe later in the day I sensed the groundedness of patchouli leaf or leaves, although this is definitely not the typical cologne-y Lab dead leaves note here. I don't have anything like this in my collection, so I'll be keeping it. I don't typically like "summer" perfumes, but this one fits the bill as something I can wear on the hottest days, but still maintain an edge of darkness and a nod to autumn. For me, one swipe on skin resulted in low throw, about 4-5 hours of wear.

Oooh, No. 93 Engine has a lemony beeswaxy vanilla vibe (Balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm, and white sage.). The balm of Gilead and Peru balsam are somewhat non-foodie resinous vanilla-esq. 

No. 93 Engine is all smooth, rounded, burnished tones on me, sweet and almost pastry-like while not quite crossing into foodie territory. The benzoin, balm of Gilead, and Peru balsam translate as vanilla, and the lemon balm brings out the lemony effervescence of the frankincense. So it's a lemony, vanillic, herbal, resinous scent that is very uplifting and soothing at the same time. It has modest throw and is short lived -- about 3-4 hours on my skin. It's a wonderful comfort scent. BTW, for a really beautiful tribute to this perfume, go read @VetchVesper's review on BPAL's web site. Then put it in your cart.

I can't believe there are only two pages of reviews for this one. I had an imp of it and fell in love with the dark, chocolatey incense -- so complex and unique, on par with a Luper. So I bought a bottle. Perhaps it needs to age, or maybe it was not mixed properly, but it is lacking the depth of the aged imp. The cotton blossom registers as laundry musk, which is usually a death note for me, but here is tempered by the resinous copal. Chapapote translates as asphalt, and comes through as a tarry cement note. I wish the cocoa were stronger, like it was in my imp. I am not getting the honey at all. While my bottle experience was not quite up to my expectations, I still enjoyed wearing this scent, and I will give it another chance after it's aged. I'm hoping to recapture the magical experience I had when testing the imp -- I mean, just read the earlier reviews on this thread and you will get a sense of the complexity and poetry of this scent. It's more like a LE than a GC, and should be celebrated as such. 

This is gorgeous. It’s got light throw and wears close to the skin, but it’s the perfect snuggly skin/sweater scent. Just lovely. Very good for fall. Smells more like a commercial perfume than most BPALs, but niche. It’s simple, classic, the little black dress of perfume.

I love the smell of real lilacs and here in the Pacific Northwest they are just getting done blooming. Silenti (from the VILF collection) is a good one (Spanish moss, lilac, wisteria, myrrh, and olibanum) -- the incense darkens and elevates the lilac into something mysterious and undead. 

We have similar tastes -- I am an autumn girl too. These are my "summer" suggestions:

Bastet - luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus.

Black Lotus - black lotus flower, amber, myrrh, and sandalwood

Eden - fig leaf, fig fruit, honeyed almond milk, toasted coconut and sandalwood

No. 93 Engine - balm of Gilead, benzoin, frankincense, balsam of Peru, beeswax, saffron, galbanum, calamus, hyssop, mastic, lemon balm with white sage

The Caterpillar - heavy incense notes waft lazily through a mix of carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli, over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver

Vixen - orange blossom, ginger, patchouli

Cognac-Stained Sheet Ghost - from the Halloween collection that's still up - vanilla-infused balsam, white cognac, and tumbleweeds

Frog Moon 2021 - maybe you could find it on the forums - green tea, wet green musks, pine moss, fresh patchouli leaf, bamboo leaf, tulsi, pond grasses, and a pinch of wasabi

I also agree with the above posters about Brisingamen and Smut.

The Lab's website still has this one available -- one of my favorite Snake variants:

Snake Eyes Gleaming in Spring's First Twilight - Snake Oil and threads of pale lavender with shadowy oudh, sweet oakmoss, violet leaf, and rose geranium.

Thanks for the question -- it was fun thinking about summer scents!

I'm not sure if orris and iris are the same thing in BPAL world, but Nevertheless She Persisted (golden oudh, frankincense, iris, and steel) from the Activism series is still available on the web site and is decidedly masculine-leaning. You would have to be OK with stinky p'oud though.

You might be able to find a decant to test of Autumn Song from the recent Weenies:  oak dust, violet leaf, orris root, white benzoin, vetiver, and dry ambrette seed.

