ivyandpeony

Now I have an image of Beth stringing up some naughty Labrat by his or her toes as punishment. 

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"I'LL TEACH YOU TO PUT THOSE LABELS ON UPSIDE DOWN!!"

 

Depending on which labbie gets strung up, it might be considered fun.

 

I'm picturing Peter Murphy stopping by after Coachella to help label some bottles.

I'm infertile also, due to PCOS and thyroid issues... and about to turn 40 at the end of August. Our next recommended step was to try a few rounds of drugs and artificial insemination with my husband's sperm. We decided not to proceed with that for a number of reasons and needless to say, we've had our share of disappointments over the years. So I can understand where Oro is coming from.

 

But I wasn't offended in any way by Summer's post, and hardly think she deserved to be reamed out nor compared to the insensitive and shallow people Oro's written about in her blog entries.

 

Fertility isn't the only thing that makes me a woman. And it is a part of all womanhood, so I can celebrate it gladly with my sisters who have had children just as I can support those who are wishing and hoping for them or suffering from infertility.

 

I've always been drawn to the pomegranate - it's a beautiful symbol of fertility. So I'd recommend any of the pomegranate blends, particularly Queen of Clubs with those Earth Mother notes. Pomegranate is also present in Yerevan, Hanging Gardens, Persephone and La Bella Donna Del Miente... A little less conventional would be conceiving a baby because you are wearing the lovely pomegranate martini Swank (then again, martinis played a role for one friend of mine), Mi-Go Brain Canister or Freak Show! Would you want to tell that story at a child's wedding? "Here's the perfume I was wearing when you were conceived..."

....

 

my version of the Ace of Hearts: 

 

the picture is the same, the typeface for the "A" isn't quite the same, but that's the closest thing I've got.   If it's an actual playing card, I haven't found it yet.

 

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(Very well done BTW Harlequin!)

 

This may be the dumbest questions I have ever asked... I'm preparing to take the trout for them. On my bottles, the label was upside down from what Harley has posted above... having a rudimentary knowledge of anatomy, when I decanted my roll on, I peeled the label off one bottle and applied it the other way - i.e., like above, which looks "correct" to me.

 

So, what do your Ace of Hearts bottles look like? Are the veins and arteries coming out of the top or the bottom? Am I missing some significant symbolism dealing with an upside down human heart?

I'm so thrilled with the Queen of Clubs. I thought that she sounded like one of the most beautiful and inspired LE blends offered yet - but I was frightened of the "earth" notes. I had no success with Zombi, Burial or their cousins, although I've envied the way others described those scents - on me, nothing pleasant at all.

 

Finally, I have a blend that I love with that magical earthy, wet-dirt note. It amazes me the way that this note works to anchor the tart pomegranate, the sweet vanilla and currant and the soft florals. The resiny notes seem to weave the whole blend together for me.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing how this one develops in the bottle over the next month or so, too. Although I won't hesitate to write a glowing review shortly after receiving a new scent, I will very rarely write a "didn't like it, off to the swap pile" review until I have owned something for at least a couple of months. Lots of my treasures have seemed harsh or incongruous when fresh from the lab, and it's almost a given that a gorgeous and complex blend like the Queen of Clubs is going to be even more gorgeous as the individual elements marry and mix in the bottle.

 

Overall, this blend is a mind-blower and a wonderful gift from the Lab to the forum.

Of the three forum-only scents Beth gifted us with this spring, Ace of Hearts appealed to me the most, perhaps because I am a complete junkie for the florals... it's the rare BPAL floral blend that I truly dislike, or that goes completely wrong with my skin chemistry. And a gorgeous white floral is my end-all, be-all favorite.

 

So, suffice it to say that I haven't fallen in love with anything this way since Snow White came my way last Christmas. Every floral essence that Beth has included must be the most beautiful variety possible - absolutely the most gorgeous freesia, orchid, gardenia, lotus and rose notes I have yet experienced. While I did fear that this blend could have an aquatic quality that might clash with me, I don't pick up any aquatic notes at all. Yet there is a feeling overall that these flowers are wet with dew, or picked damp after a light rain - perhaps the water-loving lotus or the rain orchid add this to the blend, or perhaps it's some other magic.

