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Ella LaRose

If your top 5 scents are... Then try these!

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@myoubi I haven't tried most of your list but I wonder if you might like Strange Is Thy Pallor! Strange Thy Dress! Looks a bit chillier than La Fee Verte but has that absinthe thing going on. 

 

@blackcatmrow If you have a need for hair gloss I recommend trying Crack of Thunder, I find it pairs so well with Drider Crossing Guard! 

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4 hours ago, roseus said:

@myoubi I haven't tried most of your list but I wonder if you might like Strange Is Thy Pallor! Strange Thy Dress! Looks a bit chillier than La Fee Verte but has that absinthe thing going on. 

 

Thank you! I'll give it a try :)

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I think I might still be relatively new to BPAL compared to some of you, but here is my is my list so far in no particular order.

 

Sherlock Holmes

Desire

Event Horizon

Cathedral

The Last Unicorn

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On 12/7/2022 at 7:58 PM, KittyHamilton said:

I think I might still be relatively new to BPAL compared to some of you, but here is my is my list so far in no particular order.

 

Sherlock Holmes

Desire

Event Horizon

Cathedral

The Last Unicorn

If you like Cathedral, you might try getting a sniff of Midnight Mass. It's a classic, returning Yule scent.  I don't think it was available this year, but it probably wouldn't be too hard to find a decant from past years. 

Edited by VetchVesper

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I'm newish. I don't have a ton of BPAL and I'm still waiting on my next order when I'm sure a lot of these will change. But so far my top 5:

 

1. Constellation...the amber and clove are DIVINE

2. Pandemic Vanitas

3. Mallow Flower, Honeysuckle, and Vanilla Bean

4. The Little Owl

5. Snake Oil 

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My wallet is begging me not to post here, but it’s not the boss of me. So, in no particular order:

 

Snekhellden

Port Royal

Dee

PSL: Pumpkin Snake Latte 

Alice’s Evidence 

 

Also Snake Oil,  Snow Snake, and Western Diamondback but I didn’t want to make a virtually all Snake list

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On 1/27/2023 at 12:38 PM, AbbyNormal said:

My wallet is begging me not to post here, but it’s not the boss of me. So, in no particular order:

 

Snekhellden

Port Royal

Dee

PSL: Pumpkin Snake Latte 

Alice’s Evidence 

 

Also Snake Oil,  Snow Snake, and Western Diamondback but I didn’t want to make a virtually all Snake list

The recurring themes I see here are spice and incense notes, so may I recommend Morocco (Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia), Penny Dreadful (Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam - but there's a ginger note in here for sure), White Rabbit (Strong black tea and milk with white pepper, ginger, honey and vanilla, spilled over the crisp scent of clean linen), Fenris Wolf (Rosewood, amber, red musk and a dribble of red sandalwood), and Bastet (Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus)?  Also Mary Read, which is more in the Port Royal wheelhouse (Salt air, ocean mist, aged patchouli, sarsaparilla, watered-down rum, leather-tinged musk, and a spray of gunpowder), and Lyonesse (Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss), which is a bit of a stretch but which I think goes with Dee and Port Royal.

Edited by PrinceofcatS

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On 1/22/2023 at 1:18 PM, amoray said:

I'm newish. I don't have a ton of BPAL and I'm still waiting on my next order when I'm sure a lot of these will change. But so far my top 5:

 

1. Constellation...the amber and clove are DIVINE

2. Pandemic Vanitas

3. Mallow Flower, Honeysuckle, and Vanilla Bean

4. The Little Owl

5. Snake Oil 

There are a lot of variants on Snake Oil that might appeal to you- Tombeur from the vampire lineup (Deadly and seductive: vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil), and from the current Lupers, Womb Furie (Snake Oil and three types of honey) and The Serpent in the Carnations (Snake Oil-soaked carnation petals, spiked with a dash of clove and allspice) seem as though they might agree with you.

 

I'm not sure how much longer it'll be up but Gossip, Slang, and Cuss-Words (Here’s to a kinder, gentler year: lavender and mallow with orris root, angelica, frosted vanilla bean, and osmanthus) seems similar to your ménage à trois scent.

 

The Poinsettia Gown from this year's Yules is very sweet and creamy and you might enjoy it if you can do florals (Rose cream, jasmine cream, mallow, vanilla foam, and sweet amber) and The White Cat from the cat lineup might appeal to you too (A portrait of feline dignity painted in bourbon vanilla cream, mallow flower, golden musk, with eyes of lemon amber).

 

My personal experience with Dee (leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woodswas heavy on the tonka though that's not a universal one.  

Also you should try A Mouse's Long and Sad Tail (Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood) and Hellcat (hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond). War from the Good Omens line might appeal to you too (Red ginger, black spices, patchouli, honeysuckle, and three blood-soaked red musks).

 

Lastly if you can do ambergris Zorya Polunochnaya (Pale amber and ambergris, gossamer vanilla, moonflower, and white tobacco petals) is one of the most beautiful vanilla blends on the site, and you might also enjoy The Small Brown Cat (Warm brown fur, cardamom-infused bourbon vanilla, and a touch of cedarwood). 

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I'm intrigued enough to try this. I feel like I'm pretty good at figuring out what I will like, but maybe someone will point out something to me that I wouldn't have thought of:

 

1. Lunar New Year Scents (Water Snake is probably my most favorite, only partially because Snake is my year)

2. Cthulhu (both in perfume oil and beard oil form)

3. Night-Gaunt

4. Aizen-Myoo

5. The Hound and the Milk White Doe

 

Trying to make a list of five is hard! I kept adding things and replacing them and feeling like I was leaving things out. (I have a whole list of hard-no notes, either due to allergies or just strongly disliking a note, but I figure I will leave them off for now and see what happens)

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I need to cheat a little, because I have a "light" top 5 and "dark" top 5. Light are my ethereal tobacco flowers, light vanillas, brittle ambers. Dark are my sugary incenses, deep resins, dark patchoulis, oudh. 

 

Light 

1. Antique Lace (OG)

2. Zorya P

3. To a Wreath of Snow

4. Crinoline and Lace

5. Pediophobia

 

Dark

1. Sugared Lace

2. Banshee Beat

3. Shadow Lace

4. La Lugubre Gondola

5. Implacable Beautiful Tyrant (aged, after which it gets deeper and loses a bit of the ginger-brightness)

Edited by Amoraexcena

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9 hours ago, Amoraexcena said:

I need to cheat a little, because I have a "light" top 5 and "dark" top 5. Light are my ethereal tobacco flowers, light vanillas, brittle ambers. Dark are my sugary incenses, deep resins, dark patchoulis, oudh. 

 

Light 

1. Antique Lace (OG)

2. Zorya P

3. To a Wreath of Snow

4. Crinoline and Lace

5. Pediophobia

 

Dark

1. Sugared Lace

2. Banshee Beat

3. Shadow Lace

4. La Lugubre Gondola

5. Implacable Beautiful Tyrant (aged, after which it gets deeper and loses a bit of the ginger-brightness)

The first thing that came to my mind is Edith Cushing (Pearlescent vanilla musk with white sandalwood, grey amber, white patchouli, ambrette seed, and oudh), but I think getting it is probably hard these days. However, it's not too dissimilar to Lyonesse (Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss) in the general catalogue. If you haven't tried Tomie (A seductive and deceptively delicate blend of rose-tinted white sandalwood, ethereal white amber, voluptuous almond blossom, coeur de jasmin, and a gasp of bourbon vanilla), you absolutely must.

 

The 2019 White Gardenia and Vanilla Cream duet might appeal to you, as might The Bride from 2016 (Vanilla chiffon, honey musk, and pale magnolia) if you can find it. If you like florals, you might go even more floral-y with Victoria from the Stardust collection (Graceful vanilla musk, tea rose, and stargazer lily), which has a really beautiful vanilla musk, and The Torture Queen from the Carnaval Diabolique sees up your alley (White amber, vanilla musk, white tea, ambergris, gardenia, and chrome). Additionally if you haven't tried them, A Mouse's Long and Sad Tale (Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood), Good (Shimmering celestial musk with vanilla, white honey, acacia, and sugar cane) and Tamora (Amber, heliotrope, golden sandalwood, peach blossom and vanilla bean) in the GC are just lovely ethereal vanillas.

 

I haven't tried it but I've seen other Zorya P lovers enthuse about The Little Silver Scimitar (Foamy orris and ambergris accord pierced by a sliver of white fir needle, moonflower, and cypress), and I used to adore The Haunted Beach before my skin chemistry changed (Pale, moonlit musk, sea salt, and ambergris), though that's also from 2016.

 

For your darker side, I have fewer suggestions, but The Antikythera Mechanism (Teakwood, oak, black vanilla, and tobacco) seems appropriate, as do Tombeur (Deadly and seductive: vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil) and The Illustrated Woman (Skin musk, smoky vanilla, pine pitch, patchouli, Indian resins, golden honey, and tobacco). And it's nothing new but Haunted of course (Soft golden amber darkened with a touch of murky black musk) is a classic.

12 hours ago, ShadowEtienne said:

I'm intrigued enough to try this. I feel like I'm pretty good at figuring out what I will like, but maybe someone will point out something to me that I wouldn't have thought of:

 

1. Lunar New Year Scents (Water Snake is probably my most favorite, only partially because Snake is my year)

2. Cthulhu (both in perfume oil and beard oil form)

3. Night-Gaunt

4. Aizen-Myoo

5. The Hound and the Milk White Doe

 

Trying to make a list of five is hard! I kept adding things and replacing them and feeling like I was leaving things out. (I have a whole list of hard-no notes, either due to allergies or just strongly disliking a note, but I figure I will leave them off for now and see what happens)

I did peek at your wishlist to see if you had mentioned the notes you can't wear because I didn't want to make a huge list of things you can't wear. I might not have gotten it right, but maybe consider:

Snooty Rose (Red rose, oud, plum, bergamot, and red sandalwood)

Tweedledee (Kumquat, white pepper, white tea and orange blossom)
Baobhan Sith (Grapefruit, white tea, apple blossom and ginger)

Leanan Sidhe (A crush of Irish herbs and flowers, Gaelic mists, and nighttime dew) - I am pretty certain the floral in this is a lily, which I saw is one of your favorite notes (mine too)

The Sea Foams Blood (Blood rising through an ocean wave)

 

Of current LE scents, The Froth of the Serpents of Pleasure caught my eye (Sweet red wine, oakmoss, ambergris accord, ylang ylang, and Spanish mandarin) - it would depend on how you feel about wine scents and it sounds like the oakmoss is iffy for you but perhaps you could try a decant. You might also look up Right Atrium from Lupercalia 2019 (Luminous amber and white tea, cherry blossom and cashmere wood). 

Also the current but probably soon to come down Ménage à Trois scent Pomelo, Mandarin and Pink Grapefruit seems like a lovely scent for you! 

 

All the other ones I thought of definitely have musk notes, sorry! 

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45 minutes ago, PrinceofcatS said:

The first thing that came to my mind is Edith Cushing (Pearlescent vanilla musk with white sandalwood, grey amber, white patchouli, ambrette seed, and oudh), but I think getting it is probably hard these days. However, it's not too dissimilar to Lyonesse (Golden vanilla and gilded musk, stargazer lily, white sandalwood, grey amber, elemi, orris root, ambergris and sea moss) in the general catalogue. If you haven't tried Tomie (A seductive and deceptively delicate blend of rose-tinted white sandalwood, ethereal white amber, voluptuous almond blossom, coeur de jasmin, and a gasp of bourbon vanilla), you absolutely must.

 

The 2019 White Gardenia and Vanilla Cream duet might appeal to you, as might The Bride from 2016 (Vanilla chiffon, honey musk, and pale magnolia) if you can find it. If you like florals, you might go even more floral-y with Victoria from the Stardust collection (Graceful vanilla musk, tea rose, and stargazer lily), which has a really beautiful vanilla musk, and The Torture Queen from the Carnaval Diabolique sees up your alley (White amber, vanilla musk, white tea, ambergris, gardenia, and chrome). Additionally if you haven't tried them, A Mouse's Long and Sad Tale (Vanilla, two ambers, sweet pea and white sandalwood), Good (Shimmering celestial musk with vanilla, white honey, acacia, and sugar cane) and Tamora (Amber, heliotrope, golden sandalwood, peach blossom and vanilla bean) in the GC are just lovely ethereal vanillas.

 

I haven't tried it but I've seen other Zorya P lovers enthuse about The Little Silver Scimitar (Foamy orris and ambergris accord pierced by a sliver of white fir needle, moonflower, and cypress), and I used to adore The Haunted Beach before my skin chemistry changed (Pale, moonlit musk, sea salt, and ambergris), though that's also from 2016.

 

For your darker side, I have fewer suggestions, but The Antikythera Mechanism (Teakwood, oak, black vanilla, and tobacco) seems appropriate, as do Tombeur (Deadly and seductive: vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil) and The Illustrated Woman (Skin musk, smoky vanilla, pine pitch, patchouli, Indian resins, golden honey, and tobacco). And it's nothing new but Haunted of course (Soft golden amber darkened with a touch of murky black musk) is a classic.

Thank you so much for your detailed recommendations!!! I liked Edith Cushing and love Lyonesse, though unfortunately something in Lyonesse irritates my skin. Lyonesse is the only one that I've tested that does this in the 100s of BPALs I've tried. I should really wear it in a scent locket. I also own The Bride (love!), MLST, and Tamora - excellent recommendations, I feel like you've read me like a book! I'll have to try Victoria, The Torture Queen, and Illustrated Woman! And I"ll try to find The Silver Scimitar and The Haunted Beach. Thanks again!

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1 hour ago, PrinceofcatS said:

I did peek at your wishlist to see if you had mentioned the notes you can't wear because I didn't want to make a huge list of things you can't wear. I might not have gotten it right, but maybe consider:

Snooty Rose (Red rose, oud, plum, bergamot, and red sandalwood)

Tweedledee (Kumquat, white pepper, white tea and orange blossom)
Baobhan Sith (Grapefruit, white tea, apple blossom and ginger)

Leanan Sidhe (A crush of Irish herbs and flowers, Gaelic mists, and nighttime dew) - I am pretty certain the floral in this is a lily, which I saw is one of your favorite notes (mine too)

The Sea Foams Blood (Blood rising through an ocean wave)

 

Of current LE scents, The Froth of the Serpents of Pleasure caught my eye (Sweet red wine, oakmoss, ambergris accord, ylang ylang, and Spanish mandarin) - it would depend on how you feel about wine scents and it sounds like the oakmoss is iffy for you but perhaps you could try a decant. You might also look up Right Atrium from Lupercalia 2019 (Luminous amber and white tea, cherry blossom and cashmere wood). 

Also the current but probably soon to come down Ménage à Trois scent Pomelo, Mandarin and Pink Grapefruit seems like a lovely scent for you! 

 

All the other ones I thought of definitely have musk notes, sorry

 

Ooh interesting! The Sea Foams Blood is one that I've never tried, but I may have to look into. Tweedledee and Baobhan Sith are lovely and I have imps of, Tweedledee may at some point get upgraded to a bottle. Snooty Rose is also lovely but more my sister's scent than mine. Leanan Sidhe, I expected to like, but on my skin it smells almost exactly like how cilantro tastes to me, and it is baffling.

 

The Froth of the Serpents of Pleasure is currently on its way to me, and I'm very hopeful for it! I'll have to keep an eye out for Right Atrium though because that does sound lovely! (And you are on the nose with me loving all the citrus three notes.)

 

Sea Foams Blood is definitely one for me to aim to get a chance to try though. I think I've been antsy about it in the past because I wasnt sure what the blood note was going to be like. 

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38 minutes ago, Amoraexcena said:

Thank you so much for your detailed recommendations!!! I liked Edith Cushing and love Lyonesse, though unfortunately something in Lyonesse irritates my skin. Lyonesse is the only one that I've tested that does this in the 100s of BPALs I've tried. I should really wear it in a scent locket. I also own The Bride (love!), MLST, and Tamora - excellent recommendations, I feel like you've read me like a book! I'll have to try Victoria, The Torture Queen, and Illustrated Woman! And I"ll try to find The Silver Scimitar and The Haunted Beach. Thanks again!

Little Silver Scimitar is actually one of the Weenies from this past year - it's still up for the time being. I hope you find some more things you love!

17 minutes ago, ShadowEtienne said:

 

Ooh interesting! The Sea Foams Blood is one that I've never tried, but I may have to look into. Tweedledee and Baobhan Sith are lovely and I have imps of, Tweedledee may at some point get upgraded to a bottle. Snooty Rose is also lovely but more my sister's scent than mine. Leanan Sidhe, I expected to like, but on my skin it smells almost exactly like how cilantro tastes to me, and it is baffling.

 

The Froth of the Serpents of Pleasure is currently on its way to me, and I'm very hopeful for it! I'll have to keep an eye out for Right Atrium though because that does sound lovely! (And you are on the nose with me loving all the citrus three notes.)

 

Sea Foams Blood is definitely one for me to aim to get a chance to try though. I think I've been antsy about it in the past because I wasnt sure what the blood note was going to be like. 

I haven't actually tried that one myself, as I am not one for aquatics, but the reviews page for it here on the forum confirms it is dragon's blood!

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