A soft honeyed floral, very Luper-esque. I did not get the patchouli or darker notes, but that is typical for me. The main floral player is the buttery tuberose. The geranium did not show up. I amp honey, so it became a bit much by midday and I had to wash it off. If you are looking for a sweet, smooth, creamy white floral with a load of honey, this is your gal.

Everyone seems to smell something different in this. I, too, LOVE it and am wondering how many bottles I need so that I never run out for the rest of my life. At first I caught a whiff of cedary balsam, but the main player the whole time on me was a Snake Oil-esque vanilla, a naked Snake Oil stripped of its spices and patchouli. Like Snake Oil at an outdoor spa, who then wraps up in a cashmere robe and sips cognac. The scent kept getting stronger and more complex throughout the day. Could this be my holy grail?

@Maggi I don't know of one but I want that.

Love all these notes, love dark vintage-leaning incensey scents. Event Horizon delivers. Smooth, seamlessly blended, deep, inky, and heavy. It's slightly floral, along the lines of Black Lotus or Morgause -- floral enough but the incense and resins outweigh the floral. Event Horizon reminds me of something I've smelled before, or is in the same genre as those heavy floriental vintage perfumes your grandmother wore. Strong throw and average wear length. It morphed very little during wear. This one's a keeper for when I'm in this kind of mood.

1 hour ago, VetchVesper said:

 

And you could have ironic blends like "Socially Awkward" or "Booty Call."

Lol 😂 

@VetchVesper Thank you for all the thoughtful suggestions! I will have to dig around in my imp box and see what I have. Some of the ones you mention have been on my list for a long time, and some escaped my notice, so I appreciate your bringing them to my attention. I also love Philopannyx -- the comparison to Poison is right on. I came of age in the 1980s so all those EXTRA clear-out-a-room perfumes are dear to my heart. And yes, I do like more traditionally masculine-leaning scents -- I think many of us on this forum agree that scents have no gender. It's interesting that mainstream perfumes marketed toward women throughout the 20th century were often "masculine" compositions (Bandit, Mitsouko, Rochas Femme, Cuir de Russie, the list goes on). I have heard you rave about Satyr in other posts too, so I will definitely have to try that one! 

12 hours ago, wordortwo said:

When I tested Ava from the OLLA collection, it shot me right back to c. 1993 and my aunt's basement apartment in Brooklyn. I texted her and asked what perfume she wore at that time: Opium. So, that's my endorsement for you trying Ava. But it looks like you may have already 🙂

Aren't scent memories amazing? I have not tried Ava but am intrigued by the reviews. Thanks for your suggestion!

6 hours ago, amokslime said:

 

My new favorite bpal that feels dry is Little Wooden Doll! It's described on the site as "rose-infused amber and soft golden sandalwood." In my experience, the rose is definitely there, but it blends in really seamlessly with the rest of the notes so it feels like one of those dried rosebuds you'd use in tea. While there's only three notes listed, everything blends together so well and it feels really soft and cohesive. So hopefully, it will fall into the more complex category.

Oooh I forgot about The Little Wooden doll! Why don’t I have a full bottle of it? I love it! And I agree with your review @amokslime

I love oriental style perfume. In the old days it was Opium, Shalimar, Youth Dew, Obsession… and these are my top 5 BPALs along those lines. I would love more suggestions, especially from the GC or that are currently available on the web site. 
1. Haunted

2. Morocco

3. Sybaris

4. Nasty Woman

5. OG Snake Oil

Also love Smut, Jacobs Ladder and most of the OLLA scents I’ve tried. Thanks in advance!

On 1/12/2022 at 1:45 PM, wordortwo said:

Oh this is fun. I wish I had some contributions to the thread above, but I don't think I have anything useful to offer.

 

My top 5: 1.) Night; 2. Bien Loin D'Ici; 3.) Eve; 4.) Streets of Detroit; 5.) In Night When Colors All to Black Are Cast or Dee. I love them dearly, but I do not need more sweet, musky perfumes - I am looking for some "dry" options. Overall, I have learned that I enjoy BPAL's more complex perfumes. Though this list may tell you otherwise, I do like florals, particularly violet and rose.

 

Thanks in advance!

I love violet and rose too, as well as complex, dry blends. Some suggestions: Philoppanyx (current Lilith available on the site) Sweet ink-black musk and sugared violets with lavender, deep purple tea roses, champaca absolute, red benzoin, 13-year aged patchouli, and myrrh. To me it's not that sweet. Fuck You, Said the Raven (from the American Gods series) Glossy black, rough, and gravelly: violet-gilded opoponax, black patchouli, myrrh, and oak leaf. From the GC, Morocco The intoxicating perfume of heady incenses wafting on warm desert breezes. Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia. Can't get much drier than that!

