ShadowEtienne

I am so glad that I have finally gotten a chance to try this one, and slightly devastated that it is discontinued. I knew I was probably going to like it, Picnic/Springtime in Arkham scents, especially the aquatics, have been consistently good to me. The Deep Ones is definitely the cousin to Cthulhu, Yha'nthlei, R'Lyeh, and Kingsport, all of which I love. But I may like this even more than Cthulhu, which is one of my absolute go to scents. I put a tiny bit on to test initially, and went back about half an hour later to put onto he proper amount that I'd wear for the day because it was beautiful on me. Like Cthulhu, this is very evocative on me. It is reminiscent of being on a coastal headland on the NorCal coast after a heavy spring storm has passed. The air is fresh and full of sweet salt breeze rushing in from the Pacific. Huge drifts of kelp have crashed up on the cliffs below, but they are fresh and salty-sweet as well, but also deeply aquatic and with the sinister promise of rot. Flowers and grasses were crushed on the headland in the storm, but there is a waft of bruised white florals in amongst everything else, and crushed greenery. The water here is deep and cold and a touch threatening. It crushes things against the cliffs of the headland, but also brings freshness and coolness even when just a few miles inland it will be very hot. And out on the cliffs, one feels a little bit like nothing in the world can reach you. There's something mysterious and surreal. This has gotten long enough, but I'm going to have to be on the lookout for more of this! I'm so glad for the bottle that I was able to get.

I feel like of the ones I listed above Loup Garou (deep evergreen forest), Machu Picchu (tropical forest), Arkham (deciduous lowland forest), and Theoi Nomioi (mountain forest) are sort of the fresher forests, just very different forests. Leaning more in the direction of fresh foliage, I'm going to add RPG Monk (Sandalwood incense, ti leaf, and honeyed saffron) as something to maybe take a look at. The ti leaf is a really lovely fresh leafy note that might appeal. Also, it's an LE, but relatively recent and I've seen it on sales pages. If you can track down Purslane, Dandelions, and Petrichor it's a really nice fresh foliage and rain scent that I use to layer over other things a lot and might appeal to you.

I got this as a frottle in a recent lab order. It sounds like something I might love, but it's not playing nice with my skin. The flowers are muddied and never quite become a clear note, the water seems dirty/murky, and I'm getting none of the ozone note I was hoping for. This doesn't smell like a place I want to be. I'm going to pass it along to someone else in my circle whose skin it likes better.

What are some of your favorite LE forest/foliage scents? I or others might be able to point to more specific GCs that would appeal. And I get that about feeling like LEs will run out, there are LEs I've gotten back up bottles of that I know I'll be devastated when I eventually run out.

BPAL has some really beautiful forest and foliage scents in the GC and long term collections, especially since you're ok with some aquatic elements. Here are some I like personally that might be worth checking out, though I'm sure that I'm missing some! - The Forest Reverie [Bewitching Brews]: A sunlit ancient forest, dotted with wild roses, grape vine, and queenly lilies, clothed in swirls of opium smoke. - Yggdrasil [Bewitching Brews]: The World Ash. Nine woods, nine leaves, and three herbs each for Ratatosk and Vidofnir, with three final herbs to placate Nidhogg. - Loup Garou [Diabolus]: juniper, cypress and galangal with the barest touch of eucalyptus. - Pele [Excolo]: muguet and Hawaiian white ginger enveloped by warm, damp tropical blooms - Arkham [A Picnic In Arkham]: A shadowy, unapproachable forest of maple, birch, dogwood, cypress and pine softened by a garland of New England wildflowers: bergamot, columbine, rue anemone, blue violet, creeping phlox, bloodroot, toadflax, and pixie moss - Druid [RPG]: A woolen robe infused with the scent of a vast, primordial forest: ancient trees, fertile soil, wild herbs, spring grasses, and burgundy pitch incense. - Machu Picchu [Wanderlust]: Sweet tropical fruits burst through deep, wet rainforest boughs, enormous steamy blossoms, over thin mountaintop breezes, mingled with the soft, rich golden scent of Peruvian amber. - Theoi Nomioi [Activism]: No listed notes, but to me is very mountain forests. Only comes in full size, but you might be able to find someone in the sales section decanting it. These come in a lot of different forest vibes, so hopefully at least one of them speaks to you! Definitely go check out their reviews to get more different people's takes on the scent too. There are tons more options if you start venturing into LEs, but I think that GCs are a great place to start figuring out your preferred BPAL notes and how the descriptions correspond to what you like.