 

The overall effect is an enchanting white floral - very bright and sweet upon application, and drying down without morphing much at all. I find that Ace of Hearts simply fades away slowly and sweetly over the course of four or five hours - a perfect excuse to carry my roller with me and slather a bit more of this uplifting and gorgeous scent whenever I like.

This is one of those scents, where you sniff your wrist over, and over, and over, and think, "How? How did Beth DO THIS?"

 

It's a wee bit mind-blowing. Buttered popcorn, yes, but I can even smell the salt. And there's a hint, just a hint of sweetness there too.

 

And now I'm really going nuts, because I didn't think I would possibly be interested in owning a bottle of this, and now I'm actually contemplating it. There's something very beguiling about Shill.

The lovely cupide430 organized a circular sniff on the LushNA forum of some Carnaval Noir prototype imps she was gifted with, and I am lucky enough to be a participant. Of the scents she has, I have most been looking forward to trying Fire Eater, and my frenzied anticipation did not lead to disappointment. It is a beautiful, beautiful blend, but very difficult for me to describe - I am going to try my very best, since it's such a privilege to get to try this one early and I want to give the clearest picture possible to anyone who's still wondering if this one is for them or not.

 

Fire Eater is very floral. So floral, that to me any hint of other notes like citrus and spice almost seem to be derived from the florals - the way that carnations and pinks smell spicy or the way orange blossoms reflect the scent of their fruit. My nose doesn't pick up any cinnamon, or cardamom, or any spice in that sense of the word.

 

I think there are carnations in there, their spiciness tempered with a sweeter floral. There's a hint of something very juicy in there as well, but it too is tempered and doesn't become as dominant, nor as lush and fruity as the note it reminds me of that's in The Living Flame. Overall the effect is clean, balanced and light. I do wonder how this one would change if I had enough to freely slather, instead of just dabbing a tiny spot on my wrist - I can't wait to find out.

 

If Fire Eater was a color, to me it would be in the fuschia, hot pink and coral family - very summery, as warm as can be without being uncomfortably hot, and intensely feminine. After all, the Fire Eater has consumed the flames, so there isn't a huge fire ablaze here - this is the heat she is giving off and the glow that emanates from her.

Just to add to the suspicions about something being screwy on Thursday (6/30), I too placed a wee order and did not get a confirmation from the Lab. But my PayPal confirmation arrived immediately. There have been other times I haven't received a Lab confirmation, but I have yet to not receive an order, so I won't be concerned unless a memo goes out telling us that 6/30 orders got eaten and we need to re-send them.

Do you think I should email the lab to ask about this?

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Why don't you PM one or two of the other UK forumites first and see if they have had a problem with it - you might get an answer faster. There are many, many UK residents who have been ordering (some since early 2004) and using PayPal, with apparently no mention of a problem with their county being included in their address, since that hasn't come up as a red flag in this thread or as a note to UK customers, has it?

 

Let's see, Donnababe, Miggins, Pookstrell, Purely Cosmetic, Clephan, red_jezebel all come to mind as UK residents, and I am positive there are others I am forgetting (I'm picturing avatars and coming up blank).

This one is really gorgeous - such a nice balance and contrast between the sweet wildflowers and the mossy woods. I picture this one being the forest at nighttime... there isn't anything sunny or bright about it to me, more of the feeling of being in very deep woods and smelling the mosses and flowers that grow with just a bit of sunlight each day. On me, it is definitely more floral than woody, even several hours after applying. But that's not a complaint because the florals are lovely and I am a staunch fan of most all things floral and BPAL. This will likely prove to be one of my favorites from the SIA collection.

Mmmm... I never thought I would associate the words "sexy" and "blind idiot god," but a sniff out of the bottle and I was like, "Whoa!" This is a gorgeous blend although it may prove too masculine for me to wear in the long run.