I have not tried Troll or Dorian on their own, so I can't speak to that. Wet, Bridge Trolls is a formidable waft of musky clove, dark pine, and smoky vetiver with just a hint of lavender. It definitely morphs over time and becomes almost a different scent on dry down. I am not sure what notes are responsible, but I kept getting the suggestion of Shalimar -- a distinct vanilla-based oriental - later in the day. Really gorgeous. 

This is a rose soli-flor on me. I don't get any patchouli, just a high-pitched soapy rose. Body chemistry fail. Disappointing 😔

I really like this one. The white amber I think is ambergris or ambroxan, which smells like a high-end designer men's cologne but in a good way. The charred lavender is not too charred, but lends a floral sweetness wafting in and out throughout the life of the scent. I was so curious about the petroleum note -- I imagined it would be more like motor oil, but the note is actually a distinct medicinal petroleum jelly like Vaseline. Fascinating. There is a slightly medicinal menthol note as well, unaccounted for in the notes description, that reads like grandpa's medicine cabinet. I think the oakmoss contributes to the overall masculine-leaning cologne vibe. I could not stop sniffing this throughout the day (I'm sure I looked weird sticking my nose under my shirt all the time) and might need more than a decant. 

17 hours ago, ComicCreep said:

I just started delving deeply into bpal, making spreadsheets and really going through the site directory after I had lost my scent for a while last year from Covid… I’m shocked how depressed I became because of it. Scent really does add a lot of joy to my life apparently! Luckily my sense of smell came back, but different. I’ve been re-training my nose ever sense. My current top five are

 

1. Thorns clove cigarette 
2. Eat me
3. Green tree viper 
4. Goblin cider
5. Sweets to the sweet

 

I love a sweet mint, autumnal spices, a good sugary foody scent, and also some smoky incense/amber/resin. Any suggestions would be lovely 😊 

That's so interesting that loosing your sense of smell caused depression! It totally makes sense. I'm glad it is coming back for you. BPAL excels at scents with your favorite notes, so there are too many to choose from! Moroccan Pumpkin from the recent Weenie release comes to mind, and from the general catalogue -- oh so many -- Kobold Barista if you like coffee with your autumnal spices, Shub Niggurath (The lust incense of a corrupted Astarte. A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices.), and Cathedral (Venerable and solemn: the scent of incense smoke wafting through an ancient church. A true ecclesiatical blend of pure resins.) Although now there is Sugar Cookie Cathedral in the Yule release, which might tick all your boxes! For a clovey scent with apple, I recommend Queen Alice (Carnation, posies, and white amber with a hint of inky treacle, sandy cider, and wooly wine.) Have fun exploring!

I really like this one, though it’s hard to discern the listed notes, other than carnation and orchid. There is something that deepens it a little, but mostly it’s a cheerful, comforting, vintage-leaning floral, like a scent you would find on an antique dressing table amongst powders and makeup cases. I like it but would LOVE it if the darker notes showed up. Medium throw and longevity.

I have to agree with @lilyluxe. At first this is all dead leaves all the time. Very realistic. I keep looking for the vanilla and honeycomb to show up, but they don’t. Then at the end of the day, I get a very faint but distinct syrupy pineapple, which is very pleasant with the dead leaves. I definitely enjoyed this (I love the dead leaves note), but I hope the sweetness and butteriness come forward more with aging.

Young from the mailbox, this is all skanky, pissy, indolic narcissus, in the best way. There is something poignantly vintage about narcissus, so unapologetic and bombshell. I really enjoyed this, but I can’t wait for the other notes to settle in and show up. This is destined to be a stunner once there’s some age on her. Not for the faint of heart though, or for those who don't appreciate a little growl in their floral. 

Jack and Morocco had a baby. Wet, this starts off strong on the buttery pumpkin flesh.. As it dries, the bone-dry Moroccan spices start to emerge. Thankfully, this manages to avoid fall candle territory and becomes sort of a sultry, smoldering oriental pumpkin flesh scent on a pyre of sandalwood. I hope the carnation shows up more as it ages. Color association: all the browns, reds, and golds of the spice cabinet, and of autumn foliage. Very seasonal, warm, flirting on the edge of foodie but not quite committing. Good throw and long-ass wear length.