lilirose

I had an odd emotional reaction to this scent. I really, really disliked it at first sniff, but gave it a second chance, and now I love Love Me! Wet, to me, it smelled very bitter, dark, and musky. I couldn't understand all the reviews saying it was sweet. It continued to smell very sharp and bitter for an hour or so...then it suddenly bloomed into a sweet, spicy lightly floral and vanilla musk. There's still something animalistic underneath, though. I don't get cinnamon at all, but maybe I'm just weird. I like it. Very sexy. Probably a 4/5, and probably will be a 5ml purchase.

I hoped this would be a favourite, because Lilith is my patron goddess. In the imp: very fruity and immensely sweet. Wet on skin: so gorgeous that, after dotting a tiny amount on to try, I slathered it very liberally. I smelled honeyed fruit and wine. I didn't smell roses at all, which was a surprise. After slathering and thinking how much I loved it, my son asked "Did you put on perfume?" I said "Yes, just like I have been for every day for the last three weeks. Do you like it?" Fatal question. He said that it smelled like oranges, to which I responded "I smell something citrusy too". He then said "You know that smell when oranges are rotting?" That's the last time I ever ask my son if he likes my BPAL. Drydown- fades a lot quicker than I'd like, down to a powdery/fruity scent that is just about gone four hours later despite the huge amount I applied. I'd give it about a 3.5/5 total. I'll keep the imp, and probably will buy another when it's gone, but won't be buying a 5ml.

Today my mail included a non-BPAL package that is nearly (but not quite) as exciting as one from BPAL... I got this locket, with the intention of using it as a scent locket. I'm wearing it now...it looks great and smells better! I also got two big bottles of fractionated coconut oil, which I'll be mixing with some of my imps to put into rollerballs. I'm not sure exactly which imps to mix, though...the thought of diluting the precious (even a little) is painful, but some of them are very strong on me and I want them to last as long as possible. Finally, I attempted using Caliph's Beloved yesterday to lure my husband into being somewhat less of an asshole...unfortunately, it didn't work, and in fact we had a gigantic fight at bedtime because I laid in bed waiting for him, in lingerie and TAL, for two-and-a-half hours before he finally turned his computer off and came upstairs...and even after he got in bed he ignored me so he could read a book and eat crackers. Jerk. What's that old saying- "I wouldn't kick him out of my bed for eating crackers", right? Well how ironic it is that the crackers were the straw that broke the camel's back! I'm blaming his utter obliviousness and thick-headedness rather than the TAL- he said I seemed "unapproachable" even though I practically threw myself at him! I now am even more certain that trying to fix our marriage is beating a dead horse. I'll save the sexy oils for others, then! (Don't freak, we're poly and my husband knows I'm seeing other people.)

Two lovely packages from the Labs today- both my BPAL imps and my TAL 5mls. I got two frimps with the imp order- Black Dahlia and Venice. Of course I've sniffed every last one, but am forcing myself to wear only one per day until I've gone through all of them and can decide what works and what doesn't. Today is Queen (from the Voodoo collection). It's working really well on me. My husband and my son both like it, also. I'll probably write a review later on, when (if?) I discover how long it takes to fade out.

Van Van: another one to add to the list of "scents I like". Wet, I could have sworn I was smelling sharp, overwhelming lavender (this just goes to show how bad I am at picking out notes!). It gave me no hint of its true scent until fully dry. A much mellower smell rose up during drydown. First I thought it was honeysuckle, then sugar. My husband said "butter and sugar, like when you walk into a bakery and they've been making fondant icing." Fully dry, I'm still smelling sugar, along with a very edible (not sharp) lemon. I also get vetiver, definitely. Excellent staying power on this one- five hours after applying, it's still going strong, and only has the faintest powdery note.

I just got back from a trip to Scotland. I was a bit anxious about the trip, and found Dragon's Heart both gave me courage and fit in very well with my surroundings. I'm a huge fan of dragon's blood, though.

