SmellsPrettyGood2Me
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Everything posted by SmellsPrettyGood2Me
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A little bit of soil, a handful of cotton and the same Indian musk as Galvanic Goggles mingles with sweet tobacco when wet. Applied to skin, a boozy vanilla comes out to play and the tobacco really warms up. I don't really get any moss, or incense. This is softly sweet, lasting just under 7 hours, with moderate projection. I can see why this is such a highly coveted scent; it's gorgeous. The tobacco and cognac are a great combo, and as always the Lab's fabric notes are on point. It truly feels like a "best of" some of the nicest parts of other scents that I like all wrapped up into one. Hopefully it can make a reappearance somehow in the future!
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Stormclouds Over The Midway
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to iiinterstate's topic in Carnaval Diabolique
Always here for the Lab's ozone note! Very mineralic, atmospheric open on skin of a spring storm with a bit of resinous incense. Is the plum-color blackcurrant? As someone who intensely dislikes anise, I'm thrilled that the wormwood is nicely dialed down by the sweetness of the opium tar. The petrichor note sticks around post drydown, and the incense gets a nice spicy bite to it. Medium low sillage that only lasts about 5.5 hours before largely fading away. I like this; the more fragrances I try with opium tar, the more inclined I am to seek out others that include it. -
Thick white sticky sap beading up on a freshly cut stem in the bottle. On skin, that lightly chlorophyllic morning glory is bright and herbaceous as a top note, followed closely by a creamy lilac. By minute 30 the vine note has moved on. Something a little bit bitter is there, too, but overall the scent softens quickly into a very wearable, non-indolic floral. After an hour or so, a lightly powdery element emerges. Medium strong sillage that lasts just under 7 hours; just a little too potent for the initial couple of hours to be considered entirely work safe, I think. A lilac scent done well is a pleasure to wear, and this was done very well. Perfect for those days when you're feeling hardcore spring cottage core vibes, regardless of what the weather outside is like.
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Galvanic Goggles
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to lmaunu's topic in Phoenix Steamworks & Research Facility
Metallic notes with Indian musk, tobacco flower, and African balsam. Oooooh, this is nice. I'm getting some of the same cool metal note I've picked up in some of the RPG scents. Very much like a polished silver tea set! The tobacco flower is lovely and sweet without being cloying. There is a delicately spiced drydown that feels very feminine and alluring. Moderately strong projection and 6 hours of good wear, followed by another 2 more faint ones. I'm not sure if this was ever (or will be) offered as a hair gloss, but I think it would smell amazing in that format, too. Very worthy of a spot in the rotation when you want to smell nice without having to think too hard about it. -
Amorphallus, indeed. A breathtakingly exotic, wild, and grossly erotic spicy gold, purple-black, and burgundy lily. Such a well done fragrance, and very enjoyable even though I am incredibly picky about florals. In the bottle, the first note I get is citrus, more tangerine than orange, alongside a very light aldehyde. The lily is there, bloomed, not green or grassy. Applied to skin, that sweet orange-y top note is loud, but pretty. As it dries down, I get the lily but also what may be a touch of powdery iris (the purple) and some of the same spices as Morocco. Definitely some myrrh! Post dry down is not very floral at all. Moderate to low "clean" sillage that pleasantly wafts up around you for more than 7 hours. This is very much work safe, small space safe, and great in any season for social events. Alluring, but not overtly sexy.
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Once again the GC gods smile upon us! A non-indolic floral plus resins in the bottle, immediately blooming into something deep and sweet on the skin. Labdanum is one of my favorite notes, and I feel like it really shines here. If you enjoy "hidden" florals that are well blended amongst their other note peers, this is an easy win. Moderately strong projection and 8+ hours of wear; I applied this midday and could still detect it when I woke up the next morning. Those who referred to this as evoking a vintage 80's fragrance feeling were right on the money. This reminds me so much of my classy, sassy Aunt Nancy who had a heart of gold but brokered no bullsmit from anyone. I found it oddly confidence inducing! Probably not work or small space safe, but great for a night out where you're meeting new people and want something to give you a little bit of oomph. (Disclaimer that may or may not be relevant to you: our family cat absolutely hated this and took a wide berth when I wore it. I made a mental note and will probably limit wear when just staying at home.)
