QueenProserpina

Imp of unknown age: dry, sharp, sinus-clearing, eyewatering citrusy/minty/balsamic top notes that overwhelm the softer imps I am also testing today. Very masculine and forward. Basically fully faded after about five hours. Won’t need a bottle, but glad to try it.

Imp of unknown age: upon application, mostly getting the soil and the rose geranium. I’m definitely noticing the herbal quality another reviewer mentioned. Throw is improving as it dries. Fades and softens through the day, but is still perceptible on skin after at least six hours. Nice! Might want a bottle. Testing in July 2026.

Imp of unknown age: very soft upon application, mostly getting the wisteria so far, with eventual hints of rose and violet (lilac?) Probably won’t upgrade to a bottle since I already love Seraphim. Wisteria note lasts at least several hours, but the overall fragrance fully fades after about five hours.

Initial impressions: I get only dark, waxy lilies, almost indistinguishable from Black Lily Second impression: something golden and bright along with the lily, a powdery hint of iris, a bit of nectar and/or honey, and a watery, calla-like note Third impression/first full day of wearing and beyond: it seems more indolic than before, but with time, it’s warming into goldenness. I’m definitely noticing florals I am not familiar with; maybe they are water lilies as another reviewer suggested. I’m getting a sense of citronella as a fizzy, citrusy top note makes itself known after a few days of settling post-shipping. The projection is strong enough to receive compliments in an office setting (and this blend is definitely work-appropriate). The citrusy note is more prominent on fabric, and the creamy, chalky iris and possible dewy/watery calla lily are stronger on skin. A few days in, I’m noticing the eucalyptus impression noted by another reviewer, and a warm, spicy hint of something reminiscent of cardamom or cardamom bud, like Funnel of Love. A slight element of musk also evokes FOL. This fragrance is aquatic without being seaweedy or salty, definitely a lake scent, as mentioned by another reviewer, evoking a freshwater marsh full of night-blooming flowers. I’m definitely getting the impression of mysterious flowers and cool water on a moonlit night, soft and starry. Fireflies are glimmering as the twilight deepens and the moonlight wavers on the water, and I’m picturing Swamp Bottom from Spirited Away. So sad that this one is limited-edition! Please bring it back in the future and consider making it permanent.

Sweet, a bit fruity, juicy, and punchy at first, featuring many complex florals I’m not familiar with. At least one is reminiscent of tuberose. Definitely an air of lush, expensive soap or shampoo, as another forum member pointed out. I get delicate, watery, aquatic freshness from what I believe is the calla lily, and an airy, herbal quality may represent the ivy. From what I’m reading, the note of peach or apricot is the osmanthus. A citrusy, green-apple-like component (probably the gladiolus) offers a unisex impression of fresh, cool, clean cologne, and the white iris lends a powdery feel. As noted by other reviewers, I also detect a hint of melon and/or cucumber, and there is a green quality. The fruitiness combined with the chalkiness another reviewer mentioned give the impression of Flintstones children’s chewable vitamins. Crisp, cool, tart, soapy, reminiscent of Bath and Body Works’ Sweater Weather. Definitely getting the rain-kissed petals of calla lilies among the sweet, spooky florals. So poetic! It’s a bit vampiric (Bram Stoker’s Dracula garden or Corpse Bride wedding bouquet vibes), and scratches the itch that was considering getting There’s Water Here. Very atmospheric. I can also imagine it having been part of the Crimson Peak series. Ideal for listening to Moonlight Sonata! The perfect ethereal impression of a moonlit, nocturnal garden; color association is silvery, along with silky, satiny blue, delicate green, and diaphanous, glowing white. Moonlight shimmering on water; a garden with a lake. Lab-fresh, fades down to a barely-sweet, chalky note on skin over the course of a full day of wearing (the ivy?) but tart, mouthwatering freshness sticks better to clothing, with all notes blending in the sillage/throw. Since the projection is very light, a generous application is required. Another perfect white floral. BPAL #22!

Dark, with a bitter edge, mysterious while remaining fresh. Classic lily, sweet and powdery and beautiful, a bittersweet, multifaceted blossom. Deep and indolic, a spooky beauty reminiscent of jasmine tea. This one hits all the deep notes and is at once simple and complex, soft and subtle while powerful and expansive, as elegant, elegiac, chthonic, and vampiric as 20 years of reviews have faithfully chronicled. Very long-lasting on fabric. My third BPAL starring lily; I knew I had to have her after loving The Hourglass and June 23, 1868. Fades smoothly over the day into faint, vanillic, slightly waxy sweetness over nearly twelve hours, and sticks to fabric for multiple days. BPAL #21!