Wow. Just...wow. This was the first imp I tried from a recent six-imp Voodoo purchase, and I am suitably impressed. It's hard to say exactly how it smelled in the bottle, as I'd just received an order with 14 imps and was sniffing all of them. My nose was a but overwhelmed! But something- not sure what- persuaded me to pick Queen to wear today. Wet, it seemed very quiet. Both my husband and I thought it was almost...timid. A soft, slightly powdery floral, with very little throw. Upon drydown, Queen changed completely. "Quiet" is the last word I would use- the throw is incredible! I didn't get the peppery scent others have mentioned, or any other foody-type scent. On me, Queen is more of a spicy, musky, heady floral. The only note I can pick out specifically is sandalwood, but I'm not a good "note-finder". Queen is strong, regal...the sort of scent that makes you walk with your back straight and your head high. Seven hours after applying it, I'm still catching strong whiffs of it, and I still love it. I may buy a big bottle, but I have the feeling the imp is going to last a looong time. Edited, 18th of October: I got a chance to wear this again (I have waaay too many imps, people!) and I still adore it. However, after spending the whole day thinking to myself "You smell fabulous", I shoved my wrist at my husband, who went "Ew", and when I mentioned that I was thinking of buying a big bottle, he said: "Don't." I nearly cried. Seriously. I love it, he hates it. I can't understand how it could smell totally different to him than it does to me.

I had a wonderful time in Scotland, and better yet, only minutes before I left, I got six imps that I'd purchased from another forum member! I was in a rush, and wasn't thinking straight, so for some reason I only brought two imps with me and left the others. I took Dragon's Heart and La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The former was a winner, and almost certainly will be a 5m purchase, but unfortunately the latter turned out awful on me. I put more detailed descriptions in the reviews section. Today I'm wearing Ephemera, and I really like it a lot. Have also added a review for that one. Best yet, there were two CnS e-mails waiting when I got home! Today is a bank holiday in Ireland so the postman didn't come, but hopefully tomorrow will be full of TAL and BPAL goodness! Edited to add: as I catch up on the forums I am too tempted by some of the new swaps...someone stop me, I need to at least try the stuff I've ordered before I get more!

I like this one. I'm not good at picking out notes at all, but it is a sweet, very feminine floral. It smells like young love...that's the best way I can describe it. I liked it in the imp, and love it on me- my only complaint is that it doesn't have as much throw or staying power as I'd like, but maybe I just need to apply a bit more.

I really, really wanted this one to work for me. But it didn't. On me, it smelled exactly like pipe tobacco. It was very, very strong and masculine. My husband even said "That smells like it should be on an old man". I mentioned that it reminded me of pipe tobacco and he said "Yes, that's it exactly!" I tried to leave it on for a while to see if it would fade to something more tolerable. I lasted about an hour before I had to go wash it off because I was getting nauseated. It wouldn't wash off entirely, even with scrubbing- I was stuck with it until I showered the next morning. I must have very odd body chemistry- I'm surprised that nobody else got "tobacco" from it at all. I guess this will be my first swap.

In the imp: I wasn't sure this would work for me. It just seemed overwhelmingly strong, and just a little masculine. But I was heading out on a long journey, and thought it might give me some courage, so I tried it. On me: I'm so glad I did try it! Yum! People kept asking "What is that wonderful smell?!" It was definitely dragon's blood-y, but also rich and sweet, and a bit like red wine (but not alcoholic at all). It also did seem to keep my spirits up on a long trip with a lot of delays. I think this may be among my first 5ml BPALs, and I'm anxious to try some of the other Ars Draconis.