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Stunner. Where you been hiding this whole time??! First time getting a chance to try this GC gem, which I probably subconsciously avoided due to mixed results with other "blossom" notes. I appreciate that the peach, while not photorealistic, is on the softer side and well balanced. Incredibly pretty! Great for spring, summer, or whenever you are looking for a vanilla scent with a lighter touch. Four hours of moderate projection followed by 2 more with decreasing intensity.
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From this well aged imp, the fizz has long since flattened but the boozy background is still there. The pomegranate remains fruity in a hard candy sort of way, and there is definitely a touch of juniper from the gin. All notes are present and accounted for on skin; they feel cheerful and celebratory. Although these notes are not traditionally in my wheelhouse, I like how they've come together in such a fun way. This is a drive-around-town-in-your-vintage-convertible scent, perfect for cruising in warm weather.
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*please disregard, wrong scent*
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Dark to the point of being unsettling in the bottle; murky, bitter, medicinal terebinth dominates alongside the green, pitchy galbanum. These screechy notes make the jump onto skin, bringing the olfactory chaos for a good 20 minutes before settling down. At that point the patchouli reveals itself, muddy and baked, along with the myrrh and black amber. Finally, it is tolerable! Once again, I'm unable to locate the balsam note even though I know it is there. Sweetness continues to increase post drydown, as the myrrh gets increasingly soft and powdery. Screaming projection at first settles down to something more moderate, lasting about 7 hours. This was a ride, friends. It smells absolutely putrid in the bottle. The first half hour on skin was (subjectively) pretty awful to experience, and would benefit greatly from 50% less terebinth. But once that terebinth fades away, it's enjoyable from a distance. I still would not recommend huffing too deeply from the skin until after the second hour, but it has a pleasantly resinous, dry aura about it thereafter. I will suffer for the pleasure!
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"I am not a greater reader, and I take pleasure in many things", Elizabeth Bennet once said, in an effort to correct assumptions about her talents and habits. I have very few things in common with this famous literary heroine, but this is one of them. I don't know Mr. Croup as a character, have never read a word by the author who created him, and have no pre-formed concept of how this scent matches itself to its namesake. I do, however, take great pleasure in broody notes of a masculine persuasion. Opening the bottle, I get a deliciously dark smokiness. It's a little swarthy, but there is a cold bone dryness, too, that keeps it in the realm of appealing. Applied to skin, the porcelain note bursts forth in a glorious shattering, underneath which the booze dampened geranium and tonka warm on my skin. Glory was short-lived, however, as it fell off in intensity precipitously in strength almost immediately after drydown, lasting barely 3 hours even when I smooshed my arm into my nose. I was so bummed at how fast it faded that I tried it a second time a few days later with better moisturized skin, without any appreciable difference in longevity. Should a stray bottle come across your path, wear it to a winter gothic themed gathering like a secret that only you know, because it's very possible you will be the only one who can smell it. Mr. Croup The Scent is fantastic, unisex by my measure, utterly enjoyable independent of any character or writer association.
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Faiza, The Lady of Serpents (2016)
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to missnix's topic in Carnaval Diabolique
First wet whiff: Black musk and many other things that cannot be sussed out individually, other than a slightly sweet orange oil note. On skin: A true melange, lighter and less (non-indolic) floral than the notes would suggest. A little spicy from the green cardamon, a bit astringent from the bergamot, a touch woody from the oakmoss. Post dry down is where the blackberry really shows up, but I never end up getting much vanilla on it's own. Moderate projection for the first hour, then another 3-4 of a much softer, skin-close experience. Overall the impression is overwhelmingly positive, one of true perfumery talent at it's best. Not gimmicky or pandering, just really nicely balanced and overall well done. For some reason it reads very much like a modern French perfume with a bit of a kick to it. This bottle dates to 2023 or 2024 (I forget) so it's had a little time to sit with itself, which has only enhanced the beautifully blended features of the scent. I recommend getting your hands on an aged bottle if possible, or buying one to put away for later. -
I love what this scent stands for, and I would wear it proudly if not for the fact that the almond cream note is a double whammy of no for me. It's all I can smell in the bottle, and dominates on skin for the first 10 minutes, at which point the fig and jasmine take over. I don't get a lot of honey, but what is there is smooth, sweet, and quiet - not dusty or sneezy. Very tropical, and great for those who love florals. Moderate to low projection post dry down. This scent will work for you if these notes work for you, but they're not for me. My personal interpretation of the groundbreaking lawsuit would be a bit different: the cold granite stone steps on which protests are launched, the silk ties of the lawyers on both sides, a deeply warm, golden amber of universal love and the paper on which the official documentation of said love is printed.