 

I share the vetiverphobia of the majority of BPAL fans, but the other notes persuaded me to order this one, and it is very interesting to me... This vetiver seems different than the vetiver I have encountered on previous occasions. It is richer, mellower and smoother. Whether it's truly a different vetiver oil that the Lab has used, or a result of its wedding with these other notes, I can't say. But the effect is that of a very expensive perfume, as if the house of Creed had hand-blended a scent for you.

 

Upon application, Azathoth starts out with bright citrus and saffron notes, and slowly dries down to a very deep, woodsy, dare I say BRAWNY base of cedar and vetiver. It was at this stage, after wearing it for about an hour and a half, that I gave up for the night, because this lecherous vetiver was crawling slowly up my arm and I could tell it was not going to take no for an answer.

 

This is one that I am really looking forward to trying again in a few weeks, to see how the notes have blended. For right now, Azathoth is gibbering away in my BPAL drawer (I told him he's resting at a very luxurious spa, having a special isolation treatment, though and he believes me ... blind idiot.)

I absolutely love Mi-Go Brain Canister and I can't wait for someone to ask me "What perfume are you wearing?"

 

Out of the bottle and when just applied, I get an odd, "off" note that reminds me of a specific off note that I get from Machu Picchu. But unlike the note in that blend, this fades away within a minute, so I am happy to stick it out. (I'm just one of those people who can't make it through say, a 10 minute dry down of something I don't care for.) Then Mi-Go becomes very bright, sweet and fruity, but morphs into a very well-balanced melange of lightly spiced florals and tropical fruits within 30 minutes or so. It pretty much remains that way for me until it's faded about 3 1/2 or 4 hours after application... re-slathering is fun. I'm probably going to make a little parfum spray soon and see how that affects its longevity, just for the sake of science and whatnot.

 

This is really a gorgeous blend - even though I am kicking myself for reading "The Whisperer in Darkness" last week in anticipation and thoroughly freaking myself out. Hope the next Arkham line with include Mi-Go Repellent to keep away those creepy crustaceans from outer space...

Minilux is absolutely correct - I knew that Hexennacht reminded me of something and I think it's the smoky notes from Hunter Moon. Those were the only notes that really showed up on me with HM, so I swapped it away, but combined with whatever magical goodness is in Hexennacht the smoke is divine. There's also something about Hexennacht that reminds me a bit of Samhain, another autumn scent that despised me... maybe it's the forest component?

 

Again comparing LE to LE... I get a very strong Sugar Skull vibe from Pink Moon for about the first hour or so. Perhaps it's just the way my nose interprets the sugar or strawberry notes in there. Certainly no complaints here - I love Sugar Skull, and I love Pink Moon whether it's smelling sweet or morphing into floral loveliness.

I have tried The Hanging Gardens 3 times since Monday, so obsessed have I been with this one! When I open the bottle, I can almost see a swirl of colors emerge from the bottle to match the myriad notes that I detect - kind of like a Peter Max painting. There are juicy fruits, lush flowers and earthy woods with a hint of sweetness that seem to anchor it all.

 

Once applied, The Hanging Gardens morphs on me to a sweet fig with a woody undertone, which reminds me very much of Hetairae. And as it dries down, it basically fades to fig, and very quickly at that.

 

I am not one to give up on a scent quickly. So I will definitely hang on to this bottle and try it again at different times of the month, to see if there's something odd going on with my chemistry that's making my skin absorb those beautiful notes I can smell in the bottle. I am not disappointed in the least in this blend, only in my skin's odd behavior with it... it is so lush and gorgeous that I would probably take the plunge and purchase a scent locket before you could pry it from my hands.

I was thrilled, almost flabbergasted even, to obtain a bottle of this one recently since I was still living in that OTHER world, the one without BPAL, when it was released. I had tried the Queen of Spades and sadly, she just didn't work for me. But the King and I have hit it off. First, this is a plum-berry scent that I can wear, and that alone is thrilling because those notes very rarely work on me. I don't detect the coconut, but I think it must be the vanilla and white musk, two of my favorite notes, that smooth the fruits and make them compatible with my chemistry. The oakmoss seems to give this scent an earthy, spicy base and ultimately the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, leading me to wonder what kind of magic is in this little bottle.