First impressions of a brand-new bottle fresh out of the mail: strong, sweet wafts of a soapy, perfumey, elderly lady floral note I haven’t experienced before (wisteria) underpinned by sweet reddish rose and the dryness of frankincense. Rain-dampened petals for sure (raindrops on roses!) I’m not getting the calla lily or sandalwood yet, although the combination of rose, frankincense, and presumably sandalwood is reminiscent of the same trio in Spooky Action at a Distance. One very sweet, slightly watery note is similar to honey or nectar. Day two, first all-day wearing; the resinous warmth of frankincense becomes more apparent a few hours after application, along with a soft woodiness of sandalwood and the gentle freshness of lily starting to peek out, along with something violet-like. Day three, I’m getting a little of the alcohol note that another reviewer mentioned (sharp sandalwood?) After a few hours of wear, some powderiness creeps in, and a few hours after that, the lily and rose are offering the same dryer sheet impression as The Hourglass. Floral oomph! The wisteria, which resembles lilac or hyacinth, may bring a hint of candy grape. About two weeks in (July 10) the floral richness of the blend is continuing to deepen, and the watery note (calla lily?) is stronger on fabric, along with a lilac-like note, while the rose, frankincense, sandalwood, and wisteria shine on skin, fading after seven or so hours into a dusty warmth with a foundation of wood and resin. The dusty violet note is still present, reminiscent of The Hourglass. After drydown, all notes combine in the sillage. As of July 18, honey nectar and resinous frankincense stick best to skin through handwashings, whereas the general floral bouquet finds its way from my clothing into the air around me, getting stronger through the day. The dewy freshness quality of the florals is coming out in spades on July 20. On August 15, on-skin notes are coming through slightly spicy, reminiscent of potpourri, along with very red rose petals similar to the damask rose in Eve. The other florals, resin, and possibly wood come through on fabric. August 22: which notes shine on skin and which come through on fabric continues to mix and match, but the heady bouquet of the sillage remains the same. September 28: the resins are extremely prominent today, with pungent sandalwood and dry frankincense making themselves obvious. Thankfully I enjoy the soapiness of the florals, which are classic and elegant. Beautiful! This one has become my light, breezy, summer scent. Purchased late June 2025. BPAL #20!

Ava is back in stock! So luscious! First impression after spilling a third of a brand-new bottle: a lovely, golden, sophisticated blend of sweet, soapy florals I haven’t encountered before, bright citrus, gentle vanilla, and a slight bitter edge, almost minty and reminiscent of toothpaste, that must represent the almond. Reminds me of expensive shampoo! The bitter note is now taking over to an extent, an ashy component I can almost taste, but I expect that it will balance out with aging. I’m getting bitter almond, which is settling into a more pleasant base note, and a hint of vanilla on fabric and bright, glowing, syrupy, fruity florals of dessert-like, jammy lushness and mouthwatering sweetness and tangy citrus on skin, with the vanilla slowly peeking through throughout. I definitely understand another reviewer’s comparison with BBW’s Sensual Amber. At the same time, the aggressive sweetness of the tuberose and citrus put me in mind of a peach or apricot Jolly Rancher. The Lab has captured Ava's combination of excessive girlish sweetness, wild whimsy, and bitter, poisonous, selfish impulsivity. BPAL#19!

Eve is back in stock! Breathtaking! Floating, wafting, intoxicating, opening with a prominent incense note reminiscent of Quintessence of Dust or the shisha of Café Mille et une Nuits, underpinned by the sweetness of rose, a hint of spice, and powdery honey. There is a slight impression of dusty floral dryer sheets, reminiscent of The Hourglass, possibly the rose and resin notes interacting, and a feeling of just-burned candles evocative of Quintessence of Dust. The red rose comes to the forefront within an hour or two with the crispness of dried petals that another reviewer mentioned, with rose predominating on fabric and the incense and other uncountable notes of exquisite beauty coming through more strongly on my skin with an impression of sweet and ancient dust. Although it is not listed as a note, I may be getting a faint, indolic hint of jasmine, as another reviewer also mentioned, or lily (unless the damask rose or rosewater are coming through as particularly indolic). As of June 9, the crisp sweetness of rose petals and the indolic quality of rosewater are definitely coming through as separate notes. A cool breath of sandalwood or cedarwood is also coming forth like a suggestion of Old Spice or cologne. The evocative smokiness of incense having been burned follows, rose atop a spicy potpourri with a sophisticated hint of frankincense and myrrh, which blend with the incense, smoke, sandalwood, and calamus to create a sense of “spiciness.” As of June 24, a tarter top note has emerged above the dried red rose petals that I can’t place; likely the yarrow, moss, hawthorn, omphacium, or saffron. That citrusy note may represent the frankincense, or the rosewater, as another reviewer pointed out. On June 25, the tart, sharpish, high-pitched note of rosewater has established itself at the top of the overall fragrance almost like a note of orange juice, calming down throughout the day, and the rose petals are blooming more on skin. By July 6, the high-pitched rosewater has fully distinguished itself from the deeper sweetness of the damask roses. On August 26, I caught my first sniff of a distinctly fresh, minty, almost piney yarrow top note. One of the indolic notes may be the saffron. Many of the notes are ones I am not familiar with (and which, along with the actual incense note, read as a general impression of a complex incense), but they blend seamlessly into a poetic whole that is the perfect interpretation of the character. Late drydown combines a unique rose note, chilly sandalwood, and the grapey myrrh, all so wonderfully powdery. Sweet, complex, ancient, and mysterious! Ethereal, subtle, mysterious, evocative, and enchanting; my most magical OLLA yet. #18! My second bottle of this beauty, purchased in October of 2024, also reveals a fruity top note reminiscent of cherry candy that must be the omphacium! An almost mothball-like note may be the Irish moss or hawthorn.