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She Perishes That She May Live
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to annemathematics's topic in BPAL Anniversary
Came for the cassia and frankincense, and hoped the cinnamon had aged long enough to settle down a bit. In the bottle, I also get a weird unwashed feet smell (maybe the spikenard?) that makes me wonder if perhaps it has spoiled or been contaminated over the years. But, being the brave little toaster that I am, I dab it on anyway. The cinnamon smells only moderately strong, but leaves a very light, mild pink patch of topical irritation, as for me it often does. The toe stank is there, too, but it fades down around 35 minutes in, by which time the olfactory heat of the cinnamon is also long gone. I'm not sure how to interpret the 3 balsams here, other than to acknowledge they are present but without being able to precisely suss out what they are (other than resinous). The cassia is a bit powdery and pairs very nicely with the slightly creamy frankincense for the duration of the wear. No noticeable contribution at any point from the acanthus, which may have been lost to time. Medium strong projection for the first hour, settling into solidly medium territory for the next 6 hours. This scent definitely has paternal lineage elements seen in other BPAL fragrances that came thereafter. Although I have liked spikenard in some of them, here it was just a bit too much for me to get very excited about. I may see if I can combine this with another scent to bring it down a couple of ticks. -
2015 version! Very apothecary-like in the bottle, smelling of something medicinal with light aldehydes. There is an element of clean and soapy that presents immediately on skin; I think I can detect some sweet orange oil in there. The violet note comes across as more leaf than flower, and I cannot really detect any element of rose. As it dries down it smells more and more like an herbal cough drop, a little lemony but getting sweeter as the bitterness fades. Projection is low moderate, lasting about 7 hours total. I can't recall how this came to be in my collection, as none of the notes in the description really entice me when reading them, but I'm glad it is. Once the initial weirdness fades it's a really fresh and sweet scent, well suited to warmer weather wear.
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An aldehydic peach, kissed by incense and slightly sweetened by amber, sits cheerfully in the bottle. On skin, the bergamot joins the chorus. I like the fact that the peach is very light, and that the floral notes aren't really that flowery at all. For me the predominant note is the frankincense, which I really enjoy. Very low throw and only about 3.5 hours of ephemeral, lilting wear. Pretty for summer time, day or night.
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Lines Written by a Bear of Very Little Brain
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to doomsday_disco's topic in Yules
Spicy raw, green cardamom and milk laden rice pudding wet in the bottle. I could swear I am getting a touch of cinnamon in there as well? On skin, the rice gets a chewy, stewed quality and sits beneath the cardamom that surrenders much of its sharpness about 15 minutes in. This is about when I get my first whiff of honey and amber starting to rise to the surface. The snow note is soft and forms a general impression of cool fuzziness rather than bone cold chill; it reminds me of the smell of powdery sweetness on a white Tic Tac right before you pop it in your mouth. It's the one element that keeps this from being another breakfast-y scent for me like Edward Bear was. Thankfully, it does not go lactonic at any point in time. Projection settles down into a low thrum after drydown and gets progressively more and more delicate over the next 4 hours. Very enjoyable to wear - cozy and comforting. I do wish it lasted a bit longer! -
Tuberose, Wild Tobacco Flower, and Red Clover
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to Seajewel's topic in Duets & Menage A Trois
A beautifully creamy, clean trio that perfectly portends the transition between spring and summer. All three notes appear in the bottle in equal strength, but the waxy tuberose takes center stage on skin right away. About 10 minutes in I start to get the grassy green sweetness of the red clover and another pale white flower that must be from the tobacco. The balance here between the notes is exquisite; if all florals were this well constructed, I'd like a heck of a lot more floral fragrances! Medium projection and reasonably good longevity at just under 6 hours of wear. Very likely on the fringes of workplace and small space safe as long as it is applied with a light touch. My partial, secondhand bottle is from a less BPAL-centric period of my fragrance journey, which is unfortunate because I would grab 3 extra bottles of this now if I could. The gentle, creamy sweetness here somehow reminds me of another beloved discontinued favorite, Armani's Si Fiori. I will be saving this for special occasions like spring or summer weddings while I hope for a Trio Comeback Tour. -
2022 version! This is a gem worth cherishing. Time has aged the musk from red to a deep purple that fills your nose with each sniff from the bottle and goes jammy on skin. I'm getting vanilla sugar crystals and a touch of amber as it dries down. The booze is either a port wine or fruit cordial, high proof but not overtly alcoholic. I do also detect the vegetal Snake Oil musk here. Perfect for both days and evenings in every season except summer, when it might be just a bit too much. Big, bold projection and 10 good hours of wear on my skin. Will return to review 2024 and 2025 versions in good time...