Out of the bottle, Ides of March smelled like pure rosemary to me. But once I applied it, the rosemary stepped back and other notes began to swirl together. Like several other reviewers, I found that the different notes blend together so harmoniously and smoothly that it's difficult, if not impossible, to identify any single one. To me, Ides of March is very soft, but bright green like the first leaves we see in spring. The two qualities don't seem like they could co-exist in one scent, but here they do, in another example of a little Lab magic. This one will be uplifting and cheering for spring and summer... and brought out for a sniff or two in the dead of winter to revitalize me and keep me going.

Ides of March has a spring-green border and the little symbol above the Black Phoenix name is in the same color. It's a really pretty shade of green.

My experience with Chango is similar to several others'. Since I don't use it for ritual, I'm reviewing it purely on fragrance... The fruit notes out of the bottle are truly heavenly. Although I had trouble picking out exact notes, I would describe this as a huge bouquet of sweet tropical fruits.

 

Once I applied Chango to my skin, however, I began to detect the musky, animalistic note that others have experienced. I have to say that this is the most intense animalistic, civet-esque note I have ever smelled in one of Beth's blends, or anywhere other than around a real live, large animal. Perhaps it's blended with tobacco that intensifies it, as Clover suggested, because I thought I did get a whiff of that too.

 

But having read a bit about Chango, it sounds like he would be quite pleased with the oil that Beth has created in his honor. Such a lusty orisha would surely appreciate the intense musk in there. And I have sent this blend on to a good home where it will be much appreciated.

I had to order Hades based on the black narcissus alone - one of my favorite notes - although I was unfamiliar with some of the other ones. So I was a bit nervous to try it out. Not to worry though - this one is drop dead beautiful.

 

Out of the bottle and freshly applied, Hades is earthy, woodsy and a little smoky, with barely a hint of what's to come. The smoky note seems to fade immediately and within a few minutes subtle, sweet floral notes sneak to the surface, grounded by the deep woody base. Everything seems to work in harmony and the result is a spicy fragrance that hints at floral, hints at sweetness, hints at earthiness, but would be very difficult to describe without the notes identified for me.

 

This is one that would work wonderfully on women or men, truly gender neutral... in fact I would love to smell it on my husband, but we all know, he "doesn't wear perfume." So I will anxiously await your reports, men of BPAL (all 5 of you) and women who can slather it on their men.

Nuit is a rich and gorgeous floral blend. Out of the bottle and freshly applied, the jasmine and musk truly sparkle and are dominant on me. But I have repeatedly found that the jasmine in many BPAL blends (The Caterpillar, Euphrosyne, Moscow) overwhelmed me when the blend was fresh from the lab... only to morph into a well-mannered and beautiful top note once the oil has aged a month or so. I have every reason to believe that Nuit will become even more balanced and that the subtle notes will come through once this has aged a wee bit and the individual notes have married, since I get a hint of smokiness as it begins to dry down and the jasmine backs off. I'm very happy I ordered a bottle of this one.

I feel so lucky to have acquired a bottle of Lion Heart when the generous and lovely LupaWolf made a trip to Altered Realities. Like many, I was fascinated with the description of White Light and thought that was what I needed. It was sold out, and I think that was the universe's way of telling me, "No, you really need Lion Heart." I wasn't familiar with many of the Twilight Alchemy blends, but had suggested I'd like something to help with strength and positive energy as a back-up. I have to admit to feeling a little chill when I first read the description, knowing I had a bottle was on the way.

 

Lion Heart smells absolutely beautiful - in the bottle it reminded me a wee bit of Jezebel, honey and floral notes, though not orange blossom. The florals are green and fresh and the honey-ish note invokes a feeling of golden sunlight. These notes stay dominant for quite some time, but then become a little mellower and more herbal as it dries down. I haven't tried it in my oil diffuser, since I really like to have it within sniffing distance on my wrist so I can focus on its special purposes and concentrate on the things that I need strength to change. And you know, it's much easier to use your medicine when it smells so gorgeous and sunny.

