skyturtles

First impression is a fizzy energy drink, cotton-candy flavored (not a bad thing!) Dries down to let some of the grit and petrichor out. Does not have a far throw, sad face. This was pretty much what I was wanting - sweet, tongue out.

Mmmm I adore BPAL's champagne note, ever since getting my beloved bottle of Pumpkin Spice Champagne. This starts out very cherry cola fizzy, but quickly softens to let the clove and myrrh come through. I love it!!

This isn't my first testing of the White Rider but I just received a lab frimp of it and realized I never reviewed it. I did know that I didn't love it, however, but was willing to give it another go. I'm assuming that the "horsiness" that others are getting is the zoo guano note that I'm picking up. Luckily there is enough other stuff going on to distract from damp decomp. I'm not a big fan of either leather nor sandalwood, but I can see how some would find this pleasant. It does seem to last a long while. Passing this onwards.

I purchased a bottle of this for a friend. First impressions: VERY incense-y, to a headshop level. It calms down a bit pretty quickly to be more resin-y. I can pick up the brimstone notes that I'm familiar with thanks to The Chapel. It adds to an almost waxy candle vibe. This is a wee bit too strong for my own daily wear, but it is by no means unpleasant!

You BET I blindly purchased a bottle of this. I'm a big fan of The Divine Scientist and frankincense in general. IMO: The Catholic doesn't have quite as far a throw, and also fades quicker than than The Divine Scientist. But I still love that sacred incense vibe. Not so much of a American headshop sort of way, but more like a Buddhist supply store in Chengdu. Or bringing down dusty Christmas equipment from the dimly lit cathedral attic (I was an altar kid for like 4 years, ok?) Also: Go read the Bitch Planet graphic novels folks, they are bomb.

Very metallic, but also kinda floral in a sweet way. This is my fourth Phoenix Steamworks that I'm testing, but unfortunately, so far, it is my least favorite. Musk I like, but flowers, not as often. This blend burns my anterior nasal cavity just a tad too much. I will be passing along this lab fresh frimp.

Very floral, light yet sharp. I'm not a fan of lavender when it's the star, but it's nicer when it's an herbal afterthought like it is here. The honeysuckle and jasmine are almost sweet. This is nice but it isn't for me. I will be passing along this lab fresh frimp! 4/1/24 update - just got another lab frimp of this, and what is this floral cat pee smell???

Wet & fruity! Hold on though... it's doing something as it's drying down. There's something synthetic that my nose doesn't like. Cherry medicine-like, almost. Very tiny bit of smoke, not enough imo. The lily is there a bit, adding to the fruitiness in an aromatic way rather than a straight floral. I cannot really detect any spices. This lab frimp is a few months old now, and I think I'll be passing it along to someone who may enjoy it more.

Lab fresh frimp! Wet on my skin, it's a juicy burst of jasmine. It quickly dries into something... drier? That must be the myrrh. I'm still learning myrrh. It's so hard for me to put my finger on it, no matter how many times I've come across it in blends. But that has to be what's going on here, since jasmine and rose are so easily identified. As it dries down further, the rose becomes more apparent, and I'm just not a fan of BPAL's rose note, so that's a shame. Passing this along though it is nice initially.

I love musk, but I do not love rose. Too much laundry, too much Daiso. Watery and clean and floral, mostly. Was nice in theory, but I do not know many mascs that would wear this tbh. Passing this lab fresh frimp on.

~First review of 2023!~ Can you imagine how delightful it would be if everytime there were a ghost nearby, one could smell "The Ghost"? It's crisp and clean, floral and hazy. This isn't something I would reach for, but it's pleasant enough and well blended. I have an imp that is quite aged, which has seemed to make it classier rather than trashier (some ladies be like that).

I absolutely cannot get enough of this one! There is a slight resemblance to Doc Constantine's Sassafras Strengthener, something herbal and bubbly and sweet without being gourmand. It's somehow refreshing. Does it feel expensive? Yes, that too. The cinnamon is not overwhelming in the slightest. The lilac does not make it a floral. Leather usually makes me nauseous, and that is not happening here. I LOVES IT. My only complaint is that the label on the bottle seems of a lesser quality than what I have come to expect from BPAL. I'll chalk it up to their recent move.

I've had this for a hot minute and just realized that I hadn't reviewed it. I purchased a bottle of it used, lightly tested. It took me awhile to appreciate it, honestly. It starts off very latte-heavy, which can be a turn off for people who don't like coffee (hi). However, as it dries down, there's some snake oil and a little bit of spice that mellow it all out. There's not a whole lot of pumpkin, imo. For me, I see this less of a autumn scent and more of a winter scent, due to its warmth. It's cozy like your favorite sweater. My favorite part is after it's dried down for a long while, it's this elegant rich snake oil essence that you can't get enough of.

I really like this. The only other one in this series that I've tried is the Robotic Scarab, which I liked so much I purchased a bottle. I may have to do the same thing here for Mechanism. If you have read A Dead Djinn in Cairo, or A Master of Djinn, THIS is the scent of that world. It is steampunk, it is ancient, it is mechanical, it is sacred. I haven't dabbled in too many teak-prominent blends before, and I like what it's doing here. The tobacco doesn't take over like I find that it often does, and the vanilla gives it just a little bit of sweetness. I'm sorry, did I say little? Because as it dries, it almost goes gourmand - not complaining though! I'm going to be obsessing over this lab fresh frimp before I make the big bottle decision.

It's just... floral. A lily, I guess. Yay flowers. Passing this fresh lab frimp along to someone else.