(no subject)
Y'know, it wasn't so long ago that I placed my first BPAL order and then freaked out at how much money I'd spent all at once (it wasn't even a huge sum, folks, but it seemed gargantuan to this college student who considers a £18 textbook to be a vast expenditure), and now I've been joyfully bidding on rare BPAL notes with gleeful disregard for the price. I figure that if something makes me this happy, it's worth every penny!
So far, I'm waiting on:
-Maelstrom decants
-3 single notes (Honey, apple blossom, and carnation)
-Blood moon
-Strawberry Moon
-Snake Charmer
And I'm the high bidder on a set of 10 TAL decants, and some Egg Nog imps.
Life is good! Or at least very fragrant!
Sleepy Moon: A nearly-narcotic blend of opiate-touched bark and blossom reflective of the bleakness and solitude of winter, the quietest point of the year : black opium poppy, bamboo pulp, ylang ylang, lavender, chamomile and white sandalwood.
In the bottle this is light, soft lavender. Sometimes lavender scents can be bitter and harsh, but this definitely isn't. It reminds me very much of a childhood friend of mine's garden that was filled with lavender and heather that her mother used in tons of recipes (blueberry and lavender jam. . .mmm. . ).
Once on, the fresh, bright notes of the bamboo, chamomile, and sandalwood come to the forefront, and are SO very pretty. All too quickly, however, the opium and ylang ylang make their presence known, merging with the lavender to create something off-puttingly floral (I'm not a floral fan as they tend to give me headaches).
On the drydown, this is creamy florals. All the fresh bamboo is lost, and you're left with a permeating sweetness and a trace of spice.
This is definitely a nice blend, and exceptionally well mixed. I can see it helping people sleep, but mainly I see it as a relaxation blend; something you put on when you need to unwind, but not necessarily sleep yet. This is a scent that reminds me of sleepy, blissed out evenings in the summer where the air is warm and you can smell fresh flowers on the breeze. If it wasn't quite so floral, this would be a big favourite. It has impressive throw, and lasts for a number of hours.
Overall, despite not working for me personally, I rate this very highly. :)
The Masque: Bold and fiery, glowing with barbaric luster: this is the scent of the House of Prospero, the scent of hubris, mad revelry, folly and indifferent decadence, a measured passage through its lurid corridors and seven grotesque apartments. Honey and carnation, rich incense and rose accord, myrtle, red sandalwood, amber, jonquil and clove propel you through the revel, finally seating itself in the final, patchouli, tobacco and labdanum drenched darkness of the blood-tinged western chamber.
Sniffing this from the bottle, I'm struck by how Beth keeps managing to produce such well-blended scents. It's sweet, floral, spicy, and deep, and no note has dominance.
Once on, the carnation starts to peek out, but there's still a very insistent sweetness that is most likely the honey. Sadly for me, the carnation blooms as it warms to my skin, and the floral note gives me a nasty headache. Even with such a powerful flower forcing its way onto centre stage, I can detect the clove and sandalwood beneath.
The drydown on this is lovely. It's all rich, dark cocoa, like the expensive 90% pure bars you buy in health shops. Chocolate notes tend to go sour on me, and drydown super sweet, but this is rich and complex with enough bitterness to make my mouth water.
I wanted to keep this for the drydown alone, but dealing with a few hours of headaches (this blend has great throw and is long lasting) for 30 minutes of cocoa isn't worth it. I'm positive my loss will be someone else's gain, though. :)
So far, I'm waiting on:
-Maelstrom decants
-3 single notes (Honey, apple blossom, and carnation)
-Blood moon
-Strawberry Moon
-Snake Charmer
And I'm the high bidder on a set of 10 TAL decants, and some Egg Nog imps.
Life is good! Or at least very fragrant!
Sleepy Moon: A nearly-narcotic blend of opiate-touched bark and blossom reflective of the bleakness and solitude of winter, the quietest point of the year : black opium poppy, bamboo pulp, ylang ylang, lavender, chamomile and white sandalwood.
In the bottle this is light, soft lavender. Sometimes lavender scents can be bitter and harsh, but this definitely isn't. It reminds me very much of a childhood friend of mine's garden that was filled with lavender and heather that her mother used in tons of recipes (blueberry and lavender jam. . .mmm. . ).
Once on, the fresh, bright notes of the bamboo, chamomile, and sandalwood come to the forefront, and are SO very pretty. All too quickly, however, the opium and ylang ylang make their presence known, merging with the lavender to create something off-puttingly floral (I'm not a floral fan as they tend to give me headaches).
On the drydown, this is creamy florals. All the fresh bamboo is lost, and you're left with a permeating sweetness and a trace of spice.
This is definitely a nice blend, and exceptionally well mixed. I can see it helping people sleep, but mainly I see it as a relaxation blend; something you put on when you need to unwind, but not necessarily sleep yet. This is a scent that reminds me of sleepy, blissed out evenings in the summer where the air is warm and you can smell fresh flowers on the breeze. If it wasn't quite so floral, this would be a big favourite. It has impressive throw, and lasts for a number of hours.
Overall, despite not working for me personally, I rate this very highly. :)
The Masque: Bold and fiery, glowing with barbaric luster: this is the scent of the House of Prospero, the scent of hubris, mad revelry, folly and indifferent decadence, a measured passage through its lurid corridors and seven grotesque apartments. Honey and carnation, rich incense and rose accord, myrtle, red sandalwood, amber, jonquil and clove propel you through the revel, finally seating itself in the final, patchouli, tobacco and labdanum drenched darkness of the blood-tinged western chamber.
Sniffing this from the bottle, I'm struck by how Beth keeps managing to produce such well-blended scents. It's sweet, floral, spicy, and deep, and no note has dominance.
Once on, the carnation starts to peek out, but there's still a very insistent sweetness that is most likely the honey. Sadly for me, the carnation blooms as it warms to my skin, and the floral note gives me a nasty headache. Even with such a powerful flower forcing its way onto centre stage, I can detect the clove and sandalwood beneath.
The drydown on this is lovely. It's all rich, dark cocoa, like the expensive 90% pure bars you buy in health shops. Chocolate notes tend to go sour on me, and drydown super sweet, but this is rich and complex with enough bitterness to make my mouth water.
I wanted to keep this for the drydown alone, but dealing with a few hours of headaches (this blend has great throw and is long lasting) for 30 minutes of cocoa isn't worth it. I'm positive my loss will be someone else's gain, though. :)