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The petrichor here is absolute perfection. It's watery and deep in the bottle, and transitions to skin in a gloriously clean (mildly cucumber-y) burst of freshness and renewal. It's now less classically aquatic and more a little bit mineralic, not salty like an ocean note. The silk and vanilla notes appear promptly, within 5 minutes, and the scent shifts from the cool spring rain to the smell of the forest nymphs frolicking in dewy woods. Per usual, the Lab's fabric accords are award worthy and the silk note shimmers in the air. The vanilla is sweet, powdery and dry. Despite being delicate, projection here is moderate and lasts a good six hours. This is a fragrance for a gentle mood, whether it's present already and needs a scent to match, or if one needs to evoke feelings of mental escape into an outdoor woodland fantasy. Ideal also for an intimate, bedtime perfume.
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The Inexorable Finger
SmellsPrettyGood2Me replied to caith_bpal's topic in Black Phoenix Trading Post
2025 version! Sweet, sticky and dark in the bottle, it goes on skin a purple-y grape scent and gives Big League Chew vibes for the duration of the wet open. The oud is there, barely, but gets a bit stronger as it dries down. I don't think the patchouli is as strong in this iteration as in past seasons; it takes over an hour to present and does so a lot more gently than expected. Projection is relatively bold and longevity is very good at 8+ hours. It must be the obsidian note that is leading the charge in this version. While I like it, I think it could benefit from a good rest. -
I love reading when a scent really hits for other people; it makes me happy for them and excited to try it for myself. I went into this wearing experience with high expectations, but I did not have the same love-at-first-sniff as everyone else. What I got, mostly, was Honey Nut Cheerios in a bowl of vanilla almond milk. Tasty smelling, more oats than toasted bread, with a bit of sweetness from the amber and the vanilla. Projection was strong and it lasted over 8 hours on my skin. I like it, but it has to be kept aside for days when I want to smell like breakfast.
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At 16 years aged, there's no nutmeg here anymore; both in the bottle and on skin is just the quietly creamy black sandalwood, the sweet benzoin and vanilla adjacent tonka. Throw is low, and soft, but beautiful. Like others, I only got two hours wear, but it was really nice. If you are like me and love getting to experience a piece of BPAL history, this is worth a grab if and when you see it.
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Big honey cream, the woodiness of the mahogany, and the crinkle of red silk are present in the initial wet sniff from the bottle. Upon application, the earthiness of the lotus root and a the smallest whiff of a lightly tanned leather emerge. The red sandalwood here reads like the "red" in red musk, but doesn't otherwise leave much of an impression. Moderate projection and a good 6+ hours of wear. My favorite parts of this scent are the red silk note (I bow once more to BPAL's fabric accords) and the mahogany. Unfortunately, the honey cream somewhat curdles on my skin and just doesn't hit right, giving "who has cheese in their pocket" vibes that refused to quit me.
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Almost a decade aged, the lavender leaps out of the bottle, less a thread and more like a ball that rolls up into your nose with a big smack. On skin, it amps up quickly like a flash round before fading just as fast, largely gone about 35 minutes later. The ambergris is briny-sweet instead of briny-stank, and the amber is indeed present with a very light hand. My experience is similar to others in that it doesn't last long (about 2.5 hours for me) but it's very pretty and airy while it's around. Perfect ethereal summer bedtime scent, despite being one of the Yules!