 

As to its efficacy... The week that Lupa had mailed my bottle, I was having a very difficult time, recalling last spring when my beloved dog suddenly became ill, shaking, hiding from me, eventually stumbling and losing the use of his back legs... all of which was caused by the spinal tumor that eventually led to his death. I love spring, he loved spring, and it was horrible that he didn't get to enjoy his last one. Just the angle of the sun in the sky would bring a lump in my throat recalling the sleepless nights with him, emergency vet visits and drives all over town trying to get a diagnosis as well as get him some relief. I could keep myself together during the day, but I was having "procrastination" insomnia, and when I finally turned my lamp off my eyes would well up with tears and I would cry myself to sleep. And of course, all of this was exacerbated by the fact that I suffer from an extremely stubborn and hard-to-treat case of depression.

 

The day that I got my bottle of Lion Heart, I went ahead and applied some on my wrists and neck in the afternoon and again at bedtime... And that was the first night I fell asleep without crying in six days. Since then, I haven't had the night-time tears visit me once, I've just experienced a little of my usual PMS rollercoaster and that's it.

 

I'm still struggling some with my grief, and I will probably have to closely monitor my depression for the rest of my life. But I feel like I've been given a special and rare weapon to add to my arsenal and to open new pathways of thought in dealing with this joy-draining, soul-stealing disorder.

I have an imp of cinnamon single note that I sniffed specifically for this reply. I got a sweet cinnamon from it, similar to the scent of Dentyne gum (but of course more complex than that).

 

The only cinnamon that's actually burned my skin is Inferno, and I still have a big bottle on my wishlist... I'm just planning to dilute it. If I end up having to dilute it too much then I'll use it as a room scent. But it's so beautiful. I added about 1/3 an imp to a 4 oz bottle of body wash and it is very intensely scented, but no irritation problems, so I know it can be done...

 

I was wondering, it seems to me that people fall in the "Eclipse" group or the "Chimera" group, but not both... is there anyone who can wear both? Eclipse did not work with my chemistry at all, but Chimera is so fantastic that I ordered a 10 ml.

 

I never knew what a cinnamon freak I was until I started trying BPAL cinnamon blends. I love Harlot and never in a million years would have imagined adding cinnamon to rose would produce such a lovely result. Three Witches is completely swoonworthy, another BIG bottle purchase for me.

 

And after reading this, I definitely have to revisit my imp of Hamadryad!

Thanks for posting those pictures, Silvertree! Of course ALL of our BPAL oils are special, but I do love when the lab has time to do something special with an LE label. I'm so looking forward to the SIAs... curious about Beltane and Hexennacht labels too (and kicking self for not ordering just a bottle of Hexennacht... kick kick kick).

The skin on the inside of your elbow is usually the most sensitive on your body... lots of products that tell you to patch test first, like mustache bleach , suggest you use the skin there for some reason. Anyway, I would just avoid putting Snake Oil there if it isn't making you break out anywhere else, or putting some unfragranced lotion on first to create a little barrier.

I was surprised by Hetairae when I tried it, but not disappointed, since I didn't know what to expect from the patchouli. On me, the honey note is very prominent at first, but as it dries down, I get a gorgeous blend of sweet - spicy - and woody notes, which I think must be the fig, clove and patchouli. This is one of those oils that truly blooms on your skin. It can't be judged just from sniffing the imp or even from the first 10 minutes of wear.

 

It's funny, the thought that popped into my head, verbatim, when I first sniffed my imp: "These smells all just met each other." Meaning, they almost seemed a little disjointed, a sensation I also got when I first tried Euphrosyne (which I would liken to a giant jasmine SLAP). But after I had put it away for about 6 weeks, lo and behold, a gorgeous, balanced vanilla-floral blend that's now one of my favorites.

 

My feeling with Hetairae is that a month from now it is going to be INCREDIBLE... mellower, and those smells are all going to know each other really, really well. I will wear it again in the meantime (and I actually have a 5 ml on the way, a custom purchase from a swap), but I'm looking forward to seeing this one age too.