SmellsPrettyGood2Me

That first deep sniff is all brown musk and spice, with a touch of sweet dark molasses lurking below. Applied to skin, cinnamon, clove and a bit of sugar surge to the forefront and dominate for the first 25 minutes, right about when the patchouli starts to make its first appearance. The booze note here is powerful and present, but the brown musk itself stays quiet until around an hour in when the spices start to burn off a bit. I am not getting as much of the molasses note on skin as I did from the bottle, but I expect it will emerge more as it deepens with time in storage. Medium to strong sillage (a bit potent for small workspaces and places), lasting just under 7 hours before fading away. Not blind buy safe if you are sensitive to cinnamon in particular, but otherwise very enjoyable to wear now, and likely to get even better as the spices mellow out with time. Perfect transition scent from pumpkin spices in Fall to gingerbread spices in Winter! I suspect that people who may not be paying close attention will sleep on this vs Gingerbread Snek, but I think it has standalone merit and will end up being a cult favorite.

VERY strong butterscotch rum wet in the bottle, cloying and synthetic. Coming in hard behind that is an oily hazelnut with just a touch of astringency from the white oak. First impression is overwhelming, and I am not optimistic. On skin, even with an electron sized dab, the butterscotch rum screams and the hazelnut wails. There is no subtlety here; the scent swells and expands with time, becoming more potent. I got 6 hours of nuclear wear, 2 hours of modest wear, and 4 more hours of faint wear, even though I considered scrubbing it off several times along the way. There is a cream note lurking in here somewhere that I've not really liked in other BPAL scents, and I'm getting hardcore Yankee Candle vibes from the butterscotch rum. Overall impression is that this is too potent and artificial smelling to be enjoyable for me. I will keep it to see if it smooths out as it ages, but can't imagine wearing it again anytime soon.

Absolutely gorgeous, and my favorite of this year's Yules that I've tried so far. I love me a good carnation note, and this one glimmers at the very top of the bottle when you take that first, long sniff. The peony is a little sweet, the vanilla subdued, the orris restrained. All together, the effect is soft, familiar and familial. On skin, the red musk and leather finally show their faces, but instead of shoving their way to the front they linger mid-stage, present but not overpowering the softness in the lead. Eventually, the red musk moves forward and the other notes move to the back. I agree completely with other reviewers who said that this orris is not at all powdery. Overall, it is a very well balanced scent. This wears closer to the skin on initial application, but really blooms in strength when the red musk takes over post dry down - take care not to over slather and then become a bit overwhelmed when it gains strength as time goes by. I had a full 8 hours of wear and enjoyed them all. Will be buying a back up bottle as I expect this will age like a dream!

Wow! Three years aged, this scent has really deepened and evolved into something pretty fantastic. Wet in the imp is a dance between a cocoa-y chocolate, a tanned brown leather, and a hint of a fir needle that has dried out but remains fragrant. On skin, it's mostly chocolate and leather for a good half hour until the amber and vanilla start to emerge. I start to feel a little uneasy at this point, as I'm getting that woodiness that sometimes accompanies some vanilla scents; it lingers for about a half hour before mercifully fading away. The fir needle has also left the building. What remains for the next 3-4 hours is a dark vanilla chocolate. Projection is on the low end of moderate, with a total wear time of about 6 hours.

Knowing how beloved the perfume oil version of this scent is (by me, and so many others) I thought it would be best to give my impressions as a stand-alone product first, then compare it to the OG fragrance. Here we go! Although not explicitly stated anywhere, I like to shake my hair oils prior to application to ensure that everything is properly mixed. I have fine, untreated hair that is oily at the scalp and drier on the ends; I aim for the mid-back part of my head and brush down from there. Two sprays on mostly damp hair was enough to provide good coverage, and everything distributed evenly and nicely. First whiff is overwhelmingly green cardamom, very snappy and spicy, followed by the vanilla chiffon that almost smells marshmallow-esque. The orchid petals are there, but not very "floral" in tone. As it dries down, the sugared amber pops up from a nap in the back seat, looks around, and lays back down again. There is a light resinousness that accompanies the dry down which could be called incense smoke, but it isn't "smokey" like a campfire or woodstove at all. The cardamom abandoned ship pretty quickly and left the vanilla chiffon steering the way. Very pleasant, and lasted a good 8 hours before I either became anosmic to it or it largely just faded away. (The former is probably true, because I got a whiff of it the next morning when the water hit my hair in the shower.) This hair gloss formulation has cyclomethicone and botanisil, two synthetic silicone type molecules that coat the hair to give it shine. I noticed that this texture benefit seemed to persist even after shampooing my hair the next day, even though the fragrance itself washed away. How does this compare to the perfume version? Much chirpier, brighter cardamom leads the way in the hair gloss format, and fluffier, mallowy vanilla carries it the rest of the way, with much less amber and orchid. It smells exceptionally good, but not an exact note experience match to the perfume in real world wear. I like to think of them as fraternal twins, easy to tell apart although clearly sharing a lot of DNA.

Incredibly fabric forward! In the imp, the silk note is the most prominent, followed by the cotton. The grey musk is also there, but surprisingly little lavender or vanilla. On skin, I feel like in the wet open the silk note has elements in common with the satin note in White Satin Hearse; there is the impression of a soft sheen. The French lavender appears, barely, in partnership with the grey cotton note, almost like a freshly laundered hand towel. The grey musk is more potent on skin, showing up as fast as 20 minutes post application. I couldn't tell you what silver thistle smells like, because there isn't anything particularly distinctive about it. Maybe there is a hint of a lace note in here too? The bourbon vanilla almost seems like dried baking extract remnants stuck to a measuring spoon that didn't get washed right away; no boozy, alcoholic or particularly dark undertones are present. The musk is a little sweatier than I had expected, and (to echo and affirm another reviewer) the whole scent gives post-warm up, lightly perspiring ballerina vibes. Delicate, low sillage and only about 5 hours of perceptible wear. Freebies are generous, much appreciated, and fun to try, but I don't think I'd be tempted to buy a full bottle of this if it was available.

A very juicy fresh red apple with a hint of scorch or cooked skin that must be the "black" part of that note. The pomegranate isn't terribly prominent, but gives a slightly deeper sweetness and tone to the scent. The pink pepper only emerges on skin after a few minutes, smelling like whole peppercorns, papery and piquant in ways that aren't entirely pleasing. I'm in an uneasy truce with it for an hour or so, until the apple and pepper both fade away and a faint hint of dried pomegranate juice is all that is left behind. By the end of the second hour, it's 90% gone. At the four hour mark, it was as if nothing had ever been there at all. This trio is inoffensive if you like peppercorns (and even if you don't, it won't torment you for very long).

Big, fat, wet lemon peel that smells juicy in the bottle but gets a little pom skin pithy once it is applied on skin. As it wears, the scent softens barely 15 minutes post application into something a lot more airy and ephemeral. The white musk has a touch of vanilla to it that emerges around 35 minutes in and brings a subtle sweetness. I wish the pomegranate rind wasn't so enduring; it's a little too bitter and intermittently throws the balance of the scent off a bit for me. By hour 2, the musk is all that is left. HUGE open, moderate dry down and soft wear for a total of about 5 hours before it fades away. Work and small space safe after the first 15 minutes. This scent is Sally Struthers on All In The Family, sitting cross legged on a yellow shag carpet, playing a guitar.

Juicy, fruity, mandarin and pear in the bottle. There aren't any other dominant notes, but a deep sniff gives me just a faint hint of ink lurking and swirling below the surface. These fruit top notes continue their domination when applied to skin. Finally, a citrus that doesn't turn my stomach when it hits my skin! Cursed with a citrustank microbiome, I've generally learned to avoid anything grapefruit, orange, lemon, or lime. But mandarin, by some anomaly, seems to be not only ok, but actually enjoyable. The benzoin and tar come in next around 40 minutes later and give the scent some depth. Surprisingly, the mandarin sticks around for quite awhile, defying my usual experience with top notes. I don't get much incense until about 2 hours in, and it's more of a waft than a plume. The ink remains very indistinct through dry down and ongoing wear. The scent projection overall is pretty strong, and lasts almost 9 hours. By the notes description, I would have passed this over without thinking twice. Having tried it, I really like it a lot. It's a hidden gem for people who don't like many fruity scents but want something a little brighter sometimes. Wearable for all seasons!

I'm genuinely surprised not to see more comparisons to the GC gem Morocco here, as to my nose this shares at least 50% of the same DNA both wet and in drydown. The two differentiating notes feel like the olive blossom and the orchid, which give a more green floral vibe to this by comparison. Although a bit sharp around the edges on the wet open when applied to skin, it dries down to something pleasantly fragrant. Moderate to strong sillage, with good staying power as I can still smell it 8 hours later. Most people seem to not like this, but I do!

Very pretty! As an only-sometimes-under-the-perfect-conditions violet wearer, this was an unexpected hit. I think I recognize at least a couple of the elements here; the violet is the same as in Bruised Violet Compound, and the "sugared" note has also appeared in other scents (the sugared amber in Dahlia, for example). There is a dry, powdery element to the scent that keeps it from being too sweet. After 2 hours it started to get a little woody, which means there is also a touch of vanilla in there as I've gotten this undertone a few times before (but can't seem to pinpoint exactly which vanilla it is). I appreciate that there is nothing that gives "artificially flavored candy" at any point in time. Medium throw and very good longevity at about 7 hours at nearly full strength.

**Warning: Anne of Green Gables spoiler** "Wan" is the perfect descriptor here. Barely perceptible, orris forward scent in the imp that makes a half-hearted attempt to perk up on skin but then collapses into a velvet chaise while weakly fanning itself. I'm reminded of Ruby Gillis in the Anne of Green Gables series; this is the perfume of her dried funeral flowers after she tragically dies of consumption. Delicate, subdued, and a little bit haunting, with very low projection and only about 4 hours of wear.

On the open, apple, rose, and something a bit sour. I am also getting that waxiness that others have mentioned. VERY pulpy. Vanilla and cacao are very late to the game, appearing about an hour later. The patchouli must be here in only very small parts, as I can't pick it out of the lineup. Medium throw and decent longevity at about 6 hours. I'm glad I had the chance to try it, but I will be passing this on. Someone who likes the combo of roses and apples more than me is sure to love it!

Minty lemon peel with dried apple Poo-pourri in the bottle, which I am certain was not the intended vibe at all. On skin, I don't hate it, though! Very "cold" smelling without being too sharp or astringent. Dries down to a lovely, ephemeral sweetness and lasts for about 4 hours. Pleasant, and will be enjoyed for as long as it lasts.

Evokes an 18th century gentleman's daughter taking a turn around a spring garden on a sunny day. The chlorophyllic greenness generally associated with these flowers is tempered by the sweetness of the amber and a very delicate, airy softness. I almost feel as though I can smell an actual breeze when wearing this! With very low sillage, this is for you and you alone. Lasts about 6 hours before fading away. This is a beautiful blend of happiness and softness in a bottle. I agree with others who said it's work (and small space) safe. Perfect for those days when you want to feel pretty.

Woof, that first wet whiff is intense! Big, astringent black pepper and water soaked wood, along with citrusy mace. I find the cardamom here to be more green than warm, and there is just barely a hint of tonka sweetness lurking at the very bottom of the barrel (bottle). Not unexpectedly, my skin takes those top notes and dials them up to 100/10 when applied. I think the mace is in the lead, with an almost orange peel quality to it. I'm also getting more brackish water now, before a more fougerey tone takes over. It does actually smell like wood, not sweet, but weather beaten. Opens loud but gets to a more moderate projection over time. I think I picked this up because of the patchouli, but there's no distinctive stank here to signal that much of it is present as anything other than a base note anchor (too on the nose? ha, nose!) which never fully and independently reveals itself. I like it a lot post drydown, but the first hour was not as nice to experience. Wear this when you're taking a day trip to Salem, MA in spring or summer and cruising on a restored wooden schooner. Ahoy!

Church basement bake sale. Catholics will either delight in this or develop PTSD flashbacks. Almost too much cookie sweetness in the open, but fortunately it settles down after the first 10 minutes and really gets nice about 30 minutes in. I like that I can smell something like baseboard heat dust and wood wall paneling, which must be the Cathedral part of the equation. Softens into something pleasant, incense-y with a touch of sweetness and lasts about 6 hours on me. Wear this for the olfactory experience of being a 1960's housewife who volunteers to lead Bible class and sell cookies for Saint Mark's every week.

I'm not truly certain how old this bottle is, but time has firmly worn down the ginger and balsam so that the rosewood, tobacco and elemi are left, in that descending order of influence. Extremely mellow, and yes, a bit medicinal as it wears. Low projection but good longevity at about 9 hours. My feelings on this scent morphed over time. I like rosewood a lot, so getting a strong punch of it in the open was not at all unpleasant. The herby elements were confusing, and I couldn't decide if they were enjoyable or off-putting. This scent pulls masculine, which I generally don't mind and often even gravitate towards, but it didn't entirely work for me. At about the four mark I was doing some laundry and caught a whiff of myself and it wasn't at all unpleasant. Net impression is pretty neutral. I think back in the day when this may have been a bit brighter I would have really liked it. Will keep to retry again in a few months before deciding if it stays or goes.

Very floral orange blossom dominates in the bottle and on skin. The honey is thick and sweet, not at all dry or dusty. After about an hour, the Snake Oil really started to push forward. I think there is a sneaky extra vanilla in here, too! Lasted a good 6.5 hours of pleasant, wafting sweetness and warmth. Adding this to my list of Snake Oil variants that I really enjoy!

He dank, yo. Krampuslaufen is your Old World alcoholic great uncle with the tobacco stained beard and herbal breath mints that don't do much of anything to improve his general scent bubble. Literally smells of unwashed old mountain man to me and will not have a spot in my rotation.

Quite lovely! Very orange blossom forward in the open, with a delicate honey that is sweetly pleasant but not cloying. If the pepper is there, I can't detect it when first applied. The amber and incense lurk in the background until about a half hour in, and then step forward. Low but wafting sillage that lasted about four hours for me. This is a much daintier, floral scent than I would normally reach for, but I like it quite a bit. Very pleasant, work safe, and wearable.

Knowing that there is at least one variety of sandalwood that reads as pickle to my nose, I was a bit worried I'd find it in this blend. No danger here! Sweet sandalwood dominates on the bottle and on skin, slowly trading places with the tobacco as time and body heat play their part. I also detect a bit of cassia and/or cinnamon here, kicking the spiciness up a notch. This is men's deodorant and/or body wash adjacent, and incredibly strong. One small dab fills whatever room you are in, and sticks around for 12+ hours. A scent impression remained even when I woke up the next day. I have to put it aside for a bit and come back to it. I like it, but the potency is overwhelming and I need to figure out what the right occasion is for wearing it. To be continued!

2019 Version Creamy, almost pastille-like rose and jasmine in the bottle. The jasmine definitely slides into the drivers seat when applied, but the vanilla foam floats in to keep it from becoming too much. Mallow is a weird note for me; sometimes it goes woody, but here it almost has a kettle corn quality to it. I do not get much, if any, rose once applied. By the time it dries down, a general powdery sweetness is all that really remains. As often happens, aging has smoothed out the hard floral edges and left behind something prettier and better balanced than how it originally started. Low sillage in the end, with 5 hours of good wear. Although this is a Yule, it feels like an honorary Luper and a perfect fit for Valentine's Day.

In the bottle, Snake Oil, kraft envelopes and, impressively, a slight note of adhesive. I do not get any of the wooden crates until it hits my skin; some have said it's cedar but my mind agrees to call it pine instead. There is also now a much more easily identifiable paper note that must be the cardboard. Now I think I can smell a rubber band?! I don't know how the Lab did it, but I swear it's there. I'm laughing as I write this because the first and best word I can use to describe this is FUN. It's fun! The scent notes and description perfectly match to form a mental scene and physical experience. If the Lab ever did a Golden Ticket style giveaway for a tour of their maker space, this is definitely what the shipping room closet smells like. Paper and patchouli rule this scent from start to finish for me; although I don't like the paper note in Miskatonic University at all, I really like these cardboard and label notes here a lot. I do get some red musk, but it isn't overpowering. I suspect the Snake Oil will outlast most of the top notes as the bottle as it continues to age. This has strong projection for 6 hours, then dials back to moderate for awhile longer. I can smell it on my wrist the next morning and it's still terrific. I hope this comes back someday as part of a Carved Wooden Reunion Tour.

This tickles my nose brain in all the right ways. Deep sniffs from the bottle bring up all three notes, with the frankincense taking the lead. There's no booziness here, just a dark sweetness. I dabbed some on, sniffed again, then dabbed MORE on (not because I had to, but because I am a sniffy piggy when it comes to tobacco and can never get enough). The warmth of my skin blooms all of the notes, and they waft up in delicious three part harmony. Others who have called the frankincense golden are spot on - there is a mild acidity here that really conveys brightness rather than smokiness. Now I am starting to get a touch of the bourbon, and the tonka bean comes in alongside it. The tobacco is toasty and caramelized in a very photorealistic way. Despite a double dose of how much I would normally apply, the projection does fall off a cliff at about the 1 hour mark, and sillage remains low for another two hours or so before it mostly fades away. If she lasted at least 6 hours, I would have zero notes. This triad is perfection in tone, balance and enjoyability for me; I would take it in hair gloss, lotion, bath salts, beard oil, really any format offered. I just wish she wasn't in such a hurry to move on when we only just met.