I've been raving about this oil everywhere else, so I thought I might as well make it my first review. I was a BPAL virgin- White Light is my first, and what a wonderful first time it is! Even though I've used it several times now, I still can't pick out any specific notes. It's sweet, floral. When I first sniffed it in the bottle, I thought "Granny perfume"...but that first impression was oh, so very wrong. On my skin, it is sweet and...is it possible to be "delicate" and "strong" at the same time? It also has incredible staying power. If I put it on right after a shower, I can still smell it the next time I shower. I apply it (as directed) on my chakras. The first time I pretty much slathered it on, and used it specifically in a Tantric Chakra-opening meditation followed by a ritual. "OMG" doesn't even begin to cover it. I usually have trouble with meditations because it's hard for me to focus and clear my mind. However, this time all the negative thoughts swept away, and as we moved through the chakras one by one, I could actually visualize them opening like bright, white flower-lights. I know that sounds a bit fluffy, but it's true. I ended up with a migraine the next day- which often happens after a particularly effective ritual- but I came to the conclusion that I had used a bit too much of the oil. I've used it a few times since, and now apply it by dipping the tip of a (new) wooden chopstick in the oil, then touching the chopstick to each chakra point. The scent is still powerful and lasts a full day or more. I use White Light as a self-blessing when I'm feeling down or anxious. It really does sweep negative thoughts right out of my head. On one occasion, my husband and I were having a conversation that was getting heated, so (without saying anything) I applied a bit of White Light to my wrists. The atmosphere in the room cooled and calmed within a matter of seconds and we ended up having a very productive discussion rather than a fight. I love this blend with all my heart and will be certain to always have a bottle in my collection. I recommend it highly.

Yay! My refund cleared PayPal today, so my TAL order is placed! I ended up only ordering the original five that I listed. I didn't add Firey Wall of Protection- will save it for next time. Maybe, if I'm super-lucky, all my various orders will be waiting for me when I get back from holiday! I'm off now to obsess some more over reviews and wonder if I chose well

I've been blogging in various spaces since 2002, but never done a special-interest blog before. However, I can't stop thinking about BPAL, and my husband is getting sick of me going on and on about it, so I set this up so I can blather on and on without annoying anyone! I'm totally new to BPAL. I thought I was "not a perfume person", since I'm hyper-sensitive to chemical/factory perfumes. I am Pagan and used to be interested in blending my own incense, but when I quit smoking cigarettes, I started being annoyed by incense smoke as well. Anyway, for my birthday in May, a friend sent me a bottle of TAL "White Light". I wasn't sure I liked it upon smelling it in the bottle- my first thought was that it was a "Granny perfume", in total honesty. That first impression could not possibly have been more wrong or misguided. I applied the oil to my chakra points before a ritual (a Tantric chakra meditation, to be specific). I'd only had limited success in chakra meditations before- I usually have trouble clearing my mind and focusing. But this time was completely and totally different. My partner also thought it was an especially intense session. I felt like I was floating for a couple of days afterward! I've used White Light three or four times since that first night. The second time was when my husband and I were having a discussion that was about to degenerate into a fight. I put a drop of oil on each wrist. The mood in the room lightened within seconds. I've also used White Light on my chakras a couple of times when I was feeling depressed or having persistent negative thoughts. It works amazingly well! I would love to wear it every single day, but I'm afraid it'd lose its effectiveness if I use it too often. I visited the BPAL and TAL sites to learn more, and ended up here. Last week I ordered a dozen imps from the Lab that have not yet been shipped. The next day I gave in to temptation and ordered five 5mls from TAL. I screwed up that order (sent payment in Euros instead of dollars). The Lab cancelled my order at my request, but I'm still waiting for PayPal to get their act together and release the money back to me so I can put the order through in the correct currency. Today I purchased six more imps from a forum member, so soon my single bottle of White Light will multiply into 18 assorted imps and 5 full bottles! I can't wait for my purchases to arrive. Here's a list of what I'm waiting for. BPALS: Lilith (of course) Helena Succubus Persephone Yggdrasil Lightning Blood Kiss Dragon's Heart Ephemera Hamadryad La Belle Dame Sans Merci Leanan Sidhe Love Me Queen High John the Conqueror Fire of Love Block Buster Van Van And from TAL: Blinding Glory of Love STFU Caliph's Beloved Charisma Bastet's Laughter (and I'll probably go ahead and order Firey Wall of Protection, as well.) Can't wait until they arrive!