Lily of the valley and little violets grow on the banks of this pond filled to the brim with blooming water lillies and borded with sweet fresh reeds. There are distinct floral and aquatic elements the are light and fresh from all of these elements and they harmonize well and create this peaceful scene. Far in the background there is a tart fruitiness, perhaps of berries growing not far away, some fallen and smushed on the ground releasing their scent. I don't get star fruit as a distinct note, but it's probably boosting the tartness here. Roses are barely there, an afterthought of a breeze from a garden not too far away. Overall the aquatics and white florals are distinct notes in lovely harmony and the stars of the show on my skin.

This is lovely! On me the clearest, strongest note is creamy, fresh olive blossoms. They're light and airy and while not my usual go to in the "white florals" range, come across really nicely here. That floral is backed closely by the almost lemony herbal element of fresh cut olive branches with some slightly crushed leaves. This is a green, growing note with a touch of sap. This really does bring to mind the sorts of branches that one might snap or cut from the tree for a wreath. Wafting gently over it all is a fresh, slightly salty sea breeze, as though the olive grove where this wreath is being cut and made is right by the ocean. It adds a lovely freshness and some aquatic elements that really bring this scent into one of my favorite ranges. I think this may balance more floral on me than the previous two reviewers, but it's a really lovely, fresh scent.

My immediate reaction once I put this on was tha Laurel Wreath is the cousin of Spicebush Swallowtail, which I love. There is a soft creaminess to start the scent, warm and a little resinous. On top of it are rich herbal and spicy notes, and hiding in the background is something almost a touch fruity. While some of these are notes that I'd associate more with cooler months, there's also a bright airiness to this that makes it not seem too heavy for the summer. I'm definitely excited to wear this more, and I'm glad that the first of this year's pride scents that I'm trying suits me!

I was wearing Lightning today, so when I put this on for a first try this evening, I had a moment where the lingering Lightning and Crack of Thunder being just applied were incredibly harmonious. It's got that ozonic storm blowing in with a hint of white flowers hidden among the dunes thing going on that matches with Lightning. But the scent diverges with a tiny hint of some sort of incense smoke and subtle notes of early sour plums (sour is good in this case). There's no punch of sweetness from these plums, which is good for me! This is lovely and not too strong a scent while still being present. It's going to mesh really well with all my oceanic/stormy aquatics (I say wearing it with Cthulhu Beard Oil and Conception by the South Wind).

The nice thing about GC is that they'll be around for a long time, so you can always try more later! BPAL is also really generous about adding freebie imps to orders, and sometimes they'll give you things to try you wouldn't think to try (or get lucky and get one you've been wanting to try and not ordered yet). Also, sometimes if you check the forums sale pages, people will be selling batches of GC imps for great prices. Azathoth is so nicely balanced! And BPAL's current notes are really great.

Welcome to BPAL! Dee is such a lovely starting place (potentially of interest, it also comes in a beard oil, which is actually the main way I use Dee). Our preference notes don't fully overlap, but I've browsed through the GC for some things that seem like they might be up your alley. - Vicomte de Valmont [Ars Amatoria] (ambergris, white musk, white sandalwood, Spanish Moss, orange blossom, three mints, jasmine, rose geranium and a spike of rosemary) - Thanatopsis [Ars Moriendi] (pine, juniper and musk) - Black Forest [Bewitching Brews] (Thick, viscous pine with ambergris, black musk, juniper and cypress) - Highwayman [Bewitching Brews] (Vetiver with gardenia, blood red rose, night-blooming jasmine, a dash of cinnamon and a faint hint of leather) - Incantation [Bewitching Brews] (vetiver, dark woods, crumbling and burnt black sandalwood and a drop of lemon rind) - The Harlot's House [Bewitching Brews] (angel's trumpet, violet, white sandalwood, oude, copaiba balsam, angelica, white tea, olibanum, and oakmoss) This is one that I quite like personally! If you like something a little licorice/anise leaning, that is what the angelica note adds for me - Voodoo [Bewitching Brews] (myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, lime, vanilla, pine, almond and clove) - Yggdrasil [Bewitching Brews] (The World Ash. Nine woods, nine leaves, and three herbs each for Ratatosk and Vidofnir, with three final herbs to placate Nidhogg.) Another one on here I like personally, this is so woody and foresty! - A Countenance Foreboding Evil [Diabolus] (Patchouli, ylang ylang, blood orange, and vetiver) - Loup Garou [Diabolus] (juniper, cypress and galangal with the barest touch of eucalyptus.) Another one I really like personally, woody and fresh and a little sharp in a good way - Anteros [Excolo] (throbbing red musk and shimmering chypre with saffron, sweet patchouli, Italian bergamot, red currant, and vanilla bean) - Coyote [Excolo] (The warmth of doeskin, dry plains grasses and soft, dusty woods warmed by amber and a downy, gentle coat of deep musk) - Oberon [Illyria] (Orchid, white musk, and bergamot wafting over juniper berries, with a gentle touch of soft, earthy patchouli) - Bram Stoker [Inspiration] (Bourbon vetiver with opoponax, Italian bergamot, and hay absolute.) - The Caterpillar [Mad Tea Party] (carnation, jasmine, bergamot, and neroli over a lush bed of dark mosses, iris blossom, deep patchouli and indolent vetiver.) - Jabberwocky [Mad Tea Party] (pine, eucalyptus and orange) - Old Demons of the First Class [Marchen] (Siberian musk, black clove, opoponax, tonka, black pepper, and neroli.) - Azathoth [A Picnic in Arkham] (tangerine, saffron, vetiver, black amber and cedarwood.) This is one I personally like (unusual because vetiver is more miss than hit for me), and the first thing that came to mind looking at your notes! - Lizardfolk Park Ranger [RPG] (The scent of ancient trees, vast shadowed canyons, rocky snow-tipped peaks, and rushing rivers, with notes of pine needle, oak bark, sweet birch, stream-polished stones, lichen, dark mosses, nootka, hazelnut, rivulets of amber, and blackcurrant bud) - Druid [RPG] (ancient trees, fertile soil, wild herbs, spring grasses, and burgundy pitch incense.) I quite like this one, it reminds me of gardening - Ranger [RPG] (Untamed wilderness: buckskin accord with Terebinth pine, Russian birch, black ironwood, elder bark, hay, armoise, juniper, patchouli, galangal root, Spanish moss, and cabreuva) - Oblivion [Sin and Salvation] (Dark musk, wood spice, labdanum, patchouli, dark African woods, and saffron) I'm sure there are plenty that I missed that might appeal, but hopefully some of these help you narrow down some imps to get! Enjoy your BPAL journey!

Since no one has lept out with recommendations for you yet, I'm going to go through the general catalogue scents and see if I can find some good options to consider. I've never smelled the original scent, so I'm going off the general vibes you have described and notes listed. These are things that are in the same general family to maybe investigate. The nice thing with GC is that there are imps (small sample vials) to try out rather than the commitment to a whole bottle. - Sin [Sin and Salvation]: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon. - Wrath [Sin and Salvation - The Seven Deadly Sins]: dragon’s blood spiked with black pepper, clove, and cinnamon. - Morocco [Wanderlust]: Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia. - Tombstone [Wanderlust]: A rugged, warm blend of vanilla, balsam and sassafras layered over Virginia cedar. Obviously none of these are the same, but they all have some elements of that resinous-woodsy-spicy thing (with some other shared notes) going on. Depending on if you know how she feels about florals/fruits as part of perfumes, I might have some to add to this.

Two Women on Veranda Overlooking the Sea might be worth investigating if you can find it. It was one of the painting of the month scents last year or the year before. Here's the review page: https://www.bpal.org/topic/99867-two-women-on-veranda-overlooking-the-sea/

I have experienced a minor tragedy with this beard oil, it smells lovely in the bottle, just as I would expect from the description. These are often winning notes on me! I expected it would go well. It doesn't smell bad on me just disappointing. It goes from a lovely rich brewed chai in the bottle, to a sad bag of grocery store chai given too much air and dried out on my skin and beard. The tea goes entirely overly astringent, dusty darjeeling. The spices go dusty and dry. The cardamom and ginger (notes that usually love me) disappear entirely. There's a tiny hint of a powdery creaminess, almost like powdered milk, and all the sweetness vanishes. My skin has betrayed me on this one, and I will pass it along to someone it works better for. I tested it a few times in hope that it was a fluke, but sadly the same thing has happened each time. If it smells true to the bottle on you, this one will be lovely.

I love cardamom so much, along with tea, that I had to try this despite my usual concern over foody notes like cream and sugar. I think this will be joining my rotation of favorite beard oils though, so I'm glad I took the risk! Other than a concerning moment right upon application where all I got was a waft of intense sweetness for a moment, this settled into something beautiful cardamom and tea forward on my skin. The cardamom has an almost tangy rich warmth too it, and the tea is a rich malty black tea. The hint of creamy sweetness in the back just rounds and mellows the scent, without really being a main note.