First wearing: Mouthwatering, gingerbread-like cinnamon coffee! Like another reviewer, I might compare it to a candle, but in a good way. So far, it smells more like a cinnamon roll than coffee or tobacco, emphasizing the spices that are blended with the coffee rather than the coffee itself. Thankfully the strong spices have not irritated my sensitive skin. About four hours after applications, the fragrance has softened considerably, but the smokiness of tobacco or incense is starting to come through. The slightly sneezy spices remind me of craft store potpourri/artificial greenery or florals, or scented artificial Christmas trees/wreaths. Five or six hours in, it is now a beautifully soft blend of spices and incensey tobacco. This is how the spice melange of Dune must smell! BPAL #17!

An impression of leather fades into the deep background quickly, leaving mostly a slightly spicy rock-and-roll patchouli! I agree with another reviewer’s assessment that it has a green and pulpy quality. A sweet and juicy quality may originate with the rum note. BPAL #16!

Initial thoughts: warm and sweet, with the sense of cozy darkness and hints of nuts and Play-Do that other reviewers have noted. As of March 30, this is a sweet and herbaceous scent that no longer evokes Play-Do, with a warmth quite reminiscent of vanilla or tonka. Beautiful! My fifteenth BPAL. Gave away as a gift in August 2025.

Initial thoughts: opens heavy on jasmine, which is soon sweetened by the honey, which balances the indolic pungency. Several weeks later, has balanced out even more to evoke jasmine tea with honey. Honey and vanilla come forward more on my skin, and jasmine and wood come through more on fabric. My fourteenth fragrance! On June 20, the indolic jasmine is interacting with other sweet notes (possibly the ambrette, saffron, and/or hay) to evoke overripe bananas. On July 27, it has rebalanced. Gave away as a gift in August 2025.

Glad to have my thirteenth BPAL fragrance! An extremely elegant floral, dominated by an almost sharp lily that is slightly reminiscent of jasmine and gardenia, or even daffodil; the light pungency of spring flowers. Elderly lady church perfume in a good way. I’m getting the impression of other florals in a general chorus, and a small amount of vanilla and/or tonka, but fresh out of the mail, it is mostly a clean and elegant lily. Lasts all day! Update on January 26 with further considerations on February 2: the lily has softened considerably, making the overall fragrance much more balanced among a lovely chorus of sweet, almost dryer-sheet adjacent florals, although it still lends an almost citrusy freshness. As before, the florals stick to fabric and the softer notes of vanilla/tonka stick to my skin. As of early 2025, a hint of tobacco may be becoming evident, and the overall sweetness of the blend may be increasing, with almost a brown sugar note becoming evident (and the lily note is more shampoo-like). Purchased in January of 2024. Brand-new bottle purchased June 2025: lab-fresh, it’s not much different from the more mature bottle, but some of the complexity may be yet to come out to play (very much a clean lily not wanting to share the stage just yet) and I got a faint impression of fruitiness (banana?) The new bottle is soapier and the vanilla is quite buried by the lily and other white florals, peeking out only at odd intervals like the occasional hint of Bath and Body Works’ Warm Vanilla Sugar. After a few hours, more vanilla arises on skin, and brown sugar on fabric. It’s becoming more familiar the more I wear it. July: similarly to the first bottle, around two hours after application, I get cool florals on skin and warm lily on fabric, with vanilla hanging back until later in the drydown before slowly emerging on skin. Washes off of skin more easily than I would like. Sometimes the lily can be quite indolic (early August). Just after application, the vanilla can be baby-powderish. This fragrance may also play differently at different points in the month, with the fruity note reemerging occasionally. The ultimate white floral!