QueenProserpina

An impression of leather fades into the deep background quickly, leaving mostly rock-and-roll patchouli! I agree with another reviewer’s assessment that it has a green and pulpy quality.

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!

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.

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.

Light and lovely, and lasts all day. Sticks to clothing better than skin. I detect primarily a very fresh, crisp, clean-smelling lily (which starts out rather sharp and almost bitter, and reminds me simultaneously of jasmine and gardenia), citrus from the orange blossoms, and a general impression of resin, including the dark sweetness of myrrh, and a chorus of sweet florals. Almost like a floral dryer sheet, but in a good way (I think that is the violet and maybe dusty clove). The fragrance warms and sweetens in drydown, and I get different notes coming forward on skin than on clothing. I’m not getting the other notes specifically (white rose, violet, clove, carrot seed), but they blend seamlessly into a sweet, mature fragrance that I suspect will bloom as it settles and ages. As of February 5, the rose note is beginning to emerge, and I have determined that a more generous application is needed for real strength. As of February 23, the white rose has stepped forward and completely overtaken the lily, which is now a subtle background note. My twelfth BPAL fragrance!

I’m gradually amassing the entire OLLA collection and welcoming my eleventh BPAL fragrance! Warm, sweet, spicy, and musky, Diamond Star has an amberish quality that is softly powdery. It took a few weeks to settle after shipping, but has balanced out into a vaguely salty musk/incense blend with a hint of vanilla and possibly caramel and apricot. A subtle, cookie-like spice evokes coconut. The warm. ambery, powdery, vanilla-like note of late drydown is very reminiscent of Streets of Detroit, and I believe represents the myrrh.

My tenth BPAL purchase! Sweet, spicy, and delightful! Light throw but lasts through the day. Has the same notes as the spicy components of Blood Popsicle, along with a distinctive incense note, and a woody note that reminds me of Our Hearts Condemn Us. Goes very well with pine/spruce-scented skin products.

My ninth BPAL fragrance. Sweet, bright, juicy rose and smooth wood notes, an extremely elegant blend with good staying power and medium throw. Another classic! As of mid-April, a darker, more bitter base note has emerged-- the teakwood?

My eighth BPAL purchase. A delightful blend on me. I get rose and spicy carnation, accompanied by a vague, sweet assortment of other notes, one of which is reminiscent of banana candy (the historical medicinals?) This fragrance has decent staying power and only medium throw. Not my favorite of all time, but I will continue to enjoy it as it matures. Update on December 21: a boozy note has emerged: the absinthe?

My seventh BPAL purchase. Dark, sweet, and heavy with a resinous, grapey incense, this one lasts for hours and hours! Over time a powdery note emerges which is quite pleasant. I’m not getting any motor oil. It is possible that the note I’m interpreting as incense is what the Lab titles “musk.” Possible hints of vanilla and/or amber. Has a myrrh note reminiscent of the Lab’s Blood, hinting at the same gooey, syrupy, voluptuous cherry, and a little jasmine. Definitely a winner that I look forward to enjoying for a long time to come!

My sixth BPAL purchase. Very different from the others I have selected so far. I get rose, violet, and possibly geranium. Maybe even some clary sage or cedarwood. The fragrance is reminiscent of soap or shampoo (specifically tearless baby shampoo) but in a pleasant way; tart but not unpleasantly so, a grandmotherly scent. Strongly floral. I’m finding that it hits my nose in waves, coming and going with time. Washes off of skin but sticks well to clothing; doesn’t seem to have a dramatic throw. We shall see how long it lasts throughout the day. Update: a few hours later, the elemi seems to be coming out to play! This fragrance lightens with time, and fades in the direction of resinous incense (the frankincense?) but has better staying power for me than The Diamond’s Gong. As of February 9, a honey-like component has crept in! Feb 24: the rose is bright and juicy, supported by other florals and a foundation of resin.

My second BPAL fragrance. Very similar to Blood Popsicle from the Only Lovers Left Alive collection, but with less complexity and more cherry in the fruit note, rather than pomegranate and/or berry. A sensual, strong, and long-lasting scent for spooky days and every day!

My fifth BPAL purchase. This fragrance must be very different on different people. The first note to make itself evident on my skin is a strong burst of ink, with possible components of smoke and beeswax, which I found slightly sickening, and potentially headache-inducing, almost like a black licorice jellybean, or the scent of an artificial blackberry or purple grape candy. If I am detecting a smoky note, it is not of the campfire variety. After the fragrance dries and settles for awhile, some subtle honey (although that could be beeswax), gentle incense, and a possible blood note surface with the tiniest whiff of salt or metal, and the ink and beeswax calm down somewhat, although the general fragrance has faded into a close-to-the-skin scent. I'm not getting any discernible leather notes, and I’m not certain about the dust. This fragrance would be a favorite if the initial ink/smoke/wax note was not as overwhelming and the scent as a whole was more robust. Update two weeks later: this fragrance has settled after shipping and become one of my favorites! The notes play together better now, and a lovely, powdery note has emerged, leaving the impression of the most lovely candle imaginable.

My fourth BPAL purchase. Sweet, light, and lovely, this one is built around the same core of incense as Blood Popsicle and Funnel of Love. I enjoyed it very much, but I wish this one had more throw and staying power, as it was barely perceptible halfway into the day. Update about three weeks later: I'm disappointed to report that when I have a stuffy nose, this fragrance is extremely faint even right after I put it on. It is akin to the incense core of Blood Popsicle, Quintessence of Dust, Funnel of Love, or Blood hanging on into the next day. Update in late December: the fragrance is finally beginning to strengthen and bloom, and I’m determining that a more generous application is needed. Still a light and delicate fragrance, primarily a very sweet, soft, and twinkling incense, but it’s coming into its own after several months of aging. As of February 12, a shimmering, boozy note of cognac is starting to come through above the powdery incense, and different notes are more prominent on fabric vs. on skin.

This was my third BPAL fragrance. It has the same core note of sweet, sensual incense or musk as Blood Popsicle, adorned with peppery, lemony notes and earthy patchouli, along with a (not unpleasant) note I would compare to crayon wax. It has good staying power and a beauty reminiscent of Blood